Undergraduate Education Course Research Articles

Voltage decay in an RLC circuit is not what is taught: An advanced laboratory exercise

At first glance, a simple model of an RLC circuit taught in undergraduate courses provides a reasonable fit to experimental data. However, careful analysis demonstrates that this model does not accurately describe the behavior of the oscillations in this circuit and requires further refinement. Measuring and analyzing data from this system provides an opportunity for advanced lab students to engage in hypothesis construction, modeling, and experimental design as they seek to explain the discrepancy between these data and a model. The learning outcomes of this activity are consistent with the AAPT guidelines on the undergraduate laboratory experience. Furthermore, such experimentation allows students to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real world.

Simulation in contemporary medical education: Current practices and the way forward.

Integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills is critical for effective medical education. Simulation is crucial in bridging the gap to prepare medical professionals for high-quality patient care in a safe environment. Simulation-based teaching has become the standard practice in medical education, especially in postgraduate courses like Anaesthesia. However, undergraduate medical education and other doctoral courses are still nascent. In line with the current National Medical Commission guidelines, it is imperative to complement the existing curriculum with a simulation-based approach as early as the first year of medical school. This review focuses on the current practices related to simulation-based medical education during undergraduate and postgraduate courses, particularly on anaesthesiology. We aim to discuss different types of simulation, the advantages of integration, students' perspectives, and the role of simulation in assessment and feedback. Finally, recommendations for future advancements of simulation in medical education and the way forward will be laid.

Position statement of the GMA committee "teaching evaluation".

The evaluation of teaching can be an essential driver for curriculum development. Instruments for teaching evaluation are not only used for the purpose of quality assurance but also in the context of medical education research. Therefore, they must meet the common requirements for reliability and validity. This position paper from the GMA Teaching Evaluation Committee discusses strategic and methodological aspects of evaluation in the context of undergraduate medical education and related courses; and formulates recommendations for the further development of evaluation. First, a four-step approach to the design and implementation of evaluations is presented, then methodological and practical aspects are discussed in more detail. The focus here is on target and confounding variables, survey instruments as well as aspects of implementation and data protection. Finally, possible consequences from evaluation data for the four dimensions of teaching quality (structural and procedural aspects, teachers and outcomes) are discussed.

An investigation of using elaborated and metacognitive feedback strategies in interactive instructional videos

The purpose of this study is to compare the use of elaborated and metacognitive feedback strategies in interactive instructional videos in terms of undergraduate students’ engagement and metacognitive awareness levels. This study also aims to investigate undergraduate students’ evaluations of elaborated and metacognitive feedback in these instructional videos based on qualitative data. This study used a basic randomized post-test-only experimental design comparing two treatments supported by qualitative data. The participants were 52 preservice teachers who registered for an undergraduate educational technology course offered by a faculty of education. They were randomly assigned to the metacognitive and the elaborated feedback groups. The data were collected with the Short Form of the User Engagement Scale and the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory. In addition, qualitative data were collected through interviews and used to examine students’ evaluations of the elaborated and metacognitive feedback used in the interactive instructional videos. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two types of feedback in terms of students’ engagement and metacognitive awareness levels. The qualitative findings indicated that while the two types of feedback did not provide a significant superiority over each other, students viewed the two types of feedback as serving different purposes. Our findings suggest that customizing the type of feedback based on students' answers and subject mastery level, or a thoughtful integration of both types of feedback, could enhance the learning experience in interactive instructional videos.

A Study of Teaching Practices and Innovations in Yard Design Courses in Vocational Undergraduate Education

With the continuous development of the social economy and the continuous improvement of people's quality of life, the professional field of courtyard design is getting more and more attention and importance. This paper analyzes and summarizes the teaching practice and innovation research of courtyard design courses in vocational undergraduate education. By introducing actual projects, selecting typical cases, organizing field trips, and applying digital technology and other teaching practice strategies, we can effectively stimulate students' creative thinking, improve their practical ability teamwork, and communication ability, and then enhance their vocational competitiveness and adaptability.

CHALLENGES TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Abstract The University of South Florida has more than 50,000 students. The School of Aging Studies first offered an MA in Gerontology in 1967. We currently offer many undergraduate General Education courses, two undergraduate majors, online graduate certificate and master’s programs, and a PhD in Aging Studies. Accountability and addressing university metrics and priorities have become an increasing requirement at USF and elsewhere. We have had great success in our General Education courses, consistently reaching over 5,000 students per year and producing high Student Credit Hour (SCH) numbers, an important metric. Recently, our programs experienced challenges with increased class sizes resulting from higher demand for our general education courses. In several cases, the number of course sections offered and the number of seats in each had doubled. Meeting these demands placed a strain on faculty, instructors, and graduate student assistants. We also face challenges as our university funding formula increasingly focuses on undergraduate major enrollment, and therefore we are focusing on innovative methods to recruit more students at the undergraduate, master’s, and PhD level. In this presentation, we will describe some of the strategies that have maximized our successes, and efforts to address challenges in sustaining larger numbers of degree seeking students in our programs. We will include data on SCH, grant funding, publications, citations, and program graduates per year which help us monitor our successes and areas needing improvement.

Student Stories of Campus Sport Experiences

Engaged learning practices foster “meaningful learning experiences” in support of students’ lifelong learning and contributions to their workplaces and communities (Moore, 2021, p. 17). This article highlights how Moore’s six engaged learning practices are used in an undergraduate sport and education course focusing on the purposes of sports and place in their college going experiences. Using open pedagogy and digital scholarship practices, student stories focus on campus-based sport including the built environment (e.g., skateboarding, parkour), esports and board games, recreational student clubs in the natural environment (on campus and off; e.g., hiking, biking, snow sports), intramural and club sports, and as athletes in traditional varsity sports. This class utilizes several aspects of Kuh’s High-Impact Practices and Moore’s Engaging Learning Practices in which students collaborate in group writing projects to develop stories using the Pressbooks platform. Using open pedagogy practices to support students, the Pressbook chapters illustrate the influence of sport and place in the college-going experience and campus life from the student perspective (Kuh, 2008; Moore, 2021). This article also describes the faculty/library staff collaboration to integrate Pressbooks as a digital tool to foster engaged learning. As a result, students create an open access digital edition that gives students control over how their content can be shared and distributed as content creators and subjects of sports on a college campus.

Medical knowledge in Brazil about palliative care: Integrative systematic review

This study aims to show medical knowledge about palliative care in Brazil. Palliative care (PC) is a term used to designate a set of actions employed by a highly skilled multidisciplinary team in order to alleviate the suffering of patients and families facing terminal illnesses. This is bibliographical research, of the integrative review type, through a search in the databases: SCIELO, MEDLINE and LILACS. The present study used the following descriptors: “Palliative care”, “Medical education”, “Patient care” in association with Boolean operators AND and OR. Data collection was carried out following six methodological steps: The first step was related to the proposed objectives. The second step was to determine the inclusion or exclusion criteria for articles. The third stage was collecting information from the selected studies and stratifying them. The fourth stage was the evaluation of the methods used in the studies. The fifth stage was the interpretation and discussion of the results, and the last stage was the presentation, argumentation and conclusion. 150 articles were identified, of which only 100 met the eligibility criteria, however, 85 of them did not meet the project regulations. Thus, 5 articles were selected that relate medical knowledge about palliative care. The discussion was conducted on the results, respecting comparative criteria between objective, thematic associations and conclusion. In conclusion, it appears that the inclusion of CP teaching in undergraduate courses is deficient in Brazil, and all studies reveal the need to address the topic to improve students’ comprehensive vision.

Corporate governance at Pinterest: time for more changes?

Research methodology Data for the case came from public sources, including legal proceedings, court filings, company press releases and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Case overview/synopsis In June 2020, former Pinterest employees made public charges of gender and racial discrimination. Despite changes implemented by the company, several Pinterest shareholders filed derivative lawsuits charging the company with breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets, abuse of control and violating federal securities laws. The case provides an overview of the company’s management, board and stock structures, as well as information on the shareholders who sued the company and their concerns. The case raises substantial questions about management’s and board member’s responsibilities in corporate governance, illustrates how stock structures can be used to impede governance and suggests ways to evaluate activist shareholders. Complexity academic level This case is appropriate for graduate, advanced undergraduate or executive education courses in strategy, corporate governance or strategic human resources that discuss corporate governance, fiduciary responsibilities, designing workplace culture or management responses to shareholders. Instructors can apply two sets of theories and frameworks to this case: theories of corporate governance and Hirschman’s (1970) exit, voice or loyalty framework in the context of shareholder activism.

Fostering Perceptions of Gender through Cooperative Learning

This article explores, quantitatively and qualitatively, how gender-neutral groups of pre-service teachers in homogenous and heterogeneous cooperative learning prioritize individual responsibility, promotive interaction, and positive interdependence. The study took place in the 2022–2023 academic year. The participants in this study were 535 pre-service teachers registered on Kindergarten, Primary, and Secondary Education undergraduate degree courses in the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP) at the University of Girona. In the study, the CAC instrument (20 items) was applied along with 11 items that were added. The results indicated that the participants scored higher in all the categories of cooperative learning when they were in homogenous groups than when in heterogeneous ones. Female students scored higher than male or non-binary students in all the cooperative learning categories in both types of cooperative structure. In both settings, female students valued individual responsibility higher, while non-binary individuals valued it lowest. Male students valued individual responsibility higher when working in heterogeneous groups. Most students believed that their role did not change when carrying out cooperative challenges. However, among those who did believe that their role altered, the majority were female. The study shows that while female, non-binary, and male pre-service teachers are equally sociable, they develop social skills differently. Diversity in educational institutions should therefore be taken into account as an influence on tertiary students’ development and success in later life.

The road to greater well-being: exploring the impact of an undergraduate positive education course on university students’ well-being

The profile of subjective well-being (SWB) in university students is perturbing in many respects. Indeed, university students are in need of tools to combat stress and promote SWB now more than ever given the adverse repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Positive education could serve as a SWB tool to help university students deal with academic, personal, and global stressors. While a number of studies have quantitatively reported the impact of positive education on student SWB, few have considered students’ experiences and perceptions of changes in their SWB as a result of taking a positive education course. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore university students’ experiences in a positive education course and their perceptions of its influence on their SWB immediately after taking the course. Undergraduate students (n = 17) who had taken a positive education course during the Winter term of 2020 (January–April) were recruited via volunteer sampling. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analyses revealed that the course improved the students’ SWB, self-compassion, mindfulness, and optimism. Mechanisms such as greater self-reflection, implementation of intentional positive activities, and big picture thinking underlie these reported improvements. Our findings support positive education’s effectiveness in enhancing student SWB and expand on the current literature by proposing novel mechanisms linking positive education to enhanced student SWB, self-compassion, mindfulness, and optimism.

Exploring a field-tested, substantive exchange of ideas: a discussion

PurposeHere the authors thoroughly explore a field-tested exchange of ideas, a discussion. The authors share a robust discussion script that models a wise-practice pedagogical approach for promoting civic competence [problem-based historical inquiry (PBHI)] and then describe precisely how the discussion is an exemplar of that approach.Design/methodology/approachScores of teachers and teacher educators have participated in this discussion in real-world classroom settings. This was first experienced during a professional development seminar at the University of Prishtina in Kosovo when the first author, working with Kosovar colleagues including the second author, led this seemingly impromptu discussion of major values in conflict over the issue of whether Kosovo's government should make tobacco use illegal. This has since been implemented in several undergraduate and graduate education courses in the United States of America.FindingsThe discussion script contains two types of text: (1) traditional text – default formatting – which constitutes the semi-structured wording a discussion leader would say aloud and (2) supplementary text – italicized formatting – that provides educative suggestions for professional development.Originality/valueFinally, the authors share suggestions for revising this discussion for future iterations and ways teachers and teacher educators can further develop the skills for facilitating discussions.

AUTOMATIC BELT CARDIOPULMONARY RECISUTATION (CPR) DEVICE AND TEST SYSTEM DESIGN

The test system was created by adding flex and force sensors to this manikin to evaluate the results of heart massage applied on an artificial adult manikin, which has a spring that can give the chest stiffness of an adult human. This test system monitors and analyzes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) applications performed by the automated CPR device or manually by the person. The signals received from the sensor are transferred to the computer via the serial port with the Arduino Uno card and displayed in real-time in MATLAB graphical user interface (GUI). This GUI, designed with Matlab 2021a software, analyzes the sensor signals resulting from CPR. It gives a graph of the repeats of compression per minute, the depth of each compression, and the compressions rate variable performed by the user or the automatic CPR device during the CPR application. This created test system can evaluate the accuracy of both the automatic CPR device performed in this study and the manual CPR application. The test system designed in this respect can be used in the training and evaluation of cardiac massage applications, which is included in the first aid courses in secondary education, associate degree, undergraduate, and vocational education courses.

Method for elaborating curricular components based on competences

This paper presents the results of a research that aimed to develop a method to facilitate the elaboration of programs of curricular components of undergraduate higher education courses. The principle of the method is to establish a deductive relationship based on the skills needed to perform tasks and solve problems that the future professional will demand in the market, skills, attitudes and knowledge. The study resulted in conceptual maps that didactically demonstrate the use of the method. The Method was used and tested by professors from all undergraduate courses at a higher education institution located in Vale do Paranhana, RS, and proved to be effective for the objectives proposed in the research. The initial results show that the Method developed has an important contribution that lies in the fact that it has a stage where the teacher can propose a differential to be work in the curricular components.

University lecturers’ conceptions of online teaching in distance education courses in Vietnamese higher education

This study aimed to characterise academics’ conceptions of teaching in fully online undergraduate distance education courses with no on-campus component. The study aimed to fill a gap in the literature, as previous research had examined conceptions of teaching in face-to-face courses, with a few studies of blended teaching via the Internet in on-campus courses. Fourteen academics from five faculties in a Vietnamese regional university were interviewed, with the study taking place shortly after the outbreak of Covid-19. Grounded theory was used for data analysis. The results revealed four categories of conceptions of online teaching, namely online teaching (1) as transmitting structured knowledge and skills, (2) as guiding students to acquire knowledge and skills, (3) as facilitating students’ understanding via interaction and (4) as developing students’ understanding and capabilities. The four categories of conceptions were defined and distinguished by a set of six dimensions, which included e-Learning/LMS. The set of categories had some similarities to those found for face-to-face teaching, but also some distinctions which could be explained by the nature of online teaching and learning. The study, therefore, makes a major contribution by establishing a category scheme for conceptions of teaching in online distance education, with detailed characterisation of the four categories of conceptions. The descriptors of the conceptions showed cultural influences, particularly from a Confucian heritage, which is of significance as research into face-to-face conceptions had not found cultural variations.

An Open Education Journey: Connecting Student Affordability with Pedagogical Enhancement

Providing educational resources without burdening students financially is considered higher education’s moral and sensible mission (Farrow, 2016). The financial burden of one or multiple textbooks can produce a great deal of stress on students, especially if the textbooks do not fulfill students’ needs in satisfying learning objectives. We attempted to bridge this digital divide by connecting student affordability with pedagogical enhancement to increase teaching impact on students’ learning. This essay will discuss the experiential understanding of student affordability, how teaching and learning can be improved by using Open Educational Resources (OER), and the team dynamic that developed while creating an OER for an undergraduate education course.

O ensino na graduação em saúde coletiva: o que dizem os projetos pedagógicos

To standardize the teaching curriculum, the National Curriculum Guidelines for the Undergraduate Course in Public Health (DCNsCGSC) were set up in 2017. A qualitative and exploratory study with a documental approach was conducted, using the content analysis method, to analyze teaching in undergraduate courses in Public Health in Brazil in the light of Pedagogical Projects. After analysis of 22 projects, it was observed that the majority of the courses (31.8%) complied with the DCNsCGSC in terms of total workload, internship, final paper, and complementary activities. The term "bachelor's degree in public health" is the main denomination (77.3%). Most courses are in the northern region (27%) and federal institutions (68.5%). In terms of teaching, 274 mentions of mandatory components were identified with the term of reference of the subareas of Public Health. Of these, the areas of health policies, planning, and management represent 66.42% (182) of the components and the social and human sciences in health 9.5% (26). The study elucidated how undergraduate teaching is carried out, adding reflections on the convergence of DCNsCGSC. In addition, it revealed possible gaps in the teaching content necessary for training for professional practice, especially for the consolidation of the Unified Health System.

AMONGST THE FIELD, INTERESTS, AND PRODUCTIONS

This study aims to map the themes addressed in graduation projects of the undergraduate Physical Education course of a higher education institution in the Tocantins state. It is a documental research of historical nature with a sample constituted of twenty-six papers developed by the two first entering classes. The results were organized based on three specific subfields: biodynamic, sociocultural, and pedagogical. We conclude that the needs and challenges of the graduation projects transcend the particularities of the school context, as demonstrated in the productions analyzed, being that course responsible, as well as all other undergraduate courses, for promoting the proper interlocutions between the academic and the professional fields.

Geometry in Mathematics Teaching in Undergraduate Courses at Brazilian Federal Universities

Background: Geometry has been an essential point of reflection in Mathematics Education, especially in teaching. Objective: We conducted a numerical calculation to quantify the study load of Euclidean geometry concerning the total course load. From this data, we established different pathways to explore the Geometry subjects of these courses and their approaches. We aimed to outline an understanding of Geometry teaching in Mathematics teaching courses in the selected universities. Design: We consulted the CPPs through the official websites of the universities. We catalogued the total study load, the subjects of Geometry, and a comparison of the Geometry subjects and their occurrence. Finally, we analysed the syllabuses and bibliography of one subject listed. Context and participants: We surveyed 68 Brazilian Federal Universities, all institutions that offer the Mathematics Teaching course. Data collection and analysis: We treated the data through qualitative analysis and presented them in a large table subdivided into smaller tables to present the data. Results: After analysing the tabulated data, its result corroborated the research of Crescenti (2005), Lorenzato (1995), Lovis (2009, 2013), Pavanello (1989, 1993), Perez (1991, 2000), Serralheiro (2007) that Geometry is little taught in educational institutions, be them K-12 or higher education. Conclusions: We have identified a significant variation in each course's study load percentage dedicated to Geometry. Even among those that reached the highest values, it is still possible to question if those numbers are enough to solve the issues pointed out by K12 teachers. We have also identified divergencies in the approach suggested in the syllabuses and bibliographies of the subject Plane Geometry. Such numerical and approach deviations need to be deepened by other works.

In Their Own Words: Student Perceptions of Technical Poetry Writing in Discipline-Specific Undergraduate Engineering Courses: Opportunities and Challenges

Although some studies have incorporated poetry into engineering courses, no studies exist that explore the use of writing poetry about technical topics to develop creative thinking skills in undergraduate engineering education. This study explores engineering students’ perceptions of incorporating poetry writing within an upper-level discipline-specific engineering course. Two research questions are considered: (RQ1) Do students think that the poetry assignments will be beneficial to their careers? (RQ2) What beneficial gain, if any, do students report from the poetry assignments? Sixty-one students from an industrial and systems engineering course at the University of Florida completed a four-question, open-ended survey. Data were qualitatively coded and analyzed. For RQ1, 63.3% of participants considered the assignment beneficial to their future engineering careers, 13.3% did not see it as beneficial, and 23.3% were uncertain. For RQ2, 11 code categories and four themes emerged; three themes addressed benefits related to professional skills (creative thinking, problem-solving, communication) and one theme suggested the enhancement of technical skills via deepened conceptual knowledge acquisition. Poetry writing on technical topics has the potential to cultivate creative thinking skills in upper-level discipline-specific courses in undergraduate engineering education. Additional research is warranted. Funding: This work was supported by the University of Florida Creative Campus Program as well as The Cottmeyer Family Innovative Frontiers Faculty Fellowship awarded to E. Akçalı. Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ited.2023.0284 .