University Education Programs Research Articles

'Learning in and out of lockdown': A comparison of two groups of undergraduate occupational therapy students' engagement in online-only and blended education approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IntroductionIn many countries, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in sudden changes to the delivery of health professions education in response to local and national lockdowns. Within occupational therapy, university education programs traditionally delivered in face‐to‐face classroom, and clinical settings, the transition to online learning presented unique issues and challenges for faculty and students. This study compared the experiences and perceptions of learning in two groups of occupational therapy students during the pandemic: one group converted to online learning only and the other had a blended approach that combined face‐to‐face on‐campus learning with some online lecture content delivery.MethodsTwo hundred and eight (n = 208) undergraduate occupational therapy students from three Australian universities completed an online self‐report demographic questionnaire and two standardised instruments: the Student Engagement in the e‐Learning Environment Scale and the Distance Education Learning Environment Scale. An independent‐samples t test with bootstrapping was completed to examine differences in students' scores.ResultsStatistically significant differences were observed between the online and blended learning groups across a range of the SELES and DELES subscales. The strongest findings related to psychological motivation (p = 0.001), personal relevance (p = 0.001), interactions with instructors (p = 0.002), instructor support (p = 0.001), student interaction & collaboration (p = 0.001), and cognitive problem solving (p = 0.001).ConclusionOccupational therapy students who transitioned to online‐only learning experienced higher levels of motivation, interactions with instructors and peers, and self‐directed learning than students who experienced a blended education delivery approach of face‐to‐face and online learning. The findings extend educators' understanding of the matrix of factors that have impacted students' education during COVID‐19 and support the development of contemporary and pedagogically sound online and traditional modes of occupational therapy instruction. The results provide evidence of the importance of well‐structured programs that facilitate active and flexible learning, provide meaningful and positive experiences, and promote initiatives safeguarding social and personal well‐being. Further research in this area is recommended.

Student teachers' professional identity construction through famous education quotes

PurposeSince a teacher's identity is the result of ongoing discussion, explanation, negotiation and justification, famous education quotes were integrated into a language teacher practicum in a teacher education program in the northwest university in Taiwan. This study aims to explore the influence of discussing education quotes on 10 English as a foreign language student teachers' professional identities. This study also aims to discuss the following research questions.Design/methodology/approachThis case study focused on 10 student teachers' identity construction in a practicum class under one advisor. According to Merriam (1998), a case is a “thing, a single entity, a unit around which there are boundaries” (p. 27). The case was a practicum and the unit of analysis was participants' identity construction.FindingsFirst, reading and discussing famous quotes was a useful “discourse” and “language” for student teachers to construct and negotiate their identities. Second, through the integration of reading and discussing quotes, participants revealed more professional identity in knowledge and expertise, particularly in English instruction in the post-test.Research limitations/implicationsThis study examined the influence of discussing educational quotes of 10 students’ professional identity. However, given the nature of the study, there were some limitations. First, although the small sample size offered rich data through observation, artifacts and pre-and post-tests, it restricts our ability to generalize the results.Practical implicationsThis study is highly practical (i.e. learning by discussion) and strongly interactive among the participant in a professional and social context. The conceptual framework in Figure 1 presents a theoretical framework supporting reading and discussing quotes as the discourse for the student teachers for their professional identity construction. Social context and relationship shape their professional identity (Izadinia, 2013). Student teachers spent much of their time with their cooperating teachers and administrators in their cooperating schools. In order to foster student teachers’ professional identity construction, it is recommended that student teachers should be encouraged to read and discuss educational quotes with teachers and administrators in their cooperating schools as a mean of professional dialogue and learning.Social implicationsIn this study, it was argued that educational or English teaching quotes could be used as viable, effective and appropriate materials in documenting student teachers' professional identity construction out of their classroom practice in their practicum. The findings of this study derived from the nature of 10 student teachers' professional learning via discussing famous education sayings, and professional learning took place during the practicum.Originality/valueMost of the studies reviewed above were small-scale and qualitative case studies. Some involved only one or two single cases (e.g. Antonek et al., 1997; Calandra et al., 2006; Camp, 2013). Only a few studies were analyzed and explored based on theoretical frameworks (e.g. Chasteen, 2015). No explicit references were made to any theoretical frameworks in most of the studies. This study included both qualitative (observation and artifacts) and quantitative data (pretest and posttest) to explore the influence of discussing education quotes on 10 student teachers' professional identities and reflective practices.

Reenvisioning the university education needs of wildlife conservation professionals in the United States

AbstractThe future viability of wildlife conservation in the United States hinges on the field's ability to adapt to changing social–ecological conditions including shifting societal values and mounting pressures to engage a greater diversity of voices in decision‐making. As wildlife agencies respond to calls to broaden their relevance amid such changes, there is a need to consider the role of university education programs in preparing future wildlife professionals to meet the challenges of this new era. We identify four core areas of competency (technical, leadership, administrative, and adaptive) for universities to consider integrating into new or existing programs to support the emergent needs of the wildlife profession. We focus on undergraduate degree programs as a critical foundation for wildlife‐related careers but also recommend consideration of these skill sets in other areas of professional development including graduate education. Our approach acknowledges the importance of building on traditional areas of expertise such as biology and expanding them to include more interdisciplinary training in areas such as systems approaches, the social sciences, and organizational change. We conclude with recommendations for implementation, highlighting several successful examples, for universities to contemplate as they explore programmatic changes to help build greater capacity for wildlife conservation in the 21st century.

Describing consumer involvement, recruitment, retention in Australian occupational therapy university education: A cross sectional survey

Introduction Consumer involvement in occupational therapy programmes is one of the accreditation requirements of the Occupational Therapy Council in Australia. Consumers are direct recipients of occupational therapy services. Current knowledge about consumer involvement within occupational therapy education is minimal and mostly in mental health. This study identifies the trends for involvement and methods for recruitment and retention of consumers in Australian occupational therapy university education programmes. Methods Twenty-one occupational therapy programme directors in Australian universities were directly invited by email to participate in an online questionnaire. Prior to distribution, the questionnaire was piloted and the content validity tested. Analysis of closed-ended questions occurred using frequencies and percentages and content analysis occurred with open-text responses. Results Nine programme directors completed the questionnaire. Consumers were mainly involved in delivering lectures, sharing stories and having discussions in small groups. Consumers were recruited to programmes through collaboration with organisations and/or by direct approach. The main retention strategies included employing consumers as university educators and providing support before/during involvement. Conclusion Consumer involvement in curricula addresses university programme requirements and aims to prepare students for consumer-focussed practice. The findings inform educators about diverse ways of recruiting, retaining and involving consumers in their programmes.

Teaching reflection of using technology in two Indonesian EFL classrooms: an autoethnography

Integrating technology in EFL writing classrooms is a trial-and-error process that requires teachers to reflect, constructively analyze their practices, and have the flexibility to make positive changes to their teaching with technology. Using various data sources of my students’ blog, written assignments, and online interactions, this qualitative autoethnography study reflects upon my experiences as a lecturer in integrating technology in two EFL writing classes at the English Language Education Program of a private university in Central Java, Indonesia. Based on my written reflections narrated in the findings’ section, I discussed five main themes (i.e., struggle, unsuitable choice of technology, not a magic stick, traditional ingredients, and learning from one another) as the answer to the research question of this study. Overall, these five themes detailed my teaching practices in the classrooms, personal feelings of using technology, teaching and learning challenges of using technology in the writing classes, and possible solutions to deal with those challenges. This study might illustrate how reflecting on teaching experiences allows teachers to be aware of what they did in a class, find areas that need improvement, and plan for teaching-related changes in their future classrooms. Meanings of integrating technology in the classrooms and recommendations for further research are presented.

Experiential Physical Education in a Bilingual Japanese University: Implications for Student Physical Activity and Program Development

Participation in compulsory physical education (PE) is a controversial aspect of the Japanese university system. English-language education programs in Japanese universities often incorporate aspects of the traditional curricula, including experiential PE. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which compulsory PE in a Tokyo-based global university program contributes to overall physical activity (PA) and to elucidate how experiential PE intersects with student beliefs and motivations. The study sample included 199 domestic and international students attending PE courses in a Top Global University in Tokyo, Japan. All students who undertook compulsory PE classes in English were invited to complete an online survey in 2018-19. Survey measures included scores on a valid and reliable iteration of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), self-reports of PA influences, and PA-related health beliefs. Overall PA was high among the cohort, yet there were significant differences based on gender and country of origin, with male and international students reporting higher activity. Most students perceived a positive relationship between PA participation and disease prevention, which reinforced common health motives for activity, particularly weight control and stress reduction. Compulsory and experiential PE within a Japanese global university program potentially contributes to higher PA levels among ethnically diverse undergraduates but should adapt to a more wellness focused curriculum to address behavioral and motivational variations.

Investigation on Mental Health Status of Students in Sino-foreign Cooperative Education Programs in Colleges and Universities

Investigation on Mental Health Status of Students in Sino-foreign Cooperative Education Programs in Colleges and Universities

Strategy and tactics of current professional education: axiological approach

This paper links with the relevance of the authors’ longitudinal research intended to meet the pedagogue and student interests, possibilities, and their motives for recurrent education based on personalized training strategy and tactics in the frameworks of current university education and additional professional programs of the In-Service. The research aims to provide some of the prospects on creating axiological priorities of professional education spaces in line with innovative approaches to teaching and learning the ways of interpretation of database on the «difficult» issues of Russian History and Culture, and on fostering dominant values into a personality space of a learner within the frames and architectonics of the humanitarian environment of modern scientific and methodological support of Russian education. Methodology and materials of the research based on the main concepts of acculturation of the educational environment, harmonious interaction of both educators and learners, historical memo, national and language consciousness, are focused on transforming the socio-cultural atmosphere of the country where the dominant values of national and cultural identity have sharply worsened over the past twenty years. The findings concern the axiological model of «management techniques» on the solution of «difficult» questions of Russian culture and national public school system of education.

ОНТОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ МОДЕЛЬ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОГО ПОРТАЛА ВУЗА

The article discusses the main aspects of building the ontology of the educational portal of the university from design to development. Examples of working with Protégé 4.3 and Sparql queries are given. In addition, the author talks about the importance of working on an educational portal in terms of developing the semantic core and the relevance of the portal for search engines. The author proposes a methodology for using Semantic Web technologies to form the structure and content of the university's educational portal. Develop an ontology of the educational portal to provide the possibility of semantic analysis of user search queries in order to organize a rational structure and content of the educational portal of the university and ensure the possibility of effective promotion of the portal in the Internet environment. In the ontological model, the author considers in the form of classes a set of educational programs of the university, and their constituent educational courses, as well as user profiles. Relations between classes will further help, when implementing user information requests, to determine the degree of compliance of each educational program (field of study) with the needs and preferences of a particular user, and to implement automatic selection of university educational programs recommended for applicants. An ontological model of the educational portal has been developed. The ontological model allows you to optimally structure the content of the educational portal, which further provides the possibility of issuing recommendations to users regarding the choice of the direction of training (applicants) or educational resources (students or teachers) in accordance with their needs and preferences. The developed ontology is used both at the stage of developing the educational portal of the university and its semantic core, and at the stage of functioning of the educational resource, as a knowledge base in the system for issuing recommendations to users on choosing the direction of training.

The models of education of Russian Protestantism: The example of the Zaoksky Adventist University

The article is devoted to the study of the current stage of development of the Christian educational paradigm of Russia in the segment of Protestant religious education as one of the aspects of the modern theory and practice of Russian confessional pedagogy from the standpoint of the theology of education. The article provides a brief overview of the emergence, development and current state of the educational model of the Seventh — Day Adventist Christian Church in Russia, which is represented by the Religious Spiritual Educational Organization of Higher education Zaoksky University of the Seventh-Day Adventist Christian Church (Zaoksky Adventist University, ZAU). This article substantiates the status of ZAU as a non-state educational institution of higher education, the ideological, worldview core of the educational model of which has a confessional religious character. The theological part itself is quite adequately combined with the secular-minded components of the vocational education. This phenomenon is connected to the fact that the training and educational process take place both according to programs corresponding to Federal State Educational Standard (FSES) and confessional university educational programs at the same time. The reasonable conclusion of this article is presented by the review of the educational religious model of reproduction of pedagogical workers created in ZAU, capable of both qualified working in confessional educational institutions and working in the secular educational sphere.

Retracted] Implementing the Hybrid Neuro‐Fuzzy System to Model Specific Learning Disability in Special University Education Programs

Learning difficulty is a significant issue that comprehensively needs to be taken care of by university instructors with a focus on altering their ways of educating students since various degrees of learning difficulty could be observed among students. Hence, proper approaches should be adapted and utilized that provide chances for each student, securing his/her educational right. By doing so, it guarantees that each student has a right of learning with a different pace of conducting it. For example, the same educational and teaching materials cannot be adapted to each student. Hence, the training of students with learning difficulty should follow a model that is characterized as “from bottom to top,” namely, “normal to learning with difficulties.” The characterization of this approach is very similar to that of the treatment of human beings: biological malfunctions by medicine and mechanical malfunctions by psycho‐sociology. This paper proposes a diagnostic model to determine the cognitive ability of students who deal with learning disabilities. The computerized model is proposed based on a combination of fuzzy logic and machine learning utilizing association rules and cellular automata. The advantage of the proposed method is that it helps find the needs of these types of students, so the widely implemented practices that shape his/her learning behavior are avoided. Therefore, practical recognition of each student with a different pace of learning should be realized.

ПЕДАГОГИКАЛЫК ПРАКТИКА УЧУРУНДА ЖОЖДУН СТУДЕНТТЕРИНИН КЕСИПТИК КОМПЕТЕНЦИЯЛАРЫН КАЛЫПТАНДЫРУУ

Pedagogical practice contributes to the development of the versatile qualities of a university graduate and the implementation of a competence-based approach in teaching. Changing modern educational goals, the competence-based approach sets new guidelines for the content and results of education. In the educational process of the university, the primary task is not the formation of certain knowledge, abilities and skills, but the integration of knowledge and practice as the basis of the graduate's ability to use the knowledge and experience acquired during training in solving professional problems. Pedagogical practice orients future teachers towards pedagogical activity and provides the function of a link between the theoretical knowledge gained during the assimilation of the university educational program and the practical activity of introducing this knowledge into the educational process. When choosing teaching methods, it is important to take into account the specifics of pedagogical practice: along with mastering theoretical knowledge, skills and abilities, it is important to teach students the practical actions necessary for high-quality and highly productive performance of professional duties and to develop the ability to independently acquire and creatively apply professional knowledge. This specificity of the formation of professional competencies within the framework of practice requires a combination of all types of teaching methods: reproductive, problem-search, research, simulation methods and methods of practical training. The basic principles of guiding students' activities in practice include the principles of an individual approach, a combination of pedagogical leadership with the development of independence and initiative of students, the principle of feedback.

Formation of the ecosystem of the educational program based on social networking sites technology

The paper investigates the problem of transforming existing approaches to the formation of new effective links between universities and all stakeholders, which becomes the basis for creating competitive educational programs. The purpose of the study is to determine the prerequisites for the formation of an ecosystem and substantiate the concept of interaction between key stakeholders of the educational program based on partnership, network communications and digital transformation. Based on results of the SWOT analysis of the acting master’s educational programs, where the authors work, the feasibility of forming information and communication space of educational program as an ecosystem with the use of all opportunities provided by digital technologies is proved, in particular: the reasons for the inefficiency of existing communication channels within university educational programs are discovered; opportunities and limitations of social networking technology in the deployment of the educational program SMART platform are revealed; the concept of such a virtual space is proposed; benefits of the platform for key stakeholders in the educational program are substantially analyzed. SMART platform architectonics of the educational program is elaborated that describes deciding components of the platform considering the needs of key stakeholders of the educational program and SMART principles of ecosystem formation. The request of members of the educational community for the formation of an open learning space solves the following tasks: 1) students receive direct access to all educational materials, relevant information on cooperation with companies and participation in research projects; 2) expanding the boundaries of educational products, the use of new tools and forms of educational work, the involvement of business experts in the educational process; 3) direct access of employers to program students as potential employees, which minimizes transaction costs for finding personnel with a high level of practical competence, attracting young talents, introducing modern training content in accordance with professional standards. Such collaboration will be able to ensure the relevance of scientific research, enhance its practical significance and facilitate the transfer of innovative technologies into the business environment.

Thorns amongst Roses? Lived Experience of Philippine Male College Students Aspiring to Become Professional Elementary Teachers

There is a noticeable under-representation of the male gender particularly in the field of elementary teacher education. The main aim of this paper is to understand the lived experience of male college students aspiring to become professional elementary teachers. As phenomenological research, it involved six purposively selected male students enrolled in a predominantly female elementary teacher education program in a Philippine university. The data were gathered through online interviews and analyzed based on a phenomenological analysis framework. The following themes emerged: 1.) We hear discouraging stereotypes about teaching; 2.) We are passionate about educating the young ones; 3.) We feel that awkward moment in a room of females; and 4.) We have an inclusive learning environment. These themes are based on the individual textural and structural descriptions and form the basis for the composite textural and structural descriptions of the phenomenon of interest. This paper confirms the experiences encountered by males in the formal teaching career stage as relative to experiences received by males in the early stage of the teacher preparation. It also identifies factors that encourage males to enter elementary teacher education as a field of study, providing practical insights for designing a more inclusive program.

Nontraditional early childhood educators seeking bachelor’s degrees: a case study

ABSTRACT Teacher education programs in four-year universities have historically been preparing novice teachers unfamiliar to a classroom environment. However, with the latest initiatives related to workforce development in early childhood education, an increasing number of teacher education programs are enrolling more nontraditional students with experience in the early childhood field. This study explores the unique aspects of the professional and identity development of nontraditional early childhood educators enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Education program in the Midwestern US. Using a qualitative case study method, we interviewed 17 educators on new knowledge and practices they gained in their bachelor’s degree program and were implementing in their early childhood settings. Then, we observed and interviewed two of the participants in their early childhood settings to recall more specific activities they learned in their bachelor’s degree coursework and implemented in their settings. Findings indicate educators gained new knowledge in teacher practices, family–program relations, and children and families from diverse backgrounds. This new knowledge reframed their teacher identities, providing opportunities to implement classroom practices new to their teaching repertoire to meet students’ needs. These findings have implications for teacher education programs enrolling nontraditional early childhood educators.

Beyond the Gates: Teaching Race and Politics in Brazil in a Prison Education Program

The project of liberatory education is fraught with complications in a Small Liberal Arts College or SLAC environment. Authors bell hooks and Paulo Freire look to an ethics of care, love, and mutual restoration of humanity through teaching openly and freely. My initial teaching experiences as an assistant professor revealed that this liberatory aim could not be fulfilled at the college campus, so I taught in a prison college education program. The goals of this article are: 1) to elucidate the complicated relationship that a woman faculty of color at the intersections of multiple identities has in adjusting to the SLAC environment; 2) to expound upon my weekly exit from campus and entry into prison education as a vehicle to advance institutional goals for outreach and social justice; 3) to interrogate prison education epistemologies and describe the counternarratives and practical strategies developed in a course on Race and Politics in Brazil to decolonize the curriculum; and 4) to express the realities of teaching a Black-centered, intersectional course in an all-male maximum security prison setting. It was through this practical prison teaching experience that I stretched the limits of my practice of education and found a temporary home in which to do so.

ROMANIA: UNIVERSITY GRADUATES BETWEEN EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Over the years, European countries, including Romania, have tried to reduce unemployment and increase the number of university graduates. The quality and attractiveness of higher education play an important role because a solid university education can be the path to a successful career and a secure financial life. In the last decade, was intensified efforts to convince Romanian people to pursue a specialization at least to the bachelor’s level. Except 2005, the number of university graduate women is higher than men, which shows their confidence in university education programs. The counties of Bucharest, Iași, Cluj-Napoca, Timiș and Constanța between 1996-2018 have the highest number of university graduates, and these counties also host the best universities in Romania. The quality of higher education must be in line with the personal aspirations of students and national targets. The attractiveness of Romanian university programs is demonstrated by the growing number of foreign students, especially from Arab countries and Africa. But a university education is just one piece of the puzzle, it is also vital to integrate graduates into the work field. Unemployment is one of the vulnerabilities that significantly affects young people. In 24 years, the number of unemployed aged between 30-39 years with a university degree was 98.796, a proportion of 36% – 64% in favour of women (63.078). Women still face great difficulty in finding a job even though they have a university degree. The lowest percentage of unemployed with a university degree in the number of university graduates were registered in 1995 (1.15%) and the highest in 2010 (6.06%). The lowest number of unemployed with university degree among the regions was registered in the North-West (68.989).

PRESERVICE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS’ OPINIONS ABOUT MOBILE AUGMENTED REALITY APPLICATIONS

The aim of this study is to reveal the opinions of social studies preservice teachers about their experiences during an action research on mobile augmented reality. In line with the aim of the study, a total of 46 preservice teachers (25 female, 21 male) studying in the second year of a social studies education program of a state university in the spring semester of the 2018-2019 academic year were determined as the study group. In the data collection phase of the research; focus group interviews, researcher diaries, observation reports were used. During the interview data analysis, the content analysis method was used. The findings obtained from the interviews were also supported by the observation and researcher diaries. Finally, the data about the devices that the participants have and their level of using these devices were collected through the personal information form, and then tabulated and interpreted. The knowledge background of the participants required to perform Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) activities was found to be inadequate. The participants reported that the use of AR on mobile devices increases accessibility, fosters interest, supports active participation, and improves perception. On the other hand, they reported that that its use in education concretizes the abstract concepts, ensures learning retention, enhances success and encourages collaborative learning. The MAR was also found to be perception-changing, enjoyable, motivating, growth-enhancing, and facilitative from students’ perspective. From educators’ perspective, the findings indicate that MAR increases productivity, supports the resourcefulness of the teacher, and keeps the teacher social.

Problems of teaching Russian as a foreign language for special purposes: analysis of students' opinions

Introduction. For foreign students of Russian universities, the Russian language serves as a means of obtaining higher professional education. In this regard, one of the priority tasks of improving the quality of training specialists for foreign countries is the language training of foreign citizens in the Russian language for special purposes. Materials and methods. 126 foreign students of the first year of technical specialties of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University participated in the survey. The results of the study. The survey made it possible to identify the difficulties that foreign students have in the process of learning the language of their specialty and communicating in Russian in the educational environment of the university of the Russian Federation. Among the main difficulties affecting successful communication, foreign students noted communication with teachers of specialized disciplines (46.1%) and with employees of the dean's office (40.4%). The greatest difficulties in the training sessions are caused by understanding the lecture material (49.4%) and understanding the tasks for laboratory work (46.1%). Among the difficulties directly related to the study of the Russian language of the future specialty, the following types of tasks were noted: forming sentences (43.85%), grammar tasks (42.7%), writing dictations (36%). Discussion of the results. The results of the survey allow us to place methodological accents in the preparation of curricula, the creation of modern textbooks and tutorials; to take into account the communicative needs of foreign students who are starting to study on higher professional education programs in Russian technical universities; to implement the principle of continuity and interdisciplinary connections in the formation of the educational route of foreign students. Conclusion. Effective organization of teaching foreign students in the Russian language for special purposes contributes to improving the quality of training of highly qualified competitive specialists for foreign countries and the growth of the international authority of Russian higher professional education.

Direct and Indirect Supports in an EFL Academic Writing Classroom: New Rhetorical Genre Perspective

Despite the importance of academic writing skills in higher education, many Indonesian students encounter challenges that constrain their writing success. Earlier studies in the context have shown that many students have little control over the schematic structure of the argumentative text and their linguistics features. In the current paper, we aimed to document a classroom practice where direct and indirect supports were given to the students during the course of academic writing at an English Education program in a private university in Jakarta, Indonesia. From our reflection on the practice, students benefited from the two supports given to them in each stage of a writing activity. Students were shown to have sufficient knowledge about the academic literature, how to search journal articles, and how to comprehend and annotate the articles' contents. Despite the students' positive feedback, we found that the average students’ writings were not satisfactory. While students had sufficient knowledge to select and use appropriate academic words, there appeared substantial issues concerning the development of ideas and arguments to support the idea. We observed that students had limited time to practice, and this inhibited them from producing a good academic essay. The academic writing course syllabus and its timetable thus should be revisited to address such issues.