Instructor facilitation mediates students’ negative perceptions of active learning instruction

Studies have demonstrated students’ resistance to active learning, despite evidence illustrating that their learning is improved relative to students in lectures. Specifically, while active learning and group work are effective at engaging students in their learning process, studies report that students’ perceptions of active learning approaches are not always positive. What remains underexplored is whether students’ perceptions of active learning improve with effective instructor facilitation and whether there exists differential perceptions between racially minoritized students and represented students. Here, we estimate students’ perceptions of effective instructor facilitation as the mediator in the relationship between active learning and perceptions of learning and perceived utility for class activities (task value). Then, we examine differences by racial identification. We collected classroom observation data to empirically categorize courses as active learning or lecture-based and surveyed 4,257 college students across 25 STEM classrooms at a research-intensive university. We first examined the relationship between active learning on student perceptions and found a negative relationship between active learning and perceptions of learning and task value for both racially minoritized students and represented students. Next, we assessed whether students’ perceptions of instructor effectiveness in facilitating group activities mediate these negative relationships. We found that, on average, students of all races were more likely to positively perceive instructor facilitation in active learning classes relative to lectures. In turn, the positive perceptions of instructor facilitation partially suppressed the negative relationship between active learning and perceptions of learning and task value. These results demonstrate that effective instructor facilitation can influence both students’ self-assessment of learning and perceived utility of the learning activities, and underscores the importance of developing pedagogical competence among college instructors.

Students' Attitudes Toward Online Music Education During the COVID 19 Lockdown

Given the current pandemic context generated by COVID 19, important changes in the way specific subjects to music education are taught emerged, affecting not only the particularities of learning and teaching in individual courses, but also the other courses regarding group learning or theoretical subjects. In this time, emergency remote teaching and learning requires cross-collaboration between instructional, content, and technological teams. Our research examines the students' attitudes toward online education, also presenting proposals for optimization and efficiency. The research was undertaken after an experience of a University semester in a lockdown context, and it aimed at undergraduate and master's degree students from music faculties in Romania. An important result was the mediating role of perceived utility of e-learning methods, perceived utility mediated the associations between compatibility of online methods and satisfaction toward the use of e-learning methods. The perceived compatibility of e-Learning methods with online music education led to a higher perceived utility which, in turn, predicted a higher satisfaction toward e-Learning Although this period accentuated the fear of interaction with others, the anxiety related to the unknown, the intolerance of uncertainty did not predict the satisfaction toward the use of e-learning platforms. In conclusion, more educational initiatives are needed to promote remote teaching methods in music education. In the absence of similar research in our country, we considered that future research on this topic is needed.

Science-utility and science-trust associations and how they relate to knowledge about how science works

Knowledge about how science works, trust in scientists, and the perceived utility of science currently appear to be eroding in these times in which “alternative facts” or personal experiences and opinions are used as arguments. Yet, in many situations, it would be beneficial for the individual and all of society if scientific findings were considered in decision-making. For this to happen, people have to trust in scientists and perceive science as useful. Still, in university contexts, it might not be desirable to report negative beliefs about science. In addition, science-utility and science-trust associations may differ from explicit beliefs because associations were learned through the co-occurrence of stimuli rather than being based on propositional reasoning. We developed two IATs to measure science-utility and science-trust associations in university students and tested the psychometric properties and predictive potential of these measures. In a study of 261 university students, the IATs were found to have good psychometric properties and small correlations with their corresponding self-report scales. Science-utility and science-trust associations predicted knowledge about how science works over and above self-reported beliefs. The results suggest that indirect measures are useful for assessing beliefs about science and can be used to predict outcome measures.

Just a Glance, or More? Pathways from Counter-Attitudinal Incidental Exposure to Attitude (De)Polarization Through Response Behaviors and Cognitive Elaboration

Using two-wave U.S. panel survey data, this study proposes a moderated serial mediation model to examine through what paths and under what conditions incidental exposure to counter-attitudinal information on social media would enhance or mitigate polarization. The findings suggest that such exposure can indirectly polarize attitude by eliciting passive scanning behaviors, but it can also indirectly attenuate attitude polarization first through active engagement with the counter-attitudinal information, then through cognitively elaborating on the information. However, the indirect depolarizing effect of incidental exposure to counter-attitudinal information on citizens’ attitude depends on the extent to which they are instrumentally motivated. The indirect effect occurs when an individual’s perceived utility of counter-attitudinal information is at a high and a middle level, but not at a low level. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Action-Related Thoughts and Beliefs Regulate the Effect of Age Stereotypes on Aging Preparation

Thinking about old age stereotypically affects one’s engagement in age-related behaviors and developmental regulation. We hypothesized that positive or negative aging stereotype (AS) would be associated with more or less aging preparation, while action-related thoughts and beliefs might exert influence thereon. We used the AAF online-study dataset consisting of 591 German, 348 Chinese, and 139 American adults (aged 18−93 and 55% female). Using a count measure of 15-preparatory-activities, we first explored the role of AS measured by a bipolar scale and how perceived utility and risk of aging preparation differentiate this association. Findings revealed that perceiving more utility buffered the impact of negative AS, which suggests that one’s action-related thoughts are more proximal and self-relevant predictor of aging preparation. Besides, Chinese and Americans were more susceptible to the presence of AS than Germans, implying that cultural background or societal conditions might also shape one’s belief system and thereby regulate behaviors.

Canadian general internal medicine residents’ perception of a pedagogical tool of online cases in obstetric medicine

Background Sufficient exposure to rarer medical problems around pregnancy is a challenge during short rotations in obstetric medicine (OM). A Canadian research group created online clinical cases, the CanCOM cases, to overcome this. Methods We conducted an exploratory study to document the use and perceived utility of the CanCOM cases. 77 residents doing an OM rotation participated in our study. We used a survey to document their perception of CanCOM cases (12 items, 7-point scale), clinical exposure to several conditions (pre and post rotation; 41 items, 7-point scale) and use of the educational tool (1 item, 4-option scale). Results CanCOM cases was perceived as an accessible and useful tool. Participants completed a median of 6/20 cases (range 1–20), and highly recommended the cases (6.48 ± 0.73 SD on a 7-point Likert scale). Conclusion Despite some technical limitations, CanCOM cases was shown to contribute to clinical exposure to rare but essential medical conditions.

Understanding entity shared product usage: an innovation-adoption coupling model

PurposeConsumer adoption of shared products is a prerequisite for successful commercialization. The purpose of this paper is to explore what innovative characteristics of entity shared products can accommodate consumers' concerns and are likely to motivate adoption of consumers.Design/methodology/approachThis paper used a conceptual model that combined the innovation diffusion theory and technology acceptance model to explore shared products adoption. It identified the direct and indirect effects of perceived app ease of use/online, perceived convenience of access/offline, perceived utility advantages and personal innovativeness on shared products adoption intention. Structural equation modeling was used for analyzing the questionnaire data from a sample of 479 users who used entity shared products such as shared cars, shared bicycles and shared power banks for mobile phones.FindingsThe empirical tests indicate that perceived utility advantages based on market innovation, perceived accessibility of usage rights based on technology innovation (including perceived app ease of use/online and perceived convenience of access/offline) and consumer personal innovativeness are the key factors affecting consumer adoption.Originality/valueThis paper constructs an innovation-adoption coupling model of entity shared products to understand shared products usage. The findings provide useful practical guidance for the design and development of shared products and “usage rights economy” business applications.