Developing self-regulatory skills is fundamental to effective learning in higher education, and assessment has a key role to play in this process. Assessment designed to support self-regulation drives student agency, independence, and criticality, provided students are engaged with the assessment activity. Student partnership is valuable in evaluating the benefits and limitations of assessments, and in enhancing their impact. Student engagement can be achieved either through actively understanding the core elements of the assessment, co-designing assessment tasks, or, active involvement in post hoc revision of assessments. A powerful conceptual approach for engaging students in assessment is the ‘Equity, Agency, and Transparency’ (EAT) framework established in 2016 to support an integrated approach to assessment and feedback. EAT has three interrelated dimensions: assessment literacy, feedback and design. EAT resources (including tools for ranking assessments and an engagement scale) can be used for free by students and staff to view assessments objectively. This case study focuses on a series of activities which involve students using EAT to review a series of assessments and co-design interventions to enhance student assessment literacy and feedback. We describe how EAT can be used to initiate conversations about enhancement needs and to scaffold the development of a peer-led intervention. We found EAT effective in providing opportunities for students to participate in discourse around assessment and empowering them to support their own and each other’s learning. The outcomes of our assessment interventions highlight the benefits of involving students as active partners in developing and enhancing assessment and feedback practices.

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has led to substantial interest in its potential to support student learning and assessment in higher education. In particular, GenAI's ability to provide immediate and iterative formative feedback on the quality of students' work has substantial potential to enhance student learning and attainment. However, for feedback to be impactful and useful, the quality and utility of feedback generated by GenAI needs to accurately reflect the quality of the work and align with principles for good feedback provision. This study evaluated the feedback that an undergraduate student might obtain from a single, unscaffolded interaction with a GenAI platform (ChatGPT4o), without tutor input, applied to 30 Year 1 Bioscience essays. Using a bespoke rubric for feedback quality alongside qualitative and quantitative analyses, the GenAI-generated feedback was evaluated for alignment to established hallmarks of good feedback practice. Overall, GenAI-authored feedback had useful elements but was limited in scope. While feedback tended to be accurate, specific to the essay, with a strong focus on content and substantial elements of feed-forward advice, critical guidance and motivational feedback were limited. Within the feedback test, neutral observations focused mostly on structure and use of figures. Positive feedback focused mainly on use of language, and areas for improvement mostly on structure, missing content, and citations/references. These findings suggest that GenAI may have some potential to provide instant, formative guidance to students, but its use may require substantial scaffolding by educators in order to be effective.

This case study details a three-day 'marking circle' activity where six academics, who co-author this case study, with varied lengths of experience collaboratively marked 25 undergraduate bioscience essays. Observations from this activity, discussed in a focus group, highlighted a significant tension: while the process was too time-consuming to be a sustainable method for routine marking, it was an extremely valuable and enjoyable professional development exercise. The activity revealed substantial inconsistencies between markers, with mark variations often exceeding 20%. In a focus group discussion between the markers, these discrepancies were attributed to several elements: procedural, structural, personal and experiential factors that led to different decisions between the markers when assigning numerical grades. This case study proposes a streamlined, two-stage model to harness the activity's developmental benefits in a more time-efficient manner: first, using a small group to pilot and refine a rubric, and second, using the refined rubric in a wider-scale professional development context.

The rapid shift to online and blended learning in higher education has led to the development and use of digital tools that support student engagement and learning outcomes. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of these digital tools across various disciplines in higher education, focussing on factors that promote or hinder student engagement. A criteria-based comprehensive systematic search of three databases (Scopus, Web of Science and ProQuest, last date of enquiry 20 August 2024) identified 25 studies, inclusion criteria focussing on primary studies describing and evaluating interactive digital tools designed to enhance learning and/or assessment in higher education. Papers were analysed for bias using JBI checklists, and the papers' findings were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Analysis of the papers uncovered four key design features that foster engagement with effective digital tools: interactivity, ease of use, immediate feedback and personalised learning experiences. Based on these findings, this review proposes a cyclic model for designing digital tools, emphasising an initial needs analysis, integration with course content, active engagement of students and educators, and ongoing refinement based on feedback. This model offers actionable guidelines for educators and institutions aiming to optimise digital tool development in higher education. The papers identified were typically short-term studies, on specific cohorts of students, and more long-term studies of the impact of digital resources are needed to determine long-term learning gain. The systematic review underscores practical strategies for leveraging digital tools to promote active, self-directed learning by focussing on evidence-based principles.

IntroductionStudents need to acquire high level self-regulatory skills if they are to be successful within higher education, and academics need support in facilitating this. In this article we explore how the current research gap between knowledge of self-regulatory assessment and feedback (SRAF) practices, and academics’ professional training in it can be bridged.MethodsSRAF tools were used with academics to explore their understandings of and training needs in SRAF; central to this work was the development of a SRAF scale. We consider the value of such tools in supporting academics’ professional development needs in SRAF. The reliability and validity of the SRAF scale was tested using exploratory factor analyses (EFA).ResultsIterative EFA resulted in a 17 item support required SRAF scale (SR). Two underpinning factors: Creating the Conditions for SRAF, and Supporting Students’ SRAF Skills Development were identified. The reliability of the instrument supported its primary use as a tool to facilitate academics’ professional development in fostering students’ self-regulatory skills.DiscussionOur findings highlight the importance of supporting academics in developing strategies to maximize students’ metacognitive skills and motivation in assessment and feedback, contingent on effective assessment design. Such professional development needs to be mindful of individual and contextual factors impacting academics’ access to, and confidence and competence in, using SRAF in practice. This research is important in highlighting potential disconnects between where academics’ focus their attention in assessment, and what is known to have most impact on student learning success. The SRAF tools have considerable potential in supporting translation of theory into practice as part of sustained professional development for academics in higher education.

The ability to work in teams is one of the most sought-after graduate skills by employers. However, team-based learning activities, and especially team-based assessments, are commonly disliked (even actively avoided) by students. Team-based assessments are often problematic for students, mostly due to logistical problems and interpersonal difficulties. These difficulties often lead to dissatisfaction with the process and poor satisfaction responses in quality assessments of their teaching. This review takes a four-way approach to evaluate current approaches to team assessment aimed at enhancing student engagement, satisfaction and learning gain. Firstly, we identify why team-based activity is so important to include in our overall pedagogy in Higher Education. Secondly, we examine evidence from the literature on students' reactions to team-based activities (especially focusing on assessment) and the reasons for both positive and negative perceptions. The third focus is on identifying the root of the problem from a pedagogic perspective and highlighting the deficiencies in approaches to team-based activities that might lead to negative student perceptions. Finally, we discuss examples from the literature of where team-based learning and assessment activities have been successful. Approaches to team-based activities need to be more proactive and supportive so that students understand the dynamics of teams, how to plan team-based activities, and how to deal with interpersonal issues positively and productively. Team-based learning is arguably the least well-taught element of our curricula, yet it is important and straightforward to address.

Assessment and the associated feedback from those assessments are powerful factors in the development of students' learning. We have seen a shift within the Higher Education sector to conceptualise assessment as being more than summative assessment 'of' learning. Instead, there has been a greater emphasis on assessment 'as' learning, or assessment 'for' learning, through the enhanced use of formative assessments. Centralising assessment within the learning process highlights that assessment IS learning and cannot be separated from other elements of the learning process. In particular, assessment has a vital role to play in the development of students' self-regulated learning skills and the development of independence in learners. However, for assessments to effectively support learning, they need to be meaningful, engaging, well-integrated into the learning activities and 'student-focused'. Placing student skills development and personal development at the centre of assessment design has the potential to empower students through assessment. This review focuses on the potential of assessment to support student learning and development, using the 'Equity, Agency, Transparency' ('EAT') framework as a lens for effective assessment and feedback practices. We suggest ways in which we can make our assessment and feedback practices more inclusive, meaningful and authentic to the students' learning needs.

BACKGROUND:The potential of popular culture as a tool for knowledge delivery and enhancing engagement in education is promising but not extensively studied. Furthermore, concerns exist regarding learning fatigue due to increased reliance on videoconferencing platforms following the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure effective web-based teaching sessions that maintain attention spans and enhance understanding, innovative solutions are necessary.OBJECTIVE:This study aims to evaluate the use of specific popular culture case studies to enhance student engagement in a web-based near-peer teaching session.METHODS:We delivered a web-based teaching session to undergraduate medical students in the United Kingdom. The session included clinical vignettes and single-best-answer questions using characters from "The Simpsons" television show as patient analogies for various causes of jaundice. A pre-post survey, employing a 7-point Likert scale, was distributed to gather data from participants.RESULTS:A total of 53 survey responses were collected. Participants reported significantly improved understanding of jaundice after the session compared to before the session (median 6, IQR 5-6 vs median 4, IQR 3-4.5; P<.001). The majority of participants agreed that the inclusion of "The Simpsons" characters enhanced their knowledge and made the teaching session more memorable and engaging (memorability: median 6, IQR 5-7; engagement: median 6, IQR 5-7).CONCLUSIONS:When appropriately integrated, popular culture can effectively engage students and improve self-perceived knowledge retention. "The Simpsons" characters can be used pedagogically and professionally as patient analogies to deliver teaching on the topic of jaundice.

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to higher education, including medical studies. Online learner support became urgently necessary, and peer-support of learning was needed to supplement formal teaching. This study evaluates the impact and delivery media of OSCEazy, a student-led initiative supporting formal teaching across institutional and national boundaries. Methods A survey was created on Google Forms and disseminated via the Zoom chat function to all the participants at the end of our event titled, “The Cardiology Station”. Results A large proportion (99.5%) of the students have a Facebook account and (98.7%) use it to keep track of medical events (p=0.45 for comparison). However, a very small proportion of use their other social media to keep up with medical events (p<0.0001 for comparison). Conclusion It is evident from our results, that most of our participants used Facebook to keep track of medical events. The use of their other social media platforms (Instagram, etc) to keep track of medical events was limited. Thus, it is important for any organisation, such as ours, who conduct online events to evaluate which platform is most suitable for them to use to publicise their events.

Background: Self-regulated learning (SRL) is an individual’s ability to be motivationally, metacognitively and behaviourally active in their own learning. SRL skills are beneficial for medical students as doctors are required to possess lifelong learning behaviours. Self-regulation is also important during the transition to university, in which students transition from a pedagogical to an andragogical educational setting. Methods: Seven Cardiff University (CU) medical students volunteered to partake in two cycles of semi-structured interviews. The interview transcripts were analysed using Constructivist Grounded Theory to produce themes that were grounded in the data. Results: Medical students already possessed some level of self-regulation and were required to use self-regulation in the two transition points in Year 1. Students felt uncertain in the parameters of their learning as they were unaccustomed to the self-directed learning required at university. Students were also uncertain about the method of learning that they should adopt at university. As a result, students compared themselves to peers, which created a competitive atmosphere at university. Conclusions: While medical students were successful in their undergraduate studies, students were under supported by CU's curriculum. Medical schools should, therefore, support students’ development of self-regulation as they transition into university.

The study of historical surgery allows for greater understanding of historical medicine and how such techniques di!er to modern equivalents. As such, recent academic interest has focused upon the biomedical validity of the surgical techniques used to treat patients in the medieval and early modern periods. (1) The early modern time period is classically de"ned to encompass 1500-1800 AD. For the purposes of this article, ‘modern’ refers to the late 19th century onwards. Early modern military surgeons would have had to treat gunshot wounds caused by lead musket balls "red from black powder charged "rearms. Substantial advances have been made in ballistics technology since the 16th and 17th centuries, fundamental adaptations to the technology have led to di!ering ballistics behaviour between modern and historical ammunition. Previous attempts to describe musket wound morphology have used modern projectiles as analogues. (1) Extrapolating data derived from modern projectiles to apply to historical examples is inherently #awed due to such design di!erences. As such, debate still exists regarding the morphology of musket ball in#icted wounds, and therefore whether the methods adopted by early modern surgeons to treat them would have been e!ective.

Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) is the ability to manage one’s own learning and identify own learning needs. (1) Since doctors are required to be life-long learners, it is important that medical students develop SRL skills as early as possible. (2) Extensive literature has addressed the elements required of a self-regulated learner; (3,4) however, little has addressed how students can be supported to develop these skills and the impacting factors, particularly the impact of transitioning to university. Medical students are an interesting cohort as they are typically highachievers at school, have the development of a professional identity forming when they start university, and a clear professional outcome to their studies. It is important that medical schools can support their students through this transition to university, to consequently improve student abilities to self-regulate their learning. (5)

AbstractThe sections in this article areIntroductionThe Molecular Basis of Vesicle Targeting at the PlantGolgiTheRabDGroup (Related toRab1)TheRabBGroup (Related toRab2)TheRabEGroup (Related toRab8)TheRabHGroup (Related to MammalianRab6)TheRabAGroup (Related to MammalianRab11)Conclusions

This chapter examines the medical challenges posed by the increased number of gunshot wounds during the civil wars, and sets out the changes in the way these wounds were treated. The treatment of battlefield wounds expounded in surgeons’ manuals, is placed in context with what we now understand about the biology, pathology and effective treatment methods for wounds. The techniques used by the civil-war surgeon are compared with those of later periods. Despite a lack of understanding of microbiology, physiology and, in many cases, anatomy, many methods employed by civil-war military surgeons reflect good contemporary surgical practice. Despite the lack of antibiotics, anaesthetics, hygienic environments and high-quality surgical implements, survival rates from injuries on the field arrear to have been considerable, if treated. In developing treatments for the problems posed by gunshot wounds, some civil-war surgeons used an evidence-based approach, and laid the foundations for much modern surgical practice.

Engaging students as partners in learning is a key priority for contemporary Higher Education. By working in partnership with students, there is the potential for a positive impact on both student learning and curriculum development. We have introduced ‘Shadow Modules’, student-led and student-focused collaborative learning communities which parallel taught modules to support student learning. Shadow Modules utilise collaborative learning, where learners work together to develop a shared understanding of a subject. Activities are coordinated by a student volunteer, who interacts with, but works independently from, the academic leading the taught module. Shadow Modules format is either face-to-face collaborative groups, peer-teaching or online discussion communities (frequently a combination of these). Participants create and share resources, engage in discussion and develop a mutually-supportive learning environment. Through the use of Web 2.0 collaborative technologies, outputs of Shadow Module activities can be shared with the wider student cohort, benefitting both actively-engaged students and passive observers. This paper evaluates the pedagogic impact of Shadow modules on all stakeholders. Active engagement leads to significant improvement in module outcomes, but use of shared resources by students who are not actively engaged in the collaborative activities is also observed. Qualitative analysis of student perceptions suggests that Shadow Modules make studying more efficient and effective, and foster engagement, confidence and a sense of community. The ‘Shadow Module Leader’ also experiences significant benefits to personal development, increased confidence and communication skills. A Shadow Module can also impact positively on the structure or delivery of the taught module it parallels, through feedback from the Shadow Module Leader and learning resource creation. Through student-led collaborative activities working in parallel to academic teaching, Shadow Modules provide a substantial (and multi-faceted) positive impact to the student experience.