Journal clubs as an effective pedagogical tool to enhance academic literacy

Jones, Matthew; Morgan, Nicky

Abstract

Introduction
Journal clubs are routinely used within academic research institutes and allied health professions to boost critical thinking, data analysis and disseminate knowledge of novel research concepts. These group-based discussions regarding scientific literature aim to develop knowledge, transferable skills and facilitate sharing of expertise across disciplines. However, they are usually constrained to small defined student groups, with limited reported attempts to deliver journal clubs at scale within the undergraduate curriculum. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of journal clubs as pedagogical tools and determine if they are translatable into undergraduate curricula.
Methods
Student feedback (n=52) was assessed by the completion of an anonymous survey upon completion of the curriculum-embedded journal club. Pre- and post-session surveys were provided to assess knowledge acquisition (n=130). All questions were scored using multi-point Likert scales.
Results
Most students (78.8%) had a positive experience completing the curriculum-embedded journal club with 86.5% stating they learnt a lot from the session. The majority (78.8%) stated that they preferred this learning experience to typical didactic lectures. Students also stated that it enhanced their confidence (76.9%) and team working skills (78.8%), in addition to their understanding of academic writing (92.3%) and critical appraisal of research (84.6%). Further analysis revealed journal clubs have a significant impact on academic literacy knowledge acquisition (P<0.0001). No significant differences were observed when responses were stratified based on socioeconomic parameters.
Conclusion
These data show that journal clubs are a valuable tool for developing key academic competencies that are translatable into the undergraduate curricula of a range of STEM disciplines.

Citation

Jones, M., & Morgan, N. (2024, June). Journal clubs as an effective pedagogical tool to enhance academic literacy. Presented at Horizons in STEM Education 2024, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

• Presentation Conference Type: Speech
• Conference Name: Horizons in STEM Education 2024
• Conference Location: University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
• Start Date: Jun 26, 2024
• End Date: Jun 27, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 9, 2024
• Publisher URL: https://ukstemconference.com/2024-conference-programme/