Lights, flames, action! – What we really learn from a chemical Christmas lecture

Students’ scientific literacy skills assist them in analyzing and evaluating each scientific subject. It is predicted that scientific literacy skills will also help students improve their communication abilities. Finally, it is envisaged that scientific literacy and communication skills will help to increase creative thinking concurrently. This study evaluated the correlation between scientific literacy and communication skills in developing creative thinking skills using the Remap-STAD learning model. The study was quasi-experimental since it employed a non-equivalent pretest-post-test control group design and included 79 eleventh grade students from the Natural Sciences department at SMAN 4 Malang during the 2019/2020 academic year. The participants were divided into three groups. An essay test assessed scientific literacy and creative thinking skills, while communication skills were assessed using an assessment rubric. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings indicated that (1) there was a significant correlation between scientific literacy skills and creative thinking skills; (2) there was a significant correlation between communication skills and creative thinking skills; and (3) there was a significant correlation between scientific literacy skills and communication skills, which had a dynamic effect on creative thinking abilities. The regression equation that shows the correlation between scientific literacy skills, communication skills, and creative thinking skills is Y = 0,224*X1 + 0.998*X2 + 21,740. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that Remap-STAD can be utilized to improve students’ scientific literacy, communication, and creative thinking skills, all of which are demonstrated to be connected.

Previous studies have shown that emotion is crucial in student learning. However, most studies in the e-learning environment have yet to consider emotion as part of learning that could lead to successful learning. Thus, this study explored the relationship between student emotion state, emotion sequences, and student learning experience. A preliminary data collection was conducted to explore the relationship between emotional experience and student learning experience, which involved 16 students. Students were asked to learn a programming subject in an e-learning environment. E-learning is designed to store the students' emotional experience and activity during learning. The sequential pattern mining technique was used to extract the data, exploratory data analysis was conducted to visualize the emotional trajectory during the learning process, and regression analysis was used to explain the relationship between students' emotional learning experiences. The results showed that emotional experience might affect student experience in learning. In one-sequence emotion, all emotion states contributed to the learning experience with p-values < 0.01 except for neutral and disgust with p-values < 0.05. The one-sequence emotion model shows R-squared = 0.585; Adj. R-squared = 0.734; F-statistic = 6.920; Prob (F-statistic) = 0.00702. Meanwhile, in two-sequence emotion, none of the emotion sequences contributed to the student learning experience. Lastly, three-sequence emotion models also showed that most sequences did not influence student learning experience. The only sequence of emotions that influenced the student learning experience was surprise-neutral-surprise. These results suggest that emotion should be considered in learning design as it can influence student experience.

Message from the Executive Director: Interview with Britta Voss and Kylla Marie Benes, ASLO 2016 Science Communication Interns

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of new interactive, bi-lingual Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) resources called Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up, suitable for students aged between five and 12 years. It also discusses the evidence used to support the development of the resources, the support provided for teachers and parents and an initial evaluation following their use. Design/methodology/approach – Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up are interactive bi-lingual (Welsh and English) SRE teaching resources for primary schools suitable for students aged five to 12 years. These resources comprise of two components, an interactive electronic web-based programme and a floor mat illustrating a naked boy and girl. The electronic web-based programme is used to introduce puberty changes, loving relationships, conception, pregnancy and birth and is suitable for students aged nine to 12 years. The floor mat is suitable to be used with students aged between five and 12 years. Teaching activities can include naming body parts, discussing gender differences, personal safety, distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate touching, discussing puberty changes and other health promotion activities as well as delivering aspects of the National Curriculum for Wales. Findings – The results from the initial evaluation undertaken with year six students and teachers demonstrates how the resources have impacted on the teaching and learning experiences of primary teachers and students. It also demonstrates how the teacher training sessions and using the Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up resources have increased teachers’ confidence in delivering SRE. Practical implications – The learning experiences of students and their enjoyment of using the Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up resources were significantly high. The implementation of teacher training improved teaching practice and increased teachers’ confidence in the subject. The resources have facilitated the delivery of effective whole school comprehensive SRE programmes for primary schools. These factors confirm the value of the investment given to their development. The resources could easily be customised in line with diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious requirements. Originality/value – This paper demonstrates how the Tyfu i Fyny/Growing Up interactive SRE resources have influenced the teaching and learning experiences of primary school teachers and students.

the language of science is inherently academic and often inefficient in its delivery of key concepts to nonscientists (10a). When President Obama spoke at the National Academy of Sciences in April 2009 (15b), he issued the following call to think of new ways to engage young people in science,

BackgroundAdvancement in medical education has led to the adoption of online learning platforms in the development and execution of learning modules. Online learning platforms are appraised and accessed regarding their capability of ensuring a seamless experience and enhancing satisfaction in users, especially students. In this study, the satisfaction and learning experience of medical students were studied with emphasis on their sociodemographic features.MethodData were collected using a structured questionnaires distributed to a group of medical students in a medical college in Eastern Nigeria. 300 undergraduate students from Enugu State University of Science and Technology participated in this survey from four departments: anatomy, medical laboratory, nursing, and medicine. The questionnaires included closed-ended questions divided into sociodemographic information, learning experience, and satisfaction with online learning.ResultResults from the survey indicate that sociodemographic factors like the course of study and sex of respondents show a noticeable relationship to the learning experience and satisfaction with online learning platforms while other factors have no impact. The majority of respondents (63.1%) strong agreed that online learning platform effectively delivers medical course content with a mean value of user learning experience of online learning platform as 4.15. ConclusionFeature perception, learning experience, and satisfaction level of medical students were dependent on their course of study and sex, thus independent course curriculum was relevant in determining satisfaction of students. The findings of this study add to the empirical and practical understanding of students’ satisfaction with using online learning platforms as a success in medical education and its use is recommended by other medical institutions.

Introduction: Medical schools universally responded by migrating teaching and learning to virtual learning environments (VLE) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of virtual problem-based learning (PBL) in lieu of face-to-face sessions seems to be an appropriate response, but its effectiveness was understudied. The study compared the learning experiences of pre-clinical medical students at the beginning and completion of the virtual PBL. Methods: The study was conducted at the University of Malaya, a public-funded university in Malaysia. A 12-item questionnaire was developed and validated to assess the learning experiences of students conducting virtual PBL sessions. Principal component analysis and test for internal consistency suggested that the questionnaire is valid and reliable. The questionnaire was administered to pre-clinical students (Year 1 and Year 2) twice: at the beginning and the end of the virtual PBL implementation. Their responses were compared for the domains “learning”, “confidence” and “concern”. Results: 344 pre-clinical students were recruited but only 275 students (80%) responded to both the initial and final questionnaires. Based on the responses, the learning experiences of students generally improved by the completion of the virtual PBL implementation. Students were most convinced that they obtained and understood the information given during the virtual PBL. However, they continued to be worried about passing the clinical examination and content acquisition. Conclusion: The study supports the feasibility of virtual PBL as an acceptable alternative to replace face-to-face PBL during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interprofessional education allows for collaboration of two or more health professions during their training at university with a view of cultivating collaborative practice and client-centered health care. Although South Africa’s higher education system is the leader in the field of research on the continent, there is little evidence of the role of student agency in the attainment of collaborative interprofessional activities. Therefore, an exploration of the interconnectedness of student agency, learning support, learning experiences and the lecturer-student experiences of health science students is well worth academic scrutiny within a interprofessional academic space. Hence, this study illustrates how student agency is formed based on the lecturer–student relationship, learning support and learning experiences in an interprofessional education environment. This study assessed the association of the lecturer–student relationship, learning support and learning experiences on student agency in an interprofessional health science faculty. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 266 conveniently sampled third-year students in a Faculty of Community and Health Sciences. These include students from physiotherapy, nursing, occupational therapy, sport studies, social work, psychology, dietetics, and natural medicine. A forward stepwise linear regression was conducted with a p-value of 0.05 set as the level of significance. The results of this study showed significant positive associations for student agency with student learning experiences (r= .292, p< 0.001), the lecturer–student relationship (r= .333, p< 0.001) and learning support (r= .209, p< 0.001). Furthermore, the lecturer–student relationship was positively associated with learning support (r= .623, p< 0.001) in an interprofessional health science faculty. This paper concludes that there are positive outcomes to interprofessional education practices through the development of student agency.

Aim/Purpose: This study sought to understand variations in student experiences of technologically mediated learning in the Fresno Unified School District, facilitated by its personalized learning and innovations program (PLI) and large-scale data models. Background: While evidence supports the intentional use of information and communication technology (ICT) in learning, the focus often neglects students’ social conditions, situatedness, and self-determination. Methodology: A growth mixture model explored students’ learning and revealed four distinct learning patterns: accelerating, decelerating, languishing, and thriving. Contribution: During pandemic-era remote and hybrid teaching, this study applied Growth Mixture Modeling to identify learning trajectories among 15,135 Grade 4–6 students in a large urban school district. The research revealed how social conditions, situatedness, and self-determination shaped learning outcomes by integrating real-time digital engagement data, assessment results, and student demographics. The findings offer practical insights for educators to personalize instruction using timely data signals and highlight how educational systems can build analytics capacity to understand better what works, for whom, and in which contexts. This work advances both research and practice by combining rigorous methodology with actionable strategies for equity-focused teaching and future-ready learning. Findings: Data suggest the shift to remote teaching was harder for those most adept with blended instructional models, while increased support for special education and English language learners facilitated learning. Recommendations for Practitioners: Educators can use near-real-time data to inform teaching practices that personalize student support and learning experiences while cultivating students’ self-determination. Such data includes formative assessments, checks for understanding, observing writing in process, and real-time signals from interactive learning platforms, allowing students, their peers, and educators to provide appropriate and effective supports. Educational leaders can determine what interventions work better for various student groups and focus investments on high-impact programmatic interventions. Recommendation for Researchers: Leverage the use of traditional data combined with novel signals of students’ learning experiences to explore what works better for various student groups, social conditions, and situatedness. “Situatedness” reflects how technological acceptance and use are situated within the social context, social interactions, across academic content areas, and grounded in space. “Social conditions” include socio-economic status, family systems, neighborhoods, as well as classroom and school cultures. Impact on Society: The use of near-real-time data signals from students’ learning experiences supports differentiated and engaging instruction, personalized learning, and enables educators to better support students’ growth in self-determination. These teacher practices better prepare students with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to be ready for their futures. As demonstrated herein, education analytics can support faster improvement cycles within educational systems. Future Research: Future research might include: (1) qualitative methods to gather students’ perspectives on their learning experiences, and (2) exploration of the relationship between the quality of students’ internet access and its effects on student learning experiences.

Students' views and experiences of blended learning and employability in a post-pandemic context

This study aims to analyze the effects of experiment models and gender on scientific communication and collaboration skills. This study employed a quasi-experimental design consisting of five groups as control classes and five groups as experimental classes. The subject of this study was 327 students (168 students used HOT Lab and 159 used Multiple Skill; 69 Male and 258 Female from 18 to 22 years old) with heterogeneous skills and learning habits from five different universities representing four regions: Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. The control class conducted activities based on the Higher-order Thinking Laboratory model, while the experimental class conducted activities based on the Multiple Skill Laboratory Activity Model. The data were collected by employing a validated instrument and were analyzed by employing a Multivariate test. This study shows that the experimental model has more significant influences on improving students' skills than gender. Specifically, the Multiple Skill Laboratory Activity Model (MSLAM) improves students’ collaboration skills better than communication skills. MSLAM explores more activities to practice collaboration skills, e.g., brainstorming, exploration, and measurement, while the activities for practicing communication skills is depended on analysis and presentation only. This study also reveals that the experiment model and gender are not suitable for concurrent analysis. This study is expected to provide methods for further researchers to optimize students’ scientific communication and collaboration skills. Furthermore, this study provides an overview for teachers to practice several thinking skills at one time.

Integrating a Preceptor Model within the Undergraduate Radiation Therapy Clinical Training: A Pilot Study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore undergraduate international students’ experiences in a flipped classroom environment in an Australian university.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 32 in-depth interviews were conducted with undergraduate international students at one Australian university by three researchers.FindingsThe learning experiences of international students in a flipped classroom environment include increased flexibility in learning; enhanced engagement with content and; more confident participation in face-to-face workshops. In addition, the analysis further illustrates that international students intrinsically develop soft skills (e.g. increased confidence and communication skills), learning skills (e.g. research and critical thinking) and employability skills (e.g. time management and accountability).Research limitations/implicationsThese findings focus only on the positive learning experiences of undergraduate international students in one Australian university.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature by identifying learning experiences of undergraduate international students in a flipped classroom environment and the connection with their development of soft skills, learning skills and employability skills.

The explosion of scientific information is exacerbating the information gap between richer/poorer, educated/less-educated publics. The proliferation of media technology and the popularity of the Internet help some keep up with these developments but also make it more likely others fall further behind. This is taking place in a globalizing economy and society that further complicates the division between information haves and have-nots and compounds the challenge of communicating about emerging science and technology to increasingly diverse audiences. Journalism about science and technology must fill this gap, yet journalists and journalism students themselves struggle to keep abreast of contemporary scientific developments. Scientist - aided by public relations and public information professionals - must get their stories out, not only to other scientists but also to broader public audiences. Funding agencies increasingly expect their grantees to engage in outreach and education, and such activity can be seen as both a survival strategy and an ethical imperative for taxpayer-supported, university-based research. Science communication, often in new forms, must expand to meet all these needs. Providing a comprehensive introduction to students, professionals and scholars in this area is a unique challenge because practitioners in these fields must grasp both the principles of science and the principles of science communication while understanding the social contexts of each. For this reason, science journalism and science communication are often addressed only in advanced undergraduate or graduate specialty courses rather than covered exhaustively in lower-division courses. Even so, those entering the field rarely will have a comprehensive background in both science and communication studies. This circumstance underscores the importance of compiling useful reference materials. The Encyclopedia of Science and Technology Communication presents resources and strategies for science communicators, including theoretical material and background on recent controversies and key institutional actors and sources. Science communicators need to understand more than how to interpret scientific facts and conclusions; they need to understand basic elements of the politics, sociology, and philosophy of science, as well as relevant media and communication theory, principles of risk communication, new trends, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of science communication programmes, to mention just a few of the major challenges. This work will help to develop and enhance such understanding as it addresses these challenges and more. Topics covered include: advocacy, policy, and research organizations environmental and health communication philosophy of science media theory and science communication informal science education science journalism as a profession risk communication theory public understanding of science pseudo-science in the news special problems in reporting science and technology science communication ethics.

S1 - Clinical midwifery placement: Undergraduate student's experiences with novice and expert preceptors