Students In Bangladesh Research Articles

Causes of Female High School Student Dropout in Bangladesh: An Exploration of the Pabna District in Familial, Economic and Institutional Contexts

Since ancient times, women in Bengal have been poorly treated and left without most of their rights. Moreover, that continuity still exists in some areas, education being one of them. Male and female enrollment in primary and secondary schools has recently reached the expected level. However, the rate at which female students drop out of secondary school is still alarming. The goal of this study is to find out why so many female students in Bangladesh, and especially in the Pabna district, drop out of high school. In carrying out this research, qualitative and quantitative data have been used almost equally, and a mixed-method approach has been applied to reach the aims and objectives of the research. Findings show that female students drop out of Western-style secondary education mainly because of structural-level barriers. Poverty among parents or guardians is the root cause of dropout among economic issues. And all the structural-level issues are interlinked with poverty. Though child marriage is the immediate process of the dropout, it is not the leading cause. It is a process. Research shows that it is impossible to stop female students from dropping out of high school if the poverty of their parents or guardians is not alleviated and the immediate process is not stopped. It is suggested that needy and educationally disadvantaged students receive a special financial incentive. In addition to getting support from the government administration, the school management committee must play a decisive role in meeting the problems and supporting female students in all aspects.

Effective Learning of the Students of Private Universities in Bangladesh: Impediments and Way-out

Effective learning is vital for students in the tertiary stage. But it is often seen that students in Bangladesh are not effectively learning and often they are suffering from the lack of motivation and lack of skills, necessary for thriving in the contemporary world. This paper focuses on the importance of effective learning and how to achieve necessary study skills through effective study strategies. Further, this paper attempts to find out the underlying issues of demotivation of private university students in Bangladesh and the obstacles which hinder their effective learning along with examining the study habits of the students. This paper also suggests some recommendations as to how the identified obstacles and issues can be successfully sorted out by various strategies with a view to up-scaling effective learning by the students. Mixed approaches of qualitative and quantitative approaches have been adopted-qualitative for collecting necessary secondary data and quantitative for primary data. Secondary data have been collected from renowned universities and online sources. Primary data have been accumulated from the answers to a structured questionnaire consisting of 28 questions applied to 40 students on ‘Random Selection Process’ from a selected private university as a research sample. Finally, the data have been analyzed and presented through tables and figures.

Investigating problematic uses of Facebook and other Internet activities among university students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic

Problematic use of Internet (PUI) and problematic use of Facebook (PUF) has been linked to escalating behavioral health issues among university students and has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study estimated the prevalence of and explored associated factors for PUI and PUF among Bangladeshi university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was undertaken among 1101 Bangladeshi university students between November and December 2020. The Internet Addiction Test and Facebook Addiction Scale were used to assess PIU and PUF, respectively. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to adjust for confounders. Among the participants, PUI and PUF were found in 39.3% and 37.1%, respectively. The multiple linear regression model indicated PUI was significantly associated with participants residing in a village, arts majors, those unsatisfied with their major, having mediocre parental relationships, failure in romantic relationships, physical comorbidities, longer use of the Internet, using the Internet for purposes other than education, using social media, and downloading movies/TV series. PUF was significantly associated with village residence, lower income, arts majors, failure in romantic relationships, longer use of the Internet, using the Internet for purposes other than education, and downloading movies/TV series. Both PUI and PUF have been prevalent among Bangladeshi university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal & exploratory studies are warranted in the future to identify causal factors for PUI and PUF and appropriate interventions should be designed quickly for this population.

Cyberbullying victimization and perpetration among university students in Bangladesh: Prevalence, impact and help-seeking practices

ABSTRACT While digital technologies provide a robust platform for university students to contact peers, establish virtual social ties, and bring a new learning mode, they also facilitate cyberbullying perpetration. The present study explores the extent and nature of cyberbullying victimization and perpetration among university students in Bangladesh. It also examines the impact of victimization and the help-seeking practices of self-identified victims of cyberbullying. The study conducted an online survey with 552 (315 male, 237 female) Bangladeshi university students aged 18–31 years from all academic levels (undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate). The result revealed that cyberbullying is prevalent among university students with substantial negative impacts upon the victims, including anger, fear of attending courses, stress, humiliation, and self-guilt. However, the independent sample t-test revealed no statistically significant gender differences regarding cyberbullying victimization. Furthermore, it showed that victims of cyberbullying mainly seek help from family and friends and barely report it to the police. Finally, this study discusses implications and specific recommendations to support the victims and prevent cyberbullying in universities.

Risk perception of sun exposure and knowledge of vitamin D among the healthcare providers in a high-risk country: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHigh levels of vitamin D deficiency are commonly reported even in regions with abundant sunshine. This necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the determinants that influence sun exposure practices. As the primary source of health-related knowledge for the general public, the attitude of the healthcare professionals towards sunlight and their awareness related to vitamin D deficiency can be critical in this regard.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,242 physicians, intern doctors, and senior medical students in Bangladesh from October 2019 to February 2020. A pre-tested structured questionnaire (containing twelve close-ended questions) was used. The perceptions of health risks due to sun exposure, and basic knowledge of the physiological and epidemiological aspects of vitamin D deficiency were tested.ResultsAn overall negative attitude towards sunlight in the context of Bangladesh was highlighted – 68% participants thought regular sun exposure would be harmful or very harmful; 26% thought the level of UV radiation was very high; 44% recommended using sunscreen always; skin burns, heat stroke, and cancer were selected as potential consequences of regular sun exposure by 45%, 21%, and 30% respondents respectively. Overall knowledge regarding vitamin D deficiency appeared to be biased towards bone health; other symptoms and associated illnesses not having obvious link to Calcium-metabolism were identified much lesser frequently. Furthermore, ‘sunrise to 10 am’ was identified as the best time to get vitamin D by 69% participants; 60% believed < 30 min of weekly sun exposure would be sufficient for the Bangladeshi population; an only 33% identified that prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in Bangladesh would be 50% or more. Taking vitamin D-rich food was suggested by more respondents over regular sun exposure (43% vs. 33%) as more effective remedial strategy to curb vitamin D deficiency in Bangladesh.ConclusionIn addition to highlighting some crucial knowledge gaps, results from this study provides a comprehensive baseline dataset for knowledge and attitude regarding the public health aspects of vitamin D deficiency among the healthcare providers in Bangladesh, which would be generalizable to other countries with similar socio-demographic context, and will facilitate taking more effective policies worldwide.

Socio-economic factors affecting the academic performance of private university students in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional bivariate and multivariate analysis.

Education is considered the most significant factor in producing human resource developments in terms of social, cultural, technological, economic, and overall national perspectives. Higher education is influenced by several factors that affect the quality of students' education and outcomes. Most students in Bangladesh study at private universities from various socioeconomic conditions. Some of the factors have restricted their ability to attain higher education and as a result, impacted their academic performance. The goal of this study was to explore those socioeconomic factors affecting the academic performance of private university students in Bangladesh. The primary dataset was collected through an online survey from three private universities in Bangladesh named Varendra University (VU), Daffodil International University (DIU), and City University (CU). The Chi-square tests indicate that the age, gender, studying on a subject of their own choice, getting the right direction to make studying comfortable, consulting with the teacher about learning, family status, etc. variables significantly impacted their cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Relationships with parents and the opportunity to share opinions with parents were also significantly associated with their results. According to the multinomial logistic regression model age, gender, employment status, choice of own study field, getting the right direction, previous academic result, consultation with teachers, father's annual income, family status, and relationship with parents are found to be statistically significant determinants of academic performance. Considering the reality and outcomes of this study, to improve academic performance, parental involvement needs to be increased, and they must provide financial and material support to their offspring for their academic success. Moreover, for achieving a satisfactory CGPA, the students need to build friendly relationships with their parents and have regular consultations with their teachers as well.

An Examination of Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Care, and Their Association with Depression, Stress, Suicidal Ideation, and Wellness in a Bangladeshi University Student Sample.

The mental health burden is high and rising among Bangladeshi university students. Understanding barriers to mental healthcare and how barriers impact mental health outcomes may inform the development of targeted interventions to decrease barriers and improve access to care. This study identifies barriers to mental healthcare and their association with mental health outcomes in a Bangladeshi university student sample. We conducted a cross-sectional survey (n = 350) on stigma-related, attitudinal, and instrumental barriers to accessing mental healthcare among Bangladeshi university students. We examined the association between stigma and non-stigma (i.e., attitudinal and instrumental) barriers with four mental health outcomes: suicidal ideation, depression, high perceived stress, and wellness. Attitudinal barriers were the most reported barriers. Stigma-related barriers were significant for individuals who had experienced suicidal ideation (aOR = 2.97, p = 0.001), not for individuals with depression. Non-stigma-related barriers were significant for individuals who had experienced depression (aOR = 2.80, p = 0.011). The current work advances our understanding of how to improve access to mental healthcare among university students in Bangladesh. Stigma-related barriers were particularly salient for individuals who experienced suicidal ideation. Further study is needed on how stigma may impact access to care distinctly for different mental health problems among Bangladeshi university students.

Factors affecting knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19: A study among undergraduate university students in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT The global expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst disasters the world has faced in recent decades. This study explored various factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among Bangladeshi undergraduate university students. In addition, we also look at how COVID-19 based knowledge, attitude, and practice influence each other. Using a random sampling technique and a self-administered structured questionnaire survey, this study collected data from 167 private university students in Bangladesh from 1st October to 30th October 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (including frequencies, percentages, and means), binary logistic regression, bivariate regression analysis, and factor analysis. The findings suggest that most of the students learned about COVID-19 from various sources, including news media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.), international organizations (WHO, UN, etc.), various government programs, or from their friends, family members, or neighbors. Most of the students were concerned about becoming sick, keeping social distance, and family members’ job insecurity, followed by the university shutdown and the subsequent quarantine. Many students believe Bangladesh’s media, government, medical sector, and religious organizations played a significant role during COVID-19. Binary logistic regression demonstrates that students’ gender, department, and residency significantly explained their COVID-19 knowledge. In addition, students’ attitudes significantly vary with their religion and place of residence. Students’ departments and semesters found significant in explaining their practice regarding COVID-19. Moreover, factor analysis results also identified several crucial factors in explaining students’ overall knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19. Finally, we found a statistically significant relationship between knowledge, attitude, and practice.

Video Game Addiction among College Students in Bangladesh

Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess video game addiction among college students in Bangladesh. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Sharonkhola Govt. Degree College, Bagerhat, Bangladesh from July 2022 to June 2023. 112 participants were recruited using a convenient sampling method. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires. After data collection, it was analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: It was found that nearly one-third (27.7%) of the students are addicted to video games. Student’s age; gender; family type; day gaming frequency; duration of playing mobile games; time of playing the mobile game; year of the class; and smartphone use starting age were significantly associated with video game addiction. Conclusion: The study findings produce baseline information that can be used in formulating evidence-based public health policies in the country and is expected to help mental health nurses reduce addiction among college students.

A study of the sleep patterns and problems of Medical Students in Bangladesh

Aim: The aim of the present study is to describe sleep habits and sleep-related problems among the medical students in Bangladesh. Method: This was a cross-sectional study over four weeks in the year 2021 at different medical colleges in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The sample size was 192.Using purposive sampling technique, data were collected digitally using Google Forms as a self-administered questionnaire. Data were examined using Stata version 16.All the descriptive statistics were measured and reported accordingly. Results: A total of 192 medical students were enlisted with age is 21.3±1.8years. All the respondents have slept for 6.2 ±1.54 hours every night with taking on an average of 36.5 ±35.3 minutes to fall asleep. The ESS score for all the respondents is 7.9 on average with a standard deviation of 4.83.Sleep quality is reported fairly bad by 31 (16.6%) students and very bad by 12(6.4%) students. Poor sleep quality is usually reported in association with sleep latency, nightmares, incidence of night-time awakenings, and time of going to bed. However, 87% of students have refused to take any over-the-counter medicine to induce sleep despite having sleep problems. Most of the students prefer to use social media (76.2%) before they go to sleep which may attribute to their sleep disorders. Majority of the students (73.7%) responded study stress is the culprit of their lack of sleep, followed by over thinking (47.3%) and social media use (38.2%). Conclusion: Medical students are exposed to high academic demands, which may affect their sleep pattern. Poor sleep quality with undue daytime sleepiness can affect their mental capability required for good academic performance.

Proficiency and implementation associated with noncommunicable diseases among secondary school students in Bangladesh

Proficiency and implementation associated with noncommunicable diseases among secondary school students in Bangladesh

Influences of Duolingo English Test: A Qualitative Study on the Tertiary-Level Students of Bangladesh

Various online learning platforms have become prominent in recent times. These technological tools can facilitate students’ language learning process. There are different kinds of online applications that teachers and students can use for their teaching-learning purposes. Among those online platforms, Duolingo is one of the significant applications. Academic research on the use of Duolingo tests in terms of English language learning is missing in the context of Bangladesh. Moreover, most of the Bangladeshi students do not know the functions of Duolingo application properly. For these reasons, the study is important for recognizing the significance of Duolingo tests in learning English language. The main objective of this study is to explore the contribution of Duolingo tests in English language learning. This study examines why and how the students utilize Duolingo tests to increase their proficiency in English language. Students can assess their own progress by using Duolingo tests. In doing this research, the researcher followed a qualitative research method for this study. The researcher took semi-structured interview of the participants all drawn from a private university of Bangladesh. From this research, the researcher found that Duolingo English tests are important to develop learners’ vocabulary, grammar and other English language skills and the teachers need to have enough training to implement Duolingo English tests in Bangladeshi English language classrooms.

Knowledge and Attitudes towards Thalassemia among Public University Students in Bangladesh

Background: Thalassemia is the most common congenital single-gene condition globally, characterized by a lack of or reduced synthesis of either the α- or β-globin chains and passed down from parents to offspring. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge of thalassemia among Bangladeshi students from universities and their opinion on prevention. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive online survey was conducted on public university students in Bangladesh using a structured questionnaire between June and November 2020, completed by students online. Demographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitude of the participants were assayed with 10 questions on each topic. The data were analyzed using Python. Descriptive statistics methods such as frequencies and percentages were used to present data. Result: A total of 681 students participated in the online survey. The average age of the respondents in this study was 21.97 years, with a standard deviation of 2.9. Most of the students, 611(89.72%), had heard about Thalassemia, yet only 248 (36.42%) students had good knowledge of Thalassemia. The knowledge level of students had no significant relationship with sex (p-value = 0.0819), marital status (p-value = 0.2281), and year of study (p-value = 0.4619), but had a considerable difference with the field of study (0.0042). However, 478 (78.36%) participants showed a positive attitude toward "Premarital Screening" to prevent Thalassemia. Conclusions: Long-term and target-based preventive initiatives are recommended for university students and the general population of Bangladesh, where the rate of consanguineous marriage is high. These initiatives would provide crucial information and increase awareness of premarital screening and genetic counseling to prevent thalassemia.

The Role of Oral Presentations in Developing Undergraduate Learners' Speaking Skills in Bangladesh

Developing speaking skills is considered an important goal for tertiary-level students in Bangladesh. Learning oral presentation techniques can lead learners to communicative competency, especially speaking competence. This paper explores the role of oral presentations in developing undergraduate EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' speaking skills in selected private universities in Bangladesh. The study followed a quantitative method and collected data from one hundred thirty-five EFL tertiary-level students. The findings show that oral presentations have positive impacts on learners' motivation and enhance their speaking skills. At the same time, the findings also indicate that there are a number of potential factors that hinder the learners' oral delivery which include their lack of motivation, limited vocabulary, anxiety, and fear. The study results have implications for instructional design and delivery at the tertiary level in Bangladesh as well as in other similar contexts. IUBAT Review—A Multidisciplinary Academic Journal, 5 (1): 89-99

Teachers’ Written Feedback on Digital Answer Scripts during COVID-19: Views, Preferences, and Expectations of the EFL Students

This study aimed at exploring Bangladeshi students’ views, preferences and suggestions regarding teacher’s feedback on the digital examination scripts during the COVID-19 pandemic. It followed the quantitative method of research to check the views, preferences and expectations of the students on feedback on the digital answer scripts provided by the teachers. Purposive sampling was used in the present study. The sample consisted of 115 undergraduate students at the Department of English, Green University of Bangladesh, Bangladesh. The obtained data was quantified and analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The findings revealed that students acknowledged the importance of feedback in the digital answer scripts and prefer both negative and positive feedback from the teacher. The findings also show that the students expect corrective feedback based on the grammar and language errors in the answer scripts. However, the results revealed that a portion of the students focuses only on the score they receive and not on the feedback. Based on the findings, the study implies that the teachers should explore the students’ views regarding specific types of feedback and develop a method to provide comments that attract the students to go through all the comments and reflect for future improvements.

Prevalence and predictors of pornography exposure during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional study on students in Bangladesh.

Pornography exposure, particularly among students, in Bangladesh, has increased in the twenty-first century. However, pornography exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were compelled to "stay at home" and relied extensively on the internet for all forms of activities, including academia, socializing, and communication, has remained unexplored. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of pornography exposure among students during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the associated predictors. A web-based cross-sectional study was carried out among students with certain specifications, i.e., current students at high school/college/university with access to the internet and valid social media accounts. By administering a semi-structured e-questionnaire using Google Forms, a total of 646 valid responses were retained for this study. The data were analyzed in two phases by Pearson's Chi-square and multiple logistic regression model, using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 25. The results were expressed as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The findings suggest that 75.9% of students were exposed to pornography during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and preferred to watch the amateur/professional genre of pornography. Pornography exposure was significantly associated with age and relationship status, as students aged 22-24 years (95% CI: 1.01-2.41; p = 0.045) and over 25 years (95% CI: 1.61-10.03; p = 0.003) were more likely to watch pornography, while married students and those in relationships (95% CI: 1.24-3.49; p = 0.006) also watched pornography during the pandemic. In contrast, students who were living alone (95% CI: 0.38-0.92; p = 0.021), were living in the Khulna division (95% CI: 0.16-0.52; p < 0.001) or had a negative attitude toward pornography (95% CI: 0.94-0.99; p = 0.002) were less likely to be exposed to pornography. Pornography exposure was higher among students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, and religiosity and disapproving attitudes toward pornography negatively influenced the pornography exposure. For a better understanding of the complex dynamics of socio-demographic issues with pornography exposure among students, extensive research is required for policymakers to devise appropriate strategies and interventions to ensure healthy and safe sex life for the younger population.

Potential factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among university students in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional comparative study.

This study investigated Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine acceptance, and compared the potential factors influencing vaccine acceptance and hesitancy between public university (PuU) and private university (PrU) students in Bangladesh. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to 640 PuU and 660 PrU students in Google Form between 25th September and 22nd November 2021, which resulted in the participation of 1034 (461 PuU vs. 573 PrU) respondents (response rate: 72.03% vs. 86.81%). The pooled vaccine acceptance rates among PuU and PrU students were almost similar (88.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 85.1-91.1 vs. 87.6%, 95% CI 84.6-90.6). Employing binary logistic regression to assess the association between various potential factors and vaccine acceptance, the study revealed that out of 10 predictors, 'safety' and 'efficacy' had highly significant positive associations with vaccine acceptance in both cohorts (P = 0.000, P = 0.005). 'Political roles' was found to have varied effects- a significant (P = 0.02) negative and a significant positive (P = 0.002) association with vaccine acceptance in PuU and PrU students, respectively. Additionally, 'communication' (P = 0.003) and 'trust' (P = 0.01) were found to have significant positive associations in PrU students while 'rumours' (P = 0.03) had negative association in PuU students. The odds of accepting the COVID-19 vaccine were 1.5 vs. 0.9 in PuU and PrU students. Although chi-square analysis did not show any significant association between gender and vaccine acceptance, discrepancies were found in the factors that potentially affect vaccine uptake decision between PuU and PrU students. COVID-19 vaccine uptake may be improved if vaccine-related information becomes available and is communicated to large numbers of people effectively. The implementation of multidisciplinary interventional educational programmes may also be considered as a preferred approach to improve student's engagement in pandemic awareness and vaccine readiness.

Exploring Communicative Language Teaching to Enhance Grammatical Knowledge among Secondary School Students in Bangladesh

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) involves students in real-life interaction in order to improve their communicative competence. There are a lot of controversy about whether grammatical knowledge can be gained by CLT in the English learning process. This qualitative case study goals to attain the perspective and attitudes of students and explore the implementation of CLT in Bangladeshi Secondary School. Moreover, researcher aims to reach the gap which is emerged by the controversy. It attempted to find out the contribution of CLT in improving grammar knowledge among Secondary School Students in Bangladesh. Researcher investigated two research questions and examined two research objectives. Data was collected through semi-structured interview and an essay writing task from Dr. Khastagir Government Girls’ High School, Bangladesh. The finding of study indicates efficient and feasible CLT activities are explored in the textbook which engaged students in collaborative learning and meaningful interaction. Students have a certain perspective and an assured outlook towards CLT based classroom and they have a knowledgeable linguistic competence in writing. Besides, in acquiring communicative skills, fluency and accuracy were not attained equally among the students. Besides, students were aware of both in grammar knowledge and meaningful interaction but faced few obstacle in speaking. Accuracy activities of CLT facilitate to enhance grammar knowledge but a little lack was explored from the findings. To say, this study provides an insight on positive perspective of students towards communicative classroom settings.

Modelling social entrepreneurial intention among university students in Bangladesh using value-belief-norm framework.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-04119-2.

Exploring EFL Teachers' Facilitating Critical Thinking Skills in Teaching Writing to Low-Proficient Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh: A Mixed Method Approach

Critical thinking (CT) is one of the crucial skills of the 21st century. Nevertheless, in the educational sector of Bangladesh, CT is still not appropriately taught and practiced to develop learners’ expertise. This study aimed to investigate how EFL teachers facilitate critical thinking (CT) skills of the undergraduate low-proficient learners and what obstacles they faced in promoting CT skills in writing classes in Bangladesh. It integrated both quantitative and qualitative data to achieve the research goals. To conduct this study, the researchers collected data from twelve teachers from six universities in Chattogram, Bangladesh. The results show that the common challenges teachers face while facilitating CT skills are- their lack of proper knowledge and training, inadequate focus on promoting CT skills in the existing educational curriculum, lack of motivation of both students and teachers, difficulty in transitioning from a ‘teacher-centric’ to a ‘student-centric’ classroom, inconvenient classroom environment, and more focus on securing good grades. Findings also show that teachers in tertiary-level education did not pay enough attention to enhance CT and problem-solving skills. However, there are possibilities to enhance teachers' abilities to improve the CT skills of low-proficient EFL learners. The research findings will help tertiary-level EFL teachers understand the current practice of facilitating CT skills in Bangladesh and devise appropriate strategies for better action.