Education Students Research Articles

Vocational and Higher Education: The Role of Trust in the Formation of Educational and Professional Trajectory

The article compares the impact of student trust on their educational and career trajectories in vocational and higher education. Since 2015, in Russia, enrollment in upper-grade vocational education programs has exceeded enrollment in higher education programs, and increasingly, young people choose TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) institutions. Therefore, interest in studying various factors influencing the specific trajectories in TVET and higher education is growing. One of these factors is trust, which remains insufficiently studied. Trust has a positive effect on various aspects of education (academic achievements, satisfaction, loyalty to the university, etc.), which can directly or indirectly determine the choice of further educational and professional trajectory. The research data comes from a survey of Russian TVET and higher education students. Particularly in higher education, in contrast to TVET, student trust (in other students, teachers and management) influences their plans regarding educational and career trajectories after graduation. However, this influence depends on the subject of trust and on the intended life trajectory.

Ecocentric and anthropocentric worldviews: are they incompatible?

The dialectic between ecocentrism and anthropocentrism has become the central discussion around the growing ecological crisis we live and the purpose of environmental education. This study seeks to clarify the compatibility between these two worldviews and reflect on the extent to which they are in opposing camps on the concern about the ecological crisis. The New Ecological Paradigm Scale was applied to two independent samples of Portuguese students (9th grade and higher education students’) with which subscales for ecocentrism and anthropocentrism worldviews were selected through factor analysis. Our results show that more than 40% of those that agree with ecocentrism does not rejects anthropocentrism, being mostly neutral to that worldview and some even agreeing with it. In face of this, we purpose further studies on the different anthropocentric facets to selected those that may be included in environmental education effort to help, together with ecocentrism, to fight back ecological crisis.

Using the perceptions of online university students to improve the pedagogy and practice of distance educators

This paper reports on the findings of an investigation into the experiences of undergraduate and postgraduate distance education students from one higher education institution, Avondale College of Higher Education. All of the institution’s current students who were enrolled in a distance course or who had previously completed a distance component of their course were surveyed using an online questionnaire. A subgroup of this population also contributed to focus group discussions. Findings from an analysis of the combined data gathered from the online questionnaire and the focus groups were used to inform the institution’s professional development (PD) program that supports lecturers to design and teach online courses. Results of the study are outlined in terms of distance students’ perceptions about the institution’s distance education program, specifically in relation to course structure, interaction and communication, presentation of materials, use of media and design consistency. The paper concludes with recommendations for addressing the weaknesses of online learning programs including both curriculum design and PD strategies.

Ethno-racial disparities in psychosis-like experiences among students in higher education: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2020–2021

BackgroundEthno-racial variations of psychosis-like experiences exist in the general population; however, it is unknown whether this variation exists among emerging adults in higher education, and whether there are differences across ethnic groups within racial categories. MethodsUsing the Health Minds Study data from 2020 to 2021, we used multivariable logistic regression models to examine race/ethnicity and psychosis-like experiences, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, international student status). We then adjusted for food insecurity, parental education, and social belonging. ResultsBlack, Hispanic/Latinx, multiracial, and American Indian/Alaska Native students had greater odds of 12-month psychosis-like experiences when compared with White students. These associations attenuated and were no longer statistically significant for Black and Hispanic/Latinx students after adjusting for food insecurity and parental education. Multiracial and American Indian/Alaska Native students still had greater odds of psychosis-like experiences after further adjusting for sense of belonging. When looking at ethnic subgroups, Filipinx and multi-ethnic Asian students had significantly greater odds than East Asian students, and multi-ethnic Black students had greater odds than African Americans. ConclusionOdds of psychosis-like experiences vary across and within ethno-racial categories among emerging adults in higher education. Future research may explore psychosis as a disparity impacting Native American/Alaska Native and multiracial/multi-ethnic populations.

The suffering of students in physical education. Unsettling experiences and situational conditions

ABSTRACT Background The state of research on unsettling experiences of students in physical education can be characterized as fragmented. The available studies focus on select emotions (e.g. fear), specific forms of discrimination (e.g. ableism), or different types of social interactions (e.g. bullying). In this way, the state of research reveals different aspects of students’ suffering in physical education (PE) in a puzzle-like manner, while systematic investigations of the overall picture of PE as a complex meaningfully structured phenomenon remain open. Purpose The study presented in this paper aims to systematically capture the breadth of unsettling PE experiences by taking different perspectives of students into account, while also doing justice to PE in its situational logic. Based on a social constructivist approach, the following research questions will be addressed: (1) What kind of experiences are interpreted as unsettling by students in PE? (2) Which situational conditions are associated with students’ unsettling PE experiences? Methods A qualitative research approach based on written short narratives was employed to answer the research questions. Current and former secondary school students (N = 677) from Germany participated. Grounded theory coding methods and sequential analysis were used for the data analysis. Results Our data indicates a wide range of students’ unsettling PE experiences (e.g. public humiliation, social exclusion, and forms of violence). On a supra-individual level, two major categories of unsettling PE experiences were identified: (1) The vulnerability of the students perceived through revealed inadequacies and (2) the social oppression of the supposedly ‘lazy, weak and unfit’. Students’ experience of vulnerability can be traced back to situations of physical exposure and performance failure while their experience of social oppression draws back to suppressive actions by teachers and fellow students. For each of these categories, we identify typical ways in which students deal with their unsettling experience. On a structural level, a hierarchizing culture of PE that fosters unsettling experiences is revealed. Discussion As a central strength, our study can provide condensed explanations for the emergence and consequences of unsettling PE experiences from the students’ perspective. Our findings relate to and enrich existing discourses regarding the situational emergence of vulnerability, overarching mechanisms of marginalization, and the hierarchizing culture of PE as a basis for social oppression. It is particularly tragic that affected students feel left alone and can hardly escape harmful situations, which perpetuates their suffering. Thus, pedagogical concepts that emphasize students’ diversity and the dismantling of hierarchies are needed and should be advanced further.

Understanding Clinical Learning Quality Aspects in Mental Health Nursing Practice Course among Students: A Comprehensive Examination.

There is a growing demand for comprehensive evaluations of the clinical learning quality of nursing education and the necessity to establish robust predictors and mediators for enhancing its outcomes within the context of mental health practice. This study is threefold: 1. Evaluating nursing students' clinical learning quality before and after mental health nursing practice; 2. Establish if the grade of a theoretical course in mental health nursing and the student's perception of their theoretical knowledge level predicts the grade of mental health nursing practice; 3. Explore how model learning opportunities, self-directed learning, safety, and nursing care quality mediate learning environment quality and tutorial strategies quality following mental health nursing practice. Using a before and after the study, 107 undergraduate nursing students at an Israeli university completed a questionnaire and the Clinical Learning Quality Evaluation Index tool to assess their perceptions of clinical learning quality before and after mental health nursing practice. The results showed a decline in students' perceptions of tutorial strategy quality following mental health practical learning in clinical settings, with the theoretical course grade predicting the practical experience grade and underscoring the mediating role of learning opportunities between the learning environment and tutorial strategies. The study's findings emphasize the importance of an adaptive learning environment and a solid theoretical foundation in fostering effective tutorial strategies and enhancing the overall learning outcomes for nursing students in mental health education.

Rethinking Undergraduate Computer Science Education: Using the 4Es Heuristic to Center Students in an Introductory Computer Science Course

Rethinking Undergraduate Computer Science Education: Using the 4Es Heuristic to Center Students in an Introductory Computer Science Course

Examination of the psychological well-being of students during the coronavirus pandemic: The case of Hungarian economic universities

A long, familiar stage of life ends with graduation from secondary school. The closure of this phase can also be seen as a loss or mourning: saying goodbye to high school, parting with old friends, teachers, environment, etc. After entering the university, young people will be not only new students of higher education, but also new participants in the labor market, which means that they will have to satisfy both needs at the same time. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic complicates this situation. With this in mind, the purpose of this study is to understand the mental health status and problems of first-year students currently enrolled for three undergraduate business courses in Budapest. This research paper investigates whether the pressures, isolation, uncertainty, financial worries, loss of control, and moving back in with parents caused by the pandemic have had an impact on students’ mental health. This study used the EPOCH model. The EPOCH-H questionnaire was filled in by 1,719 first-year full-time students. Based on the results, a total of 8 main groups and its subgroups of factors were affected by the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic. These students will be workers in the future carrying these effects with them. According to the results, students’ mental health needs to be strengthened in typical educational processes, and maintaining and improving students’ mental health should be the focus of all higher education institutions in the future.

Online Assessment in the Spotlight: A Case Study in a Spanish University

Objective. This exploratory case study aims to analyze the attitudes, practices and preferences of higher education faculty and students in relation to online assessment. Methodology. A quantitative methodology based on a questionnaire was used, and a descriptive and correlational analysis was conducted. Participants included students and faculty members from a Spanish on-site university. Results. Certain similarities and differences in attitudes, practices and preferences between students and teachers are presented. Some relationships, albeit weak, were also identified between the online assessment practices used and some characteristics of the teachers’ profile or teaching (teaching experience, teaching load and class size). Conclusions. The findings show that a large part of the teaching staff shows some reluctance in the design and implementation of online assessment strategies beyond traditional exams, as well as a great concern about student control and the danger of fraud. On the other hand, students show generally more positive attitudes towards online assessment than the teaching staff. The recommendations point to the consideration of the role of institutional support and teacher training units for the improvement of teachers’ digital competence in relation to online assessment, the importance of updating security systems in technical infrastructures, and adjusting the effects of teaching load and class size when online assessment is applied.

Assessing the impact of Medical Education's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program in China

ObjectiveA growing number of clinical undergraduates are chosen to enter institutions for higher education biotechnology and industry workforce, though most need more laboratory experience training and business practice. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (I&E Program) can benefit from biological experiment and commercialization training largely absent from standard clinical medical educational curricula. Our study investigates the impact and status of the I&E Program in enhancing medical students’ research and entrepreneurial abilities and provides recommendations for improving this program.MethodsA cross-sectional study was applied by delivering a questionnaire to survey medical students from Central South University who participated in the I&E Program. The questionnaire consisted of three parts: basic information, the impact of the I&E Program on medical students’ research and entrepreneurial abilities, and attitudes and recommendations regarding the I&E Program.ResultsMany students participating in the I&E Program have received competition awards and improved their academic experience, article writing, and application patents. Their research-related abilities have been enhanced, including in-lab techniques, theoretical research skills, data analysis knowledge, clinical research skills, experimental research skills, entrepreneurship, data analysis ability, teamwork, and communication. While 73.93% of students express satisfaction with the I&E Program, there are still several areas of improvement, including more robust practical components, increased support, and enhanced teamwork.ConclusionThe scale of the I&E Program is rapidly expanding to address scientific research or business skills needed by college students in the new era. However, more programs still need to be discontinued during their further study. The I&E Program significantly enhances research abilities and fosters confidence in their study. This analysis emphasizes the importance of research-oriented and interdisciplinary education for students’ holistic development in medical schools compared with formal medical education.

The use of technology in physical education of students: prospects and challenges

Relevance. In this scientific work, the issue of using modern technologies in physical education of students is considered.The purpose of the study is to analyze existing approaches to the use of technologies in physical education of students, to identify their effectiveness and limitations, as well as to determine the prospects for the development of this field. Research methods. The article analyzes various aspects of the application of technologies, including virtual reality, mobile applications and wearable devices, in the context of their impact on the motivation of physical activity. The advantages and limitations of using technologies in physical education are considered, as well as the prospects for the development of this field. The results of the study. The study presents an analysis of existing approaches and the use of technology in physical education, as well as makes recommendations for the implementation of technological solutions in the educational process. Conclusions. The use of technology in physical education of students is a promising area that can significantly improve the effectiveness of teaching and motivation of students.

CONECTANDO RESISTÊNCIA E AFETOS COM A CONSTRUÇÃO DE UM GRAFITE NA EDUCAÇÃO INFANTIL

This article sought to narrate the daily development of a pedagogical activity using digital graffiti with Early Childhood Education students from a public school in Aparecida de Goiânia, during the transition from the Covid-19 pandemic to the post-pandemic period. The aim is to demonstrate how the practice of digital graffiti can be employed in Early Childhood Education to promote children’s creative expression and socio-emotional education. The methodology adopted was an exploratory, descriptive investigation based on the authors’ experiences and the adaptation of the Physical Education curriculum to incorporate digital graffiti activities. The sessions were structured in four stages, each inspired by songs and relevant artists from the Hip Hop movement, guiding reflections on the pandemic and the collective creation of digital graffiti. The main results include enhancing creative expression through digital graffiti and integrating digital technology into children’s educational processes. Additionally, the activity allowed participants to share experiences related to overcoming the pandemic period, strengthening their socio-emotional skills. It is concluded that digital graffiti can be used as an important curricular tool in Early Childhood Education, expanding interaction through play and paving the way for hybrid teaching models that combine innovative pedagogical practices in cyberculture.

Exploring the Aesthetic and Functional Aspects of Recycled Furniture in Promoting Sustainable Development: An Applied Approach for Interior Design Students

This study aimed to explore the sustainable aesthetic and functional dimensions of environmental waste in the context of interior design applications by students. Employing both descriptive and applied methodologies, a series of artistic works derived from environmental waste, specifically metal and wood, were conceptualized and executed by art education students. These works, totaling 11 artistic models in interior design, underwent chemical treatment as part of the process. An evaluation card, assessed by arbitrators, was utilized to gauge the standards of aesthetic and functional sustainability inherent in the artworks. Technical data were collected and subsequently analyzed using SPSS software, which facilitated the calculation of arithmetic averages, standard deviations, and t-tests to ascertain the extent to which sustainability standards were met within the aesthetic and functional dimensions of the works. The study findings indicated that the average response scores for the aesthetic and functional dimensions, pertaining to the achievement of sustainability for wood and metal waste, were notably high. This underscores the potential of producing artful works suitable for interior design applications within the spaces of the College of Education. With an average score of 3.984, students exhibited positive engagement with the aesthetic and functional aspects of their artistic products, indicative of their considerable ethical significance. This augurs well for the feasibility of attaining sustainability through the recycling of wood and metal waste. Furthermore, this research underscores the necessity of integrating aesthetic, environmental, and social values in achieving sustainable aesthetic and functional environmental values within the interior design curriculum. This integration demands a comprehensive understanding of user expectations, technological advancements, and the cultural background, customs, and traditions of both users and society at large.

The relation between lateral thinking and inquiry skills of higher education students: A path analysis

AbstractThe aim of the study is to examine the relations between higher education students' lateral thinking dispositions and inquiry skills. Survey design and Structural Equation Modelling were used in the study. The sampling of the study consisted of 975 prospective teachers attending three faculties of education in three different state universities in Turkey. Inquiry Skills Scale and Lateral Thinking Disposition Scale were used to collect data. The collected data were analysed using R Studio programme. It was observed in the study that students' inquiry skills and lateral thinking dispositions were high. It was revealed in the study that inquiry skills predicted lateral thinking dispositions. Inquiry skills account for 31% of lateral thinking disposition. Thus, it can be concluded that lateral thinking dispositions of higher education students' depend on their inquiry skills at a percentage of 31%.

Understanding and Addressing the Needs of Students in Special Education Through a Trauma-Informed Resilience Curriculum.

This school program evaluation aims to highlight the mental health needs of students in special education with behavioral and emotional challenges and describe the implementation of a resilience curriculum with this population. We evaluated district mental health data from a convenience sample of 814 students in grades 5-12 special education to identify risk for mental health symptoms, violence exposure, and substance use. School social workers provided feedback on the implementation of the resilience curriculum to inform program evaluation. Students reported significant risk for traumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and high rates of violence exposure and substance use. School social workers described adaptations to the resilience curriculum and gave recommendations for future implementation. Students receiving special education services for behavioral and emotional challenges had high mental health need, including high rates of violence exposure, and may benefit from a trauma-informed school-based resilience curriculum adapted for their needs.

Exploring Physical Activity Awareness Among BMC Education Students, Kathmandu

Introduction: Physical activity is influenced by one’s knowledge of the benefits of physical activities as well as positive attitudes towards participation in such activities. Several studies have pointed out a decline in physical activity among adolescent and youths upon enrolling to university life with such decline being on a rising trend. Enhancing university youths’ knowledge on physical activities and fostering positive attitudes towards physical activities is crucial to promote healthy lifestyles, enhance their wellbeing and possibly also influence their study positively. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge and attitudes regarding physical activity among Bachelor of Education students of Baneshwor Multiple Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire collecting primary data from 142 1st to 4th year bachelor of education students. Descriptive statistics like frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used in data analysis. Results: Mean age of study participants was 20.37 years (SD ± 2.36) with higher representation of females (68.31%) than that of males (31.69%). Over 90% students answered yes to five out of seven knowledge statements. The proportion of students responding yes to the remaining two statements was 89.44% and 78.17% respectively. Likewise, over 80% students agreed on six out of seven attitude statements. However, as many as 61% of students still believed that physical activity is injurious while 28.17% remained neutral and only 10.56% disagreed on it. Conclusion: This study showed that the majority of BEd students possessed fairly good knowledge and attitude towards physical activity. Yet, this study revealed some gaps in both knowledge and attitudes regarding physical activities warranting campus management to take necessary measures for improvement in future.

Differential socioemotional and educational profiles in early childhood and primary education students in a lockdown situation.

Recent lockdown situations have highlighted social relationship deprivation of schoolchildren and the need to develop the teaching-learning process in informal contexts. The aim of this study was to analyze differential socioemotional and educational profiles in Early Childhood and Primary Education students using variables relating to academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Correlational, descriptive, and inferential statistical analyses were performed that yielded differential explanatory models depending on the stage of education. The results reveal statistically significant differences in all the variables except for family-school relationship. In the linear regression models, the most statistically significant variable for school performance in both stages was family-school relationship. However, differences were found between both profiles: emotional impact for Early Childhood Education students and social impact for Primary Education students. Lastly, leisure activities at home were included as an explanatory variable only in the Primary Education regression model. The final conclusions highlight the need to attend to the evolutionary characteristics of students in each stage to improve school performance in similar lockdown situations.

(Re)countering multilingualism and refugee-background students in Australian compulsory education

Compared with nations around the world, Australia has one of the highest rates of refugee resettlement per capita. Approximately 40 per cent of newly arrived refugees in Australia in 2018–19 were under the age of 18 and close to 90 per cent spoke a language other than English. Given that education is compulsory until the age of 16 in most states and territories of Australia, young people labelled as refugee-background students (RBSs) are tasked with navigating the English-only education system, in which their multilingualism is often viewed as a barrier; however, there are increasing calls for research to focus on the positive, affirmative practices of RBSs through a strengths-based approach in education, to counter a ‘damage-centred’ and deficit discourse. Thus, this article presents a systematic literature review of studies conducted in Australia with RBSs between 2010 and 2022. Specifically, this review explores the strengths-based multilingual practices of RBSs in compulsory education in Australia. Inspired by RefugeeCrit theory, we seek to highlight strengths-based examples of RBSs multilingual practices as examples of counter-narratives to the prevailing deficit discourse, while remaining attentive to issues of trauma, agency and multilingualism.

Refugee-background students in the context of multilingual policies and practices

This special issue examines and interrogates multilingual policies and practices surrounding the education of refugee-background students (RBSs) worldwide.

An evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Australian Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool

Objectives This study aimed to validate the Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT) in the Australian setting and provide a quality instrument in terms of psychometric properties that can be used to measure interprofessional outcomes for both healthcare practitioners and students. The outcomes evaluated include the capacity to work in an interprofessional team, good interprofessional communication skills, leadership skills, ensuring clear division of tasks and roles in a team, effective conflict management, and being actively involved with patients and their families/communities in care. Methods The COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) taxonomy and standards were used as guides for evaluating the psychometric properties of the Australian CPAT, which include evaluations regarding instrument development requirements of sample target and size, content validity, internal structure (structural validity, internal consistency reliability and measurement invariance), and hypotheses testing. CPAT Australia was developed through two stages involving pilot studies and a validation study, both of which included healthcare practitioners and students as participants. A pilot study examined content validity regarding item relevance, item comprehensibility, and instrument comprehensiveness. The validation study was carried out to assess the internal structure of CPAT Australia for aspects of structural validity, internal consistency reliabilities, and configural, metric and scalar measurement invariance. The structural validity was explored using the following three steps: exploratory, confirmatory, and multi-group factor analysis. Construct validity was evaluated to confirm direct and indirect paths of assumptions based on a previously validated model. Data collected between August 2021 and May 2022. Results The content validity evaluation confirmed that all items were relevant, understandable and comprehensive for measuring interprofessional collaborative care in Australia. Three hundred ninety-nine participants contributed to the validation study (n=152 practitioners; n=247 students). The original instrument model of 8-Factor 56-Item was improved in the Australian CPAT. Two items, Item 27 (Physicians assume the ultimate responsibility) and Item 49 (Final decision rest with the physician), were consistently rejected and therefore discarded. The internal structure of the 7-Factor 54-Item solution was confirmed as a suitable model with fit indices meeting COSMIN standards for a good model in practitioner and student cohorts. Configural, metric and scalar invariances were confirmed, indicating the invariance of the instruments when used for the practitioner and student cohorts. The construct validity evaluation indicated that 81.3% of direct and indirect assumptions were accepted, fulfilling the COSMIN requirement of >75% of proposed assumptions being accepted. Conclusion The Australian CPAT with a 7-factor 54-item solution was confirmed as a quality measure for assessing interprofessional education and collaborative practice for both healthcare practitioners and students in Australia with robust psychometric properties.