Where are the men?: Investigating intersectional gender differences in postsecondary outcomes

The Socioeconomics of College Inequity: A Review of Armstrong and Hamilton’s Paying for the Party

Impact of an in-person small group surgical skills course for preclinical medical students in an era of increased e-learning

BackgroundSurgical residents underutilize opportunities for traditional laparoscopic simulation training. Serious gaming may increase residents’ motivation to practice laparoscopic skills. However, little is known about the effectiveness of serious gaming for laparoscopic skills training.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to establish construct validity for the laparoscopic serious game Underground.MethodsAll study participants completed 2 levels of Underground. Performance for 2 novel variables (time and error) was compared between novices (n=65, prior experience <10 laparoscopic procedures), intermediates (n=26, prior experience 10-100 laparoscopic procedures), and experts (n=20, prior experience >100 laparoscopic procedures) using analysis of covariance. We corrected for gender and video game experience.ResultsControlling for gender and video game experience, the effects of prior laparoscopic experience on the time variable differed significantly (F2,106=4.77, P=.01). Both experts and intermediates outperformed novices in terms of task completion speed; experts did not outperform intermediates. A similar trend was seen for the rate of gameplay errors. Both gender (F1,106=14.42, P<.001 in favor of men) and prior video game experience (F1,106=5.20, P=.03 in favor of experienced gamers) modulated the time variable.ConclusionsWe established construct validity for the laparoscopic serious game Underground. Serious gaming may aid laparoscopic skills development. Previous gaming experience and gender also influenced Underground performance. The in-game performance metrics were not suitable for statistical evaluation. To unlock the full potential of serious gaming for training, a more formal approach to performance metric development is needed.

While increased household income is associated with overall decreased screen time for children, less is known about the effect of racial variation on this association. According to Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, family income and other economic resources show weaker association with children's developmental, behavioral, and health outcomes for racialized groups such as black families, due to the effect of racism and social stratification. In this study, we investigated the association, by race, between family income and children's screen time, as a proxy of screen time. This longitudinal study followed 15,022 American children aged 9-11 over a 1-year period. The data came from the baseline of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was family income, and it was categorized as a three-level nominal variable. The dependent variable, screen time, was a continuous variable. Ethnicity, gender, parental education, and marital status were the covariates. The results showed that family income was inversely associated with children's screen time. However, there was a weaker inverse association seen in black families when compared with white families. This was documented by a significant statistical interaction between race and family income on children's screen time. Diminished association between family income and children's screen time for black families, compared with white families, is similar to MDRs and reflects a health risk to high-income black children. In a society where race and skin color determine opportunities and treatment by society, children from middle class black families remain at risk across multiple domains. We should not assume that income similarly promotes the health of all racial and ethnic groups. Addressing health and behavioral inequalities requires interventions that go beyond equalizing socioeconomic resources for black families. Marginalization, racism, and poverty interfere with the normal family income-related development of American children.

IntroductionDespite increasing rates of graduate school attendance, students from historically underrepresented backgrounds enroll in graduate programs at lower rates than their peers. Although there is a growing body of research on current graduate students' perspectives on what impacted their decision to pursue graduate education, few studies have examined the intention to pursue graduate education specifically among second- and third-year undergraduate students from first-generation, rural, and/or low-income backgrounds.MethodOur study investigated the predictive roles of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, mentoring, and belongingness on students' intentions to pursue graduate education. Participants included 179 undergraduate students who were low-income, rural, and/or from a first-generation background. Participants completed online surveys to answer the research questions related to social cognitive beliefs and graduate school intentions.ResultsOnly the two social cognitive variables, self-efficacy and outcome expectations, emerged as significant predictors of graduate school intention. Belongingness and mentoring did not significantly impact graduate education intentions. Participants who identified as rural, low-income, and first-generation had lower mentoring support scores compared to their peers. Participants with higher graduate school self-efficacy and outcome expectations demonstrated higher graduate school intentions.DiscussionThe results suggest that social cognitive variables, specifically graduate school self-efficacy and outcome expectations, impact graduate school intentions in underrepresented college students. Also, the additive effects of multiple marginalized identities appears to negatively impact beliefs about attending graduate school. Therefore, Social Cognitive Career Theory can be a powerful tool in helping rural, first-generation, and low-income students increase their beliefs about being able to successfully attend and complete graduate school. Focusing on these social cognitive variables may help increase the number of students from these historically excluded backgrounds to pursue more schools after their undergraduate career.

Family income and self-rated health in Canada: Using fixed effects models to control for unobserved confounders and investigate causal temporality.

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of gender and prior experience with virtual reality (VR) on Immersive User Experience. We propose to use IUX to describe user experience with immersive technologies. IUX includes traditional component of UX (i.e., pragmatic quality and hedonic qualities identification and stimulation) as well as components specific to VR (i.e., presence and cybersickness). We conducted an experiment with 52 students, asking them to perform an aeronautical assembly task in VR. Results show that gender has an effect on two subscales of presence – self-assessment of performance and ability to act – and on hedonic quality stimulation. Prior experience with VR has an effect on self-assessment of performance, pragmatic quality and hedonic quality stimulation. Gender and prior experience with VR have an insignificant effect on cybersickness.

ObjectiveThe perceived burdensomeness is a negative emotion and cognition that arises from an individual’s belief that they place an excessive burden on others. For older adult hemodialysis patients who migrated with their families, they not only endure the pain of their illness but also face the challenges of living in a different place. They worry that their illness will burden their families, and perceived burdensomeness may be even more pronounced. This study aimed to explore the trend of perceived burdensomeness over time and its influencing factors in older adult migrant hemodialysis patients in China.MethodsA longitudinal study was conducted on 120 older adult hemodialysis patients who migrated with their families in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from June 2022 to October 2023. The patients were surveyed using the perceived burdensomeness subscale, general information questionnaire, and family support scale at T1 (first admission for hemodialysis), T2 (6 months after hemodialysis), and T3 (12 months after hemodialysis). Changes in perceived burdensomeness and family support were analyzed. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze factors influencing perceived burdensomeness among older adult migrant hemodialysis patients.ResultsThis study initially included 120 older adult hemodialysis patients who migrated with their families as research subjects, and no patient dropped out during the study. Among them, 61 were male, with an average age of (71.9 ± 7.5) years. 86 were married, and 34 were divorced or widowed. 68 were able to take care of themselves, and 52 were unable to. 74 had one adult child, 36 had two adult children, and 10 had three or more adult children. The perceived burdensomeness scores of patients showed a gradually increasing trend across the three time points (T1: 23.29 ± 3.82, T2: 23.98 ± 3.84, and T3: 24.58 ± 3.84), remaining consistently at a high level. The family support scores showed a gradually decreasing trend (T1: 10.25 ± 1.91, T2: 9.70 ± 1.84, and T3: 9.13 ± 1.88). The differences in both perceived burden and family support scores across the three time points were statistically significant (F = 3.337, 10.702, all p < 0.05). Generalized estimating equation analysis revealed that marital status, household registration, family income per capita, number of adult children, self-care ability, comorbidities, dialysis frequency, and family support significantly influenced the changes of perceived burdensomeness among older adult migrant hemodialysis patients (P<0.05).ConclusionThe perceived burdensomeness of older adult migrant hemodialysis patients shows a trend of gradual increase over time and is at a relatively high level. Targeted intervention measures should be formulated according to the patients’ marital status, household registration, family income per capita, number of adult children, self-care ability, comorbidities, dialysis frequency and family support to improve the patients’ perceived burdensomeness, mental health level and quality of life.

Physics is often perceived as a difficult subject due to its abstract nature, which calls for innovative media such as virtual reality (VR) to enhance students’ conceptual understanding. This study aims to analyse students’ perceptions of VR in physics learning and to identify factors influencing behavioural intention (BI) based on differences in gender, age, and prior VR experience. A quantitative survey with a cross-sectional design involved 213 physics education students at a state university in Tasikmalaya, Indonesia. The research instrument was a questionnaire measuring performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), and BI, analysed using structural equation modelling with SmartPLS version 4.0.9.9. The results show that, overall, students have a positive perception of VR use (average 73%, categorized as high). All three constructs—PE, EE, and SI—significantly influenced BI, with PE emerging as the strongest predictor. Multi-group analysis revealed that gender and age did not moderate the relationships among the variables, while prior experience with VR in physics learning significantly strengthened the predictive relationships with BI. The findings highlight the importance of improving infrastructure, providing teacher training, and fostering social support to enhance VR adoption in physics learning, while also offering valuable insights for policymakers and educational technology developers.

In the present study, we evaluated the direct and mediating (indirect) effects of clinical oral conditions, dental anxiety, sense of coherence (SOC), and socioeconomic variables on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and general health-related quality of life (GHRQoL) in Iranian adolescents. A longitudinal design was used with a sample of 1052 (694 males, mean age=15.05years) schoolchildren from Qazvin, Iran. Each participant completed a background information sheet and the following scales at baseline: Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, SOC, PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale, and PedsQL Oral Health Scale. The PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core and Oral Health scales were recompleted at the 18-mo follow up. Father's education, monthly family income, dental anxiety, Community Periodontal Index (CPI), decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT), and SOC significantly and directly predicted OHRQoL at 18mo. Father's education had indirect effects on OHRQoL through CPI and DMFT, family income had indirect effects through DMFT, and dental anxiety had indirect effects through CPI. OHRQoL at 18mo (β=0.499) and SOC (β=0.084) had significant and direct and mediating effects through OHRQoL on GHRQoL, while father's education, monthly family income, dental anxiety, CPI, and DMFT only showed mediating effects. Clinical oral indicators had direct effects on OHRQoL, but mediated the effects of dental anxiety and socioeconomic status on both OHRQoL and GHRQoL.

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Contribution:</i> This study evaluates the generalizability of previously identified perceptions among engineering students of assessments in introductory programming (CS1). The students’ perceptions of their instructors’ and teaching assistants’ (TAs) roles in these assessments are also studied, and differences based on prior programming experience, gender, and course explored. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Background:</i> Basic programming skills are desirable also for students who are not majoring in computer science (CS). Students’ experience of assessments has not been fully explored. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Research Questions:</i> 1) How do engineering students experience the assessment (lab assignments, midterm exam, and project) in their CS1 courses? 2) What are the students’ perceptions of the TAs and instructors in relation to these assessment situations? 3) What significant differences can be found based on students’ prior experience in programming, gender, and course? <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Methodology:</i> Previously identified themes from an interview study worked as a framework for the formulation of 25 statements used in a survey among 137 students in six CS1 courses (second part of a mixed-method study). Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U Test, and Kruskal–Wallis tests with Bonferroni corrections, were used to analyze the data. <p xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <i>Findings:</i> Laboratory assignments were experienced as an opportunity to learn while the exams were viewed as predictable. The projects were perceived as authentic, although varying in difficulty, and as a huge leap from the lab assignments. Students perceived the instructors to put their touch on the course but viewed their TAs as carrying out the assessments, and experienced variations between TAs. Female students experienced these variations to a larger extent and perceived received feedback as less useful.

This work in progress paper presents an ongoing study at Aston University on embedding integrative and transformative Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into engineering curricula and assessing the long-term impact of integrated interdisciplinary design challenges on student learning, employability and graduate outcomes. Since their introduction in 2019, these challenges have evolved into structured components within the formal curriculum and aim to foster sustainability competencies aligned with UNESCO's ESD framework. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study evaluates real-world, sustainability-focused projects codesigned with industry and community partners. The paper outlines the research methodology, planned work and work in progress, and preliminary findings, as well as the anticipated outcomes of the evaluation of impact on student professional skills development, employability and graduate outcomes. Early findings indicate that challenge participation has led to enhanced problem-solving, collaboration, and ethical decisionmaking skills, as well as increased confidence in overall communication competencies. Preliminary data also points to improved employability and graduate outcomes as a result of challenge participation. As such, this paper provides valuable insights for ESD curriculum development and underscores the role of real-world, sustainability-focused projects in fostering competencies relevant to industry needs. Our work aims to highlight the transformational impact on students of integrating similar ESD initiatives within curricula and signpost methodologies and principles to support HEIs in their effective adoption and implementation.

According to The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (2004), young adults with disabilities continue to face significant difficulties in securing jobs, accessing postsecondary education, living independently, fully participating in their communities, and accessing necessary community services. Furthermore, studies have indicated that IEPs generally do not always contain transition related information. In this dissertation study, the postsecondary outcome data from Indicator 13 and Indicator 14 and student attendance at IEP meetings for students with disabilities were examined. There were two levels of research to this study. In level one, there was an overall picture of the data by completing various descriptive analyses. In level two, differences were investigated as well as relationships analyzed. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data in level two. Logistic regression was used to predict the presence of an outcome based on values of a set of predictor variables. From the collection of IEP student attendance data, the researcher examined the different effects of participation. The IEP attendance data were also included in the regression model to show the strength of student attendance. In conclusion, students with disabilities were working after high school (50%-69% of variance), enrolled in a two or four year college or university (50% chance), or enrolled in some type of postsecondary school or training program (50% chance). Moreover, adding gender was significant in being employed and not being employed (71.3% chance), enrolling in a two or four year college or university (72.1% chance), or enrollment in some type of postsecondary school or training program (75.9% chance). Ethnicity was non-significant, suggesting that ethnicity had no real measured influence on postsecondary employment, enrollment in a two or four year college or university, or enrollment in some type of postsecondary school or training program. Finally, students with disabilities attended their IEP meeting at a high rate (92%).

Parental Time or Money: What Matters More for Children’s School Success? Aleksandra Holod Previous research suggests that the home environment explains up to one half of the association between poverty and low cognitive skills. Building on this research, this study provides a more nuanced analysis of the family processes through which socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with children’s academic outcomes by: 1) including maternal education and family income as predictors of parenting and children’s academic skills, and 2) separating the home environment into parental investments of time and materials. Data are drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K; n=20,582). Structural equation modeling is used to examine the extent to which these parental investments mediate associations between markers of SES and children’s reading and math achievement. Models also test for moderation of the productivity of parental investments. Results indicate that SES is associated with children’s school success via a pathway in which maternal education influences the extent to which parents invest in learning materials for their children, and these learning materials in turn foster development of early literacy and numeracy skills. Parental time has an unexpected negative association with children’s achievement, which is explained in supplemental models. Family income and maternal education also moderate the productivity of parental investments, such that the negative effect of time and the positive effect of materials are magnified in more advantaged households. Findings suggest that the following interventions may be worthwhile policy priorities: 1) support for low-SES mothers’ pursuit of further education, and/or 2) provision of learning materials for children in disadvantaged families.

This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to explore university students' perception of Chat GPT, while also investigating potential variations across gender, grade level, major, and prior experience with using Chat GPT. Employing a quantitative research approach, the study involved 239 students enrolled in the Science and Mathematics Education Program at a private university in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The results indicated an overall positive perception of Chat GPT among the participants. Notably, the only significant disparity in perception between male and female students was observed in the dimension of "Perceived ease of use." Moreover, no significant differences were found across any survey dimensions when comparing students from different grade levels (first to fourth grade). However, statistically significant differences emerged in the dimension of "Perceived social influence" between Mathematics majors and Chemistry-Biology majors, as well as between Chemistry-Biology majors and Physics-Informatics majors. Additionally, except for the dimension of "Perceived social influence," statistically significant differences were observed among groups based on their prior experience using artificial intelligence (AI) or chatbots. These findings provide valuable insights into university students' perceptions of Chat GPT and highlight the influence of factors such as gender, major, and prior experience on their perceptions. The implications of these findings can inform the design and implementation of educational technologies involving AI-based chat systems in higher education settings.