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This paper uses a quasi-experimental approach to test the impact of textbook-related chapter videos and companion quizzes as the pre-lecture resources in an entry-level accounting course. Two side-by-side sections of an introductory Management Accounting class, at a large university, establish the control and treatment groups. The results indicate that with the availability of pre-lecture resources (chapter-related videos), students in the treatment group exhibit significantly better final exam performance results and self-report a higher rate of pre-reading before each class lecture. Students reported the videos were helpful and clear. This paper contributes to the literature by examining the effect of “nudging” and rewarding students for completing pre-lecture learning activities on cumulative final exam performance. In so doing, this paper also provides insight into what can be an effective pre-lecture, or supplemental, resource in the accounting classroom.

Blended learning is an emerging trend across many educational settings, adopting the purposeful integration of traditional face-to-face and online teaching to establishing an engaging learning experience for the students. Blended learning provides an ideal platform for the implementation of reusable learning objects (RLOs) as a pedagogical tool to support classroom instruction.

This study had conducted a quasi-experiment followed by semi-structured interviews to determine if a blended learning approach using RLOs can enhance students’ learning in an undergraduate engineering computer-aided design (CAD) module. This study involved learners studying engineering in two different academic years.

Students from the first year were taught using traditional face-to-face teaching approach. The cohort of students from the subsequent year adopted a blended learning approach: face to face and access to a series of RLOs. The analysis revealed statistical evidence that the use of blended learning had a significant impact on the students' end of term exam grades in the CAD module in comparison to the students who undertook traditional face-to-face teaching approach. The qualitative findings highlighted the positive impact of RLOs on students’ learning behaviour, engagement and knowledge retention.

This study provided empirical evidence of the benefits of using RLOs as a blended learning tool in engineering domain. From a theoretical perspective, the findings highlighted the importance of good instructional design and sound theoretical underpinning of the pedagogical strategy. From a practical point of view, this study informed academics on how to improve learner's academic achievement using RLOs.

Middle school participants in the USA attending an on-campus university informal science program indicate an increase in interest toward careers and disciplines in STEM or STEAM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the arts). Parents or guardians confirm the change. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Participants attended “inquiry-based” lectures by scientists and “hands-on” activities conducted by volunteers on campus at a public university over four months, four Saturdays. Participants completed surveys before each lecture and guardians completed surveys afterwards.

Interest increased significantly according to paired samples t-tests for each STEM discipline for students who reported low interest on the initial pre-lecture survey. There was a significant linear improvement in interests in engineering using a repeated measures general linear model. Guardians or parents reported that they observed a higher interest in STEM disciplines resulting in more technical-related interaction among peers and within the family.

Findings support STEM with arts “out-of-school” programs sponsored by museums, corporations, government, higher education and others. Inclusion of the “hands-on” activities, some with arts content, to the science and technical learning appears to spark enthusiasm.

The value is multidisciplinary. The theory of reasoned action from social psychology, sociology, along with related research in science education and the arts are synthesized. Informal extracurricular experiences sustained and improved interests in the disciplines and careers on which the formal educational career pipeline can build.

A major component of hospital stroke care involves prompt identification of stroke in admitted patients. Delays in recognizing stroke symptoms and initiating treatment for in-hospital stroke can adversely impact patient outcomes. This quality improvement intervention used simulation together with a traditional lecture to instruct nurses at a university hospital about a new stroke protocol being implemented to increase rapid recognition of stroke and meet Joint Commission National Hospital Inpatient Quality Measures. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

In total, 86 registered nurses from the neurology and cardiology units attended a lecture and participated in a simulation scenario with a standardized patient exhibiting stroke symptoms. Participants completed a ten-item pre-test to measure their knowledge of stroke care prior to the lecture; they repeated the test pre-simulation and once again post-simulation to evaluate changes in knowledge.

Overall mean stroke knowledge scores increased significantly from pre-lecture to pre-simulation, and from pre-simulation to post-simulation. Simulation plus lecture was more effective than lecture alone in increasing knowledge about hospital stroke protocol despite assigned unit (cardiology or neurology), years of experience, or previous exposure to simulation.

All eligible nurses who agreed to participate received training, making it impossible to compare improvements in knowledge to those who did not receive the training.

A diverse array of nursing professionals and their patients may benefit from simulation training. This quality improvement intervention provides a feasible model for establishing new care protocols in a hospital setting.

The research explores the emerging specialty of learning space assessment with a focus on how new information professionals represented by graduate students in an academic libraries course defined quality criteria for library spaces and how they approached designing and conducting a one-shot multi-site space assessment project.

The instructor-investigator adopted a diachronic collective case study strategy, using documents generated by six cohorts over three academic years. The data included 180 online discussion posts, 97 individual site assessments and 32 group project reports. Data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively to identify patterns and trends in student behaviour.

The analysis revealed a strong trend among students for creating their own evaluation frameworks in preference to reusing existing professional tools in their current form; the proportion of students who developed their own criteria or combined existing criteria in new ways shifted from 40 per cent to 80 per cent in three years. Their approaches demonstrated willingness and ability to engage in independent and creative thinking, and readiness to explore interdisciplinary and international perspectives on space. They also displayed a commitment to accessible, flexible and adaptable user-centred design for active, collaborative learning and to bringing a user perspective to their observations.

The focus on student-librarians provides a unique forward-looking perspective on the desirable qualities of next-generation learning spaces in academic libraries. The study documents an unprecedented range of established and novel space evaluation frameworks and tools informed by different professional disciplines. The results should be of interest to library and information science (LIS) educators and practitioners.

Leading edge practice in university teaching uses the affordances of technology to engage students in development of essential literacies for 21st-century learning. Learning designs are aligned with core principles of learning psychology, both general and specific to the discipline. Technology offers unique opportunities for every learner to acquire key literacies along with discipline knowledge and without increasing faculty workloads. This chapter presents a literature review tracking development of learning theories and design principles, and then describes their application in three blended learning cases from the author's institution.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the bespoke resource list management system (MyReading) at the University of Huddersfield.

An online survey was designed to assess student use of MyReading and their views on potential improvements. The survey used closed questions designed to obtain quantitative data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data obtained from open questions.

The paper supports findings of another recent study which found that reading lists are perceived as more important by students than by lecturers. A variety of positive and negative themes emerged which pointed to this conclusion. Positive themes were: the perceived helpfulness of reading lists, students’ view of MyReading as a starting point for independent further reading, ease of use of MyReading and the time saving afforded to students and the value students place on their reading lists as being “quality assured” by lecturers. Negative themes were: inconsistency in the length and structure of lists; concerns that some lists are not regularly updated; lack of awareness of functionality, revealing training needs for students and lecturers; and suggestions for future enhancements to MyReading. Another finding from the quantitative data is the clear link between low use of reading lists by students in certain schools and low use of other library resources.

The research provides guidance to universities regarding future development of resource list management systems and promotional and training needs.

The study adds rich information to the existing body of qualitative research on students’ perceptions of their reading lists.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the implementation of the flipped classroom method in teaching the course and to investigate the student’s perceived helpfulness, learning outcomes and satisfaction in respect of the pre-class learning videos.

Pre-class learning videos were integrated into a course to encourage students to acquire knowledge before lectures and workshops. Having completed the flipped classroom, a delivery questionnaire containing all items was distributed to all of the participants. The data collected were analysed statistically, using a structured equation modelling technique.

Findings indicate that the perceived quality of experience of using videos before lectures and workshops has a positive influence on the perceived helpfulness of the pre-class learning videos. Furthermore, the perceived helpfulness of the pre-class learning videos has a positive effect of the acquisition perceived learning outcomes. The perceived helpfulness of the pre-class learning videos also has a positive impact on the student satisfaction with the course. Finally, there is a positive and causal relationship between the perceived learning outcomes and student’s satisfaction with the course.

Analysis reveals that the learning process and student satisfaction are improved by using pre-class learning videos.

Discusses the growth and development of US higher education institutions. Comments on how technology has enabled this growth but also stresses that there will always be a need for face‐to‐face teaching. Briefly looks at the software bottleneck.