Challenging Assignments Research Articles

Analisis Self Efficacy Siswa dalam Pembelajaran Matematika: Studi Kasus di SMA Negeri 1 Cigugur dengan Kurikulum Merdeka

Self-efficacy is a central belief in learning, especially mathematics learning, because it can have a strong influence on students' self-confidence. If students are in the high self-efficacy category, then they will be able to solve mathematical problems successfully. The aim of this research is to analyze students' sense of self-confidence or belief in their abilities. This research method is qualitative descriptive research with subjects in class X SMA. The analysis was carried out using Bandura's theory. There are three dimensions. Namely: dimensions of Magnitude (size), Strength (strength), and Generality (general). In general, a person's self-efficacy is not limited to certain situations. The results of this research analysis show that the overall level of student Self Efficacy is at a good level. This shows that students at SMA Negeri 1 Cigugur have a good level of persistence and perseverance when facing challenging and difficult mathematics assignments

Problem-Based Learning Model to Improve English Learning Achievement

Examining the language components, textual organization, and social function of statements that provide services and answers based on usage context is one of the most challenging assignments for students. It is necessary to find a remedy because student achievement data from recent years indicates that they are quite poor when it comes to studying this content. Thus, 32 students from class XI MA As'diyah Putri Sengkang served as subjects for a classroom action study that was conducted. English learning achievement is the subject of the study. Determining and assessing the PBL model's efficacy in raising English learning outcomes is the goal of this study. Utilizing learning accomplishment exams, data was gathered and subjected to both qualitative and descriptive analysis. If this action research attains a minimum average score of 75 and a minimum of 82% for classical learning completeness, it is considered effective. According to the study findings, cycle I had an average score of 72.21 and 75.64% for classical completeness. In cycle II, on the other hand, classical completeness reached 92.48%, and the average score was 74.32. In the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year, the class XI MA As'adiyah Putri Sengkang students can attain better learning outcomes by implementing the PBL learning model in two cycles.

Do social networks improve the chance of obtaining challenging assignments? Evidence from Black accounting professionals

Racial disparities in career advancement continue to be a challenge for employers and minority workers in the accounting profession. We examine how social networks may influence the likelihood of Black professionals being placed on challenging assignments, which contributes to career advancement. Using a survey of 381 Black accounting professionals, we find that the key factors to obtaining challenging assignments include having access to social networks, the ability to establish social networks, and having a mentor who opens the door to challenging assignments. We also find that access to social networks improves when there is an accepting and welcoming work environment, when a mentor introduces the professional to the right social networks, and when the professional defines success to include involvement in social activities with business colleagues.

ADVANCING THE COMPLETION AGENDA IN ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL READING AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL: A QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY

In order to assist community college students in completing their program of study at a more rapid pace, this quantitative, correlational study examined the effectiveness of acceleration as a method to help community college students complete the developmental reading sequence quickly and more successfully. Acceleration is a curricular redesign that includes challenging readings and assignments and reduces the number of required classes in the developmental sequence. Past research does not adequately measure student success in the current community college trend of securing the most efficient pathway possible for attaining an associates degree or career certificate. Students who scored 80 or higher on the post-course, COMPASS reading placement test skipped a developmental class and were eligible to take college-level gateway courses sooner, for the purpose of saving them time and money. Retention and grade-point-average of developmental reading students who pursued an accelerated path was compared to developmental reading students who followed the traditional, two-tiered course sequence to determine first year success. In the college of the study, findings indicated developmental reading intervention, regardless of model, was effective for the students who persisted, as measured by their literacy skill gains.

Solving one-dimensional acoustic systems using the impedance translation theorem and equivalent circuits: A graduate level homework assignment.

The natural frequency resonances and sound radiation from one-dimensional acoustic systems are of great interest in the study of musical instruments, human vocal tract effects on speech, automotive exhaust pipes, duct systems for temperature control in buildings, and more. The impedance translation theorem is an approach that may be used to solve for the input impedance and therefore the resonance frequencies of one-dimensional systems. Equivalent circuits offer another approach to solving one-dimensional systems, though with equivalent circuits you can also solve for the response at any location in the system, including the radiated sound pressure. At Brigham Young University, there are two graduate level courses that teach these two techniques. One of the most challenging and memorable homework assignments from these courses is based on using one of these techniques to analyze a particular acoustic system and compare its response with the real thing. This paper discusses the basics of these two techniques and applies them to an analysis of phonemes produced by altering the human vocal tract. Details about the homework assignments are also given.

One problem, two solution approaches: Using the impedance translation theorem and equivalent circuits for graduate level homework

Research applications such as the study of musical instruments, human vocal tract effects on speech, automotive exhaust pipes, HVAC ducts, and others often utilize one-dimensional models of the acoustic systems to determine the resonance behavior and sound radiation properties. The impedance translation theorem and the equivalent circuits method both include all the physics associated with these one-dimensional systems, although one approach or the other may be more appropriate or straightforward to use depending on the result desired. Both these methods are taught at Brigham Young University in two graduate level courses. One of the most challenging and memorable homework assignments from each of these courses is based on using these techniques to analyze a particular acoustic system and compare its response with the real thing. This paper will overview these two techniques and outline how they are applied in homework assignments for these two courses to analyze phonemes produced by altering the human vocal tract.

Characterizing Academic Help-seeking Moods for Enrollment Performance of Institutional Online Student

Few could have anticipated the sudden and dramatic impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of life, including online academic help-seeking of institutional education. Academic help-seeking is a quite prevalent phenomenon that supports students to learn knowledge and improve academic performance. This study is aiming to understand learners and associate their performances via exploiting academic help-seeking moods with online learning of institutional education setting. Adopting the relevant theories, we propose a novel research model and identify three different online help-seeking moods, which are namely goal-directed seeker, exploratory seeker and avoidant seeker. Goal-directed seekers are described with preference for more challenging assignments and more posting on the platform discussion board frequently. Exploratory seekers hold the highest achievements during all help-seeking moods. Avoidant seekers are well-distinguished by holding the lowest frequency of posting among all moods and the most average time spent on the platform. Students have collective preferences for assignment submission in each help-seeking mood, and deviation from those preferences increases their probability of dropping academic grade significantly. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first work that characterizes the help-seeking moods and associates moods with the enrollment performance for online education of institutional student.

Using Flipped Classroom and Team-Based Learning Techniques to Stimulate Higher Levels of Understanding in Developmental Psychopathology

In previous years students in the advanced bachelor course Developmental Psychopathology often failed examination questions where they had to apply theoretical knowledge to realistic clinical issues. Therefore, a new teaching method was implemented to improve students’ understanding. Flipped classroom (FC) and team-based learning (TBL) techniques were implemented, using six challenging authentic assignments. This study describes how these adaptations went along with student performance for three subsequent cohorts, where each cohort received more FC and TBL elements. In cohort 2 a semi-experimental design was used to study the effects of specific techniques. Moreover, it was investigated if students considered this approach useful, and whether it changed their learning strategy. Findings suggest that both FC and TBL techniques contributed to a higher level of understanding, particularly if group work took place in supervised tutorials with teacher feedback and discussion. Further research is required to investigate which specific elements were most effective.

Dense-UNet: a novel multiphoton in vivo cellular image segmentation model based on a convolutional neural network.

Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) offers a feasible approach for the biopsy in clinical medicine, but it has not been used in clinical applications due to the lack of efficient image processing methods, especially the automatic segmentation technology. Segmentation technology is still one of the most challenging assignments of the MPM imaging technique. The MPM imaging segmentation model based on deep learning is one of the most effective methods to address this problem. In this paper, the practicability of using a convolutional neural network (CNN) model to segment the MPM image of skin cells in vivo was explored. A set of MPM in vivo skin cells images with a resolution of 128×128 was successfully segmented under the Python environment with TensorFlow. A novel deep-learning segmentation model named Dense-UNet was proposed. The Dense-UNet, which is based on U-net structure, employed the dense concatenation to deepen the depth of the network architecture and achieve feature reuse. This model included four expansion modules (each module consisted of four down-sampling layers) to extract features. Sixty training images were taken from the dorsal forearm using a femtosecond Ti:Sa laser running at 735 nm. The resolution of the images is 128×128 pixels. Experimental results confirmed that the accuracy of Dense-UNet (92.54%) was higher than that of U-Net (88.59%), with a significantly lower loss value of 0.1681. The 90.60% Dice coefficient value of Dense-UNet outperformed U-Net by 11.07%. The F1-Score of Dense-UNet, U-Net, and Seg-Net was 93.35%, 90.02%, and 85.04%, respectively. The deepened down-sampling path improved the ability of the model to capture cellular fined-detailed boundary features, while the symmetrical up-sampling path provided a more accurate location based on the test result. These results were the first time that the segmentation of MPM in vivo images had been adopted by introducing a deep CNN to bridge this gap in Dense-UNet technology. Dense-UNet has reached ultramodern performance for MPM images, especially for in vivo images with low resolution. This implementation supplies an automatic segmentation model based on deep learning for high-precision segmentation of MPM images in vivo.

Factors affecting assignment completion in higher education

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to simultaneously investigate a variety of factors related to assignment completion (AC) (i.e. task orientation, cooperation, teacher feedback, time management and time spent on AC).Design/methodology/approachThe study relied on a self-report survey to assess students' perceptions in relation to six variables. Participants included 1,106 undergraduate students from six public Thai universities. Analysis involved structural equation modeling.FindingsThis study provided new results related to task orientation as the strongest predictor of AC and time management. Cooperation and feedback improved AC with time management as an intervening variable. Time management and feedback did not predict time spent on AC.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies might explore the potential range of assignments that, for example, count for a higher portion of the grade versus those that are less or unimportant in terms of the course. Future studies might also look at the role of group assignments in relation to completion. Semi-structured interviews or observations might provide insights into how students manage their time and why task orientation has the most effect on AC. Future research might investigate more specifically at what point time management does or does not affect completion. In general, given the growth of online learning and contexts in which students may be increasingly called on to complete assignments independently, factors such as those investigated in this study will require more attention in varying countries and contexts, generically and for individual subjects.Practical implicationsInstructional designers and instructors can promote task orientation through reliance on strategic scaffolding. For designing a task-oriented environment, instructors need to offer challenging assignments. Instructors should also assign work that encourages motivation, effort and achievement. To ensure that cooperative learning positively affects time management, instructors and designers can allot specific in-class time for completion of tasks, reliance on flipped classroom activities and student conversations regarding time restrictions and time-management skills. Instructors can be supported to help them provide appropriate types of feedback, as well as ideas for implementing the feedback in practice.Originality/valueLittle research has been conducted on AC in higher education. Those studies that have been conducted have focused on the elementary and secondary levels. Furthermore, studies have not always taken into account the complex relationships between different factors that can potentially influence AC.

Career mentoring in aged care: Not all it seems

Understanding the nature of career mentoring is important for improving the career experience of aged care workers. This study explores the career mentoring behaviours of sponsorship, coaching, advocacy, challenging assignments, exposure and visibility in the residential aged care context. Interviews were conducted with 32 aged workers from several occupations within the care context. It was found that career mentoring in the aged care context was limited. The mentor behaviours of coaching, sponsorship and advocacy were limited and there was no opportunity in aged care to provide challenging assignments or promote exposure and visibility. Organisations and managers can facilitate learning and personal development by providing inclusive training for all workers regardless of the need to meet professional registration requirements. Learning needs to be continuous as careers and clinical techniques evolve. Extension of existing mentoring programmes to include all care workers would improve overall quality of care in residential aged care facilities.

Modelling the Impact of Demographic Variables on Employee Motivation Levels in Automobile Industry

Motivation of employees is one of the most critical components for an organization to be effective and efficient. Employee motivation is presented in the form of commitment, job satisfaction, high energy levels, willingness to take challenging assignments, and innovation while they are working for their organizations. It becomes very important for organizations to devise strategies and ways through which they can motivate and retain their employees. The present study is aimed to predict the motivation level of employees in automobile industry on the basis of their demographic variables using machine learning algorithms. The motivation level is measured by structured questionnaire with 70 items on the scale. The sample was collected from employees in automobile sector in Delhi/NCR region with a sample size of 340 employees. Analysis of the sampled data revealed that the machine learning algorithm is able to depict the motivation levels of employees on the basis of age, gender, and designation.

Fostering Entrepreneurial Mentoring Culture for Sustainable Leadership Performance in Nigeria: Evidence from Selected SMEs in Ilorin Metropolis

The human resources are the most important resources an organization can boast of in the 21st century, since it ensures the efficient and effective utilization of other types of resources, hence their continuous development. One of the ways of developing human resources is through entrepreneurial mentoring. Mentoring is among the few tools needed for preparing tomorrows’ skilled employees and is also used to strengthen organizational capabilities, intelligence, build organization knowledge, and sustain the organization competitive advantage. The dynamic career environment heightens the need for entrepreneurs engaging other people in their career and personal development. This study examined the effect of entrepreneurial mentoring on performance of SMEs in Kwara State. Data for the study were obtained from primary sources with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The research design adopted was a descriptive survey design which was also cross sectional in nature. Data collected were analyzed and hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of significance. Findings revealed that psychosocial mentoring support, career mentoring support and role modelling mentoring support all had significant relationship with SMEs performance as all their respective p values were less than 0.05 alpha values. Effective and efficient mentorship programs tend to raise entrepreneurial outcomes among upcoming entrepreneurs operating SMEs. Based on the findings of this study, the study concludes that there is significant relationship between psychosocial mentoring support and SMEs performance; there is also significant relationship between career mentoring support and SMEs performance, there is significant relationship between role modeling mentoring support and SMEs performance. The study recommends that SMEs owners must be steadfast in fostering an entrepreneurial mentoring culture within the organisation. Also, SMEs owners must be steadfast in continuously providing sponsorship, coaching, exposure, visibility, protection and providing challenging assignments to employees. Also, succession planning must be continually improved and sustained. Keywords: Entrepreneurial Mentoring, Culture, Leadership, Performance, SMEs, Nigeria

Building integration skills in supply chain and operations management study programs

The modern business world requires, in addition to substance knowledge, an extensive set of more practical and generic skills from engineering graduates. Supply Chain and Operations Management (SCM/OM) experts often work as business process developers. This requires skills related to for example cross-functional coordination and the ability to comprehend the big picture and dynamics of supply chains and operation environments. Sharing experiences of generic skill descriptions and teaching methods would facilitate the translation of generic skills into different engineering education disciplines. The aim of the paper is to present a way of describing and categorizing the focal SCM/OM generic skills and to analyze how the skills can be adopted and implemented in SCM/OM study programs. The paper is based on an empirical case analysis of a SCM/OM study program. The main generic skills related to the SCM/OM discipline are described and categorized into two skill areas: the ability to design feasible improvement solutions and the ability to carry out improvement work in organizational networks. These described skill-sets are named integration skills. Teaching integration skills in SCM/OM study programs should be fully integrated with the teaching of substance knowledge, and integration skills should be developed progressively in stages throughout the studies using activating teaching methods. In teaching integration skills, the recognized and analyzed pedagogical methods are the use of increasingly challenging real-life assignments and empowering working processes for students. A combination of the methods in teaching sets gradually increasing requirements for students in learning both integration skills and substance knowledge.

Asia Pacific Report: A New Zealand nonprofit journalism model for campus-based social justice media

For nine years, the Pacific Media Centre research and publication unit at Auckland University of Technology has published journalism with an ‘activist’ edge to its style of reportage raising issues of social justice in New Zealand’s regional backyard. It has achieved this through partnerships with progressive sections of news media and a nonprofit model of critical and challenging assignments for postgraduate students in the context of coups, civil war, climate change, human rights, sustainable development and neo-colonialism. An earlier Pacific Scoop venture (2009-2015) has morphed into an innovative venture for the digital era, Asia Pacific Report (APR) (http://asiapacificreport.nz/), launched in January 2016. Amid the current global climate of controversy over ‘fake news’ and a ‘war on truth’ and declining credibility among some mainstream media, the APR project has demonstrated on many occasions the value of independent niche media questioning and challenging mainstream agendas. In this article, a series of case studies examines how the collective experience of citizen journalism, digital engagement and an innovative public empowerment journalism course can develop a unique online publication. The article traverses some of the region’s thorny political and social issues—including the controversial police shootings of students in Papua New Guinea in June 2016.

Teacher Strategies in Realizing the Pancasila Student Profile Through Mathematics Learning in Elementary Schools

This research aims to describe the strategies used by teachers in developing Pancasila student profiles through mathematics learning at the elementary school level. This research adopts a qualitative approach with a focus on the phenomenological to describe teachers' strategies in creating Pancasila student profiles through mathematics learning. Research data was collected through interviews with class I E teachers as the main source, as well as through participatory observation and documentation as additional data sources. The research results showed that class I E teachers implemented various strategies to achieve this goal. First, in creating a profile of students who are believers, devoted to God Almighty, and have noble character, teachers become role models for students in practicing religious values and taking a personal approach to students. Second, to develop a globally diverse profile of students, teachers provide an understanding of various cultures in Indonesia. Third, to encourage the profile of students working together, teachers organize group activities and teach the values of cooperation and sincerity. Fourth, to develop an independent student profile, teachers provide individually challenging assignments and provide extra challenges to complete. Fifth, in developing the profile of students who think critically, teachers use group division to encourage students to explore information, evaluate, analyze and make conclusions. Teachers also act as motivators for students. Finally, to develop creative student profiles, teachers create fun learning, interact with students to develop their creativity, and connect learning with the context of everyday life. As a facilitator, the teacher supports the student's learning process.

Asia Pacific Report: A New Zealand Nonprofit Journalism Model for Campus-Based Social Justice Media

For nine years, the Pacific Media Centre research and publication unit at Auckland University of Technology has published journalism with an ‘activist’ edge to its style of reportage raising issues of social justice in New Zealand’s regional backyard. It has achieved this through partnerships with progressive sections of news media and a non-profit model of critical and challenging assignments for postgraduate students in the context of coups, civil war, climate change, human rights, sustainable development and neo-colonialism. An earlier Pacific Scoop venture (2009-2015) has morphed into an innovative venture for the digital era, Asia Pacific Report (APR) (http://asiapacificreport.nz/), launched in January 2016. Amid the current global climate of controversy over ‘fake news’ and a ‘war on truth’ and declining credibility among some mainstream media, the APR project has demonstrated on many occasions the value of independent niche media questioning and challenging mainstream agendas. In this article, a series of case studies examines how the collective experience of citizen journalism, digital engagement and an innovative public empowerment journalism course can develop a unique online publication. The article traverses some of the region’s thorny political and social issues—including the controversial police shootings of students in Papua New Guinea in June 2016.

Geotechnical consideration of the cut‐and‐fill slope problems related to the Struma motorway construction

AbstractThe forthcoming construction of the Struma motorway which is part of the Pan‐European corridor IV is one of the most challenging geotechnical assignments in Bulgaria nowadays. The road trace is situated in a region of high seismic activity where the topography reveals mostly areas with steep mountain slopes. Geotechnical considerations of the road construction including cut‐and‐fill works and building of different supporting structures as pile founded retaining structures, anchor systems and reinforced soil embankments is needed. Numerical solutions based on the limit equilibrium theory and the finite element method are applied. This paper analyses and summarizes the design options and the results of the different numerical models of preferred structures.

Nevertheless, She Persisted

A woman seeks to make her way in a male-dominated industry. Her acquaintances discourage her; the men in charge nearly laugh her out of the room. Still, she shows up to work. She endures the teasing and the skeptical looks. She executes her assigned tasks flawlessly. Slowly, she wins the grudging respect of her male colleagues and a permanent spot on the team. Soon enough, she's the go-to person for the most challenging assignments, and she's put in charge of the new recruits. This bootstrapping narrative for Egan's new historical novel is more than just an Algeresque vindication of the American dream. It is feminist, but of a variety like Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, asking us to celebrate one woman's professional success as a symbol of all women's advancement, to even see it as a meaningful strike against sexism.

College Student Leadership Development by Valerie I. Sessa

Reviewed by: College Student Leadership Development by Valerie I. Sessa Paige Haber-Curran College Student Leadership Development Valerie I. Sessa New York, NY: Routledge, 2017, 213 pages, $49.95 (softcover) Informed by her research on college student leaders, Valerie I. Sessa focuses College Student Leadership Development on how students can learn leadership and develop as leaders. The book serves as a resource to college students, providing a learning model for intentionally guiding one's leadership development. In acknowledging that many skills-based models of leadership exist, Sessa aims to focus less on what one should learn (i.e., skills and behaviors) and more on how one can learn leadership. Sessa has a background in industrial and organizational psychology and has experience as a faculty member in academia, a research scientist and director at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), and an organizational consultant. The definition of leadership presented in the book, "accomplishment of three tasks: direction, alignment, and commitment" (p. xiv), is influenced by the CCL's approach to leadership. This definition allows for individuals, regardless of whether or not they hold a positional role, to participate in the tasks of leadership through developing direction and vision, working together through alignment, and committing to the vision by making it a priority. [End Page 255] The author bases this book on research she and her colleagues conducted on college student leaders (Sessa, Morgan, Kalenderli, & Hammand, 2014). In their study, Sessa et al. (2014) sought to extend research on the leadership competencies and skills learned by successful business executives, which was conducted by CCL researchers in the 1980s (Lindsey, Homes, & McCall, 1987), by replicating the study with college students. The study focused on key developmental events that college student leaders said they experienced and key learning lessons gained from these events. Such events included tackling challenging assignments, receiving mentorship, taking a leadership course, and engaging with peers. The first three chapters in the book set the foundation of learning and leadership for the rest of the book by introducing the reader to the concept of leadership and helping the reader connect with the topic, presenting key fundamentals about learning and specifically learning leadership. Sessa emphasizes four leadership learning outcomes: learning about oneself as a leader (i.e., leader identity); learning about different ways to think about leadership and leaders, learning key leader skills and competencies, and learning formal leadership knowledge (i.e., models, theories, language). The next five chapters are framed around the ReAChS model for leadership development, which includes the four components of reflection, assessment, challenge, and support. Sessa developed the model by integrating components of CCL's Assessment, Challenge, and Support Model of leadership development (McCauley, VanVelsor, & Ruderman, 2010) and a systems analysis organizational learning model that she and a colleague developed (London & Sessa, 2006). The ReAChS model is meant to be a tool for students to "take control of [their] leadership learning and development while in college and beyond" (p. 38) and includes four components. Reflection focuses on stepping back from an experience in order to examine it and make meaning of it. Assessment involves learning more about oneself including one's strengths, developmental needs, leadership effectiveness, motivation, self-efficacy for leadership, and personality or character traits. Challenges are described as "learning triggers" that are new experiences requiring skills or perspectives that haven not yet been used or developed. Support focuses on the network of people who can assist in one's learning process. The ReAChS chapters include a range of reflection prompts, exercises, self-assessment exercises, and other tools. These interactive components invite readers to make meaning of their experience, personalize the content, and consider how they can intentionally craft their leadership development journey. There are also many examples from student leaders and excerpts from Sessa et al.'s (2014) research. The book closes with a chapter on synthesizing and communicating one's leadership story. Sessa provides guidance on creating a leadership learning and development portfolio that includes many components such as accomplishment stories; verbiage about jobs, positions, experiences to highlight on a resume; and a personal statement on leadership. The hands-on and interactive exercises can help readers better understand their own leadership learning and effectively communicate...