Program Curriculum Research Articles

Needs for Primary School Teacher Educators’ Continuing Professional Development Responding to Academic Program Quality Assurance

Primary education plays a crucial role in shaping the foundation of a child’s academic and personal development, yet less research was conducted for this area, particularly regarding primary teacher training at university level. To fulfill this gap, the current study explored the concerns raised by accreditors regarding the bachelor of education (B.Ed.) program in primary teacher education (PTE) at a university in Vietnam. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through document analysis and structured interviews with five experienced teacher educators. The findings identify key concerns raised by accreditors, including curriculum design, student support, faculty development, and program evaluation. The study further allowed teacher educators to voice their strategies in response to these concerns. The results suggest that effective continuing professional development (CDP) including raising awareness and practices for competency-based education, building structured mentorship with pre-service teachers, and engaging in diverse professional development opportunities. By prioritizing these aspects, teacher educators can better equip themselves to support student learning and address evolving educational challenges, ultimately improving accreditation outcomes and enhancing CPD practices in primary education teacher training programs.

Implementation of Community-Centric Medical Education through Family Adoption Program: Descriptive Results from Coastal Karnataka

Abstract Background: National Medical Commission (NMC), in their recent notification, included Family Adoption Program (FAP) in the undergraduate curriculum to provide a learning opportunity for community-based health care to Indian Medical Graduates. Materials and Methods: As part of FAP, 1000 families living in rural areas of the district were approached. During house-to-house visits, students were accompanied by facilitators, and each student adopted four to five families from the villages. Students were trained regarding data collection tools, which included questions assessing sociodemographic characteristics, awareness, and utilization of various social security schemes. Paper-based data collection and data entry were performed using Google Forms. Geotagging of houses was conducted to facilitate follow-up visits. Results: A total of 768 households were surveyed, which included 3,238 residents with female predominance (51.9%). A significant proportion (59.9%) of the population were in the economically productive age group (20-60 years), with 38.1% educated up to secondary education (8th to 12th standard). Nearly half of respondents were aware of widow pension, Old age pension scheme, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, whereas the level of awareness was less than 50 percent for Bhagyalakshmi Scheme for girl child (44.7%) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (42.6%). Awareness regarding schemes for Maternal & Child Health and Disability was less, and for the Manaswini scheme, it was low. However, all the schemes were severely underutilized (28%–0.4%). The overall prevalence of any one chronic morbidity was found to be 18.4%, with hypertension and diabetes mellitus being the most common morbidities. Conclusions: FAP gives a new perspective to medical education in India by transforming existing hospital-based medical learning to a community-centered approach.

Exploring Cultural Adaptations: A Scoping Review on Adolescent Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention Programs.

Adolescence is a critical period for developing risk behaviors such as substance use, which can impact health in adulthood. Culturally adapted evidence-based programs (EBPs) are promising for prevention. This review explores the processes for culturally adapting EBPs targeting alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis use, and/or anxiety or depression in adolescents. We searched multiple databases, grey literature, and relevant websites for studies detailing the cultural adaptation process of EBPs. We then categorized common adaptation steps, classified adaptations using the cultural sensitivity model, identified prevalent adaptation techniques, and determined effectiveness assessment methods. We reviewed the cultural adaptation processes of 43 EBPs. These programs were implemented in schools (51%), followed by family settings (30%), community settings (14%), and multi-component settings (5%). Eleven key steps were identified across the documents: local needs assessment, program selection, understanding of the program's curriculum, advisory group establishment, first draft of initial adaptation changes, staff selection and training, pilot study, enhanced cultural adaptation, implementation, evaluation and monitoring, and dissemination. Most programs integrated both surface (e.g., use of local images, material translation) and deep adaptations (e.g., incorporation of cultural values like "familismo"). Despite the common use of the cultural sensitivity model, detailed adaptation frameworks were often lacking. The field has advanced, but clearer documentation is needed to improve research and practical application.

PELATIHAN DAN PERTUNJUKAN DRUMBAND BAGI SISWA SMP NEGERI 30 KABUPATEN MUARO JAMBI DALAM MENINGKATKAN KETERAMPILAN BERMUSIK

The Independent Curriculum in elementary to high schools (SD to SMA) is a challenge for schools to improve their ability in managing both learning and administration, so that what is aspired to in the mandate of the Constitution which reads "to educate the life of the nation" is something that is essential. Something that is quite urgent is the learning objectives, one of which is to improve cognition for students, which is the basis for this community service program, namely improving musical skills with a drumband training and performance program at SMPN 30 Muaro Jmabi. The skills program in the independent learning curriculum is strongly encouraged by being a leading government program (Ministry of Education and Culture) so that students can create something that fosters independence in determining and choosing the direction of life (future). The purpose of this community service program is that in addition to increasing interest and talent, it also provides space for creativity for students in carrying out music learning activities through extracurricular activities as intended by the independent curriculum. The community service program is a government program that is assigned to educators (Lecturers) in carrying out the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. For that, of course there are scientific measurements called activity outputs, in this case the team will target outputs in the form of (1) National Seminar Proceedings. (2) Scientific Journals. (3) Publications on Electronic Media. (4) Activity Documentation Videos.

Introducing Medical Educators to Interpersonal Theory: Its Application to Emotional Intelligence.

Interpersonal theory can be used to better understand the personal and social manifestations of individual difference variables in physician assistant (PA) students. Emotional intelligence (EI) is characterized by self and social awareness that facilitates effective communication. While EI has been examined in PA students, a theoretical framework for describing why and how EI has beneficial effects has not been articulated. Interpersonal theory can be used to generate hypotheses about EI and expected correlates. One hundred nine PA students completed questionnaires assessing EI, social behavior (ie, dominance and affiliation), interpersonal efficacy, social support, loneliness, and negative social experiences. Regression analysis was used to determine interpersonal style and efficacy associated with EI. Correlation analyses were used to determine bivariate associations. Emotional intelligence was associated with a friendly interpersonal style and confidence in one's ability to establish relationships. As expected, EI was positively correlated with social support and negatively correlated with loneliness. While in the expected direction, EI was not associated with fewer negative social experiences. Emotional intelligence is a potentially valuable personal resource in the lives of PA students, and there may be implications related to EI and its impact on the medical encounter. Results are discussed in terms of curriculum in PA programs and how cultivating EI could be of benefit for students. Additional research is proposed to determine which aspects of EI facilitate an effective medical encounter.

Coding as another language: an early childhood programming curriculum in Argentina

ABSTRACT Background and context Early childhood computer science (CS) education is a high-priority focus worldwide, but early childhood CS tools are primarily developed and researched within the United States and Europe. As an example, the Coding as Another Language ScratchJr (CAL-ScratchJr) curriculum is used in multiple countries but was developed and evaluated in the United States. Objectives This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of an adapted CAL-ScratchJr curriculum in Mendoza and Corrientes, Argentina. Method We used mixed methods and a cluster-randomized control trial to evaluate curriculum success, measured by validated assessments and teacher interviews. Findings The curriculum significantly improved student coding knowledge and computational thinking. Teachers saw the curriculum as successful across multiple domains. Implications These findings reinforce that the success of CS education programs should be evaluated not only with internationally validated assessments but also by local understandings of success..

Assessing Communication Competencies in Canadian MPH Program Curriculum: A Content Analysis of Communication Courses.

Communication plays a pivotal role in addressing modern and complex public health challenges. Our study assessed the extent to which communication-related course outlines in Canadian master of public health (MPH) programs aligned with national and international public health competency frameworks in their coverage of communication competencies. We conducted an environmental scan and content analysis of MPH courses relevant to public health communication in 2022 and 2023. We used university and program websites and Google to conduct initial searches and obtain course outlines, supplementing these searches with a survey. We developed a codebook based on public health competencies and pedagogical best practices, capturing variables for communication competencies, audiences, channels, tools, and techniques. Two researchers independently coded course outlines. Descriptive statistics evaluated how these courses address communication-related public health competencies. We obtained 11 course outlines offered from 2010 through 2023. The focus of the included courses varied, with health communication (n = 3), knowledge mobilization (n = 3), and risk and/or crisis communication (n = 2) being the most common. All courses broadly aligned with communication competencies related to communication with different audiences (n = 11), and mobilizing (n = 9), interpreting (n = 11), tailoring (n = 9), and facilitating (n = 9) communication. Using technology (n = 4) and media (n = 6), addressing mis/disinformation (n = 1), and communicating with diverse audiences (n = 3) had less alignment. Findings revealed gaps in the coverage of key competencies, particularly in addressing mis/disinformation, leveraging technology and media, communicating with diverse populations, health literacy, and crisis communication. Ongoing review of curriculum would ensure alignment with evolving competencies and public health demands.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Bite-Sized Learning for Statistics via TikTok

Business statistics is an essential course in the curriculum of business degree programs. Statistics is traditionally a challenging course that may be met with trepidation by many students. To alleviate the difficulties associated with comprehending complex concepts, a pedagogical approach known as bite-sized learning has gained popularity. This approach delivers content in manageable increments, reducing cognitive burdens. In tandem with the approach, instructors may further leverage social media platforms to deliver bite-sized content. Among these platforms, TikTok is a popular social media platform that resonates with students for familiarity and engagement. This research sought to investigate the effectiveness of implementing bite-sized learning strategies via TikTok within a business statistics course. The study divided students into treatment and control groups, administering pre-tests and post-tests. The treatment group, receiving TikTok supplemental material, demonstrated significantly higher scores than the control group, suggesting the efficacy of bite-sized lessons through TikTok in improving student performance.

Reading Interventionists’ Representations of the Science of Reading in Interactions with Preservice Teachers

This study examined the perspectives on reading instruction encountered by elementary preservice teachers (n = 73) in interactions with their campus reading interventionists. Interview content was thematically analyzed through the theoretical lens of interactional identity. Findings indicate that reading interventionists often described data-driven work and named specific assessments and curricular programs. In contrast, they mentioned text types, children’s literature, and reading pedagogies rarely. When discussing teaching reading, they emphasized the importance of comprehension instruction and phonics most often; the importance of vocabulary instruction was mentioned least often. Overall, preservice teachers endorsed reading interventionists as knowledgeable and overwhelmingly agreed with their campus reading interventionists’ perspective on the Science of Reading even though interventionists presented differing views on this topic. These findings imply that teacher educators must encourage preservice teachers’ critical reflection on the various perspectives on the Science of Reading that they encounter in the field.

Development of e-learning resources to enhance the pain education curriculum in physiotherapy programs using an action research-guided approach

Development of e-learning resources to enhance the pain education curriculum in physiotherapy programs using an action research-guided approach

Exploring Canadian Dietitians' Knowledge Attitude and Practices Providing Culturally Safe Care to Muslims who fast During the Month of Ramadan: A Cross-sectional Study.

Fasting during Ramadan involves abstaining from food and drink from dawn to dusk for 29 to 30 days, annually. Dietitians, experts in food and nutrition, play a vital role in fostering the well-being of Canadians. Given that 1 in 20 Canadians are Muslim, access to culturally safe care is essential for their health. The consumption of adequate nutrients during the non-fasting hours is important for Muslims well-being. It is unknown whether dietitians in Canada feel comfortable and knowledgeable providing safe care during Ramadan. An online survey, was developed using the World Health Organization's Knowledge Attitude and Practice Protocol, and then reviewed for content validity by 6 dietitians. From March 5, 2023 to April 1, 2023, 159 Canadian dietitians, from a variety of practice areas including acute care, community health, and private practice, completed the online survey. Descriptive statistics, cross tabulations, and chi-square tests, enhanced by post hoc analyses with Bonferroni correction, were employed to determine any relationship between categorical variables and identify significant associations or differences. While most participants demonstrated an adequate understanding of Ramadan fasting practices, including its duration and restrictions, 91% reported not receiving information on how to provide culturally safe care during their university degree. Many dietitians expressed discomfort providing care (43.7%, 69/158) and lacked adequate resources (51.3%, 81/158). Among the 37% of dietitians who did offer care to Muslims (58/157), the majority felt comfortable (72.1%, 44/58). This study reveals a gap in capacity to provide culturally safe care, highlighting the need for training interventions for nutrition professionals, and curriculum for dietetics programs.

Building nursing students' professional identity through the 'Design process' methodology: A qualitative study.

To explore the elements of nursing identity recognized by nursing students in models developed through the 'Design process' methodology. The construction of nursing professional identity is a complex process involving identification, group belonging, partial assessments and social representations. Nursing identity is one of the most stereotyped and its formation during the nursing degree has a significant impact on professional development. Design can transform society and communicate a positive nursing identity. The 'Design process' connects conceptual content with real-world contexts, particularly with students' future professional roles. A qualitative hermeneutic-interpretative phenomenological study was performed. 135 first-year nursing students developed 22 informative content documents, which design students used to create 22 models. Nursing students then analyzed the models and responded to an ad hoc questionnaire with open-ended questions. Two categories 'nurse' and 'nursing' were identified. Students identified the core competencies of the profession in the models and showed that nurses' professional behavior encompasses other traits besides the stereotyped ones. Students perceived 'Design process' methodology was a valuable tool to raise awareness among the population about the nurses' work. Nurse training is crucial for building professional identity and improving social perceptions. Greater visibility and curricular programs that support identity development are needed. Collaborative work with disciplines like design enhances identity construction and disseminates nursing's true image. The 'Design Process' fosters creativity, problem-solving and innovation in nursing education.

Website Transparency and Information Dissemination among Urology Residency Programs.

To evaluate the transparency and quality of information dissemination among urology residency program websites and provide a checklist. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, urology residency programs have had to adjust their typical practices, including the adoption of virtual recruiting. Such efforts have included improving program websites, which are often the starting point for potential applicants to obtain information about programs. The websites of 136 non-military, accredited United States urology residency programs were evaluated for presence of various measures grouped into distinct categories including program priorities, program curriculum, program profiles, program quality of life, medical student opportunities, interview process, selection/exclusion criteria, and social media. The most frequently reported category was program profiles with 81% of websites providing details about residents, faculty, and alumni. The least frequently reported category was selection/exclusion criteria (26%). Program mission/objective statements, training site locations, and current resident and faculty profiles were subcategories reported on greater than 90% of websites. Regarding virtual opportunities, 21% of websites provided online open house information, and 32% provided direct links to social media, even though 88% of programs had an active X/Twitter account. On average, program websites provided information on 52% of reportable subcategories. The importance of transparency and quality of information dissemination is greater than ever with the increasing utilization of virtual formats in the residency application process. Our results indicate several areas of improvement that urology residency programs can address to provide improved transparency for applicants.

DESIGNING A HUMANISTIC CURRICULUM FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION MAJOR IN SICHUAN PROVINCE UNIVERSITIES IN CHINA

This study investigates the development of a humanistic curriculum for physical education programs offered to university students in Sichuan Province, China. The research aims to elucidate the roles of humanistic values, student-centered approaches, and holistic curriculum design in fostering multidimensional physical well-being and enhancing teaching practices. A quantitative methodology was employed, collecting data from 403 participants, comprising teachers and students from 26 universities. Structural equation modelling was utilized to analyze the relationships between the pertinent variables. The findings revealed that humanistic values exerted a substantial positive impact on promoting physical well-being (β = 0.398, p < 0.001) and the implementation of teaching practices (β = 0.301, p < 0.001). Similarly, studentcentred approaches positively influenced the promotion of physical well-being (β = 0.213, p = 0.009) and the implementation of practices (β = 0.250, p < 0.001). The holistic curriculum demonstrated a significant effect on the promotion of physical well-being (β = 0.218, p = 0.004), although its influence on the implementation of practices was not statistically significant (β = 0.061, p = 0.536). These factors collectively accounted for 57.3 percent of the variance in the development of humanistic physical education programs. While the findings underscore the strengths in promoting health, fostering teacher-student relationships, and addressing emotional and social well-being, challenges persist in enhancing empathy, community engagement, and personalized learning opportunities. The study underscores the significance of teacher professional development, curriculum content revision, and incorporating student feedback to address these gaps. By addressing these issues, universities can develop more comprehensive physical education programs that holistically nurture students’ physical, emotional, and social development. This research contributes to the expanding body of knowledge on humanistic education and provides practical recommendations for educators, policymakers, and curriculum designers seeking to enhance the quality of higher education physical education programs.

Using AI Chatbots in Visual Programming: Effect on Programming Self-Efficacy of Upper Primary School Learners

Programming Self-Efficacy (PSE) is crucial for enhancing learners’ skills, cognitive abilities, and career interests. Despite its significance, existing research often overlooks strategies to boost PSE among upper primary school learners. This study evaluates the impact of an innovative e-learning tool, AI Chatbots, on students’ PSE. Conducted in a primary school in northern mainland China, the experiment integrated AI Chatbots as an intervention within a visual programming curriculum. It involved 98 fifth-grade students divided into experimental and control groups, both instructed by the same teacher. Interviews were conducted with 6 selected participants from the experimental group after completing all intervention procedures. Findings suggest that, compared to traditional teacher-led instruction, AI Chatbots significantly enhance students’ PSE in programming skill, while boost in PSE in programming knowledge remains non-significant. The study also investigates the mechanisms through which AI Chatbots provide students with easily accessible, personalized learning support for self-directed learning and reduce emotional barriers when they seek help.

Evaluation of Graduate Outcomes in Architecture Accreditation Requirements from a Student Perspective

Architectural education encompasses a variety of methods, with the primary goal of maintaining and improving education quality. In this context, the concept of accreditation has emerged as a system that ensures the preservation of certain standards and keeping these standards up to date in higher education. In Türkiye, the Association for Accreditation of Architectural Education (MIAK-MAK) has established certain accreditation requirements for Architectural Bachelor's Programs in 2021. According to these requirements, the targeted graduate profile is defined under the title of "Education and Learning Characteristics" of the program. The subheading "Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies that Graduates Should Acquire" summarizes the knowledge and skill areas that students need to acquire through the courses included in the program's curriculum, which are categorized into five titles. This study aimed to statistically evaluate the importance of the areas created for the knowledge, skills, and competencies that the graduate should gain from the perspective of the active student. The study focuses on the students of the Department of Architecture at KTO Karatay University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design. In this context, a face-to-face survey was conducted with the students, and the survey results were evaluated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process method. By comparing each subheading with the others, a ranking system was created, and their importance levels were determined. The results of student evaluations indicated that especially issues related to life safety, structural systems, sustainability, and global architecture stood out prominently. Studies evaluating accreditation criteria from the student perspective are very limited in the literature. For this reason, as an important approach, this study points out the gap in the field for researchers working on accreditation. This research, which aims to provide a perspective from students, is expected to offer an alternative approach and provide a participatory view in educational research.

Walk the Talk: The Impact of Health Promotion and Wellness Curriculum on Wellness, Motivation, Learning, and Academic Success in Pre-Service Fitness and Health Professionals

At Durham College in September 2021, a new program of study was launched in Fitness and Health Promotion (FHP) that included an increased focus on health promotion and wellness curriculum. The current study investigated how perceived wellness, motivation, and self-directed learning measures change as students progress through the new FHP program and examined correlations between the perception of wellness, motivation, self-directed learning measures, and academic success. As students progressed through the program there was an increase in perceived wellness (p<0.05), a decrease in self-directed learning readiness (p<0.05), and a decrease in motivation to learn (p<0.05). There were no significant correlations between wellness, self-directed learning readiness, motivation, and academic success. These findings suggest our program curriculum should be improved to increase our students’ self-directed learning readiness and motivation. Possible approaches to bridge the gap may include an emphasis on problem-based learning and a flipped classroom model.

RETHINKING TEACHER EDUCATION IN CONTEXT TO NEP 2020 AND MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a transformative shift in India's educational landscape, particularly concerning multilingual education. As a comprehensive framework, NEP 2020 advocates for the integration of mother tongue or regional language instruction in the early years of education, underscoring the policy's commitment to preserving India's rich linguistic diversity while enhancing educational outcomes. Multilingual education is grounded in the belief that children learn best when they are taught in their mother tongue or a language familiar to them. Therefore, this idea has been strongly recommended by the policy which promotes the use of the mother tongue or regional language as the medium of instruction up to Grade 5, and wherever possible, up to Grade 8. This approach was taken up to improve comprehension, cognitive development, and academic performance by aligning the language of instruction with the students' linguistic background. Furthermore, NEP 2020 also encourages the learning of additional languages, promoting multilingualism as a means to foster cognitive flexibility, cultural understanding, and global competencies.In this paper, the authors attempted to explore the core elements of NEP 2020 relevant to multilingual classrooms, the anticipated impacts on educational practice, and the challenges and opportunities presented by its implementation. In addition to many benefits, the authors observed a few challenges in its implementation in Indian classrooms. One major obstacle was the lack of qualified teachers who can instruct in a multilingual environment and are fluent in multiple languages. Another major barrier worth mentioning was the development and distribution of teaching materials in multiple languages. The authors of this paper emphasize how critical it is to reconsider and consistently work on the curriculum of teacher preparation programs in order to incorporate the high demand aspects of today’s educational scenario. In conclusion, the authors strongly believe that by overcoming the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by NEP 2020, India can progress toward a more successful and equitable educational system that honors and builds upon its rich linguistic heritage.

Relative Effectiveness of Teachers’ Questioning Strategies in Enhancing Students’ Mathematics Achievement in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano-Nigeria

This study investigated the relative effectiveness of teachers’ questioning strategies in enhancing students’ Mathematics achievement in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. The population for this study consisted of 8,785 JSS II students. A sample of 135 JSS II students from three intact classes was purposively selected. A simple random sampling technique was used for the study. The instrument used for the pretest and posttest was the Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT), with a reliability coefficient of 0.78 calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as mean and standard deviation, to answer the research questions, and inferential statistics, including paired sample t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA), to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that divergent and convergent questioning strategies had a significant effect on enhancing students’ Mathematics achievement. Additionally, the study found a significant difference between the divergent, convergent, and conventional methods. The researcher recommended that divergent and convergent questioning strategies be included in the Mathematics curriculum for teacher education programs.

예비 영어교사의 세계 영어에 대한 인식: 경남지역 A 대학 사례를 중심으로

Objectives The 2022 revised English curriculum defines English as a means of communication used by global citizens and aims to develop the ability to communicate in English with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This study aims to provide foundational data for improving the curriculum of English teacher training programs by investigating the perceptions of English education majors at a teacher's college regarding English as a global language. Methods To achieve this, 111 students from the English Education Department of a teacher's college in Kyungnam province participated in the study. Data was collected through questionnaires. To understand the overall perceptions of the students, means and response distributions were compared. T-tests and ANOVA were conducted to examine differences according to background variables, and Scheffé post-hoc tests were performed for further analysis. Results Among the students, 98.2% and 95.5% respectively responded that English serves as a common language in the international community. Regarding World Englishes, slightly more than half (54% and 60.3%) of the students responded that it is possible to communicate in English even if it is not from an English-speaking country, and that they do not have a negative perception of English used by people from non-English-speaking countries. In particular, the majority of students responded that wolrd Englishes is not incorrect English. Only 32 students (28.8%) responded that there should be no grammatical errors to achieve fluent English skills, and 61 students (54.9%) responded that one must have native-like pronunciation to be fluent in English. 80.1% of the students had a very positive perception of teaching world cultures in English classes, but only 20.7% agreed that the focus of English education should shift away from English-speaking countries. The students' perceptions showed no significant differences by gender, but significant differences were found by academic year. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that students have a very positive perception of the role of English as a global language and cultural diversity. However, their perception of English education from the perspective of world Englishes is low. Although students' understanding and perception of world Englishes have improved compared to previous studies, it suggests the need for further discussion on English education as a world Englishes. Teacher education programs should reflect the necessary changes following the paradigm shift in English education and develop practical teaching strategies.