Degree Students Research Articles

OS PRODUTOS EDUCACIONAIS DA ÁREA DE ENSINO EM HUMANIDADES RELACIONADOS COM A EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL:

The work on screen brings the results of an analysis of educational products with a focus on Environmental Education, from the Graduate Program in Humanities Teaching at the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo. The aim of this study was to evaluate these materials, aiming to serve as a basis for future students who will be able to improve their educational products and, consequently, contribute to the program and to the teaching-learning process as education professionals. This study is characterized as a qualitative research of an exploratory nature that involved the execution of a research of documentary sources composed of 7 educational products that worked under the aspect of environmental education produced by the students of the master's degree, thus allowing to draw an overview of the program's perspectives . These materials were evaluated based on the criteria Complexity, Impact, Applicability, Access, Adherence and Innovation, as proposed in the model by Rizzatti et al (2020). Although it is an initial study, nevertheless, it is believed in its potential to contribute to the program, to the area of ​​teaching in the humanities and to future students who want to reach a higher level of efficiency in their educational materials. In general, the educational products analyzed reached satisfactory levels in all the evaluated criteria, but the research showed that there are fields for improvement, thus indicating that future master's students of the program should pay more attention to the needs raised when preparing their educational materials, in order to achieve a standard of excellence in the final result of its productions.

The Mediating Role of Teacher Efficacy Between Academic Self-Concept and Teacher Identity Among Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers: Is There a Gender Difference?

The aim of this study was to analyse the differentiated role played by academic self-concept on teacher identity, taking into account the mediating role of teacher efficacy and the gender of the pre-service physical-education teachers. In this cross-sectional study, 478 master’s degree students in Secondary Education Teacher Training participated (Mean = 27.09; SD = 6.32; 54.8% male, 44.8% female, 0.4% other). The following scales were used: academic self-concept, teaching identity, and teacher self-efficacy. After finding significant differences in academic effort, a structural equation analysis (SEM) with the multigroup option was conducted to answer the research objective. The results revealed that the women had significantly higher mean academic effort values than the men. In addition, the SEM, which showed excellent fit indices, revealed that, for the men, teacher efficacy acted as a mediating variable between academic confidence and teacher identity. In contrast, for the women, teacher efficacy acted as a mediator between academic effort and teacher identity. However, academic effort also acted as a direct predictor of teacher identity in male pre-service teachers. As a main conclusion, it can be said that the findings highlight the importance of academic self-concept in undertaking the master’s degree by increasing teacher identity through the teaching efficacy of pre-service teacher educators.

Females wanna-be entrepreneurs need empathic heroes

PurposeDespite the well-documented importance of empathy and mentoring in entrepreneurship, there is a need for a deeper understanding of how empathy influences individuals’ “willingness to be mentored”.Design/methodology/approachThis paper investigates gender differences in “Willingness to be mentored” based on the mentor’s types of empathy (cognitive vs affective) and entrepreneurship (social vs for-profit). Drawing on the personal identification and the entrepreneurship literature, we measured the respondents’ “Willingness to be mentored” by manipulating the type of empathy and entrepreneurship and comparing its effect between male and female respondents. Primary survey data were collected from master’s degree students in entrepreneurship from diverse business schools. An explanatory qualitative study on female start-uppers complemented the findings.FindingsThe results from the quantitative study show that female respondents prefer to be mentored by an entrepreneur who exhibits some affective empathy rather than only cognitive empathy, with a preference for a social entrepreneur. The qualitative study confirms the evidence. This research contributes to the discussion on developing social capabilities to succeed in new ventures. It extends our understanding of the importance of empathic entrepreneurs as mentors to foster entrepreneurship among women.Originality/valueTheoretically, we demonstrate the existence of a gender difference in “Willingness to be mentored” based on the type of empathy displayed by the entrepreneur. Additionally, we introduce a new construct in the entrepreneurship literature, “Willingness to be mentored”, and differentiate it from “Attitude toward entrepreneurship”.

Pre-service teachers’ competencies to develop computational thinking: A Portuguese tool to analyse Computational Thinking

Computational thinking (CT) is an essential mathematical skill for problem-solving and students’ future lives. It is integrated into the educational curricula of several countries, including Portugal. Therefore, pre-service teachers (PST) must possess didactic knowledge to effectively develop CT in students. The aim of this study encompassed three main objectives: translating and adapting the computational thinking scale into Portuguese (study 1), validating the scale (study 2), and assessing the perceived levels of CT competencies among PST in Portuguese university students while examining differences between undergraduate and master’s level PST (study 3). The sample consisted of study 1 with 43 participants and study 2 and study 3 with 382 participants. In study 1, temporal stability was assessed indicating strong stability. The internal consistency showed good homogeneity of the items. The exploratory factor analysis revealed consistency with the structure of the original scale. In conclusion, the Portuguese version of the CT scale demonstrates adequate psychometric properties, proving valid and reliable for assessing CT in university students. Additionally, significant differences were observed between undergraduate and master’s degree students, underscoring the importance of tailored training programs to meet the specific needs of undergraduate students.

Realization of the humanitarian potential of a higher mathematics course in the professional training of technical university students

Introduction. The next stage of globalization of relations is being formed – the creation of a digital economy, including smart manufacturing, smart finance, telemedicine, etc. The UNESCO Science Report: the Race Against Time for Smarter Development – Executive Summary, published in 2021, calls this phase the “fourth industrial revolution.” The development and basis of this revolution in the fields of science and engineering is directly related to digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain technology, which intersect with nano- and biotechnologies, and cognitive sciences. Scientific institutions and higher education systems are actively involved in this process as direct participants and as training institutions. Mathematical training is rightfully considered the methodological basis of most educational and special disciplines. The purpose of the study is to reveal the humanitarian potential of a higher mathematics course in the professional training of a technical university student. Materials and methods. In accordance with the provisions of the system-activity and information approaches, the authors have developed a questionnaire to identify preferences in realizing the humanitarian potential of the higher mathematics course at a technical university. Respondents are asked to rank the proposed six statements that characterize the mathematical preparation of students. 368 people took part in the survey, among them students of bachelor's degree (136 people), specialty (124 people), master's degree (78 people) and postgraduate studies (30 people) of St. Petersburg Mining University. The method of summarizing and grouping statistical observation materials was used. Results. The highest rating of 3.74 was occupied by the contradiction between the awareness of the leading role of mathematics in the development of logical thinking and at the same time the predominance of theoretical facts over their practical application in the university course of higher mathematics. This statement was noted as the most significant by 20% of students, 27% of undergraduates and 24% of graduate students. The other two, in terms of the severity of the contradiction, have a rating of 3.55 (mastering the content of a higher mathematics course is accompanied by objective difficulty due to the high abstractness of the subject) and 3.56 (insignificant inclusion of heuristic methods in the content of the course). In the context of constantly increasing requirements for the quality of engineering education, the problem of increasing the role of mathematical knowledge can be solved through didactic support of the educational and cognitive process in the classroom and as part of students’ independent work. In a multi-component educational activity, the basic dominants (spatial, logical, numerical and symbolic) are highlighted and the methodological features of their implementation in the student’s mathematical preparation are revealed. Conclusion. The humanitarian potential of the higher mathematics course presupposes a system of measures aimed at the priority development of intellectual and general cultural qualities of students. The realization of humanitarian potential involves the formation of a student's value attitude towards himself, the world around him and his activities in it. The realization of the humanitarian potential of the discipline in the training of a future engineer is possible through the organization of symbolic activities by means of practice-oriented tasks and educational cases of an applied nature.

Academic and Employment Preferences of Nursing Students at the University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: It is well known that there are differences in the academic and employment preferences of nursing students once they have completed their undergraduate studies in nursing. These preferences are largely influenced by students’ affinity for certain thematic areas over others. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the employment and academic preferences of third- and fourth-year Nursing Degree students at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive observational study was conducted among nursing students across three campuses of the ULPGC (Canary Islands, Spain). An online questionnaire was used to collect various sociodemographic and academic variables, as well as preferences across ten thematic areas. Descriptive and bivariate inferential analyses were performed, along with a correlation analysis among the areas. Results: The areas of highest preference were “Emergency Nursing”, “General Nursing”, and “Family and Community Nursing”. The areas of lowest preference were “Other Areas (teaching, management, research)”, “Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing”, and “Geriatric Nursing”. Three clusters of closely correlated areas were identified: cluster 1 (Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, Emergency and Emergency Nursing and Operating Theatre and Anaesthesia Nursing), cluster 2 (Obstetric-Gynaecological Nursing–Midwifery, Paediatric Nursing and Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing) and cluster 3 (remaining areas). A significant proportion of students expressed intentions to pursue postgraduate studies. Conclusions: Strategies should be implemented to enhance students’ preferences in the areas of “Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing” and “Geriatric Nursing”, which are areas where there is a high demand for nurses. It is also necessary to increase their interest in research, management, and teaching. This study was not registered.

EXAMINING THE INSTITUTIONS PREFERRED BY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHILE RECEIVING HEALTH SERVICES

People who want to receive health services choose the institution or organization from which they will receive service based on different reasons, not the type of disease. This study was conducted to determine which institution students studying in the field of health prefer while receiving health care and for what reason. A survey consisting of 21 questions was applied to associate degree students studying at the health services vocational school of a private university in Istanbul. When the answers to the questions and statements in the survey were examined, the statement 'Indicate the health institution you would prefer to go to first in case of an illness or illness' was answered by 'State Hospital (56.3%)', 'In case of an illness, state your reason for choosing the health institution you prefer to go to first.' 'Because it is close/easy to reach' (39.2%), 'Where did you last apply for health care?', 'Public Hospital (53.2%)', 'For what reason did you apply for health care before this application? 'For My New Complaint (46%)', 'What health institution would you definitely not consider applying to in case of illness/illness?', 'Family Health Center (29%)', 'Indicate the reason for not applying to this institution that you would definitely not consider applying to in case of illness.' to 'I Cannot Have Every Test Done (24%)', 'Are there times when you need health care but you do not apply?' The answers to the question were 'Yes (76.8%)', to the statement 'Indicate the reason for not seeking health care.', 'Not caring about the disease (29%)' and 'Not being able to access health care (29%)'. Within the framework of the findings obtained, other health institutions should also be made attractive in order to alleviate the high demand for public hospitals.

Empowering Community College Students’ Geospatial Education Through Virtual Practical Training

Practical training is important for community college students to gain high-impact real-world experience. This study aims to evaluate the impact of practical training of remote internships of community college and two-year associate degree students on spatiotemporal GIS learning during the pandemic. Anonymous pre- and post-internship surveys and in-person focus groups were conducted, ensuring the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Outcomes reveal discernible enhancements across all skill domains, encompassing technical proficiencies and soft skills such as research, presentation, and time management. Findings provide valuable insights for refining the efficacy of similar internship programs.

Comprehensive Approach to Training English Communicative Competence in Chemistry

Abstract The development of foreign language professional communicative competence (FLPCC) is crucial for professionals, considering communicative skills as an integral part of their competence. In Kazakhstan, acquiring a foreign language is a prerequisite for advancing chemistry education, enabling students to access global scientific advancements and exchange knowledge. Content and language-integrated learning (CLIL) stands out as an effective approach for cultivating FLPCC in future chemistry teachers. This study addresses the scarcity of theoretical and practical tools in content-language integrated learning in pedagogical universities. It aims to enhance the training quality for pedagogy bachelor’s degree students studying chemistry in a foreign language. By identifying active teaching forms, methodologies, and approaches in integrated learning, students’ foreign language competence can be successfully developed within the professional domain. A meticulously designed training model and exercises were developed to achieve these goals. The proposed modeling approach was evaluated using the Quasi research method, involving questionnaire data analysis. The results confirm that implementing this approach significantly improves future chemistry professionals’ training quality, enabling confident communication in English within their professional domains and demonstrating well-developed speaking skills. The practical value of this research extends to university educators implementing CLIL practices and researchers studying students’ FLPCC formation.

Factors Influencing Application of Mixed Research Designs Among Graduate Students: A Case Study of Master's Degree Students at The Institute of Accountancy Arusha, Dar Es Salaam Campus

This study evaluates the effectiveness of mixed research designs among master's degree students at the Institute of Accountancy Arusha. Using a sample of 150 questionnaire respondents and 30 interview respondents. Furthermore, a documentary review was conducted on 50 dissertations for students in the Master of Finance and Investment (2022/2023). Descriptive and content analysis were used during the analysis. The results show a notable deficiency in students' proficiency with mixed research designs. One of the biggest challenges that has to be addressed is the lack of resources and training. Furthermore, the findings revealed significant gaps in students' understanding and application of mixed methods, highlighting the need for enhanced training and support. The results indicate the need for more training and assistance since they show notable gaps in students' knowledge and use of mixed research designs. The Institute of Accountancy Arusha, Dar es Salaam Campus could take the following actions to encourage dissertation writers to employ mixed methodologies research designs; create thorough teaching modules about mixed methods research, improving access to resources, such as software and literature, to support students in their research. This could involve providing access to online databases and research software and incorporating more practical examples and hands-on workshops into the curriculum. This will help students to better understand how to apply mixed methods in their research.

Food Safety and Food Hygiene Knowledge of Hungarian University Students

(1) Background: Foodborne diseases continue to affect millions of people around the world today, posing a huge challenge to public health. Our aim was to focus on the food safety knowledge and food hygiene knowledge of students at the University of Pécs, Hungary. (2) Methods: A quantitative, online, cross-sectional study was conducted between 15 February 2024 and 10 May 2024. Non-probability, convenience sampling was used. The target group consisted of first- and second-year BSc level degree students of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pécs (N = 214). The questions of the self-designed questionnaire include sociodemographic data, questions focusing on food safety knowledge, and questions to assess food hygiene knowledge. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive and mathematical statistical analysis (p < 0.05). (3) Results: Participants were aware of foods that pose a food safety risk and were familiar with both the pathogens in food and the groups at risk of food contamination. In terms of knowledge, a higher proportion of second-year students answered correctly (p = 0.021; r = 0.657). A significant relationship was found between hygiene habits and age (p = 0.035) and place of residence, with most of the students living in dormitories not paying attention to food hygiene (r = 0.094; p = 0.046). (4) Conclusions: The level of knowledge of the students was not always satisfactory, so further research and education on this topic is essential to promote safe food consumption.

Enhancing Positive Psychological Qualities of College Students through Service Learning: A Case Study of the Internship Program for Master’s Degree Students in Social Work at XX University

Enhancing Positive Psychological Qualities of College Students through Service Learning: A Case Study of the Internship Program for Master’s Degree Students in Social Work at XX University

Industry Mentoring Program: Empowering External Degree Students for Career Success – Case Study from University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

In today's interconnected world, open distance education has become widespread, granting students the flexibility and accessibility to pursue higher education through external degree programmes. Despite the increasing feasibility of delivering knowledge and skills online, a significant hurdle remains in ensuring that participants are adequately equipped for the demands of the professional world of work. Traditionally, exposure to industry standards and practical experiences is gained through activities like industry visits, guest talks, meetups, and workshops, which are often absent in online distance education programs due to their remote nature. This dearth of industry-preparedness and practical skills presents a formidable obstacle for graduates as they transition into the workforce. Thus, bridging the gap between academic learning and industry expectations becomes imperative to enhance students' employability and career readiness, ultimately fostering their success in the workforce. This case study delves into the solution to this challenge through a meticulously crafted programme aimed at cultivating industry-ready graduates. Leveraging available technology, the program provides immersive experiences within the online learning environment. The paper details the Industry Mentoring Program (IMP), which employs technology to simulate real-world experiences, assesses stakeholder perceptions of the programme's value, and offers insights for future enhancements. This programme was conducted targeting the final year students of the Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) External Degree programme of the University of Moratuwa. This study investigates the experiences and viewpoints of students taking part in the IMP using surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. Four student cohorts who have undergone the programme have provided their feedback both quantitatively and qualitatively. Across all groups the student satisfaction was totally positive with over 80% of the participants indicating their satisfaction at 4 or 5 on a Lickert Scale of 5 indicating very satisfied. Students’ perception of their preparedness for the workforce after participating in the IMP also is extremely positive. The findings indicates that the IMP significantly improves the career opportunities of BIT students. Feedback obtained from other stakeholders such as potential employers, resource persons and administrators also validate the effectiveness of the programme. The feedback and suggestions are incorporated to enhance the programme. University has decided to incorporate this programme into the curriculum with the 2024 curriculum revision of this open distance degree programme of BIT.

Improving Instrumental Research Competencies in Master's Degree Students: Research Education Program as a Strategy for Training Productive Researchers

Purpose: The present study evaluated instrumental research competencies in master's degree students using the application of a research program as a strategy. Theoretical framework: It was based on the theoretical foundations on research and instrumental research competencies, as well as the types of scientific production, as ways of providing this knowledge to future researchers. Previous studies that addressed the relationship between the research education program and the training of researchers with research competencies were reviewed, identifying the key elements that contribute to the success of this strategy. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research with a quasi-experimental design was developed with the participation of 25 master's degree students with mention in university teaching from a public university in the Loreto region of Peru. Results and Discussion: A significant relationship was found between the research educational program and instrumental research competencies (p<0.005) in which the training of master's degree students in instrumental research competencies partially had this relationship. The results indicated that the master's degree students with mention in university teaching who were part of the study had better instrumental research competencies. Research, practical and social implications: It can be affirmed that research-based learning is important to improve scientific writing, since it allows for a better formation of competent researchers. Originality/value: This study contributes original value to the field of master's study by providing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of the research education program to improve instrumental research competencies in master's degree students in Peruvian universities.

Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions and Experiences of an Interprofessional Simulation

Clinical placements and interprofessional practice for healthcare students are often met with anxiety, unpreparedness and a lack of confidence. Whilst interprofessional simulations may address these concerns, there are gaps in the literature. This study aimed to: (i) investigate the impact of interprofessional simulations on students’ perceived confidence, anxiety and preparedness for placements and their attitudes toward interprofessional practice and education, and, (ii) understand students’ experiences and satisfaction with the simulation. Pre-simulation and post-simulation survey results were collected from 25 speech pathology and 25 occupational therapy graduate-entry Masters degree students from one Australian university. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test while qualitative data was reviewed through content analysis. Statistically significant (p<0.05) improvements across students’ confidence, anxiety and preparedness ratings were observed. Students’ attitudes towards interprofessional practice and education revealed statistically significant positive changes on 8/10 questions and they described the simulation to be a meaningful learning experience. Results indicate that following participation in an interprofessional simulation, students’ perceptions of their confidence, anxiety and preparedness for an adult inpatient hospital placement improved. Moreover, students’ attitudes towards interprofessional practice and education were more positive and the experience was reported to be beneficial. Future studies could explore timing-related considerations and simulation anxiety itself.

#QuadrosDiscentes: Research into memes and art in teacher training in Brazil and Spain

In this paper we reflect on and present the results of part of a research project we conducted in academic years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 with students of the Double Degree in Infant and Primary Education of the University of Girona - UdG (Catalonia, Spain) and students of the Degree in Visual Arts of Santa Catarina State University - UDESC (Brazil), concerning Internet memes and their linguistic strategies. In order to bring the two fields of study together and facilitate collaboration, a closed group within the Facebook social network was used as a space of interaction between the research subjects. The researchers took part in the experience, in accordance with the protocols of the action research method. The results point towards reflections and potential modifications that could be introduced in new research into how to learn and teach about volatile images—typical of cyberculture—in educational processes for teacher training.

Self-perception of Teaching Difficulties in Prospective Teachers: Adaptation of the Teaching Problems Inventory

The aim of this article is to analyze the psychometric properties of an abbreviated version of the Teaching Problems Inventory. For this purpose, the scale is subjected to a previous exploratory factor analysis to statistically examine the underlying constructs. Previously, a confirmatory factor analysis was performed and a new grouping into dimensions was generated. To analyze the properties of the items, descriptive statistics were performed: mean, standard deviation and inter-item correlations. To study the psychometric properties of the scale, Cronbach's alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) -to identify the latent structure of the variables-, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used as a procedure to check the results of the EFA. As recommended, participants were randomly divided into two groups to perform the AFE with one group and the AFC with the other to avoid distortions Participant: the proportion of items, sample size, normality, linearity, and correlation between variables were checked as assumptions for the factor analysis. The sample consisted of 992 undergraduate teacher training and master's degree students from different Spanish regions: Valencia, Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, Castilla la Mancha, and Castilla y León. The results of the different reliability and validity analyses showed that the reduced scale has higher reliability values and is still sensitive to capture gender and age scoring difference. As a conclusion, the consistency of the instrument to evaluate the teaching difficulties of students of different degrees and postgraduate degrees in education is highlighted. As for the limitations, the elimination of 2 items relevant at a theoretical level stands out: Motivating students in school tasks and Discipline problems with students/groups of students.

The Role of Peer Social Support and Emotional Intelligence in College Students Prosociality

Prosocial behavior is crucial for every human being, including university students, to improve their psychological well-being and academic success. This study aims to examine the influence of peer social support and emotional intelligence on college students' prosocial levels. This study employs a quantitative research design with a correlational approach. The population in this research are active bachelor's degree students in Surabaya, consisting of 100 students as samples. The sampling technique was determined using convenience sampling. The use of measuring instruments in this research includes three types, consists the Prosocialness Scale for Adults (PSA), Perceived Friend/ Peer Academic Support Scale, and Wong’s Emotional Intelligence Scale (WEIS). The analysis technique used is multiple linear regression, resulting in a significance value of 0.000<0.05. The results of this study indicate that peer social support and emotional intelligence have an influence on prosocial levels among college students in Surabaya.

Main methodological strategies and their contribution to the teaching-learning of spelling

The present research called: Methodological strategies and their contribution to the teaching-learning of spelling, has as its general objective: to identify methodological strategies to improve the teaching-learning process of spelling of fifth grade students of bachelor's degree. The type of study is descriptive; non-experimental design; observational, descriptive, inductive, deductive, hermeneutic, analytical, synthetic and statistical methods; the techniques: observation, survey; instruments: observation sheet, questionnaire; diagnostic procedures, theoretical foundation, statement of alternative guidelines; as a result it was verified that the teacher does not know about the methodological strategies and the benefit that these provide when applied in the teaching of spelling, which has generated the disinterest of the students in their learning. Twenty-two students and the teacher participated in the research work. It is concluded that the application of methodological strategies in the teaching-learning of spelling is an essential part to promote the correct use of spelling rules.

Hubungan antara Efikasi Diri Teknologi dan Perilaku Berbagi Pengetahuan di Media Sosial

In the current digital era, technology is a crucial tool for individuals to access and share information. Technological skills are particularly vital on social media platforms, where people collaborate and exchange knowledge. With university students increasingly using social media for information sharing, it is essential to examine how technological engagement influences knowledge-sharing activities to enhance educational outcomes. This study aims to explore the relationship between technological self-efficacy and knowledge-sharing behavior among university students on social media. Using a simple random sampling approach, the study surveyed degree and diploma students in Jakarta, collecting data from 266 participants via an online Google Forms questionnaire. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between technological self-efficacy and knowledge-sharing behavior, indicating that students with higher technological self-efficacy are more active in sharing knowledge on social media. This underscores the importance of technological competencies in educational settings. Future research is recommended to include broader and more diverse student samples to further investigate the link between technology use and knowledge-sharing behaviors