Content Of Course Research Articles

Students’ Perceptions of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Secondary School Bilingual Classes: A Case Study

In contemporary international secondary education in Indonesia, English-Medium Instruction (EMI) has gained popularity and expanded into a rising global phenomenon. Recognizing this phenomenon and the importance of English language skills for students from an early age, this study aims to investigate the perceptions of junior high school students in bilingual classes on the use of EMI in schools. A qualitative research design in the form of a case study was adopted in this study. It involved thirteen (13) junior high school students (2 males, 11 females) of two bilingual class programs at a private junior high school in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and an FGD (forum group discussion) session. The findings indicate that all participants show positive perceptions of the EMI implementation in terms of the importance of EMI for Learning, the importance of EMI for career, and the use of EMI associated with the preservation of tradition issue. This study also reveals the obstacles that are often faced in the use of EMI such as a lack of understanding of technical terms in the content course and teachers' low proficiency in English. Therefore, it is expected that this study will offer recommendations from the perspectives of EFL practitioners in order to optimize the advantages of the EMI policy in an EFL context.

Industry-Academic Partnership And Its Impacts On Specialized Education In Southwest Nigeria

The inseparable needs for close collaboration between institutions offering mechanical technology education and allied industries was the focus of the study. Occupationally, contents of courses offered in this field and similar other are supposed to be industry-derived and society needs-compliant. This has for some time, not been seen to be so, and has therefore, created some input-output deficits that have not only affected students’ performance and society benefits, but have significantly affected students’ enrolments into the programmes negatively. Two research questions and two research hypotheses were raised to guide this study. Survey design using structured research instruments were developed by the researchers on collaboration between academic institutions and industries. Population of this study will be 50 Lecturers in Mechanical and Automobile Technology drawn from Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the Southwest, Nigeria, alongside 42 industry practicing experts in the same fields were involved in this study. Research questions were answered with Mean and Standard Deviation while t-test was used for the hypotheses. Based on the emanating outcomes of the analysis and discussions followed, it was recommended that functional channels of communication should be opened between academia and industry for meaningful interaction, make partnership an occupational policy and constantly share resources among others.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) Advantage for Police Chiefs: A Case for Studying Business for Law Enforcement Leadership

Historically, two advanced degrees — the Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ) and the Master of Public Administration (MPA) — have been considered the preferred choices for those seeking the highest ranks of law enforcement leadership. However, in recent years, characterized by rapid social change, technological progress, and growing public attention, the role of the police chief has evolved into a multifaceted leadership position that goes far beyond the traditional responsibilities of law enforcement. It covers a broader set of duties related to leadership and management communications in police units, organizational effectiveness, strategic management, administration, and control, effective financial resources and budgeting management, communications and accountability in local communities, and ethical decision-making to overcome the multifaceted challenges of modern police activity. The article argues that the degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA), known for its adaptability and versatility, can become a powerful alternative to MCJ and MPA today, as it provides police leaders with a more universal educational base, a comprehensive set of business skills and specialized knowledge, becomes more extensive, practical and an actual form of education of capable and adaptive police management personnel, allows to best prepare them for dynamic changes and transformation of job roles. The article critically examines to what extent and when solving which tasks the heads of police departments need knowledge and skills according to the traditional attributes of an MBA: in the field of financial management, strategic planning, leadership, and human resources management, effective and crisis communication, negotiation, interaction with the public, business ethics. The specifics of the application of the main attributes of those theories that are traditionally studied within the MBA program for the role of heads of police departments are analyzed: the theory of servant leadership, the theory of situational leadership, the theory of managerial economics, PESTEL analysis, and the theory of human relations. As a conceptual inquiry, this article lays the groundwork for continued research in this area to explore the MBA and its content courses as a useful tool for developing the skills and abilities of law enforcement leaders.

Peer Critiquing in Scientific Inquiry: Enhancing Preservice Teachers' Reasoning, Epistemic Knowledge, and Scientific Argumentation through Innovative Teaching Strategies in an Undergraduate Science Content Course

The study explored the impact of peer critiquing on preservice teachers' understanding of the nature of science, scientific inquiry, and argumentation in an undergraduate science content course. The aim was to investigate innovative teaching strategies that enhance preservice teachers' comprehension of these key aspects. This study showcased implementing these strategies in which the preservice teachers actively critique and evaluate each other's work, fostering a culture of constructive feedback and reflection. Data were collected from 38 preservice teachers from three data sources that included a group argumentation of an assigned environment scenario of the endangered species, a peer critique of a video presentation of the scientific explanation of an individual environmental science topic, and finally a peer critique on someone else’s scientific inquiry study that could either be observational or experimental. To achieve this goal, we used the class activities to incorporate new ideas within the classroom by documenting the preservice teachers’ practices as they reflect upon their peers’ practices. While video critiques indicated a general competency, there was a need for further development in analyzing scientific concepts. The final class critiquing session demonstrated preservice teachers' self-awareness and understanding of the importance of relevant research in scientific inquiry. Peer critiquing activities positively impacted preservice teachers' reasoning skills, as evidenced by their ability to construct well-reasoned arguments and analyze empirical evidence. By examining preservice teachers' experiences and outcomes, we seek to provide valuable insights and recommendations for educators striving to enhance preservice teachers' understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry through peer critiquing.

“Don’t Call on Me!”: Mediating Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Mathematics Anxiety in a Problem-Based Classroom

This study aims to understand the ways in which problem-based teaching in a mathematics content course can alleviate pre-service elementary school teachers' mathematics anxiety. The significance of this work is to help increase the content and pedagogical knowledge of mathematics education, as outlined in STEM policies. Using a mixed method approach, the teachers-researchers explore what methods, procedures, and other perhaps unknown variables, helped pre-service elementary teachers decrease their mathematics anxiety during two mathematics content courses. The findings illuminate five major themes the authors discuss, which are illustrated by rich descriptions of students’ narratives and interviews. Given the importance of mathematics education, particularly the need for strengthening it at the childhood level, this work contributes to a growing body of research that can help future elementary education teachers become exemplary educators.

Investigating the Effect of Using Educational Videos and Recorded Lectures in Understanding the Contents of Pre-Engineering Courses

Some students may struggle to understand the contents of courses with intensive conceptual content and problem-solving, especially when the courses are offered online. Offering courses online may present challenges such as technological issues, time management, and a lack of interaction with instructors. This paper investigates the effect of using educational videos and recorded lectures on students enrolled learning and performance. A questionnaire survey was conducted among students in the “Engineering Economics” course at an international institution for pre-engineering students before they chose their specialization. The survey was conducted during the Fall 2021 semester (before the coronavirus pandemic) and the “Spring 2022” semester (during the pandemic). The performance of students during the “Spring 2022” semester was compared with their performance during the “Fall 2021” semester, when students relied solely on face-to-face lectures. During the “Spring 2022” semester, educational videos and recorded lectures were made available to students. Analysis results revealed that students had a positive perception towards the use of educational videos and recorded lectures. Students’ feedback regarding watching videos and recorded lectures was quite positive and enhanced their performance in the course. A generic VBA framework was developed to suggest educational videos and recorded lectures relevant to selected course topics. An initial pilot test of this tool received very positive feedback from students.

Comparability of reading tasks in high-stakes English proficiency tests and university courses in Korea

With the increased popularity of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education, many East Asian universities are using international English proficiency tests to make admissions and placement decisions. Since these tests were not originally designed for the EMI contexts, validity evidence is needed to support the use of these tests in this new context. To interpret performance on a test as representative of performance in a target language use (TLU) domain, this study investigated (1) the characteristics of English reading tasks in Korean EMI undergraduate and graduate courses, (2) the extent to which they are comparable to the characteristics of reading tasks on TOEFL iBT and IELTS, and (3) the extent to which students perceive EMI reading tasks and the test reading tasks to be comparable. Fifty-four undergraduate and graduate students in EMI content courses at a Korean university completed an online questionnaire. Analyses revealed that EMI reading tasks share several characteristics with USA/UK university reading tasks. Although EMI reading tasks had some key characteristics in common with TOEFL and IELTS reading tasks, the test tasks were much more limited in range. Finally, the extent to which students perceived EMI reading tasks and TOEFL/IELTS reading tasks comparable varied across academic areas.

Instrumentation for measurement: A case study on conceptual versus problem-solving knowledge

The problem under analysis looks at the overall comparison of about 1300 students’ performance considering separately their conceptual and problem-solving knowledge over 7 academic years of the course of Instrumentation for Measurement within the Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto . This course gives the relevant background for later content courses on Automation, Control, Mechatronics, Smart Factories, etc., in that Mechanical Engineering master's degree. It is important to note that such content deals with basic concepts in different science and technology topics, incorporating today's cyber systems and the Internet of Things (IoT). This content includes fundamental principles spanning traditional topics as physics, statistics, mechanical, dynamics, design, and electrical, foundational, technical, and technological knowledge, and informatics. Together, they permit access to very small changes in physical quantities making possible their measurement, interpreting them, and providing data in the cloud. Also, aspects related to a variety of specific prepared questions to motivate students to improve and enhance their comprehension instead of a pure sequence of memorization activities for a perfect “how-to-respond” are explained. The work describes details on the instructional course design, and the actions used to improve the difference in both performances, from the point of view of pedagogical strategies and their sequence of results. The main outcomes of the analysis performed on data from those 7-course editions indicate large differences between the scores of conceptual (/theoretical) and problem-solving components; steady improvement in student performance in conceptual knowledge over the years; stable performance concerning the problem-solving component; clear disruption in conceptual performance in the academic year disturbed by the pandemic situation, followed by great recovery in the following academic year. The results are discussed in the framework of the regulations and conditions in which the instruction takes place and the pedagogical strategies employed to balance conceptual and problem-solving knowledge. Finally, some suggestions are put forward to investigate further possible reasons behind the large gap in theoretical and problem-solving results. The authors hope to contribute with some helpful discussion and outcomes and to foster later feedback from the community.

EMPLOYERS' REQUIREMENTS DURING UPDATING THE CONTENT OF DESIGNERS PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

This research is aimed at determining the competencies expected by stakeholders from graphic designers, based on the method of analyzing job advertisements for graphic designers in Ukraine, taking into account the analysis of similar advertisements in Poland as an additional labor market (200 job advertisements in Ukraine and 100 job advertisements in Poland), to determine ways to update the professional training of graphic designers in the system of higher education. The systematized and processed results of the analysis indicate that the vast majority of employers need a universal specialist with project execution skills for static printed production, as well as developed competencies in the field of digital design to create visual communications for the online representation of companies while preserving visual identity. The results can be used to update curriculums, educational programs, the content of courses, forms, methods of teaching, methods of interaction between teachers and students of the "Graphic Design" specialty.

Professors’ English-only or Multilingual Approaches in English Language Teacher Education at Ecuadorian Universities

Preparing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers is a key challenge for higher education institutions in countries like Ecuador. This research summary describes the language use practices that university-based English language teacher educators employ when teaching content courses (such as pedagogy and research methods) and explores how these relate to their expressed purposes of teacher education and language ideologies. The convergent mixed-methods design employs survey data from 115 professors from 21 Ecuadorian universities and focus group data from 28 of those professors with various language use approaches. This research is guided by decolonial theory and the Capabilities Approach and by literature on linguistic imperialism, native-speakerism, and multilingualism. Findings extend research on language use from the English teaching field into teacher education and Comparative and International Higher Education research, where exploration of the benefits and drawbacks of English-only versus multilingual approaches are needed given the prevalence of English-medium instruction.

The U.S. Landscape of Elementary Teachers’ Science Course Requirements

ABSTRACT One of the United States’ higher education system’s most important tasks is properly preparing elementary teachers to teach science. Teachers’ ability to use their science subject matter knowledge (SMK) to effectively develop pedagogical approaches can significantly contribute to their students’ engagement in science and motivation to pursue science-related careers. To date, several studies examine the influences of subject matter knowledge on teachers’ pedagogical strategies. Although there are still contradictions regarding those influences, providing teachers with adequate preparation in science SMK and science pedagogical knowledge is crucial. To understand how elementary teachers are currently prepared in science SMK, this study examines degree requirements across 223 colleges and universities in the U.S. to determine the number and type of general education science content courses required for candidates to complete their elementary education degrees. Our findings indicated that while many U.S. universities’ undergraduate general education science course requirements have increased in terms of required numbers of science credit hours since 2009, the related pedagogical science content knowledge and science content knowledge of pre-service elementary teachers has not also increased. Thus, we can surmise that increasing the required quantity of general education science courses does not correlate to increased science content knowledge, or increased science teaching confidence or competence, at least among undergraduate per-service elementary teachers.

Cultural flavors: embracing food studies in second language content courses

ABSTRACT This article argues for the continued collaboration of food studies and second language studies. By introducing a variety of food related concepts in language courses, particularly upper-level content courses, students are more likely to realize the possible interdisciplinary connections of their own studies and interests. I use my 300-level university Spanish Special Topics course on food as the anchor to this article to demonstrate some ways in which this overlap is both fruitful and effective. My hope is that this will inspire more food focused courses in language departments thus strengthening the reach food studies can have across fields, universities, and perhaps even advanced high school courses while simultaneously enforcing the value of second language studies for both language learners and heritage speakers.

Teacher candidates’ views of future SSI instruction: a multiple case study

The instructional approach of incorporating socioscientific issues (SSI) into science teaching has been found to improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills among K-12 students. Preparation for how to facilitate SSI in the classroom, however, is limited, resulting in very few classrooms across the United States providing opportunities for K-12 students to grapple with these real-world problems. In this manuscript we compare the integration of socioscientific issues (SSI) within two different undergraduate course contexts: a science methods course that is part of an elementary educator preparation program and a science content course designed for secondary future educators. Through this comparison we aim to provide science education researchers and science teacher educators with empirical support related to how the delivery of SSI influences elementary to secondary teacher candidates’ views of SSI as they relate to student engagement, teacher effectiveness, and curricula. Leveraging a mixed methods case study approach, data from each course context were collected through Likert-type surveys and open-ended responses. Findings suggest exposure to SSI pedagogies in science methods and content courses influence teacher candidates’ views in different ways and we must consider field and course-based work occurring simultaneously while teacher candidates are learning about SSI-based instruction. Implications for this are discussed.

Psychology of morality as a fundamental discipline in the higher education system

The article is devoted to the formation of moral psychology as a new academic discipline, which is gradually spreading in the system of higher education of psychologists. The reasons for this process are the intensive development of the scientific direction «Psychology of Morality» and the gradual penetration of accumulated scientific knowledge into the educational sphere. Presents educational courses and textbooks on moral psychology developed by M.I. Volovikova, L.L. Dikevich, S.K. Nartova-Bochaver, N.V. Melnikova, R.V. Ovcharova, E.A. Plekhanova, A.N. Brazhnikova, S.V. Molchanov, I.N. Polshakova, O.V. Konovalova, A.A. Shevchenko. The generalized content of courses developed at Russian universities is described. Some courses and modules on moral psychology taught in foreign universities are listed. Special attention in the article is paid to the issues of ensuring an unobtrusive educational aspect of such courses through the selection of relevant empirical patterns for study. As an example, empirical data are given that confirm the importance of morality for society and the disadvantage of immorality for the individual. Risks that are important to avoid when developing such courses on a large scale are noted. The risk of making the moral bias too obvious and edifying, the risk of reducing the educational (moral) component to zero or negative values, the risk of extinguishing students interest in the course due to overload with theory. Confidence is expressed in the possibility of avoiding these risks thanks to the large volume of empirical research on moral psychology, which will make it possible to widely diversify the content of such courses, making them interesting and useful in the personal life and future professional activities of students. A conclusion is made about the benefits of further dissemination of courses on moral psychology in the education system of psychologists and educational psychologists.

Problem Posing and Quantitative Reasoning Opportunities Provided by Mathematics Textbooks for Pre-service Elementary Teachers: A Qualitative Document Analysis

ABSTRACT This qualitative document analysis study reports on opportunities to learn provided by textbooks for mathematics content courses for pre-service elementary teachers. Specifically, the study examined opportunities to engage in problem posing and quantitative reasoning, in the context of fractions, provided by six textbooks commonly used in the teaching of content knowledge courses for pre-service elementary mathematics teachers in the United States. Among other things, this examination revealed two key findings. First, all the textbooks provide numerous opportunities that could potentially trigger students’ quantitative reasoning. This is commendable, and a positive response to growing calls to increase such opportunities in mathematics education. Second, there is a paucity of opportunities to engage in problem posing in all the textbooks. Given the numerous benefits of using problem posing in the teaching and learning of mathematics, we recommend that authors of textbooks for mathematics content courses for pre-service elementary teachers provide more opportunities to engage in problem posing in their textbooks. We argue that the act of problem posing requires significant quantitative reasoning, and thus problem posing provides the opportunity for students to develop such reasoning. Implications for instruction and directions for future research are discussed.

Newly Qualified Teachers and their Preparedness as Geography Teachers in Zambia

The study aimed to explore the geography teachers' engagement with the geography content during their undergraduate teacher preparation at the University of Zambia and upon employment in secondary schools. The researcher utilised a case study design to collect data from nine geography teachers trained at the University of Zambia and later employed to teach in the Secondary schools of Zambia. A semi-structured interview guide was employed to collect data from nine geography teachers. Furthermore, the data collected was transcribed, coded and analysed thematically. The study established that most of the geography teachers enjoyed learning either physical geography or human geography. Furthermore, most geography teachers evaluated their teaching to have been slightly better in human than physical geography. Most participants felt adequately prepared to take up geography teaching in schools because they acquired more knowledge than required for secondary teaching. However, a few students who took the subject as their minor needed more human geography content courses.

Gender Equity in Public Affairs Pedagogy:

Gender is an important component of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) pedagogy in public affairs, yet gender remains largely absent from public affairs education in three central ways: how courses are structured, the content of courses, and the practice of pedagogy. This article explains the value and need for gender equitable pedagogy in public affairs curricula. We conduct a descriptive analysis of scholarship and best practices from leading think tanks and public advocacy research organizations. Ultimately, this work provides recommendations to strengthen gender equity pedagogy both inside the classroom and in public sector workplaces.

Representation of the Historical Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Context of Teaching Russian History (2013–2023)

The article discusses the policy of the Russian Orthodox Church aimed at including elements of confessional history in secular educational and methodological narratives. As the content of the Russian history course was standardized for schools, and then the regulatory requirements for the results of studying the compulsory Russian history course at universities were established, the importance of these channels for the formation of collective memory has increased significantly. The analysis revealed three main strategies of the Russian Orthodox Church to influence the content of these courses: focusing on episodes of participation of hurch hierarchs in rucial events that changed the course of the history of Russian statehood, a gradual expansion of the range of mentioned personalities related to the history of the Church and, finally, an appeal to a civilizational approach that focuses on the value foundations of political history, which gives the Russian Orthodox Church a symbolic advantage as a “state-forming” denomination.

The Effectiveness of Content Knowledge Instruction in Tennis and Badminton in Physical Education Teacher Education

Purpose: Our research examined the effects of a content course in a physical education teacher education program. Methods: Ten participants were recruited from a physical education teacher education content course to examine participants’ common content knowledge (CCK) and specialized content knowledge (SCK) in tennis and badminton. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to investigate (a) participants’ pre–post gains in CCK and SCK, (b) the relationship between participants’ playing and teaching experience with CCK and SCK, and (c) the relationship among the dependent variables in both pretest and posttest. Results: Participants’ content knowledge variables increased significantly. Furthermore, the study revealed inconsistent relationships between participants’ self-reported playing, teaching, and coaching experiences with their CCK and SCK scores at the pretest. We found inconsistent relationships between CCK and SCK among pre- and posttests. Discussion/Conclusion: The primary finding is that preservice teachers can improve substantively their content knowledge through well-designed content courses, but in some domains, there is more work to do.

Analysis of the effectiveness of the advanced training program "Rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorder"

The growth of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout the world requires a review of the provision of assistance to them in all areas, where multidisciplinary assistance should be provided. A systematic review found that clinicians have limited capacity to care for people with ASD and that specialized autism education programs need to be developed. The purpose of this study is to analysis of the effectiveness of the training program "Rehabilitation of children with autism spectrum disorder" for primary healthcare specialists. Methods. At the first stage, a multidisciplinary team was created, and the content course was discussed based on the competences that are of need at the primary care level specialists. As a result of the discussion, a professional development program (here in after referred to as the Program) was developed for two credits (60 hours). To study the effectiveness of the Program on the final day, feedback was received from listeners using QR codes, anonymously. For a more in-depth analysis, interviews were conducted with various primary care specialists who participated in the Program. Results. 9 participants of the training program completed the survey, of which 3 had less than 5 years of work experience; from 6-10 years -1; and more than 10 years - 5. All participants gave the highest score in assessing the presentation material; productivity, usefulness and relevance of the work done. Conclusions. The advanced training course for primary care specialists allowed us to identify further directions for improving the program. The feedback received about the program indicates the quality of the product, which was developed directly by a multidisciplinary team. It is necessary to continue work in this area with a larger coverage of program participants.