Academic Competitions Research Articles

Gifted education in Vietnam: Contribution and limitations

The story of Vietnam’s education together with its formulae for success and remaining issues have been much researched. However, there is a rather mysterious group of institutions in the country’s education system that is much less explored yet in close relation to its top ranking in international academic competitions: trường chuyên (specialization schools for the gifted, or in short, gifted schools). Through reviewing government legal documents and relevant reports, this article sketches the overview picture of various fundamental aspects of gifted education in Vietnam, including the evolution history, merits, limitations, and recommendations to improve the system quality. The contribution and shortcomings of this most prestigious group of schools will be examined given the prioritized investment from the Government, current societal context and demands in Vietnam and across the world, alongside most recent global movements in the educational domain.

Impact of stress and physical activity level on menstrual disorders among university female athletes

Female university athletes are highly vulnerable to stress due to the demands of academic work, examinations, sports training, competitions, and other social interactions. Both psychological and physiological thresholds can directly affect their menstrual cycle and can direct to different menstrual disorders. Hence, the objective of the current study is to identify the prevalence of menstrual disorders and the effect of stress and physical activity level on menstrual disorder types among female university athletes in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional survey was carried out recruiting 167 (n=167) female university athletes age ranged from 20 to 29 years. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants who actively engaged in university sports. Modified Rhinessa Women’s Questionnaire was used to gather the data on menstrual disorders and the Perceived Stress Scale was used to identify the stress among participants while the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to identify the physical activity level of the participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0). Data were not normally distributed, hence non-parametric tests were employed to analyze the data. Results revealed that 86.8% of the participants were having normal menstrual cycles while 13.2% reported menstrual irregularities. From that, 4.8% of the participants reported primary amenorrhea, 4.8% showed oligomenorrhea, 3.0% showed secondary amenorrhea, and 0.6% showed polymenorrhea. Furthermore, 5.4% of the participants who had normal menstrual cycles reported dysmenorrhea. A considerable percentage (13.2%) of the participants showed menstrual irregularities and the prevalence was high in primary amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and secondary amenorrhea irregularity types. Female university athletes showed moderate levels of perceived stress (19.10 ± 4.56) during the data collection period. Kruskal Wallis test revealed that there is no significant difference between perceived stress and menstrual disorder types among female university athletes (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the Kruskal Wallis test revealed that there is a significant difference between physical activity level and menstrual disorder types among female university athletes (p < 0.05). Menstrual disorders may negatively affect the health of female athletes. Since there is a very limited number of studies have been conducted using university female athletes and the effect of perceived stress and physical activity level on menstrual disorders, more research is needed to confirm the present outcome. High physical activity levels may be the reason for these irregularities. Thus, more research is needed to conclude the present results.

Подготовка студентов неязыковых специальностей к участию в академических конкурсах по иностранному языку

The aim of the study is to present a technology that contributes to the effective development of speaking skills in students from a non-linguistic university while preparing them for participation in English-language academic competitions. The authors describe the principles, techniques, approaches and content of such technology and reveal basic organizational and pedagogical conditions necessary for training the above-mentioned students. The scientific novelty of the research is represented by the technology for the development of speaking skills in students from a non-linguistic university itself, elaborated by the authors using a practice-oriented, holistic approach, the application of which allows gifted non-linguistic students to improve their speaking skills through a set of practical tasks and exercises for participating in academic English-language competitions. As a result, the authors characterize the main features of the “Speaking” section of linguistic academic competitions, identify the main obstacles typical for students of a non-linguistic university while speaking English and select the appropriate content and techniques for foreign-language oral speech training of advanced students.

IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB-BASED VALUE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AS AN EFFORT TO DIGITALIZE THE ACADEMIC SECTOR

The research was conducted in the implementation of a web-based Achievement management information system, where in this system there are 3 actors, namely admin, teacher and principal. The admin actor is in charge of managing data for teachers, students, classes, subjects, grades, extracurriculars, OSN and a list of recommendations for students with academic and non-academic achievements. In the homeroom teacher actor manages student data and grades and prints report cards. While the principal actor can see data on teachers, classes and subjects. With this system, it is hoped that it will make it easier to manage report cards and achievements. Then the homeroom teacher can only enter the grades of students who are only in their class. Subject teachers do not need to test students or assess students manually because the system will recommend students based on subject scores from daily grades, UTS and UAS with a weighted score according to the requirements that have been determined by the school. For extracurricular activities supervisors, there is also no need to test students one by one because the system will recommend students based on several aspects of predetermined values ​​for students to represent the school in non-academic competitions such as pencak silat, volleyball, basketball and others. After that the system can automatically recommend students to represent the school in academic (OSN) and non-academic competitions, according to the provisions of the competition criteria held with report cards and student skill scores

Getting fit for the Mathematical Olympiad: positive effects on achievement and motivation?

All around the world, there are numerous academic competitions (e.g., “Academic Olympiads”) and corresponding training courses to foster students’ competences and motivation. But do students’ competences and motivation really benefit from such courses? We developed and evaluated a course that was designed to prepare third and fourth graders to participate in the German Mathematical Olympiad. Its effectiveness was evaluated in a quasi-experimental pre- and posttest design (N = 201 students). Significant positive effects of the training were found for performance in the academic competition (for both third and fourth graders) as well as mathematical competences as measured with a curriculum-oriented test (for fourth graders only). Differential effects across grade levels (with more pronounced positive effects in fourth-grade students) were observed for students’ math self-concept and task-specific interest in mathematics, pointing to possible social comparison effects.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES OF SUPPORT THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS

The article deals with the problem of finding new means of spiritual values of university students. An attempt was made to prove that information and communication technologies can be involved in the educational process, not only as educational supply, but also as a means of spiritual education. It is noted that the humanization of the educational process becomes practical in the case of specially organized communication, which is created by teachers at lectures, seminars, workshops, academic competitions, scientific and practical conferences, exhibitions of creative works, thematic days, etc. It is noted that students should be formed with interest to information and communication technologies that contain information capable to enrich the spiritual world of the individual. The leading role in the mentioned process is given to the tutor of a student group. Among the internet technologies that have significant educational influence, there should be pointed out digital libraries, virtual museums and the Internet versions of educational channels, social networks and websites of educational institutions which are focused on activating different forms and methods of interaction between teachers and students, resulting in the formation and development of leading personality traits that constitute spiritual originality and affirm the moral imperative of the individual. Forms characterization of process organization of inculcating spiritual values on the main features is presented. It is found that the development of the spiritual value quintessence of future specialists should be organized in three spheres: mastering knowledge of spiritual, moral, aesthetic things; self-knowledge and self-improvement; participation in socially significant activities. The authors emphasize that the effectiveness of the information and communication technologies usage is possible in the case of the compliance with a number of educational conditions and confirms that for the formation of spiritual students' values a coherent educational system is needed to be created.

Analysis of Key Indicators Related to the Teaching of Floral Art Skills Competition Based on Fuzzy Hierarchical Model

The art of floral arrangement has become an essential part of the curriculum to enhance students’ professionalism. By studying the connotation of academic style construction and disciplinary skill competitions and the promotion of disciplinary skill competitions to academic style construction based on the fuzzy hierarchy model, we propose to keep abreast of the times and attach importance to the significance of disciplinary skill competitions; to deepen and improve the organizational structure; improve the evaluation and incentive mechanisms to create a brand; and to gradually form a multilevel management and long-term mechanism to build a disciplinary skill competition system. The aim is to deepen the construction of the university academic style and provide a solid platform for promoting the cultivation of skilled and comprehensive talents.

PENGARUH KINERJA MENGAJAR GURU DAN IKLIM SEKOLAH TERHADAP PRESTASI BELAJAR SISWA (Studi Deskriptif di MI Kelompok Kerja Madrasah Cipaku)

This study aims to determine: 1) The effect of teacher teaching performance on student achievement. 2) The influence of school climate on student achievement. 3) The effect of teacher teaching performance and school climate on student learning achievement. The research method used in the preparation of this scientific paper is descriptive. The unit of analysis is a school with a total of 171 respondents. The data were proceeded by using SPSS 17.0. The study results show that: 1) The teaching performance of teachers at MI KKM Cipaku is in high criteria, however, some indicators need to be improved, namely arranging seats according to the characteristics of students and subjects. Furthermore, the teacher's teaching performance has a positive effect on student achievement. This means that the higher the teacher's teaching performance, the higher the student's learning achievement. 2) The school climate at MI KKM Cipaku is in conducive criteria, however, some indicators need to be improved, namely monumental evidence of the results of the school's collaboration with the community. Furthermore, the school climate has a positive effect on student achievement. This means that the more conducive the school climate, the more students' learning achievement. 3) Student achievement at KKM Cipaku is in the achievement criteria, however, several indicators must be improved, namely youth scientific work, academic competitions, sports, arts, and scouts. Furthermore, teacher teaching performance and school climate have a positive effect on student learning achievement. This means that the higher the teacher's teaching performance and the more conducive the school climate, the higher the student's learning achievement.

Teaching Students to Feel Pleasure and Pain at the Wrong Thing

Despite their ubiquity and widespread acceptance and in contemporary education, formal grading systems are relatively recent innovations in the history and philosophy of education. Far from innocuous tools which aid the student’s academic development, grades and grading systems developed as ad hoc tools for ranking students against one another in academic competitions. This article examines the history of assessment, grades, and grading in light of the longer tradition of education and suggests alternative practices could better orient students toward the true, good, beautiful, holy, healthy, and beneficial. By understanding how and why contemporary approaches to grades developed, classical educators will be equipped to mitigate the unintended and often unseen adverse consequences grades have on their students. Ultimately, this article seeks to liberate teachers and students to pursue the intrinsic goods of learning over against the fleeting and extrinsic rewards of making the grade.

Mapping Institutional Interventions to Mitigate Suicides: A Study of Causes and Prevention.

Suicide is an extreme, tragic act and an important subject for social inquiry. It is the rising public health issue prevalent in the Himalayan range of Pakistan. The young and educated population is more prone to suicide instead of using this prime phase of age productively. Unfortunately, the suicide problem remains unaddressed, the causes remain undefined, solutions are not in the works, and in situations when others play a part in driving someone to commit suicide, no one is being held accountable. This study is aimed at uncovering the root causes of suicide and proposing some preventive measures to mitigate the problem. Our team studied three years’ worth of data (2017–2019) on suicides from the office of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Chitral. In addition, we conducted semi-structured interviews of different stakeholders, including family members, neighbors, lawyers, and police personnel. The findings revealed that extended family pressures, the power dynamic between sustainers and dependents, family conflicts, and inheritance cases were the major causes of the domestic violence that preceded suicide attempts. Mental health issues, forced marriages, academic competitions, and flawed litigation processes were also among the leading causes of suicide. Awareness through education and religious sermons, strengthening healthcare organizations, restructuring family systems, establishing police complaint centers, effective prosecution processes, and imparting lifesaving skills have been identified as measures to prevent suicide. This study has theoretical and practical implications, as it adds certain novel variables regarding the causes and solutions of suicide to the existing body of literature and guides public authorities to strengthen institutions to intervene effectively.

Actualization of gifted schoolchildren’s intentional experience in the process of mastering geometric concepts: from support to activity mechanism

People’s intellectual abilities become a powerful civilization resource. Therefore, intellectually gifted schoolchildren’s development should be the focus of the state educational policy. Russian opinion leaders interpret the phenomenon of giftedness as a systemic quality that describes the child’s psyche as a whole. Such an approach turns into a priority to update and enrich the gifted schoolchildren’s intentional experience during geometry teaching. It assumes the development of a particular subjective state of orientation and selectivity of individual cognitive activity in preferences. This unique state becomes a mental activity mechanism, not just an accessory. The statistical data analysis confirms the hypothesis: the efficiency of actualizing gifted schoolchildren’s intentional experience in the form of their individual dispositions, beliefs, and emotional assessments while solving geometric problems during academic competitions is provided by specifically organized educational activities. It positively correlates with the level of mental activity development during mastering the activity methods with geometric concepts.

Usage of Social Networks and Socialization of Russian Teenagers

The article concentrates on the correlation between a measure of Russian teenagers’ socialization and the use of social media in their everyday life. Now a personal computer, a smartphone or other gadgets, providing an Internet connection, are a widespread attribute of the everyday life. Moreover, young people (sometimes defined as generation Z) regard their online presence (including social media) as a natural element of their lives. This said, the use of social media, on one hand, blends seamlessly with their attempts at (intimate) personal communication or academic/professional activity and can be a positive socialization factor at this stage of their life. On the other hand, there are voices saying that the intensity of online communication (‘excessive Internet use’) could create additional barriers for offline communication, have negative effects of their psychological well-being and hinder socialization of teenagers. The article contains arguments describing a low positive link between social media use (time spent, number of online friends, etc.) and socialization of Russian teenagers (measured with an index, based on several parameters: school performance, participation in academic competitions, in school governance, etc.). The conclusions are based on two online surveys (qualitative and quantitative one), conducted in 2020, and secondary analysis.

Development of cluster models for municipal educational institutions of Tomsk region

This paper describes the cluster models construction for schools in the Tomsk region. K-means method is used to distribute objects between clusters using the multidimensional vector of variables (socio-economic status of students, qualification and age of teaching staff, students’ participation in academic competitions, students in difficult living conditions, etc.). The cluster models were constructed for urban schools (regional center), country and ungraded schools. The computer simulation using STATISTICA system was performed due to large amount of source data and complexity of the developed models. The analysis showed the relationship between the values of cluster variables and the results of Unified State Exams (USE).

Academic Stress and Adolescents Mental Health: A Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) Study in Northwest of Iran.

Background: We aimed to determine the relation of different sources of academic stress and adolescents´ mental health through mediator variables on the student and school levels. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Overall, 1724 students aged 12-19 yr were selected from 53 high schools in Qazvin City, northwest instead of central Iran through stratified cluster sampling. The sources of academic stress include family conditions, education system, future concerns, academic competitions, interaction with teachers, school disciplines, peer pressure, parental involvement, and financial problems. Academic self-efficacy and self-concept were the mediator constructs. The students and schools´ information were considered on levels 1 and 2, respectively. A Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) analysis was done. Results: High value of academic stress was associated with reduction of mental health. On the student level, the academic stress caused by the families 0.31 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.34), peers 0.29 (95% CI: 0.27, 0.32), and the education system 0.21 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.24) had the highest impact on the adolescentsˊ mental health, respectively. There was a direct and indirect relation between academic stress and mental health through the self-concept. On the school level, only family conditions stress had a relation with mental health (P=0.015, b=1.08). Academic self-efficacy showed no significant relation in the model. Conclusion: The stress from the family is the most important source of stress associated with adolescent mental health. Self-concept unlike academic self-efficacy had an important mediating role in the relation between different sources of academic stress and adolescents' mental health.

Academic Stress and Adolescents Mental Health: A Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) Study in Northwest of Iran.

Background: We aimed to determine the relation of different sources of academic stress and adolescents´ mental health through mediator variables on the student and school levels. Study design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Overall, 1724 students aged 12-19 yr were selected from 53 high schools in Qazvin City, central Iran through stratified cluster sampling. The sources of academic stress include family conditions, education system, future concerns, academic competitions, interaction with teachers, school disciplines, peer pressure, parental involvement, and financial problems. Academic self-efficacy and self-concept were the mediator constructs. The students and schools´ information were considered on levels 1 and 2, respectively. A Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) analysis was done. Results: High value of academic stress was associated with reduction of mental health. On the student level, the academic stress caused by the families 0.31 (95% CI: 0.28, 0.34), peers 0.29 (95% CI: 0.27, 0.32), and the education system 0.21 (95% CI: 0.18, 0.24) had the highest impact on the adolescentsˊ mental health, respectively. There was a direct and indirect relation between academic stress and mental health through the self-concept. On the school level, only family conditions stress had a relation with mental health ( P =0.015, b=1.08). Academic self-efficacy showed no significant relation in the model. Conclusion: The stress from the family is the most important source of stress associated with adolescent mental health. Self-concept unlike academic self-efficacy had an important mediating role in the relation between different sources of academic stress and adolescents' mental health.

LIDAR-based Collision-Free Space Estimation Approach

As autonomous technologies flourish within the vehicle industry, an increasing number of academic autonomous competitions are appearing. One of them is the Shell Eco-marathon Autonomous Urban Concept competition (SEM AUC) which seeks to provide hands-on experience for the academic community to design, build and test their own driverless vehicles within a realistic infrastructure. The team at our university participates in this competition and our concept is to rely on simple and robust algorithms. This paper presents a simple collision-free space estimation algorithm for the LiDAR sensor.

Exploring Stress and Recovery Among High-Achieving Career Development Event Teams: A Mixed Methods Study

School Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers can experience physiological stress through their various roles and responsibilities, including preparing Career Development Event (CDE) teams. Through CDE participation, students can encounter numerous benefits, but these academic competitions could be catalysts for stress. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to contextualize the experiences of high-achieving SBAE teachers and CDE participants through the lens of stress and resilience. Using a concurrent triangulated mixed methods design, physiological, quantitative data were collected through ambulatory heart rate monitors, and qualitative data were collected through teacher and CDE participant daily journals. We found that teachers encountered stress reactions the majority of the time with little to no recovery, where students experienced a more extensive range of stress reactions and recovery within the quantitative analysis. Both CDE contextspecific and role-specific stress catalysts existed within the qualitative and convergent analysis. SBAE teachers and CDE participants should utilize strategies that address both (a) sleep deprivation and (b) anticipatory and in-action stress to allow for increased cognitive performance and resilience.

Social and geographical features of the formation of the intellectual potential of Chernivtsi oblast

The article studies the peculiarities of the formation of intellectual potential of Chernivtsi oblast by analyzing its components, and also analyzes the participation of students in student competitions in subjects and in the competition-defense of research works of students of the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, as well as their results. The analysis of gender peculiarities of students’ participation in the researched competitions is carried out, and also the geographical factors influencing formation of intellectual potential are considered. In 2019, there were 372 preschool educational institutions, 403 general secondary education institutions, 16 vocational education institutions and 16 higher education institutions in Chernivtsi oblast, which provided relevant educational services and formed the intellectual potential of the region. In Chernivtsi oblast in the 2019-2020 academic year, 1,814 students took part in the III stage of student academic competitions. The largest number of participants was observed at the academic competition in geography, Ukrainian language and literature, history and biology. In total, 845 participants took top places. The best results were shown by students of Chernivtsi, Storozhynets AH, Novoselytsia AH and students of Kelmentsi rayon. As for the all-Ukrainian competition-defense of research works, in 2020 378 students took part in the competition, of which 187 participants took top places. The best results, as in the academic competition, were demonstrated by students from Chernivtsi and Putyla rayon. Territorial differences in the development of intellectual potential occur under the influence of economic, demographic, legal, environmental, natural and other factors. The following indicators correlate most with the number of points scored by teams: the number of educational institutions in the rayon; share of new type of institutions (gymnasiums, lyceums, etc.); language of instruction. The gender structure of participants and winners of these intellectual competitions deserves a special attention. Girls predominate in the gender structure of participants and winners of the academic competition and defense competition in most subjects, especially in subjects of the philological and philosophical cycle, while the number of boys predominates in the academic competitions of the physical and mathematical cycle. Thus, in Chernivtsi oblast there is a significant differentiation between territorial and administrative units according to the results of the III stage of student academic competitions in basic disciplines and the competition-defense of scientific works of students-members of the Small Academy of Sciences.

Програми раннього вступу до університетів та коледжів для обдарованих старшокласників у США

У статті досліджено програми раннього вступу до університетів та коледжів для обдарованих старшокласників у США. Схарактеризовано спеціальні програми для обдаро-ваних старшокласників, які в своєму інтелектуальному, емоційному та особистісному розвитку на декілька років випереджають ровесників. Доведено, що всі програми раннього вступу до університетів у різних штатах базуються на стратегіях прискореного і збагаченого навчання; виокремлено організаційні відмінності такого навчання у різних штатах. Проаналізовано сутність таких програм раннього вступу, як Міжнародний Бакалаврат, академічні олімпіади й конкурси, літні школи, волонтерські програми, тощо. Авторами окреслено шляхи імплементації американського досвіду раннього вступу до закладів вищої освіти в Україні.

Il primo album fotografico di Raffaele Belluzzi. Prime indagini: concorsi e pubbliche collezioni

The first of three photographic albums left by Raffaele Belluzzi (1839-1903) to the Museum of Italian Risorgimento in Bologna – The art in Bologna in the second half of the 19th century. Photos collected by Raffaele Belluzzi (Part 1 - Painting.) – even if it is often mentioned as a source, was never neither published nor studied in its entirety. This article wants to highlight some peculiar aspects of this legacy, analyzing a first group of works presented in academic and municipal competitions, or in events promoted by private cultural associations, and still in possession of public institutions.