Search results for: student autonomy
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 2925

Search results for: student autonomy

2415 Identifying and Exploring Top 10 Sustainable Leadership Practices of a School Leader to Improve School Leadership and Student Learning Outcomes

Authors: Sapana Purandare

Abstract:

The landscape of school leadership is evolving with the changing world of the 21st century. In this era, it is crucial to adapt our approaches to school leadership, with the school leader playing an important role in shaping the educational system. During the implementation of the LEAD project, the volume of 67 practices was impractical for any school leader to effectively incorporate. Consequently, this study aims to address this issue by administering a questionnaire to school leaders, including those from Kotak Education Foundation partner schools and others operating within similar contexts. The goal is to pinpoint the practices that can enhance school leadership and Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) both presently and in the near future. Utilizing the Qualtrics tool, a survey was conducted to identify the top 15 practices that respondents believe will be crucial for improving SLO over the next 10-15 years. Additionally, focus group discussions (FGDs) and interviews were conducted to elucidate the challenges hindering the implementation of these practices within schools. The recommendations derived from the identified top 15 practices will be instrumental in devising scalable models for LEAD and advocating for their adoption at the state level. Practices with higher standard deviations and average scores hold particular significance for future development. Furthermore, demographic factors such as age, gender, and years of service influence individuals' perceptions of these practices and thus warrant consideration in our analysis.

Keywords: exploring top sustainable practices, practice implementation, school leadership, student learning outcomes

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2414 Nursing Students’ Opinions about Theoretical Lessons and Clinical Area: A Survey in a Nursing Department

Authors: Ergin Toros, Manar Aslan

Abstract:

This study was planned as a descriptive study in order to learn the opinions of the students who are studying in nursing undergraduate program about their theoretical/practical lessons and departments. The education in the undergraduate nursing programs has great importance because it contains the knowledge and skills to prepare student nurses to the clinic in the future. In order to provide quality-nursing services in the future, the quality of nursing education should be measured, and opinions of student nurses about education should be taken. The research population was composed of students educated in a university with 1-4 years of theoretical and clinical education (N=550), and the sample was composed of 460 students that accepted to take part in the study. It was reached to 83.6% of target population. Data collected through a survey developed by the researchers. Survey consists of 48 questions about sociodemographic characteristics (9 questions), theoretical courses (9 questions), laboratory applications (7 questions), clinical education (14 questions) and services provided by the faculty (9 questions). It was determined that 83.3% of the nursing students found the nursing profession to be suitable for them, 53% of them selected nursing because of easy job opportunity, and 48.9% of them stayed in state dormitory. Regarding the theoretical courses, 84.6% of the students were determined to agree that the question ‘Course schedule is prepared before the course and published on the university web page.’ 28.7% of them were determined to do not agree that the question ‘Feedback is given to students about the assignments they prepare.’. It has been determined that 41,5% of the students agreed that ‘The time allocated to laboratory applications is sufficient.’ Students said that physical conditions in laboratory (41,5%), and the materials used are insufficient (44.6%), and ‘The number of students in the group is not appropriate for laboratory applications.’ (45.2%). 71.3% of the students think that the nurses view in the clinics the students as a tool to remove the workload, 40.7% of them reported that nurses in the clinic area did not help through the purposes of the course, 39.6% of them said that nurses' communication with students is not good. 37.8% of students stated that nurses did not provide orientation to students, 37.2% of them think that nurses are not role models for students. 53.7% of the students stated that the incentive and support for the student exchange program were insufficient., %48 of the students think that career planning services, %47.2 security services,%45.4 the advisor spent time with students are not enough. It has been determined that nursing students are most disturbed by the approach of the nurses in the clinical area within the undergraduate education program. The clinical area education which is considered as an integral part of nursing education is important and affect to student satisfaction.

Keywords: nursing education, student, clinical area, opinion

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2413 Expanding the Atelier: Design Lead Academic Project Using Immersive User-Generated Mobile Images and Augmented Reality

Authors: David Sinfield, Thomas Cochrane, Marcos Steagall

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While there is much hype around the potential and development of mobile virtual reality (VR), the two key critical success factors are the ease of user experience and the development of a simple user-generated content ecosystem. Educational technology history is littered with the debris of over-hyped revolutionary new technologies that failed to gain mainstream adoption or were quickly superseded. Examples include 3D television, interactive CDROMs, Second Life, and Google Glasses. However, we argue that this is the result of curriculum design that substitutes new technologies into pre-existing pedagogical strategies that are focused upon teacher-delivered content rather than exploring new pedagogical strategies that enable student-determined learning or heutagogy. Visual Communication design based learning such as Graphic Design, Illustration, Photography and Design process is heavily based on the traditional forms of the classroom environment whereby student interaction takes place both at peer level and indeed teacher based feedback. In doing so, this makes for a healthy creative learning environment, but does raise other issue in terms of student to teacher learning ratios and reduced contact time. Such issues arise when students are away from the classroom and cannot interact with their peers and teachers and thus we see a decline in creative work from the student. Using AR and VR as a means of stimulating the students and to think beyond the limitation of the studio based classroom this paper will discuss the outcomes of a student project considering the virtual classroom and the techniques involved. The Atelier learning environment is especially suited to the Visual Communication model as it deals with the creative processing of ideas that needs to be shared in a collaborative manner. This has proven to have been a successful model over the years, in the traditional form of design education, but has more recently seen a shift in thinking as we move into a more digital model of learning and indeed away from the classical classroom structure. This study focuses on the outcomes of a student design project that employed Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality technologies in order to expand the dimensions of the classroom beyond its physical limits. Augmented Reality when integrated into the learning experience can improve the learning motivation and engagement of students. This paper will outline some of the processes used and the findings from the semester-long project that took place.

Keywords: augmented reality, blogging, design in community, enhanced learning and teaching, graphic design, new technologies, virtual reality, visual communications

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2412 Self-Reliant Peer Learning for Nursing Students

Authors: U.-B. Schaer, M. Wehr, R. Hodler

Abstract:

Background: Most nursing students require more training time for necessary nursing skills than defined by nursing schools curriculum to acquire basic nursing skills. Given skills training lessons are too brief to enable effective student learning, meaning in-depth skills practice and repetition various learning steps. This increases stress levels and the pressure to succeed for a nursing student with slower learning capabilities. Another possible consequence is that nursing students are less prepared in the required skills for future clinical practice. Intervention: The Bern College of Higher Education of Nursing, Switzerland, started the independent peer practice learning program in 2012. A concept was developed which defines specific aims and content as well as student’s rights and obligations. Students enlist beforehand and order the required materials. They organize themselves and train in small groups in allocated training location in the area of Learning Training and Transfer (LTT). During the peer practice, skills and knowledge can be repeatedly trained and reflected in the peer groups without the presence of a tutor. All invasive skills are practiced only on teaching dummies. This allows students to use all their potential. The students may access learning materials as literature and their own student notes. This allows nursing students to practice their skills and to deepen their knowledge on corresponding with their own learning rate. Results: Peer group discussions during the independent peer practice learning support the students in gaining certainty and confidence in their knowledge and skills. This may improve patient safety in future daily care practice. Descriptive statics show that the number of students who take advantage of the independent peer practice learning increased continuously (2012-2018). It has to be mentioned that in 2012, solely students of the first semester attended the independent peer practice learning program, while in 2018 over one-third of the participating students were in their fifth semester and final study year. It is clearly visible that the demand for independent peer practice learning is increasing. This has to be considered in the development of future teaching curricula.

Keywords: learning program, nursing students, peer learning, skill training

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2411 Motivation in Online Instruction

Authors: David Whitehouse

Abstract:

Some of the strengths of online teaching include flexibility, creativity, and comprehensiveness. A challenge can be motivation. How can an instructor repeating the same lessons over and over, day in and day out, year after year, maintain motivation? Enthusiasm? Does motivating the student and creating enthusiasm in class build the same things inside the instructor? The answers lie in the adoption of what I label EUQ—The Empathy and Understanding Quotient. In the online environment, students who are adults have many demands on their time: civilian careers, families (spouse, children, older parents), and sometimes even military service. Empathetic responses on the part of the instructor will lead to open and honest communication on the part of the student, which will lead to understanding on the part of the instructor and a rise in motivation in both parties. Understanding the demands can inform an instructor’s relationship with the student throughout the temporal parameters of classwork. In practicing EUQ, instructors can build motivation in their students and find internal motivation in an enhanced classroom dynamic. The presentation will look at what motivates a student to accomplish more than the minimum required and how that can lead to excellent results for an instructor’s own motivation. Through direct experience of having students give high marks on post-class surveys and via direct messaging, the presentation will focus on how applying EUQ in granting extra time, searching for intent while grading, communicating with students via Quick Notes, responses in Forums, comments in Assignments, and comments in grading areas - - - how applying these things infuses enthusiasm and energy in the instructor which drive creativity in teaching. Three primary ways of communicating with students will be given as examples. The positive response and negative response each for a Forum, an Assignment, and a Message will be explored. If there is time, participants will be invited to craft their own EUQ responses in a role playing exercise involving two common classroom scenarios—late work and plagiarism.

Keywords: education, instruction, motivation, online, teaching

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2410 Implications of Humanizing Pedagogy on Learning Design in a Technology-Enhanced Language Learning Environment: Critical Reflections on Student Identity and Agency

Authors: Mukhtar Raban

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Nelson Mandela University subscribes to a humanizing pedagogy (HP), as housed under broader critical pedagogy, that underpins and informs learning and teaching activities at the institution. The investigation sought to explore the implications of humanizing and critical pedagogical considerations for a technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) environment in a university course. The paper inquires into the design of a learning resource in an online learning environment of an English communication module, that applied HP principles. With an objective of creating agentive spaces for foregrounding identity, student voice, critical self-reflection, and recognition of others’ humanity; a flexible and open 'My Presence' feature was added to the TELL environment that allowed students and lecturers to share elements of their backgrounds in a ‘mutually vulnerable’ manner as a way of establishing digital identity and a more ‘human’ presence in the online language learning encounter, serving as a catalyst for the recognition of the ‘other’. Following a qualitative research design, the study adopted an auto-ethnographic approach, complementing the critical inquiry nature embedded into the activity’s practices. The study’s findings provide critical reflections and deductions on the possibilities of leveraging digital human expression within a humanizing pedagogical framework to advance the realization of HP-adoption in language learning and teaching encounters. It was found that the consideration of humanizing pedagogical principles in the design of online learning was more effective when the critical outcomes were explicated to students and lecturers prior to the completion of the activities. The integration of humanizing pedagogy also led to a contextual advancement of ‘affective’ language learning. Upon critical reflection and analysis, student identity and agency can flourish in a technology-enhanced learning environment when humanizing, and critical pedagogy influences the learning design.

Keywords: critical reflection, humanizing pedagogy, student identity, technology-enhanced language learning

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2409 Trends in Research Regarding International Student Connectedness, A Systematic Review

Authors: Zilola Kozimova

Abstract:

Humans are highly social creatures, and our social surroundings create a large part of our daily experiences. Feeling connected and belonging at school have been studied a lot, especially in the period up to college. The need to feel connected becomes even more vital when people choose to study abroad. The number of published research in the field has increased recently, creating sufficient studies for a systematic literature review. The current study was conducted to find out existing trends and central themes in the field regarding international student connectedness. Using PRISMA 2020 and Shariff et al.’s work as the guidelines, I conducted a systematic literature review of studies regarding international student connectedness in higher education. Three steps of inclusion/exclusion criteria were used to determine the final studies to be included. The results show an increasing trend in the field as the number of related studies drastically rose after 2017. the results showed that there are three phases in the research regarding the connectedness of international students: a rejection period, a sudden increase of interest in the topic, and merging as an essential part of the mental well-being of international students. There is also a change in the themes regarding the topic, as there is a rise in the number of research published regarding international students’ mental health in recent years, connectedness being a sub-topic.

Keywords: international students, connectedness, mental well-being of international students, trends, higher education

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2408 The Impact of School Education, Islamic Studies in Specific on the Student Identity Development

Authors: Lina Khashogji

Abstract:

This study highlights on analysing the educational experience of female Saudi Arabian students in private schools in Islamic studies subjects. Exploring how school environment, teachers’ authority and textbooks could influence the level of individuality. Considering the complex interaction between religious is social and political power in Saudi Arabia. The study draws on phenomenology as a guiding theoretical framework using multi methods. It includes a vertical/horizontal individualism measurement tool “survey” used on 120 students of two age groups (9-12) and (13-15). Semi-structured interviews with eight school teachers, observational notes in the classroom, and textbook analysis. The study links the interactions between the student mind, the teacher, the classroom and the curriculum.

Keywords: education, individualism, identity development, Islamic studies, Saudi Arabia

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2407 Comparative Study of Traditional Classroom Learning and Distance Learning in Pakistan

Authors: Muhammad Afzal Malik

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Traditional Learning & Distance based learning are the two systems prevailing in Pakistan. These systems affect the level of education standard. The purpose of this study was to compare the traditional classroom learning and distance learning in Pakistan: (a) To explore the effectiveness of the traditional to Distance learning in Pakistan; (b) To identify the factors that affect traditional and distance learning. This review found that, on average, students in traditional classroom conditions performed better than those receiving education in and distance learning. The difference between student outcomes for traditional Classroom and distance learning classes —measured as the difference between treatment and control means, divided by the pooled standard deviation— was larger in those studies contrasting conditions that blended elements of online and face-to-face instruction with conditions taught entirely face-to-face. This research was conducted to highlight the impact of distance learning education system on education standard. The education standards were institutional support, course development, learning process, student support, faculty support, evaluation and assessment. A well developed questionnaire was administered and distributed among 26 faculty members of GCET, H-9 and Virtual University of Pakistan from each. Data was analyzed through correlation and regression analysis. Results confirmed that there is a significant relationship and impact of DLE system on education standards. This will also provide baseline for future research. It will add value to the existing body of knowledge.

Keywords: distance learning education, higher education, education standards, student performance

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2406 The Research Experiences of Supervisors and Postgraduate Research Students at One South African Higher Education Institution

Authors: Madoda Cekiso, Thenjiwe Meyiwa

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Successful postgraduate supervision involves possessing research capabilities, being knowledgeable in specific disciplines, understanding interpersonal relations, exercising mentoring/guidance skills and having appropriate knowledge of own institutional regulatory systems for postgraduate studies. On the other hand, postgraduate students are expected to know what the postgraduate journey entails and the elements and requirements of a postgraduate study. This paper sought to explore and analyse the research experiences of supervisors and postgraduate research students at one South African higher education institution. The study was qualitative in nature and a case study design was followed. The sample was purposively selected and comprised 25 postgraduate students and 20 postgraduate supervisors from one Faculty of the said university. The study findings revealed that there was no clear contract or memorandum of understanding between the postgraduate students and their supervisors. As a result, both supervisors and postgraduate students were not aware of their responsibilities. Both supervisors and postgraduate students complained about the non-availability of postgraduate facilities and resources for postgraduate students. The results further revealed that the allocation of students to supervisors who are not experts in a particular field was a challenge for both postgraduate students and supervisors. The results also revealed that the supervisors were not happy about the commitment of the postgraduate students towards their studies. The supervisors also complained about the postgraduate students who cannot work independently. Based on the findings, the authors recommended that a memorandum of understanding between a postgraduate student and a supervisor might solve some of the challenges. We further recommended a match between the supervisor’s expertise and the student’s focus area.

Keywords: feedback, mentoring, postgraduate, supervisors, student, memorandum of understanding

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2405 Blended Learning in a Mathematics Classroom: A Focus in Khan Academy

Authors: Sibawu Witness Siyepu

Abstract:

This study explores the effects of instructional design using blended learning in the learning of radian measures among Engineering students. Blended learning is an education programme that combines online digital media with traditional classroom methods. It requires the physical presence of both lecturer and student in a mathematics computer laboratory. Blended learning provides element of class control over time, place, path or pace. The focus was on the use of Khan Academy to supplement traditional classroom interactions. Khan Academy is a non-profit educational organisation created by educator Salman Khan with a goal of creating an accessible place for students to learn through watching videos in a computer assisted computer. The researcher who is an also lecturer in mathematics support programme collected data through instructing students to watch Khan Academy videos on radian measures, and by supplying students with traditional classroom activities. Classroom activities entails radian measure activities extracted from the Internet. Students were given an opportunity to engage in class discussions, social interactions and collaborations. These activities necessitated students to write formative assessments tests. The purpose of formative assessments tests was to find out about the students’ understanding of radian measures, including errors and misconceptions they displayed in their calculations. Identification of errors and misconceptions serve as pointers of students’ weaknesses and strengths in their learning of radian measures. At the end of data collection, semi-structure interviews were administered to a purposefully sampled group to explore their perceptions and feedback regarding the use of blended learning approach in teaching and learning of radian measures. The study employed Algebraic Insight Framework to analyse data collected. Algebraic Insight Framework is a subset of symbol sense which allows a student to correctly enter expressions into a computer assisted systems efficiently. This study offers students opportunities to enter topics and subtopics on radian measures into a computer through the lens of Khan Academy. Khan academy demonstrates procedures followed to reach solutions of mathematical problems. The researcher performed the task of explaining mathematical concepts and facilitated the process of reinvention of rules and formulae in the learning of radian measures. Lastly, activities that reinforce students’ understanding of radian were distributed. Results showed that this study enthused the students in their learning of radian measures. Learning through videos prompted the students to ask questions which brought about clarity and sense making to the classroom discussions. Data revealed that sense making through reinvention of rules and formulae assisted the students in enhancing their learning of radian measures. This study recommends the use of Khan Academy in blended learning to be introduced as a socialisation programme to all first year students. This will prepare students that are computer illiterate to become conversant with the use of Khan Academy as a powerful tool in the learning of mathematics. Khan Academy is a key technological tool that is pivotal for the development of students’ autonomy in the learning of mathematics and that promotes collaboration with lecturers and peers.

Keywords: algebraic insight framework, blended learning, Khan Academy, radian measures

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2404 Differences and Similarities between Concepts of Good, Great, and Leading Teacher

Authors: Vilma Zydziunaite, Vaida Jurgile, Roman Balandiuk

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Good, great, and leading teachers are experienced and respected role models, who are innovative, organized, collaborative, trustworthy, and confident facilitators of learning. They model integrity, have strong interpersonal and communication skills, display the highest level of professionalism, a commitment to students, and expertise, and demonstrate a passion for student learning while taking the initiative as influential change agents. Usually, we call them teacher(s) leaders by integrating three notions such as good, great, and leading in a one-teacher leader. Here are described essences of three concepts: ‘good teacher,’ ‘great teacher,’ and teacher leader’ as they are inseparable in teaching practices, teacher’s professional life, and educational interactions with students, fellow teachers, school administration, students’ families and school communities.

Keywords: great teacher, good teacher, leading teacher, school, student

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2403 Miller’s Model for Developing Critical Thinking Skill of Pre-Service Teachers at Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University

Authors: Suttipong Boonphadung, Thassanant Unnanantn

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The research study aimed to (1) compare the critical thinking of the teacher students of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University before and after applying Miller’s Model learning activities and (2) investigate the students’ opinions towards Miller’s Model learning activities for improving the critical thinking. The participants of this study were purposively selected. They were 3 groups of teacher students: (1) fourth year 33 student teachers majoring in Early Childhood Education and enrolling in semester 1 of academic year 2013 (2) third year 28 student teachers majoring in English and enrolling in semester 2 of academic year 2013 and (3) third year 22 student teachers majoring in Thai and enrolling in semester 2 of academic year 2013. The research instruments were (1) lesson plans where the learning activities were settled based on Miller’s Model (2) critical thinking assessment criteria and (3) a questionnaire on opinions towards Miller’s Model based learning activities. The statistical treatment was mean, deviation, different scores and T-test. The result unfolded that (1) the critical thinking of the students after the assigned activities was better than before and (2) the students’ opinions towards the critical thinking improvement activities based on Miller’s Model ranged from the level of high to highest.

Keywords: critical thinking, Miller’s model, opinions, pre-service teachers

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2402 Analyzing Tools and Techniques for Classification In Educational Data Mining: A Survey

Authors: D. I. George Amalarethinam, A. Emima

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Educational Data Mining (EDM) is one of the newest topics to emerge in recent years, and it is concerned with developing methods for analyzing various types of data gathered from the educational circle. EDM methods and techniques with machine learning algorithms are used to extract meaningful and usable information from huge databases. For scientists and researchers, realistic applications of Machine Learning in the EDM sectors offer new frontiers and present new problems. One of the most important research areas in EDM is predicting student success. The prediction algorithms and techniques must be developed to forecast students' performance, which aids the tutor, institution to boost the level of student’s performance. This paper examines various classification techniques in prediction methods and data mining tools used in EDM.

Keywords: classification technique, data mining, EDM methods, prediction methods

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2401 Inferring Cognitive Skill in Concept Space

Authors: Rania A. Aboalela, Javed I. Khan

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This research presents a learning assessment theory of Cognitive Skill in Concept Space (CS2) to measure the assessed knowledge in terms of cognitive skill levels of the concepts. The cognitive skill levels refer to levels such as if a student has acquired the state at the level of understanding, or applying, or analyzing, etc. The theory is comprised of three constructions: Graph paradigm of a semantic/ ontological scheme, the concept states of the theory and the assessment analytics which is the process to estimate the sets of concept state at a certain skill level. Concept state means if a student has already learned, or is ready to learn, or is not ready to learn a certain skill level. The experiment is conducted to prove the validation of the theory CS2.

Keywords: cognitive skill levels, concept states, concept space, knowledge assessment theory

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2400 Academic Entitlement And Grade Negotiation Styles Among Ug Students: A Correlation Study

Authors: Athira M., Prakasha G. S.

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The rising prevalence of academic entitlement among school and college students necessitates a comprehensive investigation. This study focuses on discovering gender differentials in academic entitlement and their nexus with diverse grade negotiation behaviors within the undergraduate (UG) student cohort. Grade negotiation behaviors, encompassing a range from amicable discussions to more assertive tactics, are influenced by students' perceptions of their academic entitlement. The research delves into the broader significance of academic entitlement, considering its implications for student-teacher conflicts and the dynamics it introduces into the educational field. Employing a quantitative research approach, data from UG students is meticulously analyzed. Mann-Whitney U tests unveil pronounced gender difference in academic entitlement, with females demonstrating higher entitlement levels. Furthermore, the study unearths significant correlations between academic entitlement and specific negotiation styles, notably yielding and forcing strategies, albeit with minimal impact on academic performance. These findings provide a foundational understanding for educators and institutions to foster equitable learning environments and formulate effective conflict resolution strategies, ultimately elevating the quality of the educational experience. Moreover, this study opens avenues for future research, exploring interventions to enhance negotiation skills and diving deeper into the intricate dimensions of academic entitlement within academic life.

Keywords: academic entitlement, grade negotiation, negotiation styles, student-teacher conflict

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2399 Contraceptives: Experiences of Agency and Coercion of Young People Living in Colombia

Authors: Paola Montenegro, Maria de los Angeles Balaguera Villa

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Contraceptive methods play a fundamental role in preventing unwanted pregnancies and protecting users from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Despite being known to almost the entire population of reproductive age living in Colombia, there are barriers, practices and complex notions about contraceptives that affect their desired mass use and effectiveness. This work aims to analyse some of the perceptions and practices discussed with young people (13-28 years old) living in Colombia regarding the use of contraceptives in their daily lives, preferences, needs and perceived side effects. This research also examines the perceived paradox in autonomy that young people experience regarding contraceptive use: in one hand, its use (or lack of it) is interpreted as an act of self-determination and primary example of reproductive agency, on the other hand, it was frequently associated with coercion and limited autonomy derived from the gaps in reliable information available for young people, the difficulty of accessing certain preferred methods, and sometimes the experienced coercion exercise by doctors, partners and/or family members. The data and analysis discussed in this work stems from a research project whose objective was to provide information about needs and preferences in sexual and reproductive health of young people living in Colombia in relation to a possible telehealth service that could close the gap in access to quality care and safe information. Through a mixed methods approach, this study collected 5.736 responses to a virtual survey disseminated nationwide in Colombia and 47 inperson interviews (24 of them with people who were assigned female at birth and 21 with local key stakeholders in the abortion ecosystem). Quantitative data was analyzed using Stata SE Version 16.0 and qualitative analysis was completed through NVivo using thematic analysis. Key findings on contraception use in young people living in Colombia reveal that 85,8% of participants had used a contraceptive method in the last two years, and that the most commonly used methods were condoms, contraceptive pills, the morning-after pill and the method of interruption. The remaining 14,2% of respondents who declared to not have used contraceptives in the last two years expressed that the main four barriers to access were: "Lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods and where to obtain information and/or access them (13.9%)", "Have had sex with people who have vaginas (10.2%)", "Cost of contraceptive method (8.4%)" and "Difficulties in obtaining medical authorisations (7.6%)". These barriers coincided with the ones used to explain the non-use of contraceptives in young people, which reveals that limitations in information, cost, and quality care represent structural issues that need to be address in programmes, services, and public policy. Finally, interviews showed that young people perceive contraceptive use and non-use as an example of reaffirming reproductive agency and limitations to this can be explained through the widespread incomplete knowledge about how methods work and the prevalence of other social representations of contraception associated with trust, fidelity, and partner preferences, that in the end create limitations to young people’s autonomy.

Keywords: contraception, family planning, premarital fertility, unplanned pregnancy

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2398 Women’s Rights in Conflict with People’s Cultural Autonomy: Problems of Cultural Accommodation

Authors: Nazia Khan

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The paper explores the cultural rights accommodation by the state which has left many unresolved problems. The cultural rights sometimes violate the basic individual rights of the members inside the community like women. The paper further explicates certain cultural norms and practices which violates the rights of women inside the community in the name of culture.

Keywords: women, culture, communities, rights, vulnerable, accomadation

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2397 Prep: Pause, Reset, Establish Expectations, and Proceed. A Practical Approach for Classroom Transitions

Authors: Shane-Anthony Smith

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Teachers across grade levels and content areas face a myriad of challenges in the classroom. From inconsistent attendance to disruptive behaviors, these challenges can have a dire impact on the educational space, untimely leading to a loss of instructional time and student disenfranchisement from learning. While these challenges are not new to the educational landscape, the post-COVID classroom has, in many instances, been more severely impacted by behaviors that are not conducive to learning. Despite the mounting challenges, the role of the teacher remains unchanged - that is, to create and maintain a safe environment that is conducive to learning and promotes successful learning outcomes. Accomplishing this feat is no easy task. Yet, there are steps teachers can - indeed, must - take to better set themselves and their students up for success. The key to achieving this success is effective classroom transitions. This paper presents a four-step approach for teachers to engage in successful classroom transitions to promote meaningful student engagement and active positive learning outcomes. The transition strategy I will explore is called PREP (Pause, Reset, Establish Expectations, and Proceed). I developed this strategy in my work as a Residency Director for my university’s teacher residency program. In this role, I am tasked with coaching emerging teachers and their in-service teaching mentors in the field, as well as providing mentorship to special education resident teachers pursuing teaching degrees in the program. As a teacher educator, being in Middle and High school classrooms provides an intricate and critical understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities in the classroom. For this paper, I will explore how teachers can optimize the opportunities PREP provides to keep students engaged and, thus, improve student achievement. I will describe the approach, explain its use, and provide case-study examples of its classroom application.

Keywords: classroom management, teaching strategies, student engagement, classroom transition

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2396 Simulation of X-Ray Tissue Contrast and Dose Optimisation in Radiological Physics to Improve Medical Imaging Students’ Skills

Authors: Peter J. Riley

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Medical Imaging students must understand the roles of Photo-electric Absorption (PE) and Compton Scatter (CS) interactions in patients to enable optimal X-ray imaging in clinical practice. A simulator has been developed that shows relative interaction probabilities, color bars for patient dose from PE, % penetration to the detector, and obscuring CS as Peak Kilovoltage (kVp) changes. Additionally, an anthropomorphic chest X-ray image shows the relative tissue contrasts and overlying CS-fog at that kVp, which determine the detectability of a lesion in the image. A series of interactive exercises with MCQs evaluate the student's understanding; the simulation has improved student perception of the need to acquire "sufficient" rather than maximal contrast to enable patient dose reduction at higher kVp.

Keywords: patient dose optimization, radiological physics, simulation, tissue contrast

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2395 The 'Ineffectiveness' of Teaching Research Methods in Moroccan Higher Education: A Qualitative Study

Authors: Ahmed Chouari

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Although research methods has been an integral part of the curriculum in Moroccan higher education for decades, it seems that the research methods teaching pedagogy that teachers use suffers from a serious absence of a body of literature in the field. Also, the various challenges that both teachers and students of research methods face have received little interest by researchers in comparison to other fields such as applied linguistics. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to remedy to this situation by exploring one of the major issues in teaching research methods – that is, the phenomenon of students’ dissatisfaction with the research methods course in higher education in Morocco. The aim is also to understand students’ attitudes and perceptions on how to make the research methods course more effective in the future. Three qualitative research questions were used: (1) To what extent are graduate students satisfied with the pedagogies used by the teachers of the research methods course in Moroccan higher education? (2) To what extent are graduate students satisfied with the approach used in assessing research methods in Moroccan higher education? (3) What are students’ perceptions on how to make the research methods course more effective in Moroccan higher education? In this study, a qualitative content analysis was adopted to analyze students’ views and perspectives about the major factors behind their dissatisfaction with the course at the School of Arts and Humanities – University of Moulay Ismail. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data from 14 respondents from two different Master programs. The results show that there is a general consensus among the respondents about the major factors behind the ineffectiveness of the course. These factors include theory-practice gap, heavy reliance on theoretical knowledge at the expense of procedural knowledge, and ineffectiveness of some teachers. The findings also reveal that teaching research methods in Morocco requires more time, better equipment, and more competent teachers. Above all, the findings indicate that today there is an urgent need in Morocco to shift from teacher-centered approaches to learner-centered approaches in teaching the research methods course. These findings, thus, contribute to the existing literature by unraveling the factors that impede the learning process, and by suggesting a set of strategies that can make course more effective.

Keywords: competencies, learner-centered teaching, research methods, student autonomy, pedagogy

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2394 Teaching Professional Competences through Projects: Experiencing Curriculum Development through Active Learning

Authors: Flavio Campos, Patricia Masmo, Fernanda Yamamoto

Abstract:

The report presents a research about teaching professional competencies through projects, considering the student as an active learner and curriculum development. Considering project based-learning, the report articulate the result of research about curriculum development for professional competencies and teaching-learning strategies to help the development of professional competencies in learning environments in the courses of National Learning Service in São Paulo, Brazil. There so, intend to demonstrate fundamentals to elaborate curriculum to learning environment, specific about teaching methodologies to enrich student-learning process, using projects. The practice that has been taking place since 2013 indicates the needs of rethinking knowledge and practice in courses that prepared students to labor.

Keywords: curriculum design, active learning, professional competencies, project based-learning

Procedia PDF Downloads 427
2393 Blockchain-Based Assignment Management System

Authors: Amogh Katti, J. Sai Asritha, D. Nivedh, M. Kalyan Srinivas, B. Somnath Chakravarthi

Abstract:

Today's modern education system uses Learning Management System (LMS) portals for the scoring and grading of student performances, to maintain student records, and teachers are instructed to accept assignments through online submissions of .pdf,.doc,.ppt, etc. There is a risk of data tampering in the traditional portals; we will apply the Blockchain model instead of this traditional model to avoid data tampering and also provide a decentralized mechanism for overall fairness. Blockchain technology is a better and also recommended model because of the following features: consensus mechanism, decentralized system, cryptographic encryption, smart contracts, Ethereum blockchain. The proposed system ensures data integrity and tamper-proof assignment submission and grading, which will be helpful for both students and also educators.

Keywords: education technology, learning management system, decentralized applications, blockchain

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2392 Development of Industry Oriented Undergraduate Research Program

Authors: Sung Ryong Kim, Hyung Sup Han, Jae-Yup Kim

Abstract:

Many engineering students feel uncomfortable in solving the industry related problems. There are many ways to strengthen the engineering student’s ability to solve the assigned problem when they get a job. Korea National University of Transportation has developed an industry-oriented undergraduate research program (URP). An URP program is designed for engineering students to provide an experience of solving a company’s research problem. The URP project is carried out for 6 months. Each URP team consisted of 1 company mentor, 1 professor, and 3-4 engineering students. A team of different majors is strongly encouraged to integrate different perspectives of multidisciplinary background. The corporate research projects proposed by companies are chosen by the major-related student teams. A company mentor gives the detailed technical background of the project to the students, and he/she also provides a basic data, raw materials and so forth. The company allows students to use the company's research equipment. An assigned professor has adjusted the project scope and level to the student’s ability after discussing with a company mentor. Monthly meeting is used to check the progress, to exchange ideas, and to help the students. It is proven as an effective engineering education program not only to provide an experience of company research but also to motivate the students in their course work. This program provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for undergraduate students to perform the practical challenges encountered in their major-related companies and it is especially helpful for students who want to get a job from a company that proposed the project.

Keywords: company mentor, industry oriented, interdisciplinary platform, undergraduate research program

Procedia PDF Downloads 245
2391 The Relation between Learning Styles and English Achievement in the Language Training Centre

Authors: Nurul Yusnita

Abstract:

Many studies have been developed to help the students to get good achievement in English learning. They can be from the teaching method or psychological ones. One of the psychological studies in educational research is learning style. In some ways, learning style can affect the achievement of the students. This study aimed to examine 4 (four) learning styles and their relations to English achievement among the students learning English in Language Training Center of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (LTC UMY). The method of this study was descriptive analytical. The sample consisted of 39 Accounting students in LTC UMY. The data was collected through questionnaires with Likert-scale. The achievement was obtained from the grade of the students. To analyze the questionnaires and to see the relation between the learning styles and the student achievement, SPSS statistical software of correlational analysis was used. The result showed that both visual and auditory had the same percentage of 35.9% (14 students). 3 students (7.7%) had kinaesthetic learning style and 8 students (20.5%) had visual and auditory ones. Meanwhile, there were 5 students (12.8%) who had visual learning style could increase their grades. Only 1 student (2.5%) who had visual and auditory could improve his grade. Besides grade increase, there were also grade decrease. Students with visual, auditory, visual and auditory, and kinaesthetic learning styles were 3 students (7.7%), 5 students (12%), 4 students (10.2%) and 1 student (2.5%) respectively. In conclusion, there was no significant relationship between learning style and English achievement. Most of the good achievers were the students with visual and auditory learning styles and most of them preferred visual method. The implication is the teachers and material designers could improve their method through visual things to achieve effective English teaching learning.

Keywords: accounting students, English achievement, language training centre, learning styles

Procedia PDF Downloads 271
2390 The Impact of Dog-Assisted Wellbeing Intervention on Student Motivation and Affective Engagement in the Primary and Secondary School Setting

Authors: Yvonne Howard

Abstract:

This project currently under development is centered around current learning processes, including a thorough literature review and ongoing practical experiences gained as a deputy head in a school. These daily experiences with students engaging in animal-assisted interventions and the school therapy dog form a strong base for this research. The primary objective of this research is to comprehensively explore the impact of dog-assisted well-being interventions on student motivation and affective engagement within primary and secondary school settings. The educational domain currently encounters a significant challenge due to the lack of substantial research in this area. Despite the perceived positive outcomes of such interventions being acknowledged and shared in various settings, the evidence supporting their effectiveness in an educational context remains limited. This study aims to bridge the gap in the research and shed light on the potential benefits of dog-assisted well-being interventions in promoting student motivation and affective engagement. The significance of this topic recognizes that education is not solely confined to academic achievement but encompasses the overall well-being and emotional development of students. Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in animal-assisted interventions, particularly in healthcare settings. This interest has extended to the educational context. While the effectiveness of these interventions in these areas has been explored in other fields, the educational sector lacks comprehensive research in this regard. Through a systematic and thorough research methodology, this study seeks to contribute valuable empirical data to the field, providing evidence to support informed decision-making regarding the implementation of dog-assisted well-being interventions in schools. This research will utilize a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative measures to assess the research objectives. The quantitative phase will include surveys and standardized scales to measure student motivation and affective engagement, while the qualitative phase will involve interviews and observations to gain in-depth insights from students, teachers, and other stakeholders. The findings will contribute evidence-based insights, best practices, and practical guidelines for schools seeking to incorporate dog-assisted interventions, ultimately enhancing student well-being and improving educational outcomes.

Keywords: therapy dog, wellbeing, engagement, motivation, AAI, intervention, school

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2389 Branding and Posting Strategy on Facebook Pages of Higher Education Institutions in Ontario, Canada in 2019-2020: A Quantitative and Qualitative Investigation

Authors: Mai To

Abstract:

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ontario, Canada have invested in social media presence for multiple purposes, such as branding, student’ engagement, and recruitment. To have a full picture of the social media strategy implemented by HEIs in Ontario, Canada, this study used a mixed-method approach to analyze Facebook posts’ characteristics and content. A total of 1789 Facebook posts from September 2019 to April 2020 of six selected HEIs were collected for analysis and coding based on five pre-determined branding positions: Elite, Nurturing, Campus, Outcome, and Commodity. Besides, the study also calculated the engagement rate for each social media practice to measure its effectiveness. The results show that there were not many differences in practices such as posting frequency, length, types, and timing among HEIs. However, the distribution of branding positions and content targeting future students versus current students was varied, although the HEIs employed all five branding positions and targeted the same lists of audiences. Some practices such as evening post for colleges and nurturing branding for universities attracted significantly higher engagement. This study provides a review of current social media practices and branding strategy, as well as informs the practices that can better engage the audiences.

Keywords: branding, higher education, social media, student engagement, student recruitment

Procedia PDF Downloads 126
2388 An Interior Design Project Interventions about Changing Student Beliefs about Poverty, Homelessness, and Community Service

Authors: Alireza Derambakhsh

Abstract:

The reason for this study was to inspect undergraduate interior design student state of mind toward destitution, vagrancy, and group administration. An auxiliary intention was to figure out whether introduction to plan ventures for the individuals who have encountered hardship would change student convictions. All first year recruits (n = 18), sophomore (n = 26), junior (n = 17), and senior (n = 25) interior design undergraduate students at a public university completed a questionnaire in light of a few current scales. Amid the semester, the sophomores dealt with assignments that were intended to provide exposure to different socio-economic groups. Students finished three projects. Initially, the outline of a makeshift destitute asylum. Second, a re-model of a childcare focus office and gathering region that gives administrations to low-salary families, and third, the outline of a low-wage, private home. In these ventures, students were obliged to direct broad data assembling so they could better comprehend the issues connected with destitution. Toward the end of the semester, the sophomores finished the survey again and were asked extra inquiries in regards to the class and projects. Students’ sentiments towards the poor were more individualistic when contrasted with the white collar class, yet when the working class correlation was uprooted, some of their mentality gave a more unpredictable comprehension of destitution and vagrancy. The semester-long intercession fundamentally moved students' understanding that underscored auxiliary and multifaceted reason.

Keywords: interior design, destitution, vagrancy, group administration

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2387 College Faculty Perceptions of Instructional Strategies That Are Effective for Students with Dyslexia

Authors: Samantha R. Dutra

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There are many issues that students face in college, such as academic-based struggles, financial issues, family responsibilities, and vocational problems. Students with dyslexia struggle even more with these problems compared to other students. This qualitative study examines faculty perceptions of instructing students with dyslexia. This study is important to the human services and post-secondary educational fields due to the increase in disabled students enrolled in college. This study is also substantial because of the reported bias faced by students with dyslexia and their academic failure. When students with LDs such as dyslexia experience bias, discrimination, and isolation, they are more apt to not seek accommodations, lack communication with faculty, and are more likely to drop out or fail. College students with dyslexia often take longer to complete their post-secondary education and are more likely to withdraw or drop out without earning a degree. Faculty attitudes and academic cultures are major barriers to the success and use of accommodations as well as modified instruction for students with disabilities, which leads to student success. Faculty members are often uneducated or misinformed regarding students with dyslexia. More importantly, many faculty members are unaware of the many ethical and legal implications that they face regarding accommodating students with dyslexia. Instructor expectations can generally be defined as the understanding and perceptions of students regarding their academic success. Skewed instructor expectations can affect how instructors interact with their students and can also affect student success. This is true for students with dyslexia in that instructors may have lower and biased expectations of these students and, therefore, directly impact students’ academic successes and failures. It is vital to understand how instructor attitudes affect the academic achievement of dyslexic students. This study will examine faculty perceptions of instructing students with dyslexia and faculty attitudes towards accommodations and institutional support. The literature concludes that students with dyslexia have many deficits and several learning needs. Furthermore, these are the students with the highest dropout and failure rates, as well as the lowest retention rates. Disabled students generally have many reasons why accommodations and supports just do not help. Some research suggests that accommodations do help students and show positive outcomes. Many improvements need to be made between student support service personnel, faculty, and administrators regarding providing access and adequate supports for students with dyslexia. As the research also suggests, providing more efficient and effective accommodations may increase positive student as well as faculty attitudes in college, and may improve student outcomes overall.

Keywords: dyslexia, faculty perception, higher education, learning disability

Procedia PDF Downloads 139
2386 Preservice EFL Teachers in a Blended Professional Development Program: Learning to Teach Speech Acts

Authors: Mei-Hui Liu

Abstract:

This study examines the effectiveness of a blended professional development program on preservice EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers’ learning to teach speech acts with the advent of Information and Communication Technology, researchers and scholars underscore the significance of integrating online and face-to-face learning opportunities in the teacher education field. Yet, a paucity of evidence has been documented to investigate the extent to which such a blended professional learning model may impact real classroom practice and student learning outcome. This yearlong project involves various stakeholders, including 25 preservice teachers, 5 English professionals, and 45 secondary school students. Multiple data sources collected are surveys, interviews, reflection journals, online discussion messages, artifacts, and discourse completion tests. Relying on the theoretical lenses of Community of Inquiry, data analysis depicts the nature and process of preservice teachers’ professional development in this blended learning community, which triggers and fosters both face-to-face and synchronous/asynchronous online interactions among preservice teachers and English professionals (i.e., university faculty and in-service teachers). Also included is the student learning outcome after preservice teachers put what they learn from the support community into instructional practice. Pedagogical implications and research suggestions are further provided based on the research findings and limitations.

Keywords: blended professional development, preservice EFL teachers, speech act instruction, student learning outcome

Procedia PDF Downloads 225