Raising the Dimensions and Variables for Searching as a Learning Process: A Systematic Mapping of the Literature

Search engines are great allies in our daily educational tasks. However, usually, these tools are prepared only for factual learning and are less effective when dealing with more complex learning tasks. Thus, in recent years, Searching as Learning (SAL) research area has been developing from proposals that target the main challenges involving learning during the search process. The effectiveness of educational technologies in providing appropriate instructions depends directly on the input information. Gathering information on what should be taken into account in a search as a learning process can support the development of specialized search engines to support learning. Therefore, we performed a systematic mapping of the literature in order to gather this information, raising the dimensions and their associated variables.

Students’ perception on educational environment of the postgraduate programme in selected nursing colleges of Nepal

Background: Student’s positive perception towards the academic environment determines the quality of education. This study aimed at finding students’ perception on educational environ­ment of the postgraduate nursing programme of Nepal. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted among 104 masters level nursing stu­dents from four selected nursing campuses under Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University. Enu­merative sampling technique was used to select the sample. Data were collected using validated standard tool Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Most of the nursing students (81.7%) had positive level of perception on their educational environment and few had excellent perception. Total DREEM mean score was 134.37± 21 out of 200. Specifically, mean score of learning was 31.93 ± 5.1 out of 48, students’ perception of teachers was 30.02 ± 5.072 out of 44; students’ academic self-perception was 22.32 ± 3.54 out of 32; students’ perception of atmosphere was 32.26±5.1 out of 48 and mean score for students social self-perception was 17.82± 3.3 out of 28. Lower mean score < 2.0 was identified on teaching factual learning, oppor­tunities to memorize learning, supporting during stress, time management of programs, well prepara­tion for classes and student’s self-perception. Conclusions: The findings indicate more positive perception on educational environment among post­graduate nursing students. Still some aspects such as teaching factual learning, memorizing learning, supportive students during stress, and social environment need to be emphasized to enhance the students’ educational environment of post-graduate nursing program by the academic institution.

Medical students’ perception of their educational environment during foundation course

Background: Learning environment is how students perceive the climate of an institution. The strength and weakness of learning environment should be identified to help change, adjust and manage training programs with objectives for improving learning quality. Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) is a validated tool designed to measure educational environment specifically for medical schools and other health profession institutions. This tool has been used in 20 countries, including Nepal. The aim of this study was to determine the perception of medical students of Foundation Course toward their learning environment using this tool.Methods: The study was conducted among the medical students attending Foundation Course in School of Medicine at Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Nepal using the DREEM tool.Results: Total mean of DREEM score was 150.51 and that of subscales for Students' Perception of Learning (SPL), Students' Perception of Teachers (SPT), Students' Academic Self-Perception (SASP), Students' Perception of Atmosphere (SPOA) and Students' Social Self-Perception (SSSP) were 36.96/48, 34.01/44, 23.96/32, 36.03/48 and 19.55/28 respectively. In item scores, students scored more than 3 for 29 items, between 2 and 3 for 20 items and only 1 item received less than 2 score indicating an issue requiring attention on overemphasis of factual learning during the course.Conclusions: Students have a positive perception about their educational environment. Their perception is a valuable resource for institutional curriculum planners to make appropriate changes to enhance student learning. It is important to get feedbacks from students on how they are experiencing their learning environment.

Evaluation of the learning environment and the perceived weakness of the curriculum: student perspective

Background: Educational environment has been shown to have influence on learning outcome and affects student achievement, satisfaction, and success. The study was conducted to assess medical students’ perception of their learning environment and to explore areas of weakness within the educational environment.Methods: A mixed method of study, was performed using non-probability sampling at the Faculty of Medicine, Gezira University (FMUG), Sudan. An updated Arabic Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was developed and administered to 854 students during the academic year 2016-2017.Results: Seventy five percent of students completed the inventory (638/854) and Sixty four percent (546/854) responded to the open-ended question providing comments and suggestions. The overall reliability coefficient alpha in this study was 0.914. The global score for this study was found positive (122/200). Students were most satisfied with the learning aspects, academic environment, and academic self-perception. However, they were unsatisfied with their teaching and social atmosphere (inadequate social support for stressed students, substandard teaching, overemphasised factual learning, unpleasant accommodation). The qualitative content analysis was performed and emerged with four themes: the physical environment, a number of students, pedagogical approaches and faculty-student communication.Conclusions: The study suggested the overall students’ perceptions of the educational environment in the FMUG were on the positive side. However, certain specific elements of the learning environment and educational programme need to be critically investigated and remedied. The updated Arabic DREAM can be used reliably in the context of medical education in Arabic speaking countries.

Valence biases factual and counterfactual learning in opposite directions

Previous studies suggest that factual learning, that is, learning from obtained outcomes, is biased, such that participants preferentially take into account positive, as compared to negative, prediction errors. However, whether or not the prediction error valence also affects counterfactual learning, that is, learning from forgone outcomes, is unknown. To address this question, we analysed the performance of two cohorts of participants on reinforcement learning tasks using a computational model that was adapted to test if prediction error valance influences learning. Concerning factual learning, we replicated previous findings of a valence-induced bias, whereby participants learned preferentially from positive, relative to negative, prediction errors. In contrast, for counterfactual learning, we found the opposite valence-induced bias: negative prediction errors were preferentially taken into account relative to positive ones. When considering valence-induced bias in the context of both factual and counterfactual learning, it appears that people tend to preferentially take into account information that confirms their current choice

Reassessing the educational environment among undergraduate students in a chiropractic training institution: A study over time

Objective The aim of the study was twofold: (1) to compare the perceived educational environment at 2 points in time and (2) to longitudinally examine potential changes in perceptions of the educational environment over time. Methods The validated Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM), a 50-item, self-administered Likert-type inventory, was used in this prospective study. Employing convenience sampling, undergraduate chiropractic students were investigated at 2 points in time: 2009 (n = 124) and 2012 (n = 127). An analysis of 2 matching samples was performed on 27% (n = 34) of the respondents in 2009. Results A total of 251 students (79%) completed the inventory, 83% (n = 124) in 2009 and 75% (n = 127) in 2012. The overall DREEM scores in both years were excellent: 156 (78%) and 153 (77%), respectively. The students' perceptions of teachers differed significantly between the 2 cohort years, decreasing from 77% to 73%. Three items received deprived scores: limited support for stressed students, authoritarian teachers, and an overemphasis on factual learning; the latter significantly decreased in 2012. In the longitudinal sample these items also displayed scores below the expected mean. Conclusion Students viewed the educational environment as excellent both in 2009 and 2012. The perceptions of teachers declined with time; however, this could be attributed to teachers' new roles. Certain aspects of the educational environment factored prominently during the comparative points in time, as well as longitudinally, and these ought to be further investigated and addressed to provide an enhanced educational environment.

Editorial: Shifting from technology-enhanced learning to technology-transformed learning - Best papers selected from the conference APTEL 2010

In the past decade, the rapid development of computer and communication technologies brings many opportunities for developing innovative learning environments with rich resources. Technology enhanced learning shifted their focus from technology to support factual learning, memorization and the reinforcement of basic skills to stimulate students to engage in meaningful learning and situated learning. With the support of computer and communication technologies, students are able to develop higher-order skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills individually or collaboratively. Technology enhanced learning has become an interdisciplinary issue that attracts researchers from various fields to work together.

The Covert Learning of Affective Valence Does Not Require Structures in Hippocampal System or Amygdala

Following bilateral damage to the entire medial temporal lobe and interconnected cortices in the anterior temporal and medial frontal regions, patient Boswell developed a severe learning defect for all types and levels of Factual knowledge, including faces. In the experiments described here, however, we demonstrate that Boswell can acquire a non conscious bond between entirely new persons and the affective valence they display. The finding is important on the followng accounts. First, Boswell's lesions guarantee that the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices, hippocampus, amygdala, and higher-order neocortices in the anterior temporal region are not required to support this form of covert learning. Second, this demonstration is possible only in a patient such as Boswell, because in individuals with normal or only partially impaired factual learning, fact memory will contaminate the performance.