University Discipline Research Articles

Critical Thinking in the Classroom: Faculty Perspectives and Practices

This research paper explores critical thinking in higher education from the instructors’ perspective. A customized survey examined how educators perceive, integrate, and evaluate critical thinking within their courses. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, analysis, and discussion will focus on the views of faculty from various disciplines in a mid-size southeastern university on critical thinking and teaching. The study found that faculty believes they are incorporating critical thinking in their courses and that critical thinking is an essential skill; at the same time, they believe critical thinking is not happening in their classroom. Students’ lack of motivation and understanding of what critical thinking is and how to assess it are some barriers laid out by faculty to justify why they have difficulties incorporating it in the classroom. The lack of a consensus on a definition and not having a standardized assessment tool make the issue even more difficult. In addition, faculty also believe that lack of training and time are significant contributors to worsening the problem. In conclusion, a clear definition of critical thinking and how it should be taught and assessed is needed. In addition, faculty need time and support to develop and integrate critical thinking skills into their teaching.

FEATURES OF CONCERTMASTER TRAINING IN CHINESE UNIVERSITIES: THE PROBLEM STATEMENT

The article reveals the features of the current state of concertmaster training in Chinese universities. The article analyses the cultural and historical origins of the problems of teaching concertmaster skills, examines the dynamics of attitudes to the designated type of activity, the formation of the “concertmaster class” discipline in universities of various types (conservatory, academy, pedagogical university). The evolution of the content of concertmaster training is revealed in terms of changing requirements for this activity. The circle of the most acute problems of theoretical training and stage practice of a pianist accompanying a solo or collective vocal performance is outlined. In conclusion, the prospects of pedagogy of music education in the field of concertmaster training in Chinese universities are outlined.

Reform and Considerations of the High-Quality Talent Cultivation Model for New Engineering Disciplines in Local Universities in China Empowered by New Productivity Forces

New productivity is based on digitization, intelligence, and greening, driven by disruptive technological innovation and centered on emerging and future industries, aiming to serve high-quality living through efficient and high-quality development. This new type of productivity continuously raises the standards and challenges for engineering science and technology, also posing higher demands on the education of new engineering disciplines. With the continuous emergence of new technologies, new economies, and new business models, the connotation and extension of the new engineering discipline have undergone profound changes, leading to a disruptive transformation in traditional engineering jobs and industrial chains. There is an urgent need to innovate and optimize the talent cultivation model for new engineering disciplines, aligning closely with the evolutionary laws of productivity and production relations in the new era. The development of new productivity poses new requirements for talent cultivation in new engineering disciplines, emphasizing innovation, a more integrated training model, a diversified subject base, and a dynamic development of goals and content. However, current talent cultivation models for new engineering disciplines still face challenges in several areas: unclear goal setting, weak interdisciplinary integration, slow transformation towards digitization and intelligence in education, and a lack of a scientific and comprehensive quality evaluation system. To address these challenges in the context of new productivity, it is necessary to promote reforms in the talent cultivation model for new engineering disciplines through the following approaches: integrating digitization, intelligence, and green development into the entire talent cultivation process; reshaping training concepts; breaking down disciplinary barriers to promote integration; continuously optimizing the training model; introducing virtual simulation and other auxiliary teaching technologies to create a collaborative model of student-teacher assistance in talent cultivation; deepening industry-education integration, and innovating cultivation mechanisms to contribute positively to the training of high-quality new engineering talents.

‘Laying the foundation for a PhD study”: students’ motivation for writing a master’s thesis in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Informed by self-determination theory, this study investigates the motivations behind students’ voluntary pursuit of a master’s thesis and the crucial role of supervisory support in their academic journey. The study also explores the impact of writing a master’s thesis on their growth and well-being. Data were collected through interviews with 20 students from diverse disciplines in government-funded universities in Hong Kong. The interviews centred on critical themes such as students’ motivations, expectations, feedback practices, supervisor-student relationships, challenges, and engagement levels. Thematic analysis revealed that the students were primarily driven by well-internalised and autonomous extrinsic motivations to write a master’s thesis, with the aim of laying the foundation for a future PhD and achieving personal and professional development goals. The interaction between these motivations and the supervisory support, particularly in meeting students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, significantly contributed to their academic, professional, and personal growth and well-being. The implications of these findings for supporting students’ engagement and development are discussed.

Integration of Ideological and Political Knowledge across Disciplines in a Chinese Public University: A Review

For the past few years, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council have continuously promoted the strengthening of ideological and political education at the higher education level. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to build the capacity of teachers who teach these courses. Previous studies have emphasized the need for schools to continuously provide opportunities and platforms that will deepen teachers' understanding of the subject, thereby enhancing their instructional delivery. This review paper aims to analyze the ongoing discussion on designing professional development program for teachers engaged to the teaching of ideological and political education. Through review of studies from databases such as JSTOR, Google Scholar, ERIC, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the study will gather relevant data essential for understanding the current status of ideological and political education and how professional development programs are being designed and implemented. The review revealed Although China's ideological and political education training for teachers has made significant progress in recent years, there are still some problems and challenges. First, the content and methods of training need to be further innovated and improved to meet the needs of educational development in the new era. Second, some teachers do not pay enough attention to ideological and political education, resulting in unsatisfactory training results (Huang, 2020). In addition, the application of modern technology in training needs to be further promoted and optimized to maximize its benefits.

Navigating the Virtual Environment

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, the intersection of learning spaces and technology presents unprecedented opportunities to enhance student experiences. This poster highlights the effective use of 360-degree technology to create immersive digital learning experiences across various STEM disciplines in an Australian University. This poster demonstrates the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in virtual laboratory tours. Our 360-degree virtual tours embody UDL's core principles (Meyer et al., 2014) by offering multiple means of engagement through immersive experiences, representation via diverse media formats (textual overlays, audible descriptions, graphical elements, and interactive hotspots). By adhering to digital accessibility guidelines (Ismailov & Chiu, 2022), it ensures that our virtual laboratory inductions cater to a wide range of learning preferences and needs, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of STEM education for diverse student populations. Traditional induction processes are often delivered face-to-face, facing challenges like time constraints, safety concerns, and limited accessibility. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the need for flexible, remote learning solutions (Rapanta et al., 2020). 360-degree virtual tours overcome barriers by immersing students in a digital environment, allowing them to become familiar with procedures before entering physical space (Tan & Tan, 2021). This technology also supports dynamic learning environments, enhancing teaching effectiveness and student engagement (Christopoulos et al., 2018). The effectiveness of 360-degree virtual tours has been demonstrated across various areas, from hospitality education to construction safety training (Pham et al., 2018; Patiar et al., 2017). Virtual tours offer numerous benefits, including cost-effectiveness, accessibility, and enhanced engagement. They also support authentic, experiential learning without time or location constraints, potentially improving knowledge retention and attitudes toward learning (Cardona et al., 2023). A key benefit of 360-degree technology is its web-based implementation, making experiences accessible across a wide range of devices and operating systems. While implementation may require some initial investment in hardware and expertise, the availability of consumer-grade tools and simple workflows makes adoption increasingly feasible for educators (Tan & Tan, 2021). This poster outlines the process of developing, implementing, and evaluating 360-degree virtual tours. The development phase began with the implementation of virtual tours in ten laboratories with large enrollments. Using specialised cameras (Insta360 X3), we captured spherical photographs of these laboratories, allowing students to virtually explore as if physically present. To enhance interactivity and educational value, we integrated various elements such as hotspots, videos, and quizzes using SharePoint Space and H5P platforms. The implementation phase involved incorporating these virtual tours into the online laboratory induction process. We seamlessly integrated the tours with existing course management systems to ensure easy access for students. For evaluation, we focused on qualitative assessment methods to gain insights into student experiences and perceptions on aspects such as ease of navigation, perceived realism, and overall utility of the virtual tours. This assessment was conducted through surveys and informal discussions, offering valuable feedback on the virtual tours' effectiveness in preparing students for physical laboratory work.

Методические аспекты межкультурной коммуникации в преподавании русского языка в иранской аудитории

The article outlines the main stages of the formation and development of intercultural communication as a scientific direction and academic discipline in universities, clarifies some concepts. The difficulties of communication between Iranian students and Russians in the aspect of intercultural communication (based on a questionnaire) are revealed. The authors consider the issues of using comparative regional studies material with a single thematic content in the process of teaching RCT in an Iranian audience, pretext, pre-text and post-text tasks are presented. A typology of tasks and exercises on intercultural communication in the process of teaching Russian as a foreign language has been developed.

Definition and history of nursing

Responding as closely as possible to current healthcare needs and challenges calls for a constant readjustment of treatment and, consequently, of care models. Now recognized as a university discipline, nursing sciences (IS) are helping to establish nursing research as a key factor in the development and recognition of these professionals. This article explores the birth, evolution and current status of IS.

Practice-oriented tasks as a tool for testing the readiness of high school students for elective courses in informatics

The article substantiates the importance of incoming control for elective courses in informatics. It shows what didactic tools can be used to implement this control. Several elective courses in informatics developed by students of the Physics and Mathematics Department of the Mordovian State Pedagogical University named after M. E. Evseviev on the university discipline "Technology of development and methodology of conducting elective courses in informatics" are given. For each of them, developed practice-oriented tasks for the incoming control are given, which take into account the minimum set of knowledge and skills of schoolchildren necessary for successful assimilation of the material by the latter. Possible results of completing the tasks of the incoming control are demonstrated and it is shown what information a teacher can extract from them in order to effectively create an elective course, including the choice of forms and methods of teaching, organizing the activities of students, combining them into pairs or groups to perform joint project work.

The Mediating Effect of Charismatic Leadership on Teachers’ Engagement and Performance, Basis for Strategic Professional Program

The construction and development of first-class disciplines in universities not only require academic leaders with profound academic achievements, but also require school administrators to have excellent leadership abilities and play a crucial leadership role in university construction and teacher growth. This article is based on the concept of charismatic authoritative leadership proposed by German sociologist Max Weber, combined with numerous research results on the impact of charismatic leadership on organizational performance in Eastern and Western cultures. Using Chengdu University of Information Technology as the sampling institution, a sample survey was conducted on in-service teachers and staff. The exploration of "charismatic leadership" in universities can help guide organizations towards the right direction, lead scientific research and innovation in disciplines, and guide teachers to form a good team spirit. Through empirical research, we can find that charismatic leadership has a positive impact on job performance. The above research has certain guiding significance for improving employee job performance, reducing management costs, and enhancing employee happiness and satisfaction in the context of Chinese university management.

Осознанное обучение: принципы и возможности применения в высшем образовании

<p>The article provides an overview of the principles of mindful learning in the context of higher education. Mindful learning is an approach in which students and teachers tune their attention to increasing value and awareness of what is happening in the surrounding context, to their experience and reflection about it. The relevance of the research is related to the interest in the effects associated with mindful learning: positive impact on psychological well-being, development of socio-emotional skills, as well as increasing intrinsic motivation, improving attentiveness and concentration of students. The article reviews research indicating the effectiveness of this approach for both learning outcomes and the psychological well-being of students and teachers in the educational process. The theoretical contribution of this research lies in highlighting the research agenda in the field of mindful learning: defining concepts of mindful learning and mindful teaching, identifying the main principles of mindful learning. These results provide a basis for further research of mindful learning in higher education. The practical contribution of the research lies in presenting a methodological basis for introducing mindful learning into university disciplines. The research may be of interest not only to teachers and methodologists but also to students and their parents due to the increased interest in the effects of mindful learning.</p>

Entrepreneurial training engineering and its mechanisms in the academic environment

This study aimed to investigate whether Algerian universities design entrepreneurial training programs effectively. It highlighted key concepts related to training, training evaluation, training design, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial spirit, and entrepreneurial training, as well as the essential components of both international and local entrepreneurial training programs that could foster an entrepreneurial spirit among students. The study reviewed the strategies and teaching programs for entrepreneurial education, detailing the current state of entrepreneurial training in Algerian universities, schools, non-university entities (such as entrepreneurial centers, scientific clubs and cultural associations, business incubators, and support and mentoring agencies). The applied study was a survey of a sample of students from the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Management Sciences at the University of Oran 2. The study revealed several findings, including that entrepreneurial training design focuses on establishing the characteristics of an entrepreneur in terms of traits and preparing students for the economic environment. Based on these findings, it is necessary to amend the programs, strategies, methods, and tools of entrepreneurial training. Additionally, an entrepreneurship course should be incorporated into all university disciplines.

Examining Language Attitudes and Identity among Saudi EFL Undergraduates: A Mixed-Methods Study

Before beginning any kind of educational or instructional activity, it is standard practice to have a discussion with students about their points of view. This discourse should take place well in advance of the activity. Therefore, this is because the students are the major focus of the educational process. This research explores the perspectives of Saudi students from all university disciplines that are taught in English as foreign language, such as medicine, sciences, engineering, management, economics, and others. In addition to this, the perspectives of the students on the history of the English language are taken into account. In addition to this, it investigates the variables that have an impact on the outcomes that are associated with the activities that the students participate in. A favorable attitude toward the process of gaining English language skills was shown by the persons who participated in the study, as indicated by the outcomes of the research. In addition, the replies of the students demonstrate that they have viewpoints that are somewhere in the middle about the approach to learning about the culture that is being targeted. It is necessary to give students an environment that is favorable to learning, according to the findings of the study that was conducted. When it comes to the process of designing and delivering lessons, instructors of English as a foreign language (EFL) are expected to putting the interests of their students at the center of their agenda. The sample consisted of 555 students who submitted the questionnaire “Language Attitudes and Identity Questionnaire: Exploring Perspectives of Saudi EFL Undergraduates”. This questionnaire was divided into five distinct sections. Cronbach's Alpha coefficients has been used for reliability and validity of the questionnaire. Independent-sample t-test results present the comparison of language orientation among students.

Integrating Intercultural competence in University Disciplines, Albanian context

This article contributes to the understanding of intercultural competence at the university level and assesses students’ skills of communication and collaboration to effectively cross cultural boundaries. This research makes a valuable contribution to intercultural education at Higher Institutions by including a perspective on how to contribute to social harmony and exploring the application of Intercultural Teaching competence by the Foreign Languages Department professors across their disciplines at Fan S. Noli University. Studying and appreciating different cultures encourages critical thinking as it fosters open-mindedness and intellectual growth. This article gives a general theoretical view of Intercultural Education in the teaching-learning process. Employing a qualitative and descriptive methodology, the study consists of two main data-gathering methods: semi-structured interviews and group discussions. Interviews were conducted with 15 first-year English Branch students at Fan S Noli University, Korça City in Albania. Students provided information on how Intercultural Competence is promoted, perceived, and acquired through materials in the different university disciplines they learn and how knowledge taught in these subjects can be improved during intercultural learning from their personal experiences. To summarize, the research emphasizes that promoting cultural sensitivity in lectures is essential to creating a respectful and tolerant atmosphere.

Exploration of the Integration Strategy of Course Ideology and Politics in Dance Courses in Universities

In dance courses in universities, it is possible to appropriately integrate ideological and political content, which is of great benefit to improving students’ moral qualities and artistic cultivation. So, every teacher should have a correct attitude towards how to properly introduce these basic concepts into the classroom and explore how to better implement this kind of thinking participation in teaching activities based on the characteristics of university disciplines. This article conducts in-depth research on current dance courses in universities and proposes some targeted solutions on this topic, with the aim of enabling professional teachers to more effectively utilize optimized resources and promote the effective improvement of teaching quality in professional courses.

Evaluation Model of the Teaching Effect of College Physical Education Class Based on Multimedia Feature Extraction Technology and Three-Dimensional Recons

As society progresses, diverse educational techniques are emerging, including the widespread use of multimedia in university disciplines. In physical education (PE), multimedia enhances understanding of abstract concepts, replacing traditional methods and advancing PE. It enables personalized teaching, cultivates learning abilities, and improves physical skills. This study utilizes multimedia feature extraction and 3D body reconstruction to analyze brief sports actions, achieving precise motion analysis. Compared to traditional methods, this approach demonstrates a 15.38% improvement and holds broad applicability.

Developing a Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) survey for university teachers

Existing Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) surveys target pre-service or K-12 teachers, whereas none have been specifically adapted for university teachers. To adequately measure TPACK-competences of university teachers, the specific characteristics of teaching in a university context need to be taken into account. Survey items that are not contextualized to the target participants increase the risk of measurement error and bias. Therefore, we adapted existing TPACK surveys to specifically measure university teachers’ competences for teaching with technology. We shortlisted five existing TPACK surveys and scrutinized their respective subscales and items. We then adapted these items to more adequately capture context-specific experiences for university teachers to ensure construct validity. We collected two waves of data to test our adapted TPACK survey, which comprises 31 items distributed across seven subscales, among teachers from various disciplines in a large university. With confirmatory factor analysis, we confirmed the seven-factor structure of the adapted TPACK survey in both data waves. Moreover, the seven subscales showed adequate internal consistency. An exploration of TPACK competences among teachers from different disciplines showed both similarities as well as dissimilarities. An example of similarities is that university teachers from all disciplines felt most competent in CK and PCK, while they reported relatively low competence ratings for TPCK and TPK. Besides, an example of dissimilarities is PK; teachers from the discipline of science and engineering reported the highest score compared to other disciplines in the prior wave, while they evaluated themselves third lowest in the latter wave.

Notes on gamification and education

The classroom is a dynamic space where active and exploratory methodologies, such as gamification, promote cooperation, critical thinking, motivation, and meaningful learning. Gamification, which uses game elements adapted to teaching, has shown advantages such as increased creativity, autonomy, and digital skills. Its application has been notable in Primary and Secondary Education, as well as in various university disciplines. However, debates persist about its potential and the tendency to prioritize numerical assessment over learning, generating skepticism in certain areas of higher education.

Digitalization of education as a cultural value

Education is an indicator of global transformations taking place in the world and a source of social progress. The relevance of the research is due to the emerging scientific contradiction, which requires resolution, between the active process of digitalization of all spheres of human life and the potential capabilities of the educational institution to effectively implement digital services in the educational process. The problem of the research is to find an answer to the question: what are the main vectors of digitalization of education in modern conditions as a cultural value? The goal of the research is to reveal key directions of digitalization of education as basic guidelines for its quality in modern conditions. The research methods used are analysis, deduction, generalization, survey.The Research results: the dominant directions of the digitalization process of modern education have been revealed and the key trends in the digital transformation of education have been identified; the range of ICT within the framework of academic disciplines in universities in physical education and sports has been argued; factors that impede the spread of digital educational technologies have been systematized.Key conclusions: the dominant directions of the process of digitalization of education are introduction of digital programs for monitoring student progress, transfer of information, development of online learning, systems for universal student identification, design of digital models of educational institutions. ICT used in physical education and sports classes are an interactive whiteboard, a multimedia projector, electronic textbooks, preparation and demonstration of videos of the training process, etc. Factors hindering the spread of digital educational technologies are the demand for the development of special teaching materials for methodological support of the use of digital resources in the educational process; teachers’ conservatism towards digital innovations, etc.

METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF METHODOLOGICAL COMPETENCE OF IT TEACHERS

The article presents the results and analysis of an experimental study on the development of methodological competence of teachers of IT disciplines in the framework of their advanced training on the online. The purpose of the article is to disseminate certain results of the study from the point of view of theoretical and methodological aspects. The task of the experiment stage was to diagnose the level of formation of methodological competence of teachers of IT disciplines of the control and experimental groups according to four key criteria of methodological competence: didactic, design, monitoring and personal. The determination of the level of formation of methodological competence skills was made using five levels: advanced, high, medium, acceptable and low, for each key criterion of the teacher's methodological competence. The experimental part of the study was conducted with teachers of IT disciplines of universities in Kazakhstan during the 2023-2024 academic year. As a result of the experimental work, a diagnosis of the development of methodological competence of teachers of IT disciplines was developed, which is of a complex nature: substantive - in the form of tests, tests of various nature on the content of course training; activity - in the form of assessment for each type of practical work of a methodological orientation (drawing up work programs for the subject, technological map of the lesson, problem tasks, etc.) ; communicative – on the basis of questionnaires, tests, analysis and self-analysis (on the development of speech culture, behavior in society, skills to organize attention, students' activities, work in pairs and groups, etc.). In the formation of a set of diagnostic methods, the emphasis was placed on methods based on self-diagnosis, which contributes to the process of self-knowledge and self-analysis of a particular person. The authors also note that despite the variety of definitions, all studies have a common semantic basis - correlation with the labor market and social policy of society. These two parameters play an important role in determining the content of competencies, based on the psychological and biological characteristics of the individual. In the course of the study, the validity of the methods used was checked, and the results were presented, which indicate the need to develop recommendations aimed at improving the level of methodological competence of teachers of IT disciplines.