Student Body Research Articles

Enriching Educational Landscapes

As an arts educator, I spent a month in Bhutan engaging Bachelor of Education students in project-based learning activities aimed at enhancing creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These activities served as a dynamic capstone to their theoretical literacy unit. I documented students' collaborative efforts and creativity through photos and videos, which have been transformed into eBooks. These resources are now integrated into courses at my Australian university, enriching learning experiences for our culturally diverse student body with authentic examples of cross-cultural project-based learning. The eBooks showcase student outcomes and offer reflective analyses to inform future teaching practices, inspiring innovative and collaborative learning strategies globally. Moreover, these resources contribute to the university's commitment to global education and cultural diversity, demonstrating how experiential learning can transcend geographical boundaries and enrich the educational journey of students promoting global citizenship. To address a broader audience within Bhutan, and globally, the lesson plans and resources I developed to deliver the project-based learning activities, are now available on the Artist in Residence Education Program website. This provides an opportunity for any educator to access and adapt these materials to their own contexts. Teaching in Bhutan highlighted how factors like collectivist culture, religious beliefs, and the Gross National Happiness Index support traditional teaching practices and how complex it is to break down traditional teaching practises and encourage valid creative ways learning. The students greatly enjoyed the new activities and even requested additional lessons. It was rewarding to see them realise their potential for creativity and innovation in teaching, enhancing their approach to learning and self-perception as future educators. In conclusion, understanding sociocultural norms in Bhutan offers a wealth of insights that can inspire and inform academic approaches to teaching in countries with traditional forms of education and limited access to resources.

Community College Counselors’ Experiences Assisting Community College Students in Navigating Course-Taking at Multiple Institutions

ABSTRACT Community college counselors play an important role in supporting students’ decision-making as they navigate toward varied academic goals. Most community college students intend to transfer and thus must navigate the regulations and policies of two institutions, and many follow nonlinear enrollment patterns. Knowledgeable, personalized advising is an important resource for students in community colleges. Yet, counselors often juggle multiple roles, manage large counselor-to-student caseloads with limited resources, and must understand and meet the needs of a growing diverse student body. This study examines the factors that affect community college counselors’ ability to assist community college students in navigating multiple institutions at once while taking classes at a four-year university through a policy called cross-enrollment. To do so, we employed focus group interviews with 29 community college counselors from three community colleges in California. We found that institutional resources and support, cross-campus collaborations, counselors’ perception of the benefits and challenges associated with cross-enrollment, and counselors’ perception of the ideal cross-enrollment student were factors that affected counselors’ ability and willingness to facilitate cross-enrollment efforts. The findings suggest that improving the uptake of cross-enrolling is contingent on institutions improving their cross-institutional collaborations and providing community college counselors with adequate professional development and resources on the policy.

МЕТОДИКА ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ ПОЗАУРОЧНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ В ПРОФЕСІЙНІЙ ОСВІТІ НА ЗАСАДАХ САМООРГАНІЗАЦІЙНОГО ПІДХОДУ

The article examines the issue of forming methods of extracurricular activities of subjects of training in vocational education institutions based on the self-organizational approach. Acquiring a profession in these institutions is carried out according to the lesson system, which is limited by the curriculum, class schedule, etc. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the importance of the formation of the method of organizing extracurricular educational work in the institution of vocational (vocational and technical) education for the formation of professionally mobile qualities for mastering additional education along with the traditional acquisition of qualifications. In addition to the content of the educational process, vocational (vocational and technical) and professional pre-higher education institutions have accumulated experience in extracurricular educational work. However, studies of the last decade indicate the desire of some students to build their activities more effectively, in particular to acquire an additional education. The problem of creating a method of organizing such training, when the acquisition of an additional education is ensured during extracurricular educational activities, is considered. The definition is given – «extracurricular educational activity for the acquisition of an additional education» is a system of self-organized classes, activities and accordingly organized training of students, which are conducted in schools and outside them under the leadership of the administration, engineering and pedagogical workers, the public, student self-government bodies, etc. It was determined that one of the effective ways of organizing the process in vocational education institutions is the extracurricular educational activity of those seeking additional education. The conditions and features of training are outlined, determined on the basis of the conducted survey of the participants of the educational process in accordance with the existing motivation for training.

Negotiating the structural and personal intensities of gender, affects and whiteness through culturally responsive becoming in mathematics

ABSTRACT Marked by growing cultural diversity of the student body alongside education policies grounded in whiteness, the Australian education system is both evolving while tethered to past and ongoing colonial power. Amidst these tensions, we are concerned with how schools and teachers become culturally responsive. Most Australian teachers are not only White but female, thus the White female teacher’s relation to the culturally diverse learner is structural. Utilising life history methodology, we explore how White female mathematics teacher, ‘Lara’ negotiates these relations in a learning area synonymous with exclusion. We argue: 1) culturally responsive becoming in White Australia involves disrupting whiteness; 2) whiteness in the educational encounter is not only raced but gendered and so too is school mathematics; 3) disrupting the exclusivity of mathematics has broader implications. The paper contributes to Australian scholarship on culturally responsive schooling by bringing whiteness and gender more sharply to the fore.

Health promoting lifestyle in educational setting: an intervention study in the universities

The "health promoting universities" strategy has gained popularity and a presence in the higher education system, particularly in universities. It is imperative for higher education establishments to prioritize the promotion of health within their student body and academic community. By safeguarding and boosting students' wellbeing, a strategy centered on encouraging healthy lifestyles has the potential to boost the university's contribution to health improvement and offer significant value to the community. Universities have the power to improve health promotion through community service and to make policies in this area through research and teaching. In order to investigate student behavior in relation to the standard aspects of the healthpromoting lifestyle profile, this project will undertake an intervention study involving 150 students with the goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle. A pretest and post-test control group design was employed in this investigation. The health-promoting lifestyle standard profile II questionnaire was the research instrument, and descriptive statistics and inference were employed for analysis at the .05 significant level. The outcomes demonstrated a noteworthy impact on the implemented measures. This study's findings indicated that interventions in learning environments successfully raised student behavior linked to a healthy lifestyle and its components.

Knowledge Management: Educational Activities Supported by the Profession in the Australasian Region

Abstract: This study primarily explores and documents knowledge management (KM) educational activities in the Australasian region and discusses some professional aspects that shape academia due to the workplace happenings in this discipline and its practice. A thorough search was carried out in open web space and literary databases, which revealed limited program offerings and hardly any discussion around the KM educational qualifications. The KM professional workplace search also showed little interest in specific KM roles, and the stated job requirements were quite broad. Such a generic workplace consideration leaves the education sector struggling to maintain a robust student body required to sustain an exclusively KM-focused program.

Teachers' Strategies for Managing Disruptive Behavior in The Classroom During The Learning Process

This study aims to examine the strategies employed by teachers at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri 2, Banjarmasin to manage disruptive behavior in the classroom during the learning process. The research employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing descriptive analysis based on data gathered from semi-structured interviews with teachers and a review of related literature. This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the practical techniques used by educators in real-time classroom settings and assesses their effectiveness in creating a conducive learning environment. The findings reveal that teachers at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri 2 effectively utilize a combination of behaviorist and constructivist strategies to manage and mitigate disruptive behaviors. Key strategies include the application of positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behaviors and the establishment of clear, consistent rules to provide structure. Additionally, the use of engaging and interactive teaching methods has been shown to significantly reduce instances of disruptive behavior by maintaining high levels of student involvement and interest. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges such as the diverse nature of the student body and varying degrees of parental support pose obstacles to the uniform application of these strategies. The research indicates that while the employed strategies are generally effective, they require continuous adaptation and support to address these challenges adequately.

The longitudinal retention of STEM students through a multifaceted mentoring and tutoring program

ABSTRACT This 4-year longitudinal study identified the impact of a multifaceted mentoring and tutoring program on the retention and graduation rates of a diverse body of undergraduate college students enrolled in high-risk science courses. Findings revealed that the program was successful in increasing the retention and graduation rates of students who participated in the program. All student cohorts tutored through the program demonstrated significantly higher survival rates when they increased their usage of tutoring, threby demonstrating greater survival to retention. Notably, cohorts with high as well as those with low academic competencies achieved the highest 4-year retention survival probabilities when they participated in six or more tutoring sessions. Additionally, through further analysis, a predictive model derived from this research offers a valuable tool that can be strategically utilized to improve retention and/or graducation outcomes of at-risk populations and underrepresented populations in STEM education.

Academic reading: fear and trembling or being and belonging?

At the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, we are in the second year of a project to promote and improve reading skills. One part of our work has focused on embedding collaborative reading techniques within subjects to improve confidence in tackling texts, promote reading as a social practice, and boost belonging within disciplines and cohorts. Our poster presentation reviews the literature on student emotions towards reading, and how these influence their practices. We use this visual representation when liaising with academic colleagues to co-create and facilitate collaborative reading activities. Considerations of the role of student ‘affect’ foreground the motivational dimensions of the reading experience; we look at both pre-existing psychological and emotional barriers to engagement, and incentives and enablers that encourage confident reading and enjoyment of academic texts. We consider how the research literature accords with and further informs our empirical experience of running practical reading workshops. It is hoped that activities such as reading circles and textmapping relieve the individual from sole accountability for comprehension, bringing reading ‘out from the dark’. Deconstructing the process of reading through collaborative roles contributes towards the co-construction of understanding and knowledge, activating fresh insights. Discussion of reading through this shared approach potentially helps to develop student confidence, to nurture feelings of belonging, and to enhance cohort identity. However, we are mindful of the real-world impacts and outcomes of reading strategies for the diverse body of students that we encounter in higher education, with their wealth of difference in cognitive abilities, backgrounds, and cultural experiences. Through this literature review, it is intended that learning from work already published will contribute towards evolving best practice in channelling agency and easing anxiety in academic reading for all students.

Surprised by Co-Creation; Building Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the Physiology curriculum with Undergraduate Students.

As public-facing global institutions, modern universities are subject to equality legislation (locally the United Kingdom Equality Act) 1 and the need to represent an increasingly diverse student body. For effective education, this broad cohort needs to see itself represented, both in the curriculum, and in the very structures of the university2. It is with this in mind that staff in the Centre for Biomedical Sciences Education in Queen's University Belfast recruited three students from diverse backgrounds to co-design aspects of the Undergraduate Physiology Curriculum for Medicine and Health and Life Sciences (MHLS) degrees. As part of a 6-week summer internship, our students set out to identify gaps in the physiology curriculum regarding those with protected characteristics as described by the UK Equality Act 2010 (race, sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion and belief, disability and sexual orientation; Figure 1 1). Our aim was to incorporate Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles to create a learning environment that celebrates people's differences and represents individual students. Themes that developed over the six week period of the internship were recognizing oneself in the curriculum, cultural humility and intersectionality.

Building tomorrow's learning landscape through AI integration and development in higher education

Birmingham City University (BCU) has responded proactively to the evolving landscape of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in higher education by creating written guidance and workshops for staff and students. This initiative addresses prevalent concerns surrounding AI in education and is rooted in a sector report assessing the positions of higher education institutions (HEIs) and offering guidance on effective integration of GenAI use in teaching and assessment. Our project carries several impactful aspects, including written guidance and workshops for staff and students, which reflects BCU’s dedication to addressing common concerns surrounding GenAI in education. Furthermore, the multi-agency collaborative approach brings diverse perspectives to the table. The different perspectives enable us to tailor our learner development offer through knowledge of curriculum and assessment in a particular discipline and whether that discipline is more susceptible to GenAI use than others. The insights from learner developers in creating student guidelines ensure the project is attuned to the needs and concerns of the student body, promoting a student-centred approach. This session focused on an institutional take on GenAI through the collaborative development of staff and student guidance at BCU. The presentation outlined the new AI staff and student guidance project and discussed how effective integration of GenAI education has been implemented at BCU. It also noted positive influences of GenAI through our new staff and student workshops which bring together existing and new knowledge around academic integrity and assessment literacy. Finally, it highlighted next steps around AI integration for the Education Development Service at BCU.

Gamification Elements in a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

This paper explores the role of gamification in online courses and demonstrates three applications of gamification in a virtual learning environment (VLE). The research evaluates the effect that these gamification tools can have on the student's perception of their learning, affective responses towards the course and motivation. Three different cases are demonstrated using experience points, badges, and the progress bar in Moodle. Finally, students' responses to these elements and future expansion of gamification in these courses are discussed. The value and contribution of these cases is that it demonstrates how to successfully implement these gamification elements and how to use it effectively within the VLE to promote learning, and advance motivation and participation. Students reported improvements in learning efficacy, motivation, affective perception and self-efficacy through the use of Moodle gamification elements. This research is original as the approach is novel within the institution and to the student body in general.

Exploring the nexus between university sustainability practices and academic performance: An empirical analysis of the QS sustainability ranking and four world university rankings.

Universities, as agents of change, are expected to contribute to society's most pressing challenges, particularly the 21st century's central issue of sustainability. Amid growing expectations from governments, society, and an increasingly conscientious student body, universities have undergone significant institutional adjustments to incorporate sustainability into their core missions of education, research, and outreach. As universities worldwide increasingly engage in sustainability practices, the question arises: How do these sustainability endeavours correlate with academic performance on a global scale? This article, using data from the QS Sustainability Ranking and four prominent academic ranking (THEWUR, ARWU, QSWUR and USWUR), investigates this link. The study explores whether sustainability relates to the academic performance of universities, the validity of the relationship when academic scores of the four rankings are aggregated, and its dependence on country-level sustainability performance scores. Findings reveal that sustainability practices have a reflection on the university rankings, providing a global competitive advantage for universities. While this study incorporates aggregated scores as a methodological innovation addressing the lack of uniformity among ranking systems, it recommends the inclusion of university-level control variables (such as faculty expertise, university budget, infrastructure) and government and policy variables in future studies to ensure robustness of the results.

Social Diversity in Focus: Assessing the Impact of Socioeconomic Backgrounds and Work Experience on Psychological Well-Being and Academic Confidence Among German First-Year Medical Students

This investigation pioneers an examination of the scarcely explored terrain of social diversity in medical education, assessing the complex impacts of socioeconomic status (SES), prior working experiences, and completed apprenticeships on a spectrum of psychological and academic facets among first-year medical students (n = 336) in an urban university setting. By utilizing a systematic and detailed approach, the study illuminates prior anatomical knowledge and various psychological constructs, marking a significant stride into a domain where knowledge remains profoundly limited. Analyses indicated that SES significantly affects financial anxiety (F(4, 331) = 17.391, p < 0.001) and academic behavioral confidence (F(4, 331) = 4.323, p = 0.002). Students with prior working experience reported higher self-perceived clinical experience but lower A-level grades (t(279.459) = −6.690, p < 0.001), competence in natural sciences (t(321.045) = −3.178, p = 0.002), and online competence (t(319.429) = −2.026, p = 0.044). Those who completed an apprenticeship showed higher resilience, academic confidence, self-efficacy, and greater concerns about balancing studies and work (t values ranging from 2.020 to 3.158, p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between resilience (RQS) and coping with academic stress (CAS) (r = 0.632, p < 0.001), as well as between resilience and academic behavioral confidence (ABC) (r = 0.608, p < 0.001). Negative correlations were observed between resilience, coping with academic stress, academic confidence, and cognitive test anxiety (CTA) (r values from −0.235 to −0.404, p < 0.001). The findings emphasize the need for tailored support for students from diverse SES backgrounds and with varying experiences. The study highlights the value of a comprehensive approach in medical education, considering the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students. Future research should explore the long-term impact of these factors on professional competencies and patient care, leveraging the diversity of the student body for a holistic educational experience.

Implementation of organizational health literacy depending on school characteristics in Germany

Abstract Background Children and adolescents are important target groups for health promotion measures to sustain a healthy upbringing. Organizational health literacy in schools is a promising environmental intervention to strengthen health literacy in school children. This study examines the relationship between school characteristics and the implementation of organizational health literacy. Methods School principals in Germany were invited to complete a 20-minute online survey between November 2022 and July 2023. An 8-item self-report tool was used to measure organizational health literacy in schools (OHLS-Q-SF) that comprehends eight different areas within schools to become health literate. A hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out to identify groups according to the composition of the socioeconomic status of the student body. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney-U tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed. Results 598 school principals (73.6% female, Ø 52.3 years old) who worked at primary schools (49.1%), secondary schools (37%), and special education schools (13.9%) completed the survey. Cluster analysis revealed two groups. The first one (36.8%) contains schools with mainly students with lower socioeconomic status, and the second group (63.2%) contains schools with more students from middle or higher socioeconomic status. The socioeconomic status of students within the schools showed no significant results for any area of organizational health literacy, whereas all eight areas are more likely implemented if the schools already participate in a school health promotion program or network (p < 0.001). Conclusions Participating in a school health promotion program was associated with higher levels of implementation in all areas of organizational health literacy in schools. This finding highlights the importance of those programs. Integrating organizational health literacy into those interventions can be a beneficial approach to sustaining health literate schools. Key messages • Participating in a school health promotion program or network might facilitate schools to become health literate organizations. • In Germany, the socioeconomic status of the students within the schools is not associated with the implementation of organizational health literacy.

Middle school students' misconceptions about geography concepts

Misconceptions in middle-school geography classes pose a considerable challenge to students' comprehension of geographical processes. Studies have indicated that numerous misconceptions exist within the student body regarding geography. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and rectify these misconceptions. To address this issue, interviews were conducted with middle-school students. A total of 155 pupils in grades five, six, and seven participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted. Students' understanding of misconceptions was assessed using a descriptive content analysis. In general, the findings indicate that students possess various misconceptions regarding geography topics, which gradually decrease as they progress to higher grades.

A national DREEM: exploring medical and dental students’ perceptions on their learning environment across Hungary

BackgroundHungarian medical schools attract a diverse student body, enrolling numerous international and Hungarian students annually. The learning environment, encompassing all facets of their academic experience, significantly influences the overall educational experience at the medical schools. As the first nationwide survey, this study aimed to assess and compare the perceptions of international and Hungarian medical and dental students regarding their learning environment across the four medical schools in Hungary.MethodsThe Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) tool was used to get a better insight into the perceptions of international and Hungarian medical and dental students on their learning environment (LE). The questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms and the Neptun Educational System across the four medical schools in Hungary. To gain deeper insights into the participants’ perceptions, a qualitative component was also added to the survey, comprising five open-ended questions. The research was carried out between April and October 2022. To analyse quantitative data, IBM SPSS was used, while the transcription and exploration of the qualitative data was performed using the Sketch Engine software.ResultsA total of 1164 valid responses were received. The results illuminate similarities and differences in perceptions of the learning environment between international and Hungarian medical and dental students. As anticipated, international students’ perceptions were somewhat less favourable compared to their domestic counterparts, who are generally more accustomed to the workings of the Hungarian higher educational system (total DREEM score was 118.1 for the former, and 122.6 for the latter student population). Notably, significant differences were observed in perceptions of teachers and the overall atmosphere.ConclusionThe total score of the DREEM questionnaire was interpreted as “more positive than negative” for both international and Hungarian students, consistent with findings from other DREEM surveys, suggesting overall satisfaction with the learning environment. However, regular and ongoing evaluation of the learning environment is recommended in order to identify areas for improvement, ensure high standards of education, and continuously enhance the overall student experience.

Integrating Virtual Reality Tools into Secondary School Classrooms to Address Gender Gap in STEM Education: An Action Plan

This action plan addresses the gender gap in STEM education by integrating Virtual Reality (VR) tools into secondary school classrooms. Despite various strategies to increase female participation in STEM fields, women remain underrepresented in these areas. The action plan proposes the use of immersive and interactive VR experiences to create more engaging learning environments that may attract a diverse student body, particularly female students. By leveraging the potential of VR to simulate science experiments and other STEM-related activities, this project aims to enhance students' interest and confidence in STEM subjects. A pilot will be conducted in a secondary school, with approximately 50-100 students and a dedicated STEM teaching team. Key strategies include virtual reality technology training for teachers, the design of inclusive STEM curricula, and continuous evaluation through both formative and summative assessments. The expected outcome is that female students will show increased willingness to pursue further study and careers in STEM fields, contributing to long-term reductions in the gender gap in STEM education.

“See me for who I am”: An exploratory study of undergraduate music major belonging

The purpose of this exploratory instrumental qualitative case study with nested mixed methods was to examine undergraduate music majors’ perceptions of their sense of belonging within one public university music program. We surveyed undergraduate music majors within a single music program and completed purposeful and targeted follow-up interviews of selected respondents who represented a diverse cross-section of the student body. Quantitative analysis included descriptive demographic statistics and linear multiple regression with belonging as the dependent factor. There was a statistically significant relationship between faculty interactions and student sense of belonging ( p < .001). Qualitative findings suggested that student–faculty interactions were a primary contributor to a student’s sense of belonging, as well as the importance of a network of friends and the overall school culture. Implications of these results may assist music administration and faculty members in developing a culture of belonging within their respective studios or departments.

Accessibility in an Inclusive Academic Environment: The Case of Takoradi Technical University

This study examines the extent to which Takoradi Technical University (TTU) in Ghana has achieved an inclusive academic environment for students with disabilities. Despite Ghana's commitment to inclusive education and various policies supporting persons with disabilities (PWDs), there remains a significant research gap regarding the practical implementation and effectiveness of these policies at the university level. This research addresses this gap by evaluating TTU's accessibility measures and support services. The study employs a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of students with disabilities, faculty, and staff at TTU. It investigates the alignment of TTU’s practices with national and international inclusive education policies, such as the Persons with Disability Act (715) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The research focuses on three main objectives: identifying the teaching and learning needs of disabled students, assessing the accessibility of TTU's built environment, and evaluating the satisfaction of students with the available support services. Data were collected through qualitative interviews with 28 participants, including students with disabilities, lecturers, and support staff. Findings reveal that TTU has established various support services, including sign language interpretation, e-learning support, and assistive devices. However, students reported inadequacies in these services, citing needs for additional support such as braille services and extended examination time. Furthermore, the built environment at TTU was found to be largely inaccessible to students with physical disabilities, leading to widespread dissatisfaction among the student body. The study highlights that while TTU has made commendable efforts in providing institutionalized support for disabled students, significant gaps remain in service adequacy and physical accessibility. The findings underscore the need for enhanced strategies to improve inclusivity at TTU and similar institutions, aligning practical implementations with policy frameworks to better serve students with disabilities