An Initial Study of the Success of a Winter Break Calculus 1 Course

Using flipped teaching modality, a student-centered approach, in community college courses remains an understudied area. This study explored the effectiveness of unflipped (UF), partially flipped (PF), and fully flipped (FF) teaching formats within the confines of an accelerated 8-week Introduction to Human Anatomy course at a community college. The purpose of this study was to examine flipped teaching in an accelerated anatomy course by comparing final examination scores between the UF, PF, and FF modalities, compare the effectiveness of flipped teaching between a regular (16-week) and an accelerated anatomy course, evaluate the effect of different teaching modalities on male and female students between a regular and an accelerated course; and examine UF, PF, and FF among the above-median and the below-median students. Students in the FF sections were required to read relevant chapter(s) in the textbook and review slides before class. Students in the PF sections were required to read the textbook and slides for 25% of the chapters. All students took the same final exams and similar section exams. Final exam scores were higher in the regular 16-week course than in the 8-week course for UF (p = 0.0219) and PF (p = 0.0183) modalities. The 16-week course had higher final examination scores (p = 0.0492; n = 65) than the 8-week course. Male students scored lower in the 8-week FF course (49.42 ± 13.72) than in the 8-week PF (p = 0.006) and 16-week FF (p = 0.0008) formats and also compared to female students in the 8-week FF course (p = 0.0121). Above-median students in the 8-week course had significantly lower scores in the FF modality (71.35 ± 7.01) compared to PF (80.92 ± 5.30) (p = 0.009). Below-median students in the 8-week course had lower scores in the FF modality (52.25 ± 11.48) compared to UF (p = 0.0113) and PF (p = 0.04). In conclusion, FF in a 16-week anatomy course resulted in higher final exam scores than in the 8-week course. The 8-week FF format affected male student scores. Both above- and below-median groups experienced similar effects when exposed to FF within the accelerated course. Further investigations are essential to inform the refinement of flipped teaching methodologies in community colleges, particularly in the context of accelerated courses.

Background Western Kentucky University is a member of a select group of colleges and universities chosen to participate in a national science experiment designed to improve undergraduate science education. To introduce freshman students to authentic research, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance (HHMI SEA) has implemented an innovative program to introduce genomics into the classroom. The program draws on themes and techniques from biology, microbiology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. The WKU course is called “Genome Discovery and Exploration” (GDE); WKU Genome Discovery and Exploration Program [http://bioweb.wku.edu/asp/wkungri/]. During the fall semester, students isolate bacterial viruses from the environment and characterize them using a variety of techniques including DNA analysis and electron microscopy. Over the winter break, the complete DNA sequence of one of the viruses isolated by the GDE students is determined. During the spring semester, GDE students learn how use computer programs (e.g. Consed, Glimmer, Genemark, BLAST and Phamerator) to identify all the viral genes and to make genome wide comparisons to identify evolutionary relationships. All course participants and the SEA staff are connected via the internet to share and analyze data, troubleshoot, and discuss results. Near the end of the spring semester, HHMI hosts a research symposium for course faculty and one student from each institution to report on their discoveries and experiences. As unique phages are characterized on campuses nationwide, students will have the opportunity to publish their research for the broader scientific community. This hands-on experience with the tools of Bioinformatics is an outstanding training opportunity and this unique program has helped the WKU Biology Department create an introductory pipeline to research experiences that complements our existing and planned instructional programs and allows freshman to engage in the thrill of discovery.

Approximately 70% of Animal Science students at Mizzou enroll without large animal experience, and commercial swine production exposure is very low (1-3%). As such, few consider careers in the swine industry. Winter break is 4 or 5 weeks long, allowing more than enough family time. An opportunity for full-time employment for students for 1-2 weeks over winter break on commercial sow units was arranged for 1 or 2 students each of 2 years. Host farms reported students were ‘shell shocked’ for the first 3 or 4 d, finding the scope of production overwhelming. A more formal program was designed to introduce students to modern swine breeding herd management, combining academic and field training over a period of several months. Eligible students have at least sophomore standing, can demonstrate a sincere interest in learning about careers in commercial pork production, and are able to commute to farms within 2 hr of campus. Cooperating farms provide hands-on experience on a modern commercial sow farm, help arrange housing, and pay students nominally during the winter break portion. Students are interviewed, and those selected to participate (n = up to 6) sign a code of conduct and participation agreement. In the fall semester they attend 8 hours of classroom instruction covering: gilt development; isolation/acclimation and biosecurity; reproductive anatomy/physiology; detection and synchronization of estrus; artificial insemination; pregnancy diagnosis; farrowing room preparation; induction of farrowing; obstetrical intervention; colostrum management; d 1 pig care; feeding and handling sows and piglets; careers. Interspersed on weekends during fall semester are 3 weekend days shadowing/working in pairs on commercial farms within 1.5 hours of campus. This training prepares them for ‘full time employment’ on a breeding farm, and students work for 1 or 2 weeks over the winter break on commercial sow units. Upon completion of the full-time employment phase, students prepare a written summary of their experience, upon which the majority of their grade rests.

What's Important: You Have the Ability to Inspire Your Patients.

The traditional EE service course has been redesigned to focus more precisely on the needs of the other engineering majors. Experiences at the University of Kansas described in this paper appear to be applicable as well to a large number of mid-size engineering programs. Previously, a single four-hour comprehensive EE service course had been taught for many years in both Fall and Spring semesters as either a required or elective course for students in aerospace, architectural, chemical, petroleum, civil, and mechanical engineering. Course objectives included preparing students for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination for professional licensing and providing background EE material for advanced courses in other engineering curricula. The redesigned format features multiple courses that would be offered only once during each academic year and tailored to the needs of specific engineering majors. Without additional faculty allocation, a three-hour course on circuits and machines would be offered in Fall semesters and a three-hour course on circuits, electronics and instrumentation (including a two-hour subset version) plus a separate one-hour laboratory in Spring semesters. The new format replaces the previous single EE service course beginning in Fall 2006

Inorganic Chemistry Experimental course is an important basic compulsory course for students with chemistry major, which can lay solid foundation in the whole process of learning chemical professional knowledge. By starting from the inorganic chemical experimental courses in university, this paper analyzes the construction of interactive cooperative teaching mode and introduces the acceleration effect of interactive teaching mode on the inorganic chemical courses in higher normal university. In the higher normal education, inorganic chemical experimental course is one important component of chemistry major as well as the compulsory course for students of chemistry major and an important course to consolidate the basic chemical theoretical knowledge of students. The accuracy of inorganic chemistry experimental course requires that the students should have certain experimental operation ability and grasp some creation skills; besides, it should pay attention to the cultivation of creativity of students at the same time of improve students' operational ability. Therefore, inorganic chemical experimental course can greatly improve the comprehensive quality of the teachers and students of chemistry major in higher normal university and it is also the essential requirement for chemistry major in the teaching process to improve the inorganic chemical experimental mode in higher normal university.

Life-Touching Teaching is A Two-Way Street

In this manuscript we describe an introductory astronomy course for undergraduate students in which we moved from the large-lecture format to one in which students were immersed in a technologically-rich, inquiry-based, participatory learning environment. Specifically, undergraduate students used 3-D modeling tools to construct virtual reality models of the solar system, and in the process, build rich understandings of various astronomical phenomena. For this study, primarily naturalistic inquiry was used to gain a holistic view of this semester-long course. These data are presented as two case studies focusing on: (1) the role of the teacher in this participatory learning environment; (2) the particular dynamics that formed in each group; (3) the modeling process; (4) the resources used, specifically student-developed inscriptions; and (5) the role of technology and whether learning the technology interfered with learning astronomy. Results indicated that VR can be used effectively in regular undergraduate university courses as a tool through which students can develop rich understandings of various astronomical phenomena.

Based on the surveillance data of HFMD between 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015 in Wenzhou, China, the daily modelfree basic reproduction number and its annual average were first estimated by incorporating incubation and infection information, then the annual model-based basic reproduction number was computed by the proposed kinetic model, and finally the potential impact factors of multiple-peak pattern are assessed through the global and time-varying sensitivity analyses. All annual model-based and model-free basic reproduction numbers were significantly higher than one. The school opening both in the spring and fall semester, meteorological e ect in the spring semester, and the interactions among them were strongly correlated with the annual model-based basic reproduction number, which were the main underlying factors on the annual multiple-peak pattern of HFMD outbreaks. School opening was primarily responsible for peaks of HFMD outbreaks and meteorological factors in the spring semester should also be highly concerned. The optimum timing for social distance implementation is at the beginning of every school semester and health education focusing on personal hygiene and good sanitation should be highlighted in the spring semester.

In spring semester, 2020, ANSC 412: Swine Production and Management (4 credits, lecture and laboratory) was offered in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University following a period of nonappearance in the curriculum. Simultaneously, planned renovation of the campus swine teaching farm required depopulation of the existing herd. Hence, animal access for course laboratories was restricted for the 2020 spring and fall semesters. The objective is to present strategies to achieve effective laboratory learning objectives with limited livestock access. Average course enrollment in 2020 spring and fall semesters was 11 students of junior and senior standing. The course laboratory was held for two hours weekly for fifteen weeks. COVID-19 interruption of the spring semester, and arrival of pigs to the campus swine teaching farm in the fall semester, necessitated creation of ten equivalent laboratory sessions per semester. Example laboratory sessions include: panels with swine industry professionals, Pork Quality Assurance version 4.0 certification, virtual farm tours, evaluating genetic merit with National Swine Registry Swine Testing and Genetic Evaluation System EPD data and indexes, understanding least-cost diet formulation with diet formulation software, creating and implementing a Secure Pork Supply enhanced biosecurity plan for the campus swine farm, and multiple case study models of troubleshooting reproductive deficiencies with the US Pork Center of Excellence National Swine Reproduction Guide. Laboratory session execution facilitated achievement of TAMU Department of Animal Science programmatic learning outcomes, specifically: understanding animal breeding programs, animal husbandry, reproductive management, and nutrient conversion, and assessing business models and application of animal management strategies. In future semesters with unrestricted swine access for teaching, live-animal handling will be emphasized in the syllabus, yet preservation of effective classroom-based laboratories will persist. These methods have value for instructors operating without campus swine resources and those whose laboratory content has been impacted by COVID-19 disruption.

Student course engagement and academic life satisfaction are two determinants of student success. In university courses, student course engagement holds the power to shape numerous results, including learning, achievements, retention rates, satisfaction levels, and overall academic success. Academic life satisfaction, on the other hand, is defined as the student's attitude and sense of well-being with regard to their learning activities. Academic life satisfaction also plays a significant role in shaping student course engagement. This study utilized descriptive-predictive research design which provides insights into the levels of student course engagement and academic life satisfaction. The research aims to identify correlations and predictors, particularly the impact of academic life satisfaction on student course engagement. The study was particularly joined by 350 college students using a simple random sampling comprising first-year to fourth-year level students. The data interpretation is performed by Jamovi software together with Excel. The gathered data go through the test of normality using the Shapiro-Wilk Test which shows not normally distributed data because of the outliers. The result shows that student course engagement and academic life satisfaction have a significant relationship. The overall student course engagement of the college students had a mean score (x̄= 3.72, SD= .736) reflecting an overall positively engaged analysis. In addition, the overall Academic Life Satisfaction of the college students had a mean score of (x̄= 3.75, SD= .628) shows that the satisfaction is oftentimes evident, indicating a generally positive perception of their personal and academic circumstances. Moreover, using Linear Regression Analysis, personal satisfaction is the only predictor that contributes to student course engagement among the respondents. Linear regression analysis indicates a positive correlation between two variables: as the student becomes satisfied, the more they will engage themselves in certain activities. Lastly, this study is beneficial to the current student enrollee in the institution by knowing one of the factors that predict academic success.

Aim/Purpose. Early identification of students at risk of not achieving course learning objectives enables instructors to intervene earlier to help students succeed. One of the first student course engagement activities is registration. This study aims to determine if registration timing correlates with student success in an online STEM course. Background. Student success is based on achieving course learning outcomes. Students who register very late may have a lower probability of successfully passing challenging courses, adversely impacting student retention. Earlier instructor intervention with at-risk students may improve student academic achievement. Methodology. This study analyzed historical data of 193 student numerical course scores and registration timings for a recently updated introductory management information systems and data analysis course at a university in the south-east United States. The course was delivered online over nine-week periods, by two different instructors, over two calendar years comprising one academic year. The response variable, overall course score, was evaluated based on the student’s course registration timing relative to the course start date. Contribution. We examined the relationship between registration timing relative to course start date and academic performance as measured by overall course score and letter grade. At a statistically significant level, we found that students who registered very late earned, on average, one letter grade lower than students that registered earlier in the registration window. Findings. The analysis reveals that registration timing correlates to course scores. Also, 45% of students that registered after the course start date failed the course, and the overall course scores of late registrants were lower, indicating that very late registration may identify at-risk students. Recommendations for Practitioners. For students, carefully consider the decision to register for a STEM course late and understand why you delayed registering. Can you purchase the text and access codes to catch up on the first week’s assignments? Will you have the time to work harder in the first few weeks of the course to catch up? For instructors, be aware that students that register late for a course are at risk of not doing well and intervene if you observe the student falling behind the rest of the class or not engaging with the course. Administrators should carefully consider policies allowing late registration for STEM courses and its effects on student success and retention. What might seem like a promising idea in the short term (allowing a student to register late) may have deleterious long-term effects on student success and retention. Recommendation for Researchers. Researchers may consider the relationship between course registration timing and learning outcomes. Additional data collection on registration timings and course outcomes combined with data collected from students through surveys could shed light on the decision-making behavior of students that register for courses late in the registration window. Impact on Society. Improved student academic performance enables better use of academic resources. Students with higher academic performance qualify for scholarships, internships, and better job opportunities. For teachers, less time spent on low-performing students allows the instructor to challenge students academically to achieve higher levels of understanding. Finally, universities may enjoy higher student retention, and society will benefit from better use of financial resources dedicated to higher education. Future Research. Expanding the dataset to include other schools, courses, and learning modalities may provide additional insight into students’ registration behavior. Research on intervention strategies’ effectiveness based on student characteristics could be beneficial. Additional research on factors affecting students’ course registration decision-making process is required. Finally, a longitudinal study considering student registration timing throughout a degree program could identify chronic late registration behavior. Further study of the relationship between late registration and degree completion could provide valuable insights.

Efforts have taken by an individual to reduce stress is coping. Ego defense mechanism play a very important role in our day to day life. The purpose of present study was to assess the coping strategies (Ego defense mechanism) on the basis of Gender (Male and Female) among professional and non professional degree courses of students. The present study deals with assessing the level of coping among 400 students in Aurangabad city. The Defense Mechanism Inventory (DMI) by Dr. N. R. Mrinal and Dr. (Mrs) Uma Mrinal (1971). Data were analysed by using mean, standard deviation an 'f' test. The result revealed that the male students and the female students differ significantly in coping strategies. There is no significant difference between Professional and Non professional degree courses by students with respect to coping styles. There is significant interaction effects on Gender (Male and Female) and courses (Professional, (LL.B, B.E., B.Ed.) and Non professional degree (B.A., B.Com., B.Sc.) Courses of Students) with respect to coping.

Early identification of students at risk for academic challenges in a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program may allow for timely intervention and support. Little is known about the ability of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) to predict academic success in first-year courses in a DPT program. Participants were 33 first-year DPT students from a single cohort. Student demographics, previous academic performance, and responses to the MSLQ for Anatomy and Biomechanics courses were collected early in each semester. Spearman correlations determined associations between undergraduate grade point average (GPA) or MSLQ responses and grades for Fall and Spring semesters. Self-reported undergraduate GPA was moderately correlated (r = 0.42) with Anatomy grades in the Fall semester. MSLQ responses were poorly predictive of course performance except for the test anxiety component, which was inversely associated with grades in Fall Anatomy (r = -0.34) and Biomechanics (r = -0.35) courses. Grades in both courses were strongly correlated in Fall (r = 0.83) and Spring (r = 0.60) semesters. DPT programs may consider assessing test anxiety from the MSLQ in the first semester to identify students potentially needing additional resources for academic performance. Early communication between instructors of different courses may assist in meeting student needs.

Narratives of mental illness and well-being are difficult to communicate in medical education. The arts convey these narratives and may strengthen medical student capabilities. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 2021 6-week seminar-style course for medical students focused on five mental states through the lens of visual arts, film, and literature to impact student capabilities. Pre- and post-course administration of standardized rating scales, including the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Medical Students (JSE-S), the Groningen Reflection Ability Scale (GRAS), and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), measured course impact on medical student empathy, reflective functioning, and resiliency, respectively. Administration of these scales on a matched control group of students not enrolled in the course served for comparison. Pre- and post-course survey data demonstrates that the course improves at levels of statistical significance medical students' empathy (JSE-S score 77.50 SD = 15.76 improving to 93.80 SD 20.92, p = 0.0068, t = 4.19, df = 4) and resilience (CD-RISC score 65.83 SD = 14.36 improving to 78.60 SD = 10.92, p = 0.0137, t = 4.19, df = 4), but not reflective functioning (GRAS score 91 SD = 9.14 improving to 95.20 SD = 10.06, p = 0.1444, t = 1.81, df = 4). The control group showed no statistically significant differences pre- and post-course. Limitations notwithstanding, this study suggests that the analysis of film, literature, and visual art may improve medical students' empathy and resilience. Future studies may explore reproducibility among larger sample sizes at differing institutions and curricula as well as downstream effects on patient care and well-being.