BSc Students Research Articles

Radiation dose and image quality optimisation in medical imaging

Following the successful OPTIMAX summer school held in Salford, 2013, we organised another OPTIMAX summer school in Lisbon during August, 2014. Sixty six people participated,comprising PhD, MSc and BSc students as well as tutors from the 5 European partners. Professional mix was drawn from engineering, medical physics / physics, radiography and occupational therapy. The summer school was hosted by the Lisbon School of Health Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Portugal. It was funded by Erasmus,aside one additional student who was funded by Nuffield.The summer school comprised of lectures and group work in which experimental research projects were conducted in six teams. Team project focus varied, with two concentrating on iterative reconstruction (CT), one into interface pressure mapping (between human body and imaging couch) whilst the remaining three focused to determining ways to reduce dose whilst preserving image quality for different projection radiography procedures. The summer school culminated in a conference, in which each team presented two oral papers.One paper reviewed the literature on their area of interest,whilst the other considered their experimental findings. The oral papers were also presented in written format, in journal article style, and after editing they have been included within this book. At the time of editing this book, several of the experimental papers had been submitted to conferences and some lecturers have commenced development work in order to make them fit for submission to journals.

A survey of students' perspectives of open-book examinations in histology/embryology

Background and purpose: An open-book exam permits the examinees to consult some specific selected reference sources or materials while answering the exam questions. This study focused on the students' perspectives of open-book examinations in the histology/embryology courses, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (ZUMS), Zahedan, Iran. Methods: The survey was conducted via a questionnaire after open-book examinations had been conducted in the histology and embryology courses, between 2009 and 2010. Of the 254 students who entered the new education system, 160 students were selected at random. Results: The results revealed that 72% of the students preferred the open-book type to the closed-book kind of examinations. Most of the students voiced that this type of examination was more suited to test high cognitive learning skills and solving real life situation problems, involving less stress while preparing for and taking the exam. They also mentioned that their marks in these examinations were not higher than those from the closed-book examinations. The overall satisfaction scores of the students of the biological sciences were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those of the medical sciences students (16.28±4.17 vs. 12.65±5.16); in the government run university students it was significantly (P<0.001) higher than in the international university students (14.93±4.53 vs. 10.24±5.08); the embryology course results were significantly (p<0.001) higher than the histology course (15.23 ± 4.07 vs. 12.79±5.4) and among the MD students it was significantly (p<0.001) lower than those of the BSc students (12±5.1 vs. 15.93±4.29). There was a positive correlation between the scores they acquired in their course and the overall satisfaction scores with the open-book type of examinations (r=0.46, p value=0.01). Conclusions: The finding of a positive response towards the open-book examination augurs well for extending such a type of examination to other subjects in our university. Keywords: STUDENTS, PERSPECTIVES, OPEN-BOOK EXAMINATION, COGNITIVE LEARNING, EDUCATION

Research self-efficacy in relation to educational motivation in students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences

Aim This study aimed to explore status of research self-efficacy in relation to educational motivation in students of Mazandarn University of Medical Sciences. Methods This descriptive correlative study was performed on 341 BSc students of Mazandaran University of medical sciences. The data were collected through the questionnaires of research self-efficacy and educational motivation. Obtained data were analyzed in software of SPSS (16) using descriptive statistics and independent T-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, one way variance analysis and regression. Results The mean and standard deviation of research self- efficacy total score was 176. 23 32.14. the mean and standard deviation of all the students’ educational motivation was 153.89 24.73. The total score of research self-efficacy and educational motivation between male and female students was not significantly different and the girls got higher score in both variables. The average scores of research self- efficacy and educational motivation of the students in different faculties were significantly different and in both variables of research self- efficacy and educational motivation, the faculty of nursing and midwifery had the highest score then the faculty of medical sciences and finally the faculty of health respectively. Self-efficacy and educational motivation were highly correlated and the regression results showed that 28% of the changes in research self- efficacy is stated by the variable of educational motivation. Conclusion According to findings, the BSc students of Mazandaran University of medical sciences dose not revealed high scores for research self- efficacy and educational motivation. Also there is significant relationship between research self- efficacy and educational motivation. The authors suggested that the students’ beliefs toward their capabilities should be reinforced and boosted and facilities and needed instruction should be offered for them.

Evaluation of BSc Radiologic Sciences and Medical Imaging Technology Programmes in Sudanese Universities from Students’ Perspective

This study sets the objective to involve undergraduate students in the evaluation of radiologic sciences and medical imaging technology programmes in Sudanese universities. Based on the analysis of survey results in which the participants (BSc students undertaking radiologic sciences and medical imaging technology programmes at university level) are asked to answer both closed and open-ended questions, the study seeks to reveal the participants’ perceptions and introspections about the radiologic sciences and medical imaging technology programmes in Sudan. It also attempts to explore the participants’ suggestions and recommendations as to enhance the quality of these programmes with an eye to helping syllabus designers to improve these programmes, thereby bettering healthcare services for the larger good to the community. A brief cross-sectional survey is completed by a total of 105 radiologic sciences and medical imaging technology students, i.e. 39 (37.1%) third-year students and 66 (62.9%) fourth-year students. The majority of participants is satisfied with the programmes, indicating that they are up-to-date and ran abreast with the latest developments in the field. Very few suggest that the programmes should be reviewed for revision, implying that there is room for improvement. Some participants recommend that more training hours in modern imaging modalities (e.g. MRI, CT and U/S) should be introduced. Only one participant recommends the introduction of advanced training centres.

Question drop

Background: The University of Nottingham, School of Health Sciences, Centre of Evidence Based Healthcare (CEBHC) aspires to work in close partnership with clinical colleagues to support evidence synthesis and transfer. Each year, up to 400 MSc and BSc students in the School complete an evidence synthesis dissertation on a topic of their choice. Some students struggle to identify a relevant topic whereas others choose topics that are not directly relevant to practice. At the same time, clinical colleagues note that they lack the time and resources to find the right evidence for their clinical problems. Objective: The CEBHC created an innovative scheme called ’Question Drop’ to enable practitioners to pair up with students undertaking dissertations to find answers to pressing clinical issues. Methods: The system is currently being piloted. An on-line system was created through ‘Workspace’. Practice development matrons work with their teams to identify pressing clinical issues. These are then written onto a specially designed form and submitted to the CEBHC administrator. A team from CEBHC (which includes senior practitioners) reviews and prioritises the clinical questions. At specified points of time (in line with the dissertation planning timetable), students are invited to apply to undertake a systematic review on a submitted topic. Results: The students must have an excellent academic track record and must demonstrate a good understanding of the topic. Successful students will be recognised by a CEBHC award which will add value to their CV. A tri-partite team is then established (comprising the student, a practitioner and an academic) who work together to complete the review. Discussion: There has been great enthusiasm for this initiative. Conclusion: Question Drop is an excellent example of the evidence based practice cycle in action. The tri-partite partnership ensures that good questions are identified, evidence is reviewed and insights are directly transferred back to practice.

College students’ perceptions of short message service-supported collaborative learning

Interaction is a major success factor that affects collaborative learning. This study examined the perceptions of college students about short message service (SMS) supported collaborative learning. Seventy-five BSc students from three classes were asked to cooperate on group assignments. The participants used their mobile phones to exchange text messages and interact with each other. Data were collected through a questionnaire, three focus group interviews and 19 personal interviews. Our findings showed that participating students felt privileged by having the chance to be part of this learning experience and expressed their desire to continue with this method in other classes. The success determinants of the method included a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in the class, an organised and clear plan of action, a fairly challenging and interesting group assignment, and a free or low-cost SMS service.

Writing E-Learning Materials for Construction Management Subjects

Our faculty, Szent István University's Ybl Miklós Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering is currently conducting a project, whose main goal is to develop up-to-date e-learning study materials for Construction Management BSc students. The project is being carried out within the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan; and it is co-funded by the European Social Fund. The start of the project was in March 2012, while the finish will be at the end of 2013.Materials are written for the curriculum's core subjects: Technical Documentation, Building Structures, Construction Technology and Construction Management. They are complete with numerous graphics, tables, videos, even interactive ones and countless examples and tasks in order to facilitate better understanding.This paper introduces the project and describes the elements of the materials written for the above-mentioned core subjects. It also discusses the experience and conclusions of writing such materials.

Perceptions and experiences of, and outcomes for, university students in culturally diversified dyads in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment

The introduction of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL), specifically into intercultural learning environments, mirrors the largely internet-based and intercultural workplace of many professionals. This paper utilized a mixed methods approach to examine differences between students’ perceptions of collaborative learning, their reported learning experiences, and learning outcomes when they collaborated in a CSCL environment working with a culturally similar or dissimilar partner. Culturally diverse student dyads worked together to perform an online learning task in the domain of life sciences. Our sample of 120 BSc and MSc students was comprised of 56 Dutch and 64 international students, representing 26 countries. The results showed that students from an individualist cultural background had a more negative perception of collaborative learning than did students with a collectivist background, regardless of group composition. For women, working in a culturally similar dyad consisting of students from an individualist cultural background resulted in a more negative perception of collaborative learning than did working in this type of group for men or women working in a culturally similar dyad consisting of students from a collectivist cultural background. Students from an individualist cultural background achieved better learning outcomes than did students with a collectivist background, regardless of group composition. These findings suggest that cultural background adds an important dimension to collaborative learning, which requires students to manage collaboration that is not only virtual but also intercultural.

The Use of eLearning in Teaching Construction Management Core Subjects

All students – Architecture, Civil Engineering and Construction Management BSc students, both full and part-time – of Szent István University's Ybl Miklós Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering have to take construction management subjects in the third year. In Construction Management 1 students get acquainted with the basics of construction projects and cost calculations, while in the next semester the topic is scheduling. The courses are created according to a blended learning model, where face-to-face teaching and elearning are combined. The former is provided in the form of lectures and recitations (integrated with computer lab sessions), while the latter is facilitated by the university's moodle-based elearning system.In this paper, the blended nature of the construction management courses is discussed. Moreover, the new study materials developed within the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan and co-funded by the European Social Fund provide opportunities for further improvement, which are also presented.

Recent advances in mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy with applications for research and teaching, focusing on petrochemistry and biotechnology relevant products

Mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy is introduced as a versatile analytical method for characterizing liquid and solid chemicals as obtained from petrochemistry and biotechnology processes. Besides normal transmission measurements, special equipment with silver halide fiber-optic probes allowing efficient analysis based on mid-infrared attenuated total reflection, and an accessory for near-infrared diffuse reflection measurements, are presented. The latter technique can be used advantageously for powdered samples such as microalgae biomass and polysaccharides, as well as for different tissues such as meat samples. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods, which can be used for industrial process monitoring and chemical quality control applications, are discussed, and have been used in several research projects of BSc students within their degree course of bio- and nano-technologies of our University of Applied Sciences.

A closer look at the Mulliken-Barker test

Qualitative analysis of unknown organic compounds is an essential part of the core curriculum for BSc and MSc students in chemistry. The functional group detection is a significant component of qualitative analysis. The present work describes the reason for the failure of Mulliken-Barker test for nitro compounds having carboxylic acid functionality and suggests a possible remedy.

The Relationship of Metacognitive Beliefs and Tendency to Addiction in Sistan and Baluchistan University, Zahedan, Iran

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and the tendency to addiction in the students of the University of Sistan and Baluchistan, located in the South-East of Iran, during the academic year of 2009-2010. This was a descriptive, correlational study, and the statistical samples were 200 male BSc students selected with cluster random sampling procedures from the three schools of Literature, Science, and Engineering. The measuring tools were the metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), and Addiction Potential Scale. Data analysis was done by the SPSS software using the Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regressions. The result of data analysis showed that metacognitive beliefs and their subscales had a significant negative relationship with the tendency toward addiction (P < 0.01). The results show that fewer metacognitive characteristics are associated with a high tendency to addiction. The findings of this study indicate that disturbed metacognitive beliefs is a good predictor of students tendency to addiction, therefore, teaching strategies metacognition is important in the prevention of young people's Tendency toward- addiction.

An Investigation into the Mental Health States of Payamnoor University's Students in Ilam Province

The aim of this study was to examine “How is the mental health condition of Payam Noor freshmen students University in Ilam province”?The design of this study was applicable-descriptive. This study used survey to collect data. Participants were all of the freshmen students of Ilam Payam noor University. The study selected 560 BA and BSc students through stratified sampling. Providing the descriptive criterion of data, this study used Pearson Product Moment correlation to analyize data.Results indicated that 68percent of students are in the appropriate condition and 32percent of them are suspected to be health mentally. The findings showed that profiting from the religious beliefs has a reverse association with mental health disorders, social support, Suicide risk, drug consumption risk, but it has a direct association with the methods coping with a stress based on Problem-solving and Problem-orientation. Results showed that the suicide risk has a direct and significant relationship with the rate of mental health and the methods coping with the excitement-oriented and avoidance stresses have reverse and significant relationship with the problem-oriented method and social support.Students are the most intelligent and talented individuals of society and undoubtedly, their physical and mental health play an important role in growth and the dynamics of society. Therefore, schedule to flourish talents and retain the health of students are among the main purposes of educational institutions and the universities of country.

Clinical Problem Solving Ability of BSc and Diploma Nursing Students in Indian Setting A Comparison

Clinical Problem Solving Ability (CPSA) is an important skill essential for nurses to achieve professional excellence which is developed during the educational process. A sample of 215 students from BSc and Diploma nursing educational programmes were studied to determine their CPSA and the differences were compared. A written simulation instrument (Ezhilarasu, 2000) with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81 was used to measure the CPSA. BSc students scored significantly higher than Diploma students (p = 0). Final year students from both the programmes scored higher than the first year students (p = 0.01). The least commonly used step in clinical problem solving is evaluation. Along with other studies, this study also supports the influence of the educational process in the development of CPSA. Appropriate teaching strategies and role modelling by faculty should become an essential part in all nursing educational institutions.

The influence of student characteristics on the use of adaptive e-learning material

Adaptive e-learning materials can help teachers to educate heterogeneous student groups. This study provides empirical data about the way academic students differ in their learning when using adaptive e-learning materials. Ninety-four students participated in the study. We determined characteristics in a heterogeneous student group by collecting demographic data and measuring motivation and prior knowledge. We also measured the learning paths students followed and learning strategies they used when working with adaptive e-learning material in a molecular biology course. We then combined these data to study if and how student characteristics relate to the learning paths and strategies they used. We observed that students did follow different learning paths. Gender did not have an effect, but (mainly Dutch) BSc students differed from (international) MSc students in the intrinsic motivation they had and the learning paths and strategies they followed when using the adaptive e-learning material. Highlights? Adaptive e-learning materials can help teachers to educate heterogeneous student groups. ? Students differ in the learning paths they follow and strategies they use when working with adaptive e-learning materials. ? University graduate and undergraduate students participated in the study. ? Results from traces, test scores, intrinsic motivation inventory responses and student self-reports were analysed.

The on-Line Teaching of Robot Visual Servoing

Visual servoing uses the visual information provided by cameras to control the movement of a robotic system. This paper presents an international on-line course aimed at BSc, MSc and PhD students in this subject. The course lasted for eight weeks, and its objective was to provide a general vision of those aspects related to the course theme including a special incentive: the professors teaching the course were the most important experts in this field at a global level, signifying that the students were able to gain access to a potentially higher quality of teaching than that available at an individual traditional university.

BSc students progress with flying colours

BSc students progress with flying colours

Practice based course of Information Technology Service Management for BSc students

Currently IT systems are primarily observed as sets of services, for example finance services can be accessed via the Internet. The IT background of an enterprise has strategic importance in its activity, but it is also important, that IT helps the enterprise supporting course of business really from the background. To implement this kind of conception, IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) provides practical advices. The paper describes the topic of an optional course which introduces BSc students to the subject of IT Service Management the way that it can be used as a practice supplement beside theory courses of IT Service Management.

Ontology-based mobile learning and knowledge testing

The article presents the architecture of a complex, mobilised content authoring system. This approach changes the current structure of content development at Corvinus University of Budapest, serving the needs of mobile learners better by enabling context and location aware learning. Through its main components - educational ontology, content management system, adaptive testing system, mobilised learning management system - the system is also capable to tackle the challenges of communication, collaboration and content delivery regardless of time and space. Certain components were even tested by business informatics BSc students and the outcomes of this pilot are also described in detail.

Evaluation of Formative Computer-based Assessment by Cell Biology Students with Differing Entry Qualifications and Ethnicity

AbstractThis study was carried out to examine students’ responses to the use of on-line assessments that included feedback. First year BSc students taking a Cell Biology module undertook such an assessment and were then asked to evaluate the test by completing an anonymous questionnaire. Answers were analysed in light of the respondents’ ethnicity and also the academic route by which they gained entry to university. Statistical analysis of the data showed that students’ views of the utility of the test did not differ significantly either as a function of ethnicity or academic experience, since 80–90% of the students agreed/strongly agreed that regular tests and feedback assisted in their learning process. Generally, it was noted that non-Caucasian population, especially the Black African group strongly agreed that the test exercise benefited their earning experience. In conclusion, asynchronous on-line formative tests which provide feedback are valuable learning aids for students from a wide variety of ba...