Learning Activities Research Articles

The Measurement of Job Stress Levels on Study Concentration in Students Who Study While Working (Case Study: Gunadarma University Postgraduate Students)

The concentration of studies is very important to support students in understanding the theory and understanding the concepts during learning activities so this needs to be noted so that students can achieve good learning outcomes. Studying while working will certainly cause serious problems to the process of activities on campus and at work. Problems that often occur are piling up tasks, difficulty managing time, fatigue, disputes between colleagues and superiors, a toxic work environment, limited rest time, being expelled from university, and experiencing a delay in graduation. These can trigger job stress for students because they have to do two activities in their daily lives. This study aims to find out the effect of job stress levels on study concentration in working students. In addition, this study analyzes the factors that influence job stress and study concentration. The method used is quantitative analysis with a non-probability sampling technique with a purposive sampling technique. The analysis of data carried out was a Chi-Square test and t-test. Based on the results shows that students who study while working have a very high level of job stress which causes a decrease in learning concentration in students. In addition, several factors influence job stress and study concentration, namely gender, age, type of work, and length of work duration. This research contributes to providing an overview and consideration to students about students who study while working.

A participatory lens to enhance collaborative learning among university students in rural South Africa

Collaborative learning has been recognised as a highly effective approach to enhancing critical thinking, problem-solving, and overall academic performance. However, rural university students face unique challenges that may hinder their participation and engagement in collaborative learning activities. This gap may subsequently affect their learning effectiveness, leading to poor academic performance. Therefore, this study explores the challenges faced by rurally located university students in collaborative learning and strategies to enhance their participation. The study is underpinned by social learning theory and framed within a transformative paradigm using a qualitative research approach. Participatory Research was employed as a research design to provide inclusive opportunities for participants to be actively involved in the process of finding solutions to their problems. Focus group discussions were conducted to elicit information from 10 randomly selected rural university students enrolled in a particular module at a selected university in the Eastern Cape province. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the data. The results indicate that the main challenges faced by rural university students in collaborative learning include limited access to resources and technology, conflicting time schedules, and the unavailability of students. In contrast, providing adequate access to resources and technology, along with social and institutional support, is essential for enhancing collaborative learning among students in rural universities. In conclusion, promoting collaborative learning among rural university students requires universities to invest in adequate resources, implement flexible learning schedules, and create supportive learning environments.

ANALİTİK VƏ EVRİSTİK FƏALİYYƏT NÖVLƏRİNİN OPTİMAL MÜNASİBƏTLƏRİNİ ÖZÜNDƏ EHTİVA EDƏN TƏLİM SİSTEMİNİN FORMALAŞDIRILMASI YOLLARI

The article discusses that various teaching models, understood as methods of delivering ed¬ucation in a space formed according to the demands of civilization, condition an adequate educational envi¬ronment. In this environment, it is necessary for the learner to perceive the goal as an object of cognitive de¬mand in the chosen organizational form and timeframe to ensure the existence of continuous and active learning activities. The research elaborates on “ways to form a teaching system that includes optimal relationships between analytical and heuristic activity types” as one of the student-centered forms of education and provides an interpretation of these methods from scientific-pedagogical and psychological perspectives.

Promoting sustainability literacy for students in Thai higher education institution: a case of Siam University

PurposeThe objectives of this study were (1) to explore and analyze sustainability literacy of undergraduate students and (2) to propose guidelines for promoting sustainability literacy of the undergraduate students at Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand.Design/methodology/approachA 5-point rating scale survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 235 students registered in General Education courses in Semester 2 of academic year 2022. The analyzed data was presented to a focus group discussion, conducted with 19 internal and external stakeholders, as a basis to propose guidelines for promoting sustainability literacy.FindingsThe students perceived that they had better knowledge about sustainable development and sustainable development goals (SDGs) and that their knowledge about and degree of participation in SDGs-related activities were at high level. Intrapersonal competence was rated as their highest sustainability competence, followed by futures-thinking, and systems-thinking. The focus-group suggested that competency-based GE curriculum should be used as a platform to enhance sustainability literacy. Guidelines concerning learning outcomes, learning content, learning culture, learning with technology, and learning assessment were then proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s methodological limitations include the use of purposive sample case of the Siam University and self-perceiving assessment survey instrument for the data collection that provide sufficient insights on the present state and problems concerning sustainability literacy of university students.Practical implicationsSustainability is one of the national pillars in Thailand 20 years strategy (2018–2037). Hence, the government encourages all educational institutions, including universities to transform themselves toward this goal. Siam University has used education program as a vehicle to meet this aspiration. Lesson learnt from the study will not only benefit the university per se but will be valuable for practices in other universities. In addition, findings and implications from the study will help accelerate the transformation of Thai higher education institutions toward sustainable universities.Social implicationsSustainability has been promoted in education and social context. Siam University is recognized as a leading university in promoting campus and community sustainability through our “living learning lab” approach. We have used social living labs for teaching and learning activities for years. Partnerships among academia, private and public sectors, as well as community members will benefit from this research.Originality/valueThe study explores the scholarly topic of significant social importance and implications in the Thai context. The present study on sustainability literacy opens a path for further research and cross-institutional and national comparative studies on the issue.

Application of Interactive Learning Methods and Character Strengthening in Aisyiyah Penatarsewu Kindergarten

This research aims to explore the role of Real Work Lecture (KKN) students in supporting learning activities at the Aisyiyah Kindergarten in Penatarsewu Village and their contribution in increasing awareness of children's dental health. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this research assesses the impact of KKN on educational learning, social and cultural introduction, and children's health. The research results show that KKN students have succeeded in applying creative and innovative methods, introducing local social and cultural values, and increasing children's understanding of dental health, including the importance of limiting consumption of sweet foods. The involvement of KKN students makes a significant contribution to improving the quality of education, social knowledge, culture and children's health. This program shows the potential for synergy between higher education and local communities in creating sustainable positive change.

Analysis of Problems of Physical Education Teachers in Planning and Implementing Learning at State Senior High Schools in Southwest Aceh Regency

Physical education teachers are faced with challenges in carrying out an effective learning process. This requires teachers to have skills in designing adaptive learning methods. The lesson plan is a document that guides teachers in preparing the learning process. This research aims to determine the ability of physical education teachers to compile lesson plans and implement learning, as well as the problems faced by physical education teachers in the Public High School of Aceh Barat Daya Regency. The approach in this research is qualitative with a descriptive research type. The research subjects were 12 physical education teachers actively serving in the State High School of Southwest Aceh Regency. The data collection techniques used were observation, interviews, and documentation studies. Based on the research results, it can be concluded that 1) The ability of physical education teachers to prepare lesson plans at Senior High Schools in Aceh Barat Daya Regency has not been able to be implemented by the development of the applicable curriculum. Physical education teachers have not been able to design the objectives and stages of learning activities, as well as follow-up and assessment to determine the quality of the learning process, so it is limited to only one activity that is the same for all students. 2) The implementation of physical education learning at Senior High Schools in Aceh Barat Daya Regency has not been running optimally. Physical education teachers do not carry out systematic assessments. In addition, teachers do not apply cooling that is by the characteristics of the material being taught, and summarize the learning material by involving and guiding students. 3) The problems of physical education teachers in preparing learning plans and implementation at Senior High Schools in Aceh Barat Daya Regency are setting objectives formulating appropriate learning indicators and selecting learning methods to the conditions of facilities and infrastructure. Limitations in computer skills are also a problem for physical education teachers in preparing lesson plans. The availability of inadequate sports facilities makes it difficult to actively involve students in the learning process and to carry out accurate evaluations.

Teaching health disparities on the road: An experiential educational intervention for doctor of nursing practice students

AimThis analysis was conducted to understand the nuanced and underlying benefits and challenges of an experiential educational intervention for DNP students learning how neighborhoods and health disparities may be related. BackgroundPoor social and environmental conditions in many low-income urban neighborhoods are linked to deleterious health outcomes. Many of the structural and political influences are unknown to health providers, which can inhibit their understanding of the social effects on health. One aspect of a new DNP social determinants of health curriculum is a guided community bus tour in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods to enhance understanding of health disparities. DesignA concurrent mixed methods design, including comparison surveys and thematic analysis, was used to analyze student responses to the experiential educational intervention. MethodA community-based bus tour implemented in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods in an urban environment was the study focus. New DNP students (n=91) in a midwestern university introductory course agreed to provide feedback following an experiential learning activity. The analysis of responses to the educational intervention was completed using a systematic thematic analysis alongside descriptive statistics and paired t-tests in a convergent mixed methods analytical approach to answer the research aim. ResultsStudents expressed confidence in naming and addressing health disparities after the bus tour activity. Analysis showed: (a) A visual tour can impact new learning, (b) Policy can explain inequity and is new to students, (c) Students do not well articulate racial disparities and (d) Understanding racial history requires attention and conversation. ConclusionA community bus tour met our expectations for teaching DNP students concepts related to health disparities as it illustrated real-life situations in actual neighborhoods. However, there were unusual student responses that prompted us to reflect on the activity and consider improvements. More emphasis needs to be placed on cultural wealth and on discussion planning for such experiences. Our results lay the groundwork for curriculum development. Setting goals and targets in line with the 2022 CDC’s Core Health Equity Science and Implementation Strategy is essential.

Online Learning from the Learning Cycle Perspective: Discovering Patterns in Recent Research

We propose a method for automatically extracting new trends and best practices from the recent literature on online learning, aligned with the learning cycle perspective. Using titles and abstracts of research articles published in high ranked educational journals, we assign topic proportions to the articles, where the topics are aligned with the components of the learning cycle: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, evaluation, and evolution. The topic analysis is conducted using keyword-based Latent Dirichlet allocation, and the topic keywords are chosen to reflect the nature of the learning cycle components. Our analysis reveals the time dynamics of research topics aligned on learning cycle components, component weights, and interconnections between them in the current research focus. Connections between the topics and user-defined learning elements are discovered. Concretely, we examine how effective learning elements such as virtual reality, multimedia, gamification, and problem-based learning are related to the learning cycle components in the literature. In this way, any innovative learning strategy or learning element can be placed in the landscape of the learning cycle topics. The analysis can be helpful to other researches when designing effective learning activities that address particular components of the learning cycle.

Guidelines for Integrating actionable A-SMART Learning Outcomes into the Backward Design Process

Background Learning outcomes are essential in education, guiding both educators and learners towards desired knowledge, skills, and competencies. The backward design process offers a structured approach to curriculum planning, but its integration with actionable, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) learning outcomes needs further exploration. Goal This guide aims to introduce the concept of "A-SMART" learning outcomes and demonstrate their integration into the backward design process, focusing on outcomes that begin with action verbs. Methods The guide outlines a three-stage curriculum planning approach: (i) define desired results, (ii) determine acceptable evidence of learning, and (iii) plan learning activities. It emphasizes the importance of starting with action verbs in formulating learning outcomes, aligning with Stage 1 of backward design and facilitating the transition to Stage 2 (assessment development). Results By following this guide, educators will acquire tools to develop effective "A-SMART" learning outcomes. This approach immediately advances to Stage 2 of backward design, improving educational practices and ensuring alignment with assessment methods. The guide provides strategies for formulating outcomes that are Action-oriented, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. Conclusions The integration of A-SMART learning outcomes into the backward design process offers a more cohesive and effective educational framework. This approach enhances clarity for learners, provides guidance for instructors, enables more effective assessments, and improves overall learning experiences. The guide also addresses potential challenges in formulating A-SMART outcomes and suggests solutions, including the use of AI tools for inspiration and critical review.

The digital fingerprint of learner behavior: Empirical evidence for individuality in learning using deep learning

Personalized learning builds upon the fundamental assumption of uniqueness in learning behavior, often taken for granted. Quite surprisingly, however, the literature provides little to no empirical evidence backing the existence of individual learning behaviors. Driven by curiosity, we challenge this axiom. Our operationalization of a unique learning behavior draws an analogy to a fingerprint – a distinctive trait that sets individuals apart, which we correspondingly termed the ‘Digital Fingerprint of Learner Behavior’ (DFL). If such a thing as DFL truly exists, then given enough fine-grained behavioral data, we argue that it should be possible to model a DFL to a level of discriminability that enables training machine learning models to associate (map) between the (de-identified) digital traces of the same learner in diverse contexts. To test our hypothesis, we experimented with data from 24 MITx massive open online courses (MOOCs) offered via edX between 2014 and 2017. We focused our investigation on contexts where both the content and platform remain constant. A learner's DFL was computed from the learner's activity data within a specific course chapter, as stored in the system's logs. The results show that the mean level of accuracy (across courses) in identifying unseen DFLs is 0.582 (SD=0.173). Using Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), we rank 686 features for their importance in differentiating between DFLs. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence that learners' behavior is unique to a degree that can distinguish between them on an individual level, similar to the level of identification provided by a fingerprint, and sets a benchmark for the task of DFL identification.

Evaluating Employability Skills Integration in a Citizenship Education Textbook

The International Labour Organization (ILO) generated a strategic plan for skills and lifelong learning from 2022 to 2030, aiming to improve students’ access to future jobs. One of the target goals of the ILO's plan was to ensure that educational programs meet the changing needs of labour markets. Therefore, there is a rising need to assess whether teaching programmes can prepare learners for the requirements of future jobs. In this study, we investigate how employability skills are integrated in teaching resources. For this purpose, 54 learning activities from a Grade 6 Citizenship Education textbook in Bahrain were analysed using 56 predefined codes elaborated by the Conference Board of Canada in a document that was developed by the Corporate Council on Education, a program of the National Business and Education Centre since 2000. This study employs quantitative analysis, including Pearson correlation coefficients and regression analysis to evaluate the integration of employability skills in the learning activities using three major factors: Fundamental Skills (FS), Personal Management Skills (PMS) and Teamwork Skills (TS). The results show that Fundamental Skills (Mean = 3.87, Standard Deviation = 1.26) are well integrated, whereas Personal Management Skills (Mean= 3.17, Standard Deviation = 1.54) demonstrate moderate integration with notable variations. In contrast, Teamwork Skills display a low level of integration (Mean = 1.02 Standard Deviation = 1.88). The correlation analysis confirms a relationship (r = 0.615, p < 0.01) between FS and PMS but shows insignificant correlations between TS and the other skill sets. These findings highlight a critical gap in teamwork skill integration and suggest a need for increased focus on teamwork in educational materials, while recommending further research to focus on expanding the sample size, incorporating more qualitative analyses, and exploring effective strategies for integrating employability skills into educational resources.

Designing L2 pronunciation instruction activities for primary school learners

Abstract This study employs a content analysis approach to examine the presentation of pronunciation instruction (PI) activities in six elementary school English language teaching (ELT) textbook series used in China. Among the textbooks analyzed, two series are published in English-speaking countries for commercial use, while two are published in China for public schools. The remaining two series are jointly released by Chinese and UK publishers, and are utilized in schools at Shanghai and Hong Kong. Categorizing the PI‑related activities based on the framework by Levis and Echelberger (2022), the author discovered that PI is predominantly integrated into listening and speaking activities. The study highlights the evolving design of PI activities in relation to learners’ ages, reflecting the individual preferences and beliefs of textbook developers. Notably, most of the surveyed textbook series acknowledge the effectiveness of phonics for teaching pronunciation, yet the use of phonetic alphabet remains minimal. Young learners are encouraged to grasp pronunciation rules through exposure and observation rather than through direct “top-down” instruction from teachers. This research provides language educators with additional resources for classroom activities and offers textbook writers diverse insights for material development work in the future.

Designing a Human-centred Learning Analytics Dashboard In-use

Despite growing interest in applying human-centred design methods to create learning analytics (LA) systems, most efforts have concentrated on initial design phases, with limited exploration of how LA tools and practices can co-evolve during the actual learning and teaching activities. This paper examines how a human-centred LA dashboard can be further refined and adapted by teachers while actively using it in a real-world scenario (i.e., design-in-use), beyond its intended design (i.e., design-for-use). We use instrumental genesis as a theoretical lens to analyze the temporary and permanent instrumentalization of design features and individual and collective instrumentation of the LA dashboard. The analysis of semi-structured individual interviews with five nursing teachers who used an LA dashboard to guide team reflections with 224 students (56 teams) revealed technical and pedagogical changes that occurred in both the system’s features (instrumentalization) and teaching practices (instrumentation). We found that teachers adopted the LA dashboard beyond initially intended ways by (i) providing emotional support with the analytics, (ii) reducing details in AI-powered data visualizations for easier comprehension, (iii) creating data narratives to address data limitations, and (iv) collectively developing new practices to use the LA dashboard for co-teaching. Therefore, teachers’ design-in-use of the LA dashboard highlights the ongoing need for design improvements to address challenges posed by dynamic data and complex algorithms underlying AI and analytics interfaces.

DẠY HỌC XÁC SUẤT - THỐNG KÊ GẮN VỚI THỰC TIỄN NGHỀ NGHIỆP CHO SINH VIÊN TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC Y DƯỢC THÁI BÌNH

Based on the teaching process in the direction of developing learners’ capability and research results on the Theory of Realistic Mathematics Education, the paper proposes an educational process for using research results in Medicine and Pharmacy to design content for teaching probability and statistics at Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, including 5 steps: (1) Finding “realistic situations” from the field of medicine and pharmacy that are suitable for students; (2) Organizing activities for learners to perform learning tasks; (3) Formalizing; (4) Applying; (5) Assessing and Self-assessing. The pedagogical experiment with the content "The law of Total probability" was conducted with the Preventive Healthcare major students at Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy in the academic year 2023 - 2024. The results showed that the proposed measure improves interest in learning and links probability and statistics knowledge with professional practice.

Total Physical Response In English Camp For New Students Of Lombok Business Academy

One of the innovative approaches to enhance students' confidence in communicating using English is through English Camp activities. This research is an effort the director of the Lombok Business Academy (AKBIL) and Lecturers of the Faculty of Culture, Management, and Business (FBMB), especially Lecturers in the English Education Study Program. This research is also a form of follow-up to the collaboration carried out by AKBIL and FBMB. AKBIL New Students need to be given motivation and confidence in speaking English through English Camp activities. English Camp is intended as a fun learning activity that is carried out indoors/outdoors which lasts for 3 days. Through these activities, students have gained an understanding of basic theories in communicating using English. The method used in this study is a qualitative method, a data collection technique carried out by the author through literature studies, observations, interviews, and questionnaires. Literature studies are used to help authors find relevant information related to English Camp. Observation is used to directly observe the participants' activities and dynamics during the English camp. Interviews were conducted by the author to participants to find out the success of event planning. The analysis of this interview data includes three activity flows, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawn. The questionnaire was used to determine the success of the English Camp 2024 event planning, in collecting data through the dissemination of the author's questionnaire using the Likert Scale.

THE FORMATION OF POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS AS A MOTIVATIONAL RESOURCE FOR PERSONNEL TRAINING

The purpose of the article: based on the analysis of the most popular theories of motivation to study, to show the role of the formation of positive expectations in adult study participants on motivation to study and its results. Motivation to study is understood as a hypothetical construction that consists of a general set of processes, methods, and means of motivating individuals to productive cognitive activity, and active assimilation of knowledge, which depends on the level of formation of their motivation to study, as well as the desire and desire to learn. One of the factors of motivation is expectations, which are interpreted as the result or its probability, what a person would like to get from his efforts and, accordingly, exactly what efforts he is ready to spend for this. The article examines the theories of activity motivation and learning motivation with a focus on the formation of positive learning expectations as a factor in motivating the learning activities of employees of enterprises. It analyzes how expectations affect the motivation of learning in adults, how they can be used in the formation of learning strategies, and which needs are the most critical for the formation of internal learning motivation. It was determined that according to the latest research, the most relevant expectations in the formation of educational motivation are the interaction of the need for autonomy, competence, social context, the practicality of acquired knowledge, the formation of a positive educational experience, and incorrectly formed expectations can be a powerful demotivating factor. Keywords: learning motivation, internal and external learning motives, learning motivation in crisis conditions

Interdisciplinary Brain-based Learning Strategies in Addressing Liver Fluke Disease and Cultural Dietary Practices among Early Childhood Students

Liver fluke disease remains a critical public health issue in Southeast Asia, driven by cultural dietary practices involving raw or undercooked freshwater fish. This study evaluates the impact of an interdisciplinary brain-based learning intervention aimed at increasing awareness and modifying dietary behaviors among early childhood students in Central Northeast Thailand. A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 122 students from four provinces. The intervention incorporated brain-based learning activities such as storytelling, songs, and visual aids to enhance engagement. Pre- and post-tests, behavioral observations, and attitudinal surveys were conducted to assess the program’s effectiveness. Post-intervention results indicated significant improvements in knowledge about liver fluke transmission, symptoms, and prevention, alongside positive changes in behavior, such as increased avoidance of raw fish consumption and improved hygiene practices. Attitudinal surveys showed a shift in preferences toward safer eating habits. These findings suggest integrating brain-based learning with culturally relevant health education can foster sustainable behavior change in early childhood populations. Further research is recommended to explore this approach’s long-term impacts and scalability.

Investigating the Impact of Smartphones on Blended Learning Effectiveness for Project Management Certifications: Case Study in Bahrain

This paper examines the impact of smartphones through integration and enhancing the effectiveness of blended learning activities for project management training programs in Bahrain. Building on previous research, this study report on how smartphones can improve real-time communication, boosting engagement, and provide trainees’ continuous access to learning materials. Smartphones served as real-time tools for trainers by facilitating group chats, organizing meetings, and sharing educational content, such as YouTube videos and training PowerPoint slides, thus ensuring the fulfillment of training objectives. The case study demonstrates how smartphones contributed to a more dynamic, flexible, and collaborative learning environment, optimizing the blended learning model for professional project management programs in Bahrain. Additionally, since smartphones enabled real-time updates and notifications, they supported trainers to stay organized and engaged with the trainees while tracking their tasks throughout the course. Hence, this tool for sure supported the trainer role as project manager, encompassing the initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and control phases of activities, all in real-time, to ensure the successful completion of the training program.

Learning English Conversational skills with collaborative learning: A case in a Taiwanese University

Taiwanese students begin learning English in primary school, but most of them are not able to fluently communicate in English. The present study employs a collaborative learning activity in an experiment to investigate its influence on 106 Taiwanese non-English major freshmen’s learning situation for English speaking and listening. Data were collected by observing students’ learning behaviours in both the experimental and control groups for a term, their pre-test and post-test scores, and a questionnaire survey. From these observations, the experimental group participants transitioned to have more active learning behaviours than the control group by the end of the term. The statistical results show that studying with collaborative learning can promote learners’ communicative competence. Furthermore, all participants gave positive feedback on the course arrangement, but the experimental group participants indicated a significantly stronger attitude towards the collaboration experience. Having more opportunities to practice speaking and listening to English, the participants received the language more favourably after learning it using collaborative learning.

A Review of Research on Learning Activities Addressing the Submicroscopic Level in Chemistry

A Review of Research on Learning Activities Addressing the Submicroscopic Level in Chemistry