In the field of investigating and addressing plastic pollution, the public is increasingly involved in research as citizen scientists. Long-term monitoring for this topic is needed, and recruiting... Show moreIn the field of investigating and addressing plastic pollution, the public is increasingly involved in research as citizen scientists. Long-term monitoring for this topic is needed, and recruiting and retaining volunteers is challenging. Therefore, it is important to learn more about the demographic background, motivations and expectations of involved citizen scientists, and if these change during participation. Our research studied these aspects of the citizen scientists in the Dutch Clean Rivers project, who monitor plastic pollution on riverbanks. Participants (n = 122) completed pre- and post-survey after one year of the project. While there was no gender bias, the participants were mostly middle-aged and highly educated, and almost half had previous experience with scientific research. Their motivation to participate was mostly activistic, as they wanted to tackle the source of plastic pollution and contribute to solutions. More personal motivations, such as wanting to learn more and because it is fun to do scientific research, decreased significantly after one year of participation. Their expectations were in line with the main motivations. Understanding the background, motivations and expectations of volunteers helps this project, and the field of citizen science in plastic pollution research. Show less
To investigate factors associated with fulfilment of expectations towards paid employment after total hip/knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). Cohort study including preoperatively employed patients aged... Show moreTo investigate factors associated with fulfilment of expectations towards paid employment after total hip/knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). Cohort study including preoperatively employed patients aged 18-64 scheduled for THA/TKA. Expectations were collected preoperatively, and 6 and 12 months postoperatively with the paid employment item of the Hospitalfor-Special-Surgery Expectations Surveys (back-to-normal = 1; large improvement = 2; moderate improvement = 3; slight improvement = 4; not applicable = 5). Patients scoring not applicable were excluded. Fulfilment was calculated by subtracting preoperative from postoperative scores (< 0: unfulfilled; = 0: fulfilled). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted separately for THA/TKA at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Six months postoperatively, 75% of THA patients (n = 237/ n = 316) and 72% of TKA patients (n = 211/n = 294) had fulfilled expectations. Older age (TKA:OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15) and better postoperative physical functioning (THA:OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.06-1.14; TKA:OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.06) increased the likelihood of fulfilment. Physical work tasks (THA:OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03-0.44), preoperative sick leave (TKA:OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.17-0.65), and difficulties at work (THA:OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.03- 0.35; TKA:OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17-0.98) decreased the likelihood of fulfilment. Twelve months postoperatively similar risk factors were found. Three out of four working-age THA/TKA patients had fulfilled expectations towards paid employment at 6 months postoperatively. Preoperative factors associated with fulfilment were older age, mental work tasks, no sick leave, postoperative factors were better physical functioning, and no perceived difficulties at work. Show less
Goal-setting is often used in eHealth applications for behavior change as it motivates and helps to stay focused on a desired outcome. However, for goals to be effective, they need to meet criteria... Show moreGoal-setting is often used in eHealth applications for behavior change as it motivates and helps to stay focused on a desired outcome. However, for goals to be effective, they need to meet criteria such as being specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). Moreover, people need to be confident to reach their goal. We thus created a goal-setting dialog in which the virtual coach Jody guided people in setting SMART goals. Thereby, Jody provided personalized vicarious experiences by showing examples from other people who reached a goal to increase people's confidence. These experiences were personalized, as it is helpful to observe a relatable other succeed. Data from an online study with a between-subjects with pre-post measurement design (n=39 participants) provide credible support that personalized experiences are seen as more motivating than generic ones. Motivational factors for participants included information about the goal, path to the goal, and the person who accomplished a goal, as well as the mere fact that a goal was reached. Participants also had a positive attitude toward Jody. We see these results as an indication that people are positive toward using a goal-setting dialog with a virtual coach in eHealth applications for behavior change. Moreover, contrary to hypothesized, our observed data give credible support that participants' self-efficacy was lower after the dialog than before. These results warrant further research on how such dialogs affect self-efficacy, especially whether these lower post-measurements of self-efficacy are associated with people's more realistic assessment of their abilities. Show less
MOOCs are large-scale (Massive), Open to all, Online Courses. As universities invested substantially in MOOCs, (re)use in campus education manifested.In MOOC integration, it is currently unclear... Show moreMOOCs are large-scale (Massive), Open to all, Online Courses. As universities invested substantially in MOOCs, (re)use in campus education manifested.In MOOC integration, it is currently unclear how to design for high-quality teaching and learning. We questioned: 'What do medical MOOCs offer for integration into campus education?' (H2 and H3); ‘What does creating and integrating a MOOC entail?’ (H4 and H5); and 'How can learning in integrated MOOCs be supported?' (H6, H7 and H8). For high-quality teaching we conclude: (1) Medical MOOCs offer numerous opportunities for integration, including high-quality, innovative options; (2) Medical MOOCs do not share one profile for teaching modes or quality principles, and each MOOC should be examined; and (3) the practice of MOOC integration is not a simple process and requires time, several steps and specific knowledge. For high-quality learning we conclude: (1) Monitoring motivation and self-regulated learning is essential for support, and personalized motivation support can be linked to integration designs; (2) Trust in the teacher is important for students, and can be the key to promote motivation; and (3) Learning goal acceptance can bridge the gap between the desire to allow students to set personal goals and the practical preference to assign learning goals. Show less
Film has been used for education ever since educators recognized its powerful potential for learning. But its educational application has been criticized throughout the decades for underuse of the... Show moreFilm has been used for education ever since educators recognized its powerful potential for learning. But its educational application has been criticized throughout the decades for underuse of the distinctive potential of film: to raise interest. To understand more fully film's potential for learning, we propose a dynamic model of viewer interest and its underlying cognitive and emotional mechanisms (film's interest raising mechanisms or FIRM model). In addition, we present an analysis method for assessing the interestingness of films in learning contexts. Our model marries interest theories from cognitive film theory and educational psychology and captures the dynamics of interestingness across a film as depending on a balance between challenge posed and coping potential provided. Show less
TheoryMedicine is facing a physician-scientist shortage. Medical training could contribute to developing physician-scientists by stimulating student research involvement, as previous studies showed... Show moreTheoryMedicine is facing a physician-scientist shortage. Medical training could contribute to developing physician-scientists by stimulating student research involvement, as previous studies showed this is related to research involvement in professional practice. Motivation for research and research self-efficacy beliefs are related to student research involvement. Based on social cognitive theory, success experiences in doing research may enhance research motivation and self-efficacy beliefs. However, the role and type of success experiences in promoting research self-efficacy beliefs and motivation especially early in medical training has not yet been investigated. Therefore, we examined if academic success experiences within an undergraduate course in academic and scientific skills increased research motivation and self-efficacy beliefs among medical students. Furthermore, type of success experience was taken into account by looking at the effects of academic success experiences within standard (i.e., exam) versus authentic (i.e., research report and oral presentation) assessments.HypothesesIt was hypothesized that academic success experiences increase intrinsic motivation for research and self-efficacy beliefs. Furthermore, we hypothesized that authentic assessments influence intrinsic motivation for research and self-efficacy beliefs to a larger degree than standard assessments, as the authentic assessments mirror real-world practices of researchers.MethodFirst-year undergraduate medicine students followed a course in academic and scientific skills in which they conducted research individually. Their academic success experiences were operationalized as their grades on two authentic research assessments (written report and oral presentation) and one less authentic assessment (written exam). We surveyed students before the course when entering medical school (i.e., baseline measure) and 1 year after the course in their 2nd year (i.e., postmeasure). Both the baseline and postmeasure surveys measured intrinsic motivation for research, extrinsic motivation for research, and research self-efficacy beliefs. Linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between academic success experiences and intrinsic motivation for research, extrinsic motivation for research, and research self-efficacy beliefs on the postmeasure. We adjusted for prior research motivation and self-efficacy beliefs at baseline. Therefore, this adjusted effect can be interpreted as an increase or decrease in motivation. In addition, we adjusted for age, gender, and grade point average (GPA) of the first 4 months, as these variables were seen as possible confounders.ResultsIn total, 243 of 275 students participated (88.4%). Academic success experiences in writing and presenting research were related to a significant increase in intrinsic motivation for research. After adjusting for prior GPA, only the effect of presenting remained. Experiencing success in presenting enhanced research self-efficacy beliefs, also after adjusting for prior GPA. Higher grades on the exam did not affect intrinsic motivation for research or research self-efficacy significantly. Also, none of the success experiences influenced extrinsic motivation for research.ConclusionsAcademic success experiences on authentic research tasks, especially presenting research, may be a good way to enhance intrinsic motivation for research and research self-efficacy beliefs. In turn, research motivation and self-efficacy beliefs promote research involvement, which is a first step in the physician-scientist pipeline. Furthermore, this study established the applicability of the social cognitive theory in a research context within the medical domain. Show less
Ommering, B.W.C.; Wijnen-Meijer, M.; Dolmans, D.H.J.M.; Dekker, F.W.; Blankenstein, F.M. van 2020
Background Research is of great value to make advancements within the medical field and, ultimately, offer the best possible patient care. Physician-scientists are key in contributing to the... Show moreBackground Research is of great value to make advancements within the medical field and, ultimately, offer the best possible patient care. Physician-scientists are key in contributing to the development of medicine, as they can bridge the gap between research and practice. However, medicine currently faces a physician-scientist shortage. A possible solution to cultivate physician-scientists is to engage medical students in research in early phases of medical school. Evidence-based strategies to stimulate positive perceptions of and motivation for research among students could help to enhance research engagement. Consequently, understanding of students' perceptions of and motivation for research is needed. Therefore, this study aimed to identify conditions under which students develop positive perceptions of and motivation for research by answering the following sub-questions: 1) how do first-year medical students perceive research? and 2) which factors contribute to motivation or demotivation for conducting research? Methods We conducted a qualitative study with individual interviews using a grounded theory approach, involving 13 purposively sampled first-year medical students at Leiden University Medical Center. Results Our results suggest that first-year students are already able to identify many aspects of research. Students elaborated on the relevance of research for professional practice and personal development. Furthermore, our results suggest a relationship between perceptions of and motivation for research. Some perceptions were identical to motivating or demotivating factors to conduct research, like the relevance of research for practice and performing statistics respectively. Other motivating factors were, among others, acknowledgment, autonomy, and inspiring role models. Demotivating factors were, among others, lack of autonomy and relevance, and inadequate collaboration. Conclusions Our results contribute to the idea that perceptions of research are related to motivation for research, which offers possibilities for interventions to promote motivation for research by making use of student perceptions of research. Consequently, practical implications to stimulate research engagement in early phases of medical school are provided. Moreover, the results contribute to existing motivational theories like Theory of Planned Behavior and Self-Determination Theory within this specific domain. Show less
The medical field is currently facing a physician-scientist shortage. One possible solution is to direct medical students towards a research oriented career. To do so, knowledge is needed on how to... Show moreThe medical field is currently facing a physician-scientist shortage. One possible solution is to direct medical students towards a research oriented career. To do so, knowledge is needed on how to motivate medical students to do research. Therefore, this study examines motivation for research and identifies factors influencing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for research among first-year medical students.First-year medical students were surveyed at the beginning of their bachelor's program in 2016. On a 7-point Likert scale, students reported their motivation for research, self-efficacy, perceptions of research, curiosity, and need for challenge. Regression analyses were used to examine the influence of these factors on students' motivation for research.Out of 316 approached students, 315 participated (99.7%). On average, students scored 5.49 on intrinsic, and 5.66 on extrinsic motivation for research. All factors measured influenced intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for research significantly and positively, also after adjusting for gender and age. Cumulative regression showed that these factors explained 39.6% of the variance in intrinsic, and 14% in extrinsic motivation for research.All factors play an important role in intrinsic and, to a lesser extent, extrinsic motivation for research. First-year medical students' motivation for research could be enhanced by stimulating positive self-efficacy beliefs, positive perceptions of research, and curiosity. Also, it is important to fulfil students' needs for challenge by stimulating them to actively conduct research. Thus, to catch students young and cultivate physician-scientists, students should be stimulated to engage in research from the beginning of medical training. Show less
In using a fundamentally different approach to theory formation, a new Model of Motivation is presented and tested through empirical research in various studies. Motivation is assumed to evolve... Show moreIn using a fundamentally different approach to theory formation, a new Model of Motivation is presented and tested through empirical research in various studies. Motivation is assumed to evolve around an objective and to proceed in twenty-four consecutive ‘stages’ that can be organized according to eight distinct groups or 'phases'. In covering current literature, the Model appears to provide a comprehensive conceptual framework for classification of current theories on human motivation. In empirical research, a first confirmation is found for constructs, based on the Model, that appear to capture the process of motivation. In making a distinction between the process of motivation and a so-called ‘process of interference’ aimed at addressing motivation, further confirmation is obtained for critical determinants of interference, including conditions, competencies and instruments, that appear to play an essential role in management of motivation. In an overview of implications, so-called ‘mechanisms of coping’ and ‘mechanisms of collective coping’ are introduced and observed on their potential impact on society Show less
Mourik, K. van; Crone, M.R.; Pels, T.V.M.; Reis, R. 2016
Conclusion: Results indicate that beliefs regarding the cause and controllability of problems are important to understand parents' motivation to participate in parenting support. Notable... Show moreConclusion: Results indicate that beliefs regarding the cause and controllability of problems are important to understand parents' motivation to participate in parenting support. Notable differences were found regarding the period during the child's life that parenting support was perceived as most relevant. Motivation to participate was higher during various stages of transition, which ranged from the transition to parenthood, to toddlerhood, the age of seven, and adolescence. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Show less
