Current Students Research Articles

McGill School of Religious Studies Bachelor of Theology Survey

This paper offers a brief analysis of a survey created with the intent of better understanding the student experience of those enrolled in McGill University’s Bachelor of Theology. The questions were crafted with the objective of understanding how certain demographic features – education, age, ethnicity, and origin of province or country – have affected the experience of students in the Bachelor of Theology program during their first semester. The paper reviews the survey data with the aim of offering some tangible ways to better meet the changing needs of current and future students in McGill’s Bachelor of Theology program.

AI-Supported Academic Advising: Exploring ChatGPT’s Current State and Future Potential toward Student Empowerment

Artificial intelligence (AI), once a phenomenon primarily in the world of science fiction, has evolved rapidly in recent years, steadily infiltrating into our daily lives. ChatGPT, a freely accessible AI-powered large language model designed to generate human-like text responses to users, has been utilized in several areas, such as the healthcare industry, to facilitate interactive dissemination of information and decision-making. Academic advising has been essential in promoting success among university students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Unfortunately, however, student advising has been marred with problems, with the availability and accessibility of adequate advising being among the hurdles. The current study explores how AI-powered tools like ChatGPT might serve to make academic advising more accessible, efficient, or effective. The authors compiled a list of questions frequently asked by current and prospective students in a teacher education bachelor’s degree program in the United States. Then, the questions were typed into the free version of ChatGPT, and the answers generated were explored and evaluated for their content and delivery. ChatGPT generated surprisingly high-quality answers, written in an authoritative yet supportive tone, and it was particularly adept at addressing general and open-ended career-related questions, such as career outlook, in a clear, comprehensive, and supportive manner using plain language. We argue that AI-powered tools, such as ChatGPT, may complement but not necessarily replace human academic advisers and that these tools may very well serve to promote educational equity by empowering individuals from a wide range of backgrounds with the means to initiate effective methods of seeking academic advice.

Mentoring online MPA students: Assessing mentorship qualities and aligning program goals

ABSTRACTMentoring is important for students in a Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. This can be even more complicated when the academic program is fully online. Effective mentoring is about building relationships and guiding academically, professionally and emotionally. This can be challenging in the online environment due to a lack of social cues and technology barriers, but is possible through e-mentoring. This contribution is focused on both the quality of mentorship for MPA students and the complexities of providing mentoring in a fully online environment. Additionally, this involves the centering of mentoring in program delivery and how this is integrated into program goals including the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) competencies. A survey was sent to current and former MPA students in a fully online MPA program to assess student perceptions of the ideal mentor and their achievement of the NASPAA competencies. It was found that there is considerable overlap between some mentorship qualities and perceptions of NASPAA competencies.

Medical mentorship deconstructed: an analysis and structural recommendation for high value mentorship.

Background: Mentorship is an important component for young students interested in pursuing a career in medicine. In medically underserved areas, such as rural areas, mentorship can be sparse due to the lack of access to healthcare professionals. The purpose of this project was to gain an understanding of the mentorship received by practicing medical students. Methods: The authors conducted structured, one-on-one interviews with 10 current medical students about their perceptions and experiences with mentorship. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes and subthemes. Results: Our findings revolve around three time periods of mentorship: 1) Before Obtaining a Mentor; 2) During the Mentorship; and 3) After the Mentorship. In our findings we describe key characteristics such as professional development, personal qualities of the mentor, and professional and personal guidance as important components in guiding the mentee starting from the undergraduate level and continuing to their current level of education. Conclusion: Interviewees' experiences with and perspectives on the mentorship they received were generally positive, though it was evident there are some aspects of the mentee-mentor relationship that can be improved. Building on the results obtained, setting expectations, providing mentor training, and pairing mentors/mentees from similar backgrounds are what we propose to create fulfilling and meaningful relationships between a mentee and mentor.

Los efectos de la realidad virtual y la realidad aumentada en las actitudes hacia la ciencia en alumnos mexicanos de nivel primaria

The present study was carried out with elementary school students in Mexico divided into two groups (control and experimental), and aimed to answer the question: what attitudinal effect will elementary school students have towards science if they experience the learning of scientific content through virtual and augmented reality? The intervention contemplated emerging technology because, in general terms, current students speak a digital language in a natural way, in addition, they are characterized by thinking and processing information in a different way than their predecessors. It was identified with a pretest and posttest that the educational intervention in the experimental group was an important tool to ensure that students develop favorable attitudes towards science, such as liking and enjoyment (p < 0.05), in addition to influencing the possibility of studying a career related to the scientific field.

Design and Development of Student Attendance Maintenance System by using Face Recognition and Open-Source Computer Library

The main goal of this project is to create a face recognition-based offline attendance system for an educational institution to replace the current system in which teachers must call students and keep a record for future use. This was when attendance data could be easily erased or stolen physically, and it was being misused more frequently. The current system has a lot of ambiguity that causes inaccurate and inefficient attendance. And the teacher’s job is very hectic. That, the attendance is given the top priority by the administrations of the educational institutions, so to ease the position of the teachers, the new offline attendance system is being used with the technology face recognition system. The human face is one of the natural traits that can uniquely identify an individual. Therefore, it is used to trace identity as the possibility for a look to deviate or be duplicated is low. The proposed project is a new way of taking attendance where the students need to come before the camera. The designed system will automatically check the current student's database in front of the camera and save the student's data in an excel sheet with the serial number, student name, date, and time using the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation).

Unveiling the Sway of Marketing Mix on Student Decisions: A Study on Higher Learning Institutions


 
 
 
 
 
 This research delves into the pivotal process of student decision-making within higher learning institutions, focusing on the dynamic interplay of marketing mix services encompassing product, price, promotion, and place. Through an analysis of alumni and current student cohorts at a prominent university, this study empirically demonstrates the profound influence exerted by product quality, strategic promotion, and favorable institutional positioning on students' selection choices. Notably, while price emerges as a comparatively weaker determinant, the collective impact of product, place, and promotion proves instrumental in shaping prospective students' decisions. These findings illuminate the complex landscape of student preferences, offering valuable insights for crafting targeted marketing strategies that effectively guide students' educational trajectories.
 Highlight:
 
 Influence of Marketing Mix Dynamics: This study examines the interaction of product, price, promotion, and place in shaping student decisions within higher learning institutions, revealing their collective impact on choice.
 Empirical Insights: Analysis of alumni and current students from a renowned university highlights the significant sway of product quality, strategic promotion, and favorable institutional positioning on student selection choices.
 Role of Price in Decision-making: While price emerges as a less potent factor, the study underscores the pivotal role played by the interplay between product, place, and promotion in molding the educational preferences of prospective students.
 
 Keyword: Student Decision-Making, Higher Learning Institutions, Marketing Mix Services, Product Quality, Strategic Promotion
 
 
 
 
 

Perspectives on the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) education among students and alumni in the United States: a cross-sectional national online survey

BackgroundThis study explored the current and desired identity of the DrPH degree, focusing on whether the competencies set by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) adequately prepare DrPH graduates for effective public health practice. Additionally, the study investigated the necessity of standardization in DrPH training, referring to a consensus-driven approach that equips future public health practitioners with practical skillsets applicable in real-world scenarios.MethodsA national cross-sectional online survey titled “National DrPH leaders & practitioners needs assessment” was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021. The survey was based on a self-report by DrPH students and DrPH professionals, consisting of the following two main components: (1) how their DrPH training aligns with CEPH competencies and (2) how they perceive the identity of the DrPH degree. Convenience sampling was used to collect the data, which may have limited representation for all DrPH institutions in the United States.ResultsA total of 222 participants (140 current DrPH students and 82 alumni) completed the survey. The mean of the 10-point Likert scale for the degree to which the DrPH training aligns with 26 CEPH competencies (1: not at all – 10: absolutely) ranged from 6.3 (SD: 2.78) to 7.96 (SD: 2.16). The majority of participants (191/222, 86.04%) were satisfied with the knowledge and skills reflected in their training based on the CEPH competencies. However, more than half of the participants (117/222, 52.70%) sought additional professional development/training outside their institutions. DrPH leaders and practitioners faced barriers where the value of their work might not be fully recognized and endorsed. Participants indicated that the DrPH education should be further distinguished from the PhD education.ConclusionsThe DrPH degree holds significant value within the academic sphere of public health practice in the United States. However, its distinction from PhD programs poses a challenge for employers and organizations in the field, requiring attention from higher education programs. By solidifying the DrPH’s identity, graduates can effectively address diverse public health issues and contribute to creating a safe and healthy environment, including addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Afghan medical students’ perceptions, and experiences of their medical education and their professional intentions: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundNumerous challenges have crippled the Afghan healthcare system on individual, organizational, and societal levels. The Afghans have acknowledged that an evidence-based perspective is paramount to enhancing medical training capacities across the country, which may, in turn, best ensure appointing highly competent authorities to address health system problems on such multiple levels.ObjectivesThis study assessed current Afghan senior medical students’ perceptions, and experiences of their medical education and their future professional intentions.MethodsWe conducted this cross-sectional study at seven public and private Afghan medical institutes from March to April 2022. We invited 665 senior medical students through an anonymous survey using the Google survey online forms via social-media platforms, such as WhatsApp Messenger. Descriptive statistics were employed for the data analyses.ResultsThe mean age (± SD) of the students was 23.7 (± 2.2) years and males constituted 79.9% (510) of the study sample. About 22.6% of them rated their medical training as excellent, and nearly a third of them (37%) said that it is good. Nearly half (48.7%) of the students would prefer to stay in Afghanistan. The leading motives for moving overseas were to obtain more advanced and quality education (69.9%), and a decent personal life (43.9%). Nearly two-thirds (67.4%) of them asserted that current political and armed conflicts in Afghanistan may have influenced their professional choices.ConclusionThis study epitomizes that the quality of medical education in Afghanistan has room for growth and development to meet the standards set on regional and global grounds.

Problem Based Learning Model to Increase Junior High School Students Achievement Motivation

This research aims: 1) to determine current achievement motivation junior high school students in Bogor City. 2) to develop Problem Based Learning model to improve students of junior high school in Bogor City. 3) to determine the effectiveness of PBL model in improving students of junior high school achievement motivation and innovation in Bogor City. This research is based on the development research by Borg and Gall with three research and development stages, preliminary study, model development, and model test. The data analysis used during the development research were descriptive analysis, model validation analysis, and model effectiveness analysis with t-test independent samples. The results of the research concluded that: the achievement motivation and innovation of junior high school students in Bogor City is currently low and needs to be improved; the developed model is declared "fit for use" by learning experts with more notes. The PBL model is declared effective in increasing the achievement motivation students for junior high school in Bogor City.

Fieldwork from A–Z? Exploring shifting identities in doctoral research in Australia and Zimbabwe

While research into PhD programs and doctoral students’ experiences has increased in recent years, fieldwork is overlooked as a source of learning and support. In education, the focus of this paper, fieldwork remains laced with notions of the anthropologist gathering data in a place that is not their own, which narrowly construct the role of the novice and their expectations around ‘doing’ research. To demonstrate the relevance of these issues and key ethical tensions that they underpin, we explored our recent PhD fieldwork experiences within classrooms in Australian and Zimbabwean schools. By analysing fieldnotes from our lived experiences, we identified similarities between conducting fieldwork ‘out there’ (in Zimbabwe) and ‘at home’ (in Australia). These similarities highlighted a multitude of roles and dynamics associated with the researcher presence, as well as the importance of balancing complex needs during fieldwork. Our analyses also revealed how daily in situ interactions with participants—and others—were crucial to the development of our identities and data gathering practices. We argue that ongoing efforts to demystify fieldwork experiences are critical for understanding that ‘the field’ is not simply ‘out there’ and offer practical suggestions for current and future doctoral students to consider.

Student Experiences of Racism in the Social Work Classroom

ABSTRACT The increased national focus on racism and white supremacy has encouraged social workers to look more closely at racism in the profession, which includes racism that occurs in social work education. This study specifically examines social work students’ experiences with racism in social work classes. A convenience sample of current and former students (n = 293) provided quantitative and qualitative responses to a survey that was sent to social work programs and posted on social work-related websites. Findings indicated that half of the students of color and one-third of the white students experienced or witnessed racist incidents in social work classes, perpetrated by students and faculty alike. Though the vast majority of respondents noted that the classroom generally was a safe environment to discuss race, and that they felt comfortable voicing concerns about racism, only half of the incidents were addressed, and it was usually students, not faculty, who raised concerns about the incidents. Through centering student voices, this study supports the need for actions to be taken by schools of social work to prevent and to address racism in the classroom.

Peningkatan Kemampuan Pengajar Dan Calon Pengajar Pada Pembelajaran Geometri Melalui Pelatihan Geogebra Dasar

The covid pandemic that has hit the last 2 years has inadvertently changed the study habits and study interests of current students. Especially the need for technology in learning. Moreover, the interest and motivation of students in studying at school. Therefore, the teacher's teaching method must be adapted to the conditions and interests of students, in the hope that it can make it easier for students to understand learning. Moreover, in learning geometry, there are still many teachers in Palembang who do not have the ability to utilize technological aids in teaching geometry. Moreover, the school where teachers teach must be able to support the implementation of learning with this technology-supporting media. The purpose of this training is to equip and improve the ability of mathematics teachers to teach geometry. This training is in the form of tutorials to introduce simple tools used in basic geometry materials (points, lines, planes, and building spaces). The methods used are presentation, practice, demonstration, and discussion methods. This training was carried out through a Zoom Meeting and was attended by 45 participants from various regions in Indonesia such as Palembang, Batam, Kalimantan, Surabaya, Jakarta, Lampung, Linggau, Pagaralam, etc. This training provides assistance to participants in using the geogebra application, then participants are given time within 1 week to complete the task of making learning media using the geogebra application. The results were very good, some participants collected assignments and learned media works from the participants who were quite creative and diverse. In addition, the response from the participants was very enthusiastic about this training judging from the questionnaire given, and hoped that there would be geogebra training in the next session

A Review of Medical Student First-Author Publications in Plastic Surgery.

The integrated plastic surgery residency match is a highly competitive process.If performed wisely, medical research is an opportunity to differentiate applications from peers, and productivity is closely evaluated by residency programs.In this study, the authors aimed to characterize medical student research productivity for integrated plastic surgery residency programs and their respective medical schools. To this end, the authors performed a retrospective review of senior author publications from the 81 integrated plastic surgery programs from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. The primary outcome was a publication with a medical student as the first author.Secondary outcomes included the number of faculty from each program, the geographic region of the program, and the ranking of associated medical schools. It was found that the average number of medical student first-author publications and faculty members per institution were 14.0 and 11.0, respectively.There was a positive correlation between the number of faculty members and several medical student first-author publications for a program (R = 0.54, P < 0.0001). The average number of medical student first-author publications was higher in the top 25 programs than for the remaining programs (P < 0.001), and most medical student first-author publications in the United States were produced by 10 plastic surgery programs. From these findings, it was concluded that these programs associated with higher-ranking medical schools produce greater numbers of medical student first-author publications.These analyses of medical student academic productivity should be a highly useful guide for current and future medical students as they strategize their successful match into plastic surgery.

The experiences of the COVID-19 cohort: an analysis of the student experience using a Teaching and Learning Regime approach

ABSTRACT This paper utilises a Teaching and Learning Regime (TLR) approach to analyse the student experience (SE) in the COVID-19 setting. Using mixed-methods methodology, the research uses interviews and survey responses from current students at a UK university to identify the multi-dimensional and immersive relationship with their institution. TLR moments were used to thematically analyse the findings. They illustrated a nuanced and often divided SE that, in a COVID-19 environment, bring in extensive external influences from home-life, mental health levels and socio-economic standing. The analysis reveals COVID-19 mixed responses to online learning and the relationship between students and staff members, and the perceived value of online learning. It highlights the importance of spaces and buildings in the SE, and the significant impact friendships and flatmates have had on sustaining university routines and activities. It will also show the intense powerlessness and sadness that has impacted this cohort of students, and how this has manifested through distrust of higher management structures and health implications. The paper highlights ways in which the TLR approach can be used to identify enhancements to the SE in COVID-19 times. These include understanding the value students place on materiality and personal connections, and in maintaining accessibility and flexible learning that have had a positive impact on their studies.

Career intentions of medical students in the UK: a national, cross-sectional study (AIMS study)

ObjectiveTo determine current UK medical students’ career intentions after graduation and on completing the Foundation Programme (FP), and to ascertain the motivations behind these intentions.DesignCross-sectional, mixed-methods survey of UK medical...

A Call for a Transformative Public Health Training: The Necessity of Abolition.

The societal distrust of public health alongside the complex, intersecting, and large public health crises of today and our future requires a transformation of the education of the next generation of public health leaders. The field of public health's goals of health equity for all cannot be advanced until our field interrogates and resists the prison industrial complex (PIC), which maintains White supremacy and (re)produces health inequities. As current and former public health students, we propose incorporating abolition of the PIC as a political vision, structural and power analysis, and organizing strategy into the public health curriculum. We highlight gaps in the public health curriculum and the existing similarities between stated goals of abolition and public health. We propose calls to action for individuals, faculty, and schools of public health to interrogate the carceral nature of public health and work toward contributing to the positive project of an abolitionist future.

Factors influencing applicants' rank order in the Genetic Counseling Admissions Match.

Previous studies have identified factors that influence genetic counseling applicants' decisions to initially apply to certain schools. However, research on the factors that influence their Genetic Counseling Admissions Match (GCAM) rank order preferences are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate these factors via an online survey sent to current students and recent graduates who participated in the GCAM. Participants (N = 415) were asked to rank factors within six categories (faculty, students, didactic curriculum, clinical training, cost of attendance, and general program information) on a 7-point Likert scale. Factors related to clinical training were most influential to applicants (M = 5.68), while factors related to didactic training were least influential to applicants (M = 4.63). Several significant differences existed between underrepresented and overrepresented applicants; overrepresented was defined as White, non-Hispanic female. Underrepresented applicants were more influenced by the diversity of program faculty (p = 0.016), students (p ≤ 0.001), and the location/patient population (p = 0.003), while overrepresented applicants are more influenced by program graduation and board pass rates (p = 0.021). The results of our study suggest that GCAM rank preferences are influenced by a large number of factors. Additionally, by demonstrating significant differences in the influence of program diversity on underrepresented applicants, the results of our study suggest that JEDI efforts of genetic counseling training programs should continue to be an area of focus, in order to create a more welcoming environment for all students and to further diversify the genetic counseling profession.

Female sexual dysfunction in undergraduate medical education: a survey of U.S. medical students.

Physicians often report low levels of confidence in diagnosing and treating female sexual dysfunction (FSD), which may stem from inadequate education and exposure to the topic. The study sought to determine the extent to which FSD is covered in undergraduate medical education and evaluate student comfort with the topic and familiarity with treatments. We created a novel, 50-question survey to be administered online to any current U.S. medical student. Obstetrician-gynecologist clerkship directors at 146 U.S. medical schools were contacted and asked to invite any current student at their school to participate. A link to the electronic REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) survey was distributed to eligible students via the clerkship directors. The survey collected data regarding (1) coverage of FSD and male sexual dysfunction (MSD) in preclinical and clinical curricula, (2) student self-ratings of comfort in hypothetical scenarios in which a patient exhibits symptoms of FSD or MSD, and (3) student familiarity with treatments for FSD and MSD. Outcomes included the proportion of students reporting that their school covered FSD/MSD in its preclinical/clinical curriculum, the mean comfort ratings for each of the FSD and MSD scenarios, and the proportion of students indicating knowledge of various FSD and MSD treatments. A smaller proportion of students (N = 236) reported receiving instruction in FSD (58.5%) compared with MSD (78.4%) in their preclinical curriculum (P < .001). Students' average self-ratings of comfort in the sexual dysfunction scenarios were significantly lower for patients with symptoms of FSD compared with MSD (P < .001). Students had higher average self-ratings of confidence in FSD scenarios if their intended specialty was obstetrician-gynecologist (P = .003), if their school included FSD in its clinical curriculum (P = .01), and if they had ever participated in the care of a patient with FSD (P = .006). There are important gaps in the coverage of FSD in undergraduate medical education that may be mitigated through improvements to curriculum and increased exposure to patients with FSD. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to directly survey medical students regarding their educational experience and comfort with FSD. Our study was limited by a small sample size, the use of a novel and nonvalidated questionnaire, and the potential for bias given our sampling method. Medical schools must work toward improving instruction in FSD for their students to address these disparities and improve students' comfort with the topic.

The need for digital health education among next-generation health workers in China: a cross-sectional survey on digital health education

BackgroundDigital health is important for sustainable health systems and universal health coverage. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, many countries, including China, have promoted the introduction of digital health in their medical services. Developing the next generation of physicians with digital health knowledge and skills is a prerequisite for maximizing the potential of digital health.ObjectiveWe aimed to understand the perception of digital health among Chinese medical students, the current implementation of digital health education in China, and the urgent need of medical students.MethodsOur cross-sectional survey was conducted online and anonymously among current medical students in China. We used descriptive statistical analysis to examine participant demographic characteristics and the demand for digital health education. Additional analysis was conducted by grouping responses by current participation in a digital health course.ResultsA total of 2122 valid responses were received from 467 medical schools. Most medical students had positive expectations that digital health will change the future of medicine. Compared with wearable devices (85.53%), telemedicine (84.16%), and medical big data (86.38%), fewer respondents believed in the benefits of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) (63.81%). Most respondents said they urgently needed digital health knowledge and skills, and the teaching method of practical training and internship (78.02%) was more popular than the traditional lecture (10.54%). However, only 41.45% wanted to learn about the ethical and legal issues surrounding digital health.ConclusionsOur study shows that the current needs of Chinese medical students for digital health education remain unmet. A national initiative on digital health education, is necessary and attention should be paid to digital health equity and education globally, focusing on CDSS and artificial intelligence. Ethics knowledge must also be included in medical curriculum. Students as Partners (SAP) is a promising approach for designing digital health courses.