Academic Issues Research Articles

Improving the Black Doctoral Pipeline Through Critically Reflexive (Co-)mentoring

In Short The barriers for Black doctoral students are a long-term higher education issue that needs to be addressed and considered seriously as an academic pipeline issue. Anti-Blackness in higher education admissions and curriculum not only harms educational democracy but directly affects the limited number of Black doctoral students. Black doctoral students are often “the only” in their programs and may contend with microaggressions in addition to their wages not meeting their basic needs. Faculty mentors can employ critically reflexive (co-)mentoring to develop meaningful relationships with Black doctoral students. Faculty mentors can improve the retention and graduation of Black doctoral students by validating them.

Reconstruction of the lost colonial architecture in the context of heritage tourism: Dutch Trading Post in Taiwan

To strengthen brand identity, enrich tourist experiences, and promote heritage education, Taijiang National Park proposed to reconstruct Taiwan’s Dutch Trading Post in a different location from where it was initially erected in the 17th century. This paper is a case study of the reconstruction proposal for a lost colonial architectural complex in the context of heritage tourism. It discusses the practical and academic issues of rebuilding long-lost colonial heritage sites. The author provided a first-hand account of the technical and practical reasoning for reconstructing a bygone complex erected by Dutch settlers. Historical development phases of the Dutch Trading Post of Taiwan were first introduced, and then a reconstruction strategy was proposed to resolve conflicts with legal constraints. Additionally, a site selection process using GIS, a conceptually driven plan for reconstruction, and a 3D simulation were provided. Three specific issues in heritage rebuilding were further discussed, including the decision to reconstruct a heritage building (complex), the authenticity of the reconstructed building if done in a different location from where it was initially situated, and the need to discover more archaeological facts.

Stress overload in first-generation college students: Implications for intervention.

First-generation college students (FGCS), those whose parents never obtained a baccalaureate, are disadvantaged relative to continuing generation college students (CGCS) in regard to academic performance and health status. The literature documents myriad challenges facing FGCS, in the form of both adjustment demands and limited resources. Stress overload, the pathogenic form of stress, occurs when demands overwhelm coping resources. Its relevance to the plight of FGCS, as well as its established link to dysfunction in other college populations, prompted the present hypotheses: Stress overload (a) would be more prevalent among FGCS than CGCS and (b) could thereby explain their academic and health disparities. Public-university students (n = 593) completed an anonymous online survey assessing stress overload, somatic symptoms, and grades. Analyses of variance (ANOVAs) showed FGCS (n = 366) to report more stress overload than CGCS, even after controlling for specific confounds, as well as lower grades and marginally more symptoms. Path analyses yielded a best-fitting model that showed stress overload to mediate the association between generational status (FGCS vs. CGCS) and grade and symptom levels. In sum, stress-overload maps onto the circumstances of FGCS, provides a common denominator to their myriad challenges, and offers a mechanism to explain their academic performance and health issues. This suggests the utility of stress overload as a screening tool and as a primary focus for therapeutic intervention with FGCS. These implications, the study's limitations, and the need for future research to probe the role of stress overload in the FGCS college experience are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A Review on Dropout Regularization Approaches for Deep Neural Networks within the Scholarly Domain

Dropout is one of the most popular regularization methods in the scholarly domain for preventing a neural network model from overfitting in the training phase. Developing an effective dropout regularization technique that complies with the model architecture is crucial in deep learning-related tasks because various neural network architectures have been proposed, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and they have exhibited reasonable performance in their specialized areas. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive and novel review of the state-of-the-art (SOTA) in dropout regularization. We explain various dropout methods, from standard random dropout to AutoDrop dropout (from the original to the advanced), and also discuss their performance and experimental capabilities. This paper provides a summary of the latest research on various dropout regularization techniques for achieving improved performance through “Internal Structure Changes”, “Data Augmentation”, and “Input Information”. We can see that proper regularization with respect to structural constraints of network architecture is a critical factor to facilitate overfitting avoidance. We discuss the strengths and limitations of the methods presented in this work, which can serve as valuable references for future research and the development of new approaches. We also pay attention to the scholarly domain in the discussion in order to meet the overwhelming increase of scientific research outcomes by providing an analysis of several important academic scholarly issues of neural networks.

Classroom Social Dynamics and Supportive Learning Environment in Public Elementary Schools

Public elementary schools are currently dealing with variety of classroom concerns such as pupils’ academic difficulties, behavioral issues, social problems, and emotional difficulties. These can be resolved by providing an environment supportive to learning in classroom social dynamics. These dynamics pertain to how students, teachers, and the learning environment interact and relate to one another. These may be affected by teachers' influence and social influence. A descriptive-correlational type of research was used in this study to describe the relationship of supportive learning environment and classroom social dynamics as to teachers’ influence and social influence with 115 Grade Six pupil-respondents in five public elementary schools in San Antonio District in academic year 2022-2023. The research made-survey questionnaire was used for gathering data with some concepts adapted and modified. Pearson-Product-Moment-Correlation-Coefficient revealed that social influence in terms of conformity, expectation, compliance and obedience is significantly related to supportive learning environment as to pupils’ academic performance, engagement, self-regulation and self-resiliency. Likewise, teachers’ influence in terms of referent, expert and reward were also found significantly related to supportive learning environment. However, teachers’ legitimate influence was found to be significantly related to pupils’ engagement and self-regulation only, while teachers’ coercive influence was found out to have no relationship with a supportive learning environment.

A Review on Enterocin DD14, the Leaderless Two-Peptide Bacteriocin with Multiple Biological Functions and Unusual Transport Pathway.

Enterocin DD14 (EntDD14) is a two-peptide leaderless bacteriocin (LLB) produced by Enterococcus faecalis 14, a human strain isolated from meconium. Studies performed on EntDD14 enabled it to show its activity against Gram-positive bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus. EntDD14 was also shown to potentiate the activity of different antibiotics such as erythromycin, kanamycin, and methicillin when assessed against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro and in vivo in the NMRI-F holoxenic mouse model. Additionally, EntDD14 has an antiviral activity and decreased the secretion of pro-inflammatory IL-6 and IL-8 in inflamed human intestinal Caco-2 cells. The genome of E. faecalis 14 was sequenced and annotated. Molecular tools such as Bagel4 software enabled us to locate a 6.7kb-EntDD14 cluster. Transport of EntDD14 outside of the cytoplasm was shown to be performed synergistically by a channel composed of two pleckstrin-homology-domain-containing proteins, namely DdE/DdF and the ABC transporter DdGHIJ. This latter could also protect the bacteriocinogenic strain against extracellular EntDD14. Here, we focus on academic data and potential therapeutic issues of EntDD14, as a model of two-peptide LLB.

Experience of university life by disabled undergraduate students: the need to consider extra-curricular opportunities

Many undergraduate students attending UK universities have a chronic illness or disability. Support for disabled students has increased in recent years through government funding and university disability services. This research examined experiences of disabled undergraduate students in academic and extra-curricular areas of student life and experience of university disability support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 undergraduate students. Thematic analysis identified four main themes: symptoms impacting on university life, academic issues, extra-curricular activities and experience of university support. Extensive and varied challenges were experienced in relation to all areas of student life. Some disabled students felt well supported but others felt much more support was needed. Some students had limited or no engagement in extra-curricular activities. Some progress appears to have been made in the last twenty years in supporting disabled undergraduate students but more support is needed. Disability support should be extended beyond academic work to include extra-curricular activities.

Code-switching in Communicationby Male and Female English-majored Students: A Case Study at Two Selected Universities in Binh Duong Province

Nowadays, code-switching is a common and intricate phenomenon. Together with the rise of increasingly bilingual and multilingual communities, code-switching has become a critical linguistic and academic issue. The purposes of this study are to discover the features of code-switching toward male English learners on the impact of their first language and second language, to investigate the features of code-switching toward female English learners on the impact of their language (L1) and second language (L2), and to identify the differences and similarities in code-switching between male and female English learners on the impact of their first language (L1) and second language (L2). A total of 100 students from two universities in Binh Duong province was included in the study. The data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively through a mixed-method study using the tools of a questionnaire (for students) and a semi-structured interview (for teachers and students in charge of the experimental classes). According to the study results, English-majored students could only occasionally switch from L1 to L2 language during discussions and may require more effort to acquire higher IELTS scores. Furthermore, English-majored students rarely convert from their native tongue to another second language and should regard English as the classroom instruction language. However, alternating between native and L2 languages is beneficial.

Impact of Student Leaders’ Participation in School Peer Counseling Programs on Learners’ Discipline in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya

This paper focuses on student leaders’ participation in school peer counseling programs as a valuable strategy of student leaders’ integration in school governance. Intensive involvement of student leaders in school peer counseling programs is a worthwhile link between the students’ body, teachers and the school administration. It is an opportunity for the student leaders to interact and share with the students’ body as they air their views and concerns on academic and discipline issues in the school. Utilization of the information gathered from peer counseling forums by the school administrators in decision making translates to impressive learners’ discipline and academic performance. The study was carried out in Machakos sub-county, Machakos County, Kenya to investigate the impact of student leaders’ participation in school peer counseling programs on learners’ discipline in public and private secondary schools. The study was guided by two objectives; to establish the status of student leaders’ participation in school peer counseling programs and establish the impact on learners’ discipline. The study embraced a descriptive survey design. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling were employed to get the Sample size. Data were collected using questionnaires for the students and teachers and interview schedules for the deputy principals, principals, Board of Management (BoM) chairpersons, and directors of private schools. Further, relevant documents were scrutinized for triangulation of the information provided by the respondents. The data collected was processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. The statistics were tabulated and subjected to regression analysis using ANOVA and coefficient models.The study established student leaders’ participation in school peer counseling programs as a golden chance for student leaders to interact with fellow learners’ as they express views and suggestions on school routines, rules, and regulations. Action on gathered information created a peaceful school environment suitable for mentoring learners .The result was improved learners' discipline. In contrast, student leaders who did not actively and openly interact with other learners missed an opportunity to gather information on learners' views and hence did not identify real issues affecting learners for the school administration action. The study concluded that participation of student leaders in school peer counseling was significantly higher at (p) 0.003 than student leaders not participating in school peer counseling programs (p) 0.047. Hence the null hypothesis was rejected. The study recommended that school principals and other school administrators should organize frequent school peer counseling programs and encourage student leaders and other learners to air their views.

ChatGPT for education and research: A review of benefits and risks

Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can quickly generate detailed responses to prompts and follow-up questions. This emerging AI tool was launched in November 2022 by an American AI research laboratory, called OpenAI, using large language models. In this article, the benefits and risks related to the use of ChatGPT in education and research are discussed. The article argues that ChatGPT has at least five main benefits, such as creating learning assessment, enhancing pedagogical practice, offering virtual personal tutoring, creating an essay or research article outline, and brainstorming ideas. However, there are risks related to academic integrity issues, unfair learning assessment, inaccurate information, and over-reliance on AI. The article offers a set of recommendations for effective use of ChatGPT for educational and research purposes.

나가야마 노리오(永山則夫)와 현대 일본의 소년범죄

Norio Nagayama was a 19-year-old serial killer in 1968 in Japan. Nagayama’s life and works were also evaluated as a contact point for showing the lowest classes in the 1960s and 1970s. In this article, I will progress a comprehensive study of various academic issues by focusing on juvenile crime. Also, examine how he influenced Japan’s current view on juvenile crime and find out the possibility of modern interpretation. First, as for the legal impact, established the criteria for choosing a juvenile death penalty, such as the ‘Nagayama Standard,’ informs that the argument of severe punishment of juvenile crimes, and death penalty issues were reviewed early in Japan. Second, Nagayama’s notes led to an apology for the victim’s family without showing off the crime itself. Accordingly, Japan learned that the cause of crime can be found in the (non)fictions of juvenile criminals. It confirmed that it is important to set up a place for thinking about analyzing and transmitting various causes of juvenile crimes through non-fictions or literary works. Finally, Nagayama’s novels were meaningful as a realisㄴtic work and record to find the cause of a juvnile’s crime.

Challenges and Opportunities to the Profession of Social Work in Pakistan: A Review

Social work education at the postgraduate level is faced with various academic and non-academic issues. Despite the compatibility of these methods with our culture, the paucity of local research and knowledge related to our community which are necessary for the uplift of the profession is impacting its progress. So far, Pakistan has no national and provincial council of social workers that could link them with the international social workers’ Federation whereby it could build their professional competence and capacity. This gap between theory and practice can be filled by developing a link between the two domains. Lack of public awareness regarding the field and the deteriorating role of inadequately trained field supervisors working for different organizations are other contributing factors. The study suggests that professional social workers should be inducted into all the social welfare organizations so that the new undergraduate students could be interested in taking admissions in BS social work degree.

Improving Stress Levels and Resilience through Integrated Islamic Art Interventions in Undergraduate University Students

The current research was planned to investigate the efficacy of integrated Islamic Art Interventions on stress and resilience among undergraduate university students. After screening on Stress levels with Students Stress Inventory, 10 participants were selected with moderate to severe stress from a public sector university. Furthermore another questionnaire were also used to measure the resilience which was a Brief Resilience Scale. The responses on questionnaires were taken before intervention and also post intervention. The results were generated and analyzed through SPSS (26 Version). The results of paired sample t-test indicate that Islamic Art Interventions significantly decrease the stress levels and significantly increasing the resilience levels among undergraduate university students. This carries implications for psychologists and educationists for using Islamic Art Interventions for improving the academic and personal life issues in the student population

Analysis of Psychological and Social Functioning in Undergraduate Students with a Specific Learning Disorder (SLD).

It is considered to be particularly interesting to enrich the scientific overview investigating the comorbidities of specific learning disorders (SLDs) in young adults. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the psychosocial and relational profiles associated with the presence of learning difficulties in a population of university students. The hypothesis is that young adults with SLDs have lower psychological and socio-relational functioning than their typical-development peers. We further hypothesized that the socio-relational difficulties of students with SLDs could be explained not only by referring to the presence of a learning disorder, but also by considering some variables that may follow the experience of students with SLDs. The results highlighted that students with SLDs, compared to their typical-development peers, have low self-efficacy, high academic anxiety scores, emotional problems, and issues with peers. We finally suggest considering these aspects as early as the diagnostic process to facilitate an effective treatment plan for learning disorders to prevent, in terms of developmental trajectory, the manifestation of these aspects in adulthood.

Polyartistic Approach in Music Education: A Tool for Teaching and Developing Creative and Critical Thinking

The article presents two models for introducing a polyartistic approach in Bachelor’s and Master’s training. The study emphasizes the need to integrate art and art education into the educational process as a factor in the development of creative and critical thinking, communicative and sociocultural competencies of future music teachers. The first model, known as the linear one, implies the inclusion of polyartistic disciplines and tracks in the educational program. This model allows students to choose electives that meet their interests and professional qualifications. This approach provides students with flexibility in planning their academic path and learning issues related to polyartistic education more comprehensively. The second model, the concentric one, is used in the Master’s degree programs. This model enables students to expand their knowledge and skills in the polyartistic component based on the knowledge gained during their Bachelor studies. Students study polyartistic subjects and thus expand their theoretical, methodological, and performing skills. These two models can be used for training secondary school music teachers and teachers of institutions of supplementary art education. The introduction of a polyartistic approach into the discussed models helps to better understand and apply art as a tool for teaching and contributes to the development of creative and critical thinking, communicative and sociocultural competencies of future music teachers. This article suggests new approaches to the formation of the professional identity of music teachers, the development of students’ creative abilities, and the use of modern technologies in polyartistic education. The conclusions of this article can serve as a basis for further research and development of practical aspects of introducing a polyartistic approach into the process of training music teachers.

Analisis Hasil Penerapan Model Kooperatif Tipe Jigsaw Dalam Pembelajaran PPKn Untuk Mengatasi Masalah Kecemasan Akademik

This research discusses the paradigm shift in the teaching of Pancasila and Citizenship Education (PPKn) from a conventional teacher-centered and cognitive-focused approach to a student-oriented approach using the cooperative learning model known as the jigsaw method. The aim of this study is to investigate the outcomes and challenges that occurred after implementing the jigsaw cooperative model to address academic anxiety issues experienced by 12th-grade students. This research utilized a descriptive study with a qualitative approach conducted at SMA Negeri 6 Karawang in the academic year 2023/2024. The research findings indicate that the jigsaw cooperative learning model has proven to be successful and effective in addressing the academic anxiety issues faced by 12th-grade students. The results obtained showed improvements in student participation, comprehension of the material, social skills, emotional control, self-understanding, and rational thinking skills during the learning process. However, the research also identified some challenges in implementing the jigsaw cooperative model, such as disruptions from other groups and differences of opinion among students. In conclusion, the jigsaw cooperative learning model is considered an effective solution for addressing academic anxiety among students in the context of PPKn education. This shift in approach highlights the role of teachers in creating a student-centered learning environment, allowing students to develop holistically and overcome their learning challenges. This research makes a significant contribution to enhancing the quality of PPKn education in addressing the phenomenon of academic anxiety.

Challenges Faced by International Students: A Case Study of Jambi’s Institute of Higher Learning

Although there have been many studies investigating international students, many of them focused on the students who travel in pursuit of higher education in English countries and/or universities. This current qualitative study is intended to explore the experiences of international students, particularly the challenges, and strategies to deal with the challenges and the culture shock while studying in Jambi, Indonesia. In order to collect the data, a semi-structured interview was employed and guided by an interview protocol to stimulate the participants in answering the questions during the interview. The participants of this study were nine international students who studied at one public university in Jambi. Through thematic analysis, we found that international students faced some challenges living and studying in Jambi, such as language issues, academic issues, individual issues, and living style and related issues. To overcome the challenges, international students employed two main strategies, including self-management strategies and seeking help. Moreover, although the culture of international students is quite similar to the culture of the hosting country, we identified a lack of foreigner sense and physical contact as the culture shocks experienced by one international student. Looking at the challenges and culture shocks experienced by international students, this study suggests that preparation is crucial for prospective international students before pursuing their studies overseas.

Perceived academic stress in Mexican medical students. The role of sex emotional distress, burnout, academic-social support, current abuse experiences, and coping strategies

Introduction. Academic stress is a common problem among medical students that has a negative physiological, social, and learning impact. Perceived academic stress indicates how stressed a student is about academic issues over a given period of time and the ability to handle that stress. Objective. To determine the prevalence of PAS and evaluate possible risk factors, focusing on sex differences, burnout, emotional distress, academic-social support, and coping strategies. Method. A cross-sectional, retrospective, and comparative study was conducted through an online survey with medical students (MS) willing to participate anonymously. Results. All students reported PAS and the majority to a moderate-severe degree. Comparing the presence of abuse within the academic environment between men and women, we found differences in the frequency of reporting emotional abuse and sexual. Also, we found differences in perceived academic social support from teachers and family members. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed sex and current sexual abuse inside school had the strongest association with PAS in MS, followed by a family history of depression and perceived less academic social support from family. Discussion and conclusion. Timely identification of individuals at-risk will be critical to establish preventive strategies to limit the impact of PAS in MS, stress management programs, training coping skills, and offer prompt therapeutic alternatives when needed.

Challenges, Causes and Solutions in the Process of Writing English Academic Papers for English Postgraduates

Writing academic papers in English is essential for English postgraduates. However, ESL/EFL learners face many challenges and difficulties in academic writing. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the challenges, causes, and solutions. This study interviews six English major Chinese postgraduates. And the interviews are recorded and then transcribed into data. It has been discovered that English postgraduates would face a variety of challenges including language and academic issues. It concludes that students, teachers, and the universities should work together to assist postgraduates in overcoming challenges and enhancing their academic writing.

Student Support-Seeking Behaviors in General Chemistry and Introductory Physics Courses: An Exploratory Study Using Simple Ego-Network Analysis Methodology

A little studied aspect of supporting students in large introductory STEM courses is examining from whom students seek information and advice when they are struggling in or need advice about issues related to large introductory courses. The current study explores student support-seeking behavior related to academic issues or concerns in their General Chemistry and Introductory Physics courses using a simple ego-network analysis survey approach. Students (n = 1,581) were asked to list specific individuals they went to for three different categories of support: advice, help, and emotional support; the role of these individuals (peer, faculty, student mentor, etc.); and frequency of contact with those individuals. Results indicate that nearly all students consulted others for support or information related to their courses and a majority of students (67–75%) sought input from others for all three categories: advice, help, and emotional support. Peers at the same institution were the most common role category sought for any reason (by 70–75% of students). Approximately half of students surveyed listed at least one faculty member and approximately half listed at least one academic advisor as a source of support. Other potential sources of support (e.g., peer leaders, student mentors, family) were sought by fewer students. Students also reported interacting most frequently with their peers, followed by faculty, and then advisors. Implications for STEM instructors are discussed, including suggestions for classroom practices that might promote students’ use of sources with the best knowledge of effective strategies for solving course-related problems, such as faculty and upper-level students in formal course-support roles.