Kay Colthorpe

The ‘Second Year Slump’ is a recognised phenomenon affecting undergraduate students’ engagement, motivation, and self-perception. Students' ‘mindset’ (self-beliefs about their abilities) can influence learning behaviours. Students with a growth mindset may be more prepared for second-year as they believe they can improve their ability through effort and learning. As this mindset promotes adaptive learning behaviours, it was postulated that these students may deploy more deep learning strategies. We examined the relationship between mindset, learning strategies and performance in second-year biomedical science students (n=256). Through thematic analysis of open-ended questions, we determined students’ mindsets and learning strategies. Qualitative themes were then quantified to determine frequencies. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between mindsets, learning strategies and performance. Nearly two-thirds of students held a growth mindset about their biomedical science ability. While students reported a diverse range of strategies, no relationship was found between mindsets and learning strategies. Despite this, growth mindset students achieved higher academic performance than students of other mindsets. Second-year biomedical science students may be growth-oriented; however, their use of learning strategies may be more complex than this study could fully capture. Targeted support may be required to ensure students can effectively apply strategies in this period.

This study demonstrates that growth mindset students in biomedical science report more deep learning intentions and achieve higher academic performance compared to their fixed mindset peers. Through a mixed-method approach, it highlights the unexplored relationship between mindset, learning intentions, and performance. The findings underscore the role of mindset in shaping learning behaviors and suggest that fostering a growth mindset could improve educational outcomes in science disciplines.

To improve the online learning experience, adaptive learning technologies are being used to personalise learning content to suit individual learning needs, with learning analytics being integrated to collect data about the student usage behaviour on the platform. Research indicates that the adaptive learning platforms promote a supportive learning environment, but in order to examine the impact of specific aspects of the platform on student learning, more detailed research is needed regarding the students’ perspective of using the platform, and the learning analytics data related to the platform. The participants were students who were enrolled in the physiology courses at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Students accessed the Smart Sparrow adaptive learning platform, or modules, typically during the practical (laboratory) class. The student feedback and learning analytics data were then collected and analysed with respect to Action Potentials and Vestibular Function modules in 2019. The results for the Vestibular Function module showed that students commonly mentioned visual features and questions and activities as helpful for learning. On the contrary, students commonly reported that learning was hindered by the need to answer questions to proceed to the next slide, and the module not being able to recognise correct responses for short answer questions. In addition, there was a noticeable decline in the percentage of students attempting questions as it approached the latter part of both modules. These study findings will support instructors when designing or reassessing their online learning platforms, and by suggesting ways to enhance the student learning experience.

This study identifies the approaches and resources that undergraduate science students use to develop their science communication skills. It reveals which of these approaches and resources predict improved academic performance in a written science communication assessment task. The findings point to the importance of explicit guidance, and engagement with teaching staff, in advancing the development of science communication skills.

Anatomical dissections and prosected cadaveric specimens are currently believed to be the most beneficial delivery method for tertiary anatomy education. However, there is increasing demand within the tertiary medical education community for alternative delivery methods to complement current teaching practices, particularly in the complex field of neuroanatomy. To ensure that students learning of neuroanatomy is effective, it is necessary to take an evidenced-based approach. Therefore, this review will compare and contrast the different factors involved in learning neuroanatomy and the different modalities that can be used to teach this complex topic. Further, this review will also highlight the differences between individual and mixed-model delivery systems, which may influence the current pedagogies surrounding tertiary neuroanatomy in the dynamic educational setting.

The transition from secondary to tertiary education can be challenging, as students must adapt to independent learning. For students in the allied health and nursing disciplines, this transition may coincide with compulsory first‐year courses in anatomy, which are traditionally difficult to master. Students' agency—their capacity to make intentional choices to alter the path of their learning—may play a role in their successful completion of first‐year anatomy courses. This study aimed to develop a measure for agency and to determine whether agency is associated with academic achievement. First‐year students (n = 131) completed open‐ended questions measuring each aspect of agency. Student responses were quantified using rubrics and then combined to create an overall agency score. Three factors of agency were determined: action, metacognition, and self‐efficacy. Students with higher agency scores were significantly more likely to have higher academic achievement in anatomy compared to students with lower agency scores. The relationship between agency and academic achievement was strongest for action. These results suggest that encouraging students to be active participants in their learning may help them to achieve at university.

Laboratory classes are a cornerstone of physiology education, enabling students to develop essential knowledge and skills. Recent moves toward utilizing blended options to support face-to-face classes with online materials are beneficial, but using solely online classes may not produce similar learning gains. During 2020, the global pandemic meant a loss of face-to-face teaching, such that laboratory classes were rapidly transitioned to online delivery. This study explores the impact of this shift on undergraduate students, evaluating their use of the online laboratory classes and the impact this had on their examination performance and their perceptions of learning. Student use of the online laboratory classes varied, with those spending more time performing better on examinations. Students valued the online classes, finding them helpful for their learning, but also felt that the lack of face-to-face laboratory classes and interactions with peers and teaching staff was detrimental to their learning experience. Overall, academic performance of online learners was comparable to previous years but may indicate some underlying deficits.

Authentic assessment has long been recommended as valuable for engaging and motivating students. However, given the choices available to students in completing authentic tasks, the products of such assessment may vary in authenticity. This study aimed to evaluate the authenticity of students’ assessment products and their perceptions regarding the task. Occupational therapy students created an information sheet for other health professionals about a disease or condition, and were awarded marks for content but not presentation. The students’ products (n = 59) were evaluated for authenticity using a novel rubric developed during this study. Students’ perceptions regarding what made their information sheet real and their approach to creating it were also evaluated. The authenticity of the information sheets was variable, with most having moderate to high authenticity. However, there was no correlation between authenticity and course grade. Students said the presentation and content of their information sheets increased its realism, and that they were influenced by a desire to provide information appropriate for their target audience. Few were deterred by the lack of presentation marks. When given choice over product design, students tend to create products that are authentic. They are strongly influenced by the defined audience, despite the challenge this poses.

Learning anatomy and physiology at university can be challenging, as students need to understand both the language of the discipline and complex topics, such as system integration. Yet learning strategies are rarely taught at university, making it difficult for students to adopt new strategies, if their approach to learning has not been effective or efficient. This study evaluated the use of small-group peer discussion boards as an avenue for sharing learning strategies between students in a first-year anatomy and physiology course. The majority of students (91%) identified strategies from the discussion board worth trying before they completed the midsemester exam. The most frequently reported type of strategy was transforming records. By the end of semester, 76% of students had adopted at least one new strategy; however, these students performed significantly worse on the exam compared with students who did not adopt new strategies. The students who adopted new strategies learned about them from peers (33%), the discussion board (32%), or through self-discovery (32%). The majority of students (83%) found the discussion boards to be useful as a source of new learning strategies and for insight into how others learn. Although the discussion boards provided an avenue for students to learn about new strategies from each other, further guidance from instructors may be required to help students evaluate the effectiveness of these learning strategies.

Authentic assessment tasks resemble activities that are practiced in the workforce. These tasks are valued because they represent what students wish to accomplish as professionals, positively influencing their aspirations and motivations by explicitly demonstrating relevance of assessment tasks. However, given the choice available to students in completing authentic tasks and novelty of outcomes, the products of such assessment may vary in authenticity. This study aimed to develop a method of evaluating authenticity in student assessment products. Second year occupational therapy students (n=59) completed a written factsheet assignment about a disease or condition. The students’ products were evaluated for authenticity using a novel rubric developed during the study. The results demonstrate that authenticity in the product of an authentic assessment task is measurable, but varies widely across a cohort, with most products demonstrating moderate to high authenticity. However, there was no correlation between authenticity and course grade. Neither was there a correlation between the grade for this authentic task and a verbal authentic task in another course. These findings suggest that students, at this stage of their education, may not yet have progressed from writing like a professional to acting like one.