Academic Majors Research Articles

Job burnout syndrome and stress coping strategies of academic students

Introduction. People focused on helping others in their daily professional career are especially exposed to stress. The inability to relieve stress is a common cause of the burnout syndrome. It turns out that also college students, who are prepared to work with people, are exposed to the job burnout syndrome, even during their education process. The possible cause might be unfamiliarity with effective stress coping methods or inability to use them properly. Aim. The aim of this paper is to study job burnout syndrome and stress coping strategies among students of selected academic majors, and also to analyze relations and differences between these results. Material and methods. The research has been conducted among 141 fifth or sixth-year students of nursing, medicine and pedagogy in Krakow. The study was based on surveys: a questionnaire made by the author, The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Results. The analysis of obtained results has showed that there is a significant difference between stress coping strategies among examined students and that there is a relation between job burnout syndrome and students’ academic majors. There is also a relation between job burnout and stress coping strategies among students of selected academic majors. However, there is no relationship between job burnout and students’ selected academic majors. Conclusions. There is also a relationship between students’ stress coping strategies and selected academic majors and burnout syndrome.

Effects of Self-esteem and Academic Stress on Depression in Korean Students in Health Care Professions

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to identify factors affecting depression in college students and the corre-lation of depression with self-esteem and academic stress, and to identify differences among student self-esteem, academic stress, and general characteristics and the relation ship of these variables to depression. Methods: The study was done in April 2011 with 852 students in health-related majors (medicine, nursing science, and dental hygiene) of a medical college in Korea. A self-rating survey containing 10 items from the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, 20 items from the Self-rating Depression Scale, and 22 items on academic stress was used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one0way ANOVA, and logistic regression. Results: Medical students` scores for self-esteem were significantly higher than dental hygiene students, but for academic stress scores, the result was the opposite. Logistic regression showed that self-esteem, academic stress, academic major and satisfaction with it (positive affect), and home income level (negative affect) significantly affected the level of depression. Conclusion: Designing and implementing realistic programs tailored to students` academic majors to enhance their self-esteem and implementing realistic programs tailored to students` academic majors to enhance their self-esteem and provide practical knowledge in dealing with academic stress will help these stu-dents obtain a healthier school life emotionally as well as academically.

Major Decisions: Motivations for Selecting a Major, Satisfaction, and Belonging

In this paper, we analyzed the relationship between students' motivations for choosing academic majors and their satisfaction and sense of belonging on campus. Based on a multi-institutional survey of students who attended large, public, research universities in 2009, the results suggest that external extrinsic motivations for selecting a major tend to be negatively associated with students' satisfaction and sense of belonging. Intrinsic motivations and internal extrinsic motivations tend to be positively related to students' satisfaction and sense of belonging.

프로그래밍 언어 교육을 위한 교수·학습 모델 설계

This paper deals with the design of teaching learning model for programming language education. Various courses related to programming language education have opened at the university having many academic majors. In the meantime, a variety of programming languages have been developed, many integrated development environments of programming language have also been developed for users to make a program easily. But it is difficult for many novice learners to learn programming language still, likewise it is difficult for many teachers to teach the introduction course of programming language. In this paper, we have designed a teaching learning model based on scholastic achievements and blended learning for programming language education. The teaching learning model designed in this study was applied to a course opened in the second semester of 2011. According to the course evaluation result, the teaching learning model for programming language has shown to be an effective for novice learner.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice between Medical and Non-Medical Sciences Students about Food Labeling.

Considering the significant role of consumers' awareness about food labels in making healthy food choices, this study was designed to assess the knowledge, attitude and prac¬tice of university students about food labeling. In this cross-sectional study, 332 students aged 18-25 yr in five different academic majors (including Nutrition, Public Health, Health Services Administration, Paramedical and En¬gineering) were asked to complete an approved questionnaire contained fifteen questions. The chi-square test was applied to examine the differences across various major groups. 89.2% of the students believed that food labels had effect on nutritional awareness. 77.4% were agreed with the usefulness of the food labels and 79.2% did not feel that nutrition claims on food label were truthful. For 84% of students, the expiry date and storage conditions information were the most important informational cues to appear on the food labels. From 47.6% of students who reported the use of nutrition facts label in their often or always shopping; only 32.3% used the information on labels to fit the food into their daily diet. Surprisingly, fatty acids were the least noteworthy items (1.9%) on nutrition facts labels. Regarding students' major, there was significant difference in their knowledge, attitude and practice about truth of the nutri¬tion claims, using food labels and importance of health claims (P<0.05). Food labels were more useful tools for students and had an effect on their nutri-tional awareness. Designing and implementation of the educational programs in order to increase the level of knowledge about food labels is suggested.

The Effect of Board Directors’ Academic Majors (Bunka/Rika) on Director Promotion and Financial Performance in Japanese Firms

The Effect of Board Directors’ Academic Majors (Bunka/Rika) on Director Promotion and Financial Performance in Japanese Firms

Self-Reported Learning Gains: A Theory and Test of College Student Survey Response

Recent studies have asserted that self-reported learning gains (SRLG) are valid measures of learning, because gains in specific content areas vary across academic disciplines as theoretically predicted. In contrast, other studies find no relationship between actual and self-reported gains in learning, calling into question the validity of SRLG. I reconcile these two divergent sets of literature by proposing a theory of college student survey response that relies on the belief-sampling model of attitude formation. This theoretical approach demonstrates how students can easily construct answers to SRLG questions that will result in theoretically consistent differences in gains across academic majors, while at the same time lacking the cognitive ability to accurately report their actual learning gains. Four predictions from the theory are tested, using data from the 2006–2009 Wabash National Study. Contrary to previous research, I find little evidence as to the construct and criterion validity of SRLG questions.

Polylingual development among Turkish speakers in a Danish primary school – a critical view on the fourth grade slump

In this paper we report on a longitudinal study of the linguistic development among Turkish-speaking children in Denmark. A series of data were collected from a group of children attending a public school in Køge during the period 1989–1998 and from the same group – now in their 20s – in 2006–2007. The data set has been analyzed from a number of linguistic and educational perspectives (e.g. second language acquisition, code choice in interaction, language attitudes among teachers and students). In this paper we combine the main lines of the different analyses into a discussion of which terms to use when studying linguistic development in an increasingly diverse world. In particular, we focus on the theoretical distinction between deficit and resource-oriented views on minority children's language development, and we discuss the empirical underpinning of the so-called 4th grade slump which places school underachievement solidly within the children's mastery of specific features of academic majority language. In general, we argue that terms such as ‘bilingualism’ or ‘multilingualism’ are insufficient as descriptive tools. Instead we propose the term polylanguaging to account for our informants' language use in post-modern, superdiverse Danish society

Lipstick and Labcoats: Undergraduate Women’s Gender Negotiation in STEM Fields

Although women have made significant progress in the work force and in education, gender gaps still exist in many industries and occupations, including science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. This research aimed to understand how undergraduate women negotiate gender within STEM fields, looking specifically at these women’s experiences related to gender as they pursue STEM academic majors. The findings of the study suggest that (a) undergraduate women are constantly negotiating gender as they are pursuing STEM majors, (b) undergraduate women in STEM fields are not necessarily conscious of gender and its potential impact on their experiences, and (c) the women in the study perceived a certain image of what a woman in a STEM field was expected to look like and how she was expected to behave.

The Reading Strategies Used by Iranian ESP Students to Comprehend Authentic Expository Texts in English

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the reading strategies of Iranian ESP students when they read authentic expository texts in English. To this end, 81 male/female university sophomore students studying environmental health, occupational health and safety, and midwifery at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences participated in the study. The Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) (Mokhtari &amp; Sheorey, 2002) was used in this study. This Survey classifies reading strategies into three categories: global, problem solving, and support strategies. The findings demonstrated that the participants are moderately aware of reading strategies and the mostfrequently used strategies were support strategies, followed by global strategies, and then problem solving strategies. The Iranian ESP students used the reading strategies differently according to their academic majors.

Achievement Motivation across Gender and Different Academic Majors

Achievement motivation is considered a prerequisite for success in academic settings. The present study was carried out with the objectives to investigate the gender related differences and differences across academic majors on achievement motivation among college students. The study was carried on 80 undergraduate students of various colleges from Jammu region, 40 males and 40 females (ages 18-23 years) selected by purposive sampling method. As per research plan all 80 subjects were selected on the basis of gender (males and females) and academic majors (arts and sciences) using Achievement Motivation Scale. t- Test was used for deriving the results. Significant difference was found between the achievement motivation of sciences and arts stream students and achievement motivation among male and female college students. The differences indicate significant role of gender and academic majors in achievement motivation of college students.

Pedagogy Affects Final Student Learning Outcomes For Non‐Majors Science Courses

It has been demonstrated that context is critical for meaning making and that understanding is enhanced with authentic, interactive problem‐solving opportunities. Learning theory and evidence of student learning assert that student learning outcomes in undergraduate courses should be in part predicted by years of college study. Undergraduates enrolling in introductory non‐majors biology courses come from all class levels as well as diverse academic majors. Do different class levels and academic majors predict learning outcomes in non‐majors biology courses and are these differences associated with pedagogy? This study examined final grade outcomes by class level and other relevant student demographic factors in two introductory non‐major biology courses with similar course content focus, yet different pedagogical approaches. Students randomly enrolled in either a traditional lecture course (content‐centered, CC) or a highly interactive team and case based course (student‐centered, SC). Results showed an effect of class level and academic major on final grade outcome in the CC learning environment but not in the SC learning environment. Student attitudes towards team and case based learning can partially explain student performance in the SC course. The implications of this study for the structuring of courses and curricula and evidence‐based teaching practice will be discussed.

The impact of demographic characteristics of users on patterns of usage on search engines and OPAC

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of user demographic characteristics on the impact of usage of search engines, particularly Google, with special regard to OPAC in the context of an Indian university setting.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a survey where the tool of investigation was a close‐ended questionnaire that was distributed among respondents, was self‐filled and returned. The data, thus collected, were processed on MS‐Excel and subsequently on the SPSS statistical package which was used specifically for the analysis of results and also for producing cross‐tables. The Chi‐square test was applied to determine the comparability or the existence of any relationship between the impact of web searching on OPAC use and demographic characteristics of individual searchers.FindingsThe study found significant differences between OPAC usage patterns and demographic characteristics of user categories and age groups. Significant variations were noticed among user age groups for awareness about differences between the inner‐workings of the OPAC and web search engines. A significant relationship was found between male and female users vis‐à‐vis their viewpoint after unsuccessful searches. Certain variations were also observed among academic majors with regard to perceptions of users after failed searches. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed between actions of users after unsuccessful searches and the parameters pertaining to their age groups, categories, academic majors and gender.Originality/valueThis is in all probability one of the first empirical studies to be published on the influence of demographic characteristics of users on the impact of web searching with respect to OPAC use. These characteristics have been observed to definitively impact upon the influence of web searching in some limited activities.

Gender Differences in Brain Activation on a Mental Rotation Task

ABSTRACTFew neuroimaging studies have explored gender differences on mental rotation tasks. Most studies have utilized samples with both genders, samples mainly consisting of men, or samples with six or fewer females. Graduate students in science fields or liberal arts programs (20 males, 20 females) completed a mental rotation task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). When a pair of cube figures was shown, the participant made a keypad response based on whether the pair is the same/similar or different. Regardless of gender, the bilateral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS), and the left precuneus were activated when a subject tried to solve the mental rotation task. Increased activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus/middle frontal gyrus, the left precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex/cuneus region, and the left middle occipital gyrus was found for men as compared to women. Better accuracy and shorter response times were correlated with an increased activation in the bilateral intraparietal sulcus. No significant brain activity differences related to mental rotation were found between academic majors. These findings suggest that networks involved in visual attention appear to be more strongly activated in the mental rotation tasks in men as compared to women. It also suggests that men use a more automatic process when analyzing complex visual reasoning tasks while women use a more top-down process.

Orientations and motivations: Are you a “people person,” a “thing person,” or both?

Previous theory and research suggests that individuals selectively orient primarily toward the social environment (people) or toward the physical environment (things). These orientations can be conceptualized as motivation-based complexes that influence personal preferences and interests, with consequences for important life choices. This paper examined differential orientation in two studies, one with university students and another with children. Person-thing Orientation showed sex differences and was related to occupational choices in both age groups. For university students person-thing interests were linked to academic majors, and retention within programs focused on things (e.g., science and engineering). Sex differences were greater for TO than PO, but not for students majoring in engineering. Sex differences in selective orientations to the social and physical environments were similar in children (3rd and 6th grade) and university students, suggesting processes may be underway early and may be consequential for sex differences in interests and career trajectories for STEM.

The Use and Abuse of Cell Phones and Text Messaging in the Classroom: A Survey of College Students

As the use of mobile devices, such as cell phones, has proliferated in academic settings in recent years, new challenges are faced by institutions of higher education and their faculties. The authors surveyed 269 college students from 21 academic majors at a small northeastern university to gain a better understanding of the frequency and manner in which cell phones are used in college classrooms. Focusing on the use of text messaging in the classroom, students reported on their own and others’ use of cell phones. It was found that 95% of students bring their phones to class every day, 92% use their phones to text message during class time, and 10% admit they have texted during an exam on at least one occasion. The majority of the students surveyed believe that instructors are largely unaware of the extent to which texting and other cell phone activities engage students in the classroom. These activities include browsing the Internet, sending pictures, or accessing social networking sites. The authors discuss these and other findings and their implications for issues of classroom management and academic dishonesty.

Analysis of college graduate's job search processes and quality of employment: focusing on the differences across academic majors

Analysis of college graduate's job search processes and quality of employment: focusing on the differences across academic majors

The Mediating Effects of Student Engagement on the Relationships Between Academic Disciplines and Learning Outcomes: An Extension of Holland’s Theory

This research examined the relationships among students’ academic majors, levels of engagement, and learning outcomes within the context of Holland’s person–environment theory of vocational and educational behavior. The study focused on the role of student engagement as a mediating agent in the relationships between academic majors and student learning. Drawing on data from a stratified random sample of 20,000 seniors who participated in the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement, results revealed that students’ academic majors were significantly related to levels of engagement and learning outcomes. Student engagement was also significantly related to learning outcomes. Students’ academic majors generally were not indirectly related to learning outcomes through levels of engagement. An important exception to this result was found for students in Enterprising environments where indirect relationships among Enterprising disciplines and Enterprising learning outcomes were positive, statistically significant, and substantially larger than the direct relationship.

“It's What I Have Always Wanted to Do.” Advising the Foreclosure Student

Foreclosure students have prematurely committed themselves to academic majors and future careers, but present themselves to academic advisors as very decided. From a developmental theory perspective, foreclosures represent an immature identity status and include students whose failure to explore their personal and vocational identities and achieve a mature identity threatens their academic success. While this category may be new to academic advisors, foreclosures have been the object of extensive psychological and educational research. We review the literature summarizing the identity development and the personality characteristics of foreclosures, and we also review the available evidence concerning the academic performance of these students. We conclude with some recommendations for successfully identifying and advising these students.

The Relationship Between Academic Major and Environmentalism Among College Students: Is it Mediated by the Effects of Gender, Political Ideology and Financial Security?

Several studies have found a relationship between college students’ academic majors and their environmental attitudes and behaviors. Results from this study of incoming first-year students at a medium-sized public university suggest that students majoring in different programs of study were likely to have different environmental attitudes and behaviors. There were also differences in the proportions of women, political liberals, and financially secure students in each of the different majors. When controlling for the effects of gender, political ideology, and financial security, incoming business majors scored lower on two of the four measures of environmentalism than incoming students in the other majors. The findings in this study suggest that incoming students choose majors that are consistent with their worldviews.