Animals' choice behavior is characterized by two main tendencies: taking actions that led to rewards and repeating past actions. Theory suggests these strategies may be reinforced by different types of dopaminergic teaching signals: reward prediction error (RPE) to reinforce value-based associations and movement-based action prediction errors to reinforce value-free repetitive associations. Here we use an auditory-discrimination task in mice to show that movement-related dopamine activity in the tail of the striatum encodes the hypothesized action prediction error signal. Causal manipulations reveal that this prediction error serves as a value-free teaching signal that supports learning by reinforcing repeated associations. Computational modeling and experiments demonstrate that action prediction errors cannot support reward-guided learning but when paired with the RPE circuity they serve to consolidate stable sound-action associations in a value-free manner. Together we show that there are two types of dopaminergic prediction errors that work in tandem to support learning.

Although at first glance the identification of four facilitators and three barriers may appear to indicate an advance toward progression to baccalaureate education, the magnitude of the barriers may outweigh that of the facilitators. Therefore, the magnitude of both facilitators and barriers is worthy of future study.

Teacher feedback is a core feature of the student educational experience and impacts student development. Educators can learn about teaching practice from student perceptions of teacher online feedback (TOF). This integrative research review explores student perceptions of TOF in higher education using modified PRISMA guidelines. The researchers searched six academic databases and included 12 articles for deep analysis and evaluation after three rounds of article reviews. Students reported a preference for timely TOF to help improve their performance. Participants noted a variety of preferred feedback mediums, such as video, text, and audio. Support for the Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework was present in the research findings. The studies reviewed ranged from high to lower levels of evidence. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) implications stress that online teacher feedback is a complex and contextual skill to develop. The teacher’s online feedback method and medium should match the student population’s preference. Research findings about student perceptions of TOF in higher education are critical for application by faculty to advance the SoTL.

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