Undergraduate Education Course Research Articles

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 .

Analysis of Students’ Online Learning Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a SPOC-Based Geography Education Undergraduate Course

With the long-lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning has gradually become one of the mainstream learning methods in Chinese universities. The effectiveness of online learning is significantly influenced by learning engagement, and studies into this topic can help learners by providing them with process-based learning support and focused teaching interventions. Based on the online learning environment, this research constructs an online learning engagement analysis model. Additionally, this study explores the relationship between students’ online learning engagement and their online learning performance by taking the Secondary School Geography Curriculum Standards and Textbooks Research, a small-scale private online course (SPOC) of the geography education undergraduate course at Nanjing Normal University, as an example. The findings are as follows: In the cognitive engagement dimension, only “analyze” is significantly positively correlated with learning performance; in the behavioral engagement dimension, the “number of question and answer (Q&A) topic posts,” the “replies to others,” and the “teachers’ replies” are all significantly positively correlated with learning performance. In terms of the emotional engagement dimension, “curiosity” and “pleasure” are positively correlated with learning performance; as for the social engagement dimension, “point centrality” and “intermediary centrality” are positively correlated with learning performance. The findings of this case study reveal that the student’s engagement in higher-order cognitive learning is obviously insufficient. Students’ online learning performance can be enhanced both by behavioral engagement in knowledge reprocessing and positive emotional engagement. Further research should be focused on finding ways to increase students’ enthusiasm for social engagement.

Using Shared Google Docs to Co-Create Life-Affirming Learning

In Spring 2022, we (faculty member and undergraduate student) co-facilitated an undergraduate education course. To support and affirm all participants as whole beings who were both navigating trauma and developing as learners and people, we co-created between us and with enrolled students numerous shared Google Docs. We used these Docs to: (1) ground ourselves and map our intentions and plans as co-facilitators; (2) create structures for student engagement and organization; and (3) ensure that affective experiences were integral to course content and processes. We describe these uses and offer recommendations for educators interested in adapting this design strategy.

The Profile of Palaeontology Teaching in Undergraduate Courses in Brazil

Background: Currently, palaeontology professors have been challenged to update and incorporate innovative teaching approaches into their planning to help students develop the necessary skills and competencies. However, today there is a mismatch between the current and the ideal teaching profiles. Objective: To describe the palaeontology teaching profile in undergraduate courses in Brazil. Design: Descriptive and exploratory study. Setting and participants: Palaeontology professors (n=37) in undergraduate courses at several Brazilian higher education institutions. Data analysis collection: Data were collected through a semi-structured online form (survey), triangulated and categorised into (a) general characteristics, (b) teacher education, (c) teaching experience, (d) undergraduate courses, (e) curriculum, syllabus, and programme discussion meetings, (f) inter and multidisciplinarity, and (g) curriculum. Results: Despite the limited scope (small sample size), the study results guided the focus of the research and improvement efforts, as there are still many difficulties and challenges to be overcome to raise the quality of teaching in undergraduate palaeontology across the country. Conclusions: The data from this study can serve as a valuable basis for professors-researchers, educational managers, and policymakers interested in implementing innovative continuing education programmes and in supporting management and policy decisions regarding potential reforms of palaeontology teaching in Brazilian undergraduate courses in higher education institutions.

Exploring heterosexism through participatory theater: An experiment

AbstractUsing Augusto Boal's Theater of the Oppressed (1985) playmaking structures, students in an undergraduate education course, Educating for Social Justice, developed forum plays—brief improvisational scenes designed to provoke discussions of power imbalances. The plays focused on “gay rights,” a topic the participants self‐selected through guided discussions about injustice. The plays were performed for an English class of tenth‐grade high school students. As a mode of investigating the efficacy of this instructional strategy to spur self‐reflexivity, data about the college students' experiences were collected during each class session and in subsequent semi‐structured group interviews. This article describes the project and the participants' reactions to the invitation to step into the role of ensemble member and play‐maker, as well as the development of their critical consciousness about the effects of cultural bias.

Supporting the development of preservice teachers’ mathematical connection skills in a teacher education programme

This paper aims to examine the extent to which pre-service teachers’ mathematical connection skills were promoted through the course designed within the scope of pedagogies of practice (Grossman et al. [2009]. Teaching practice: A cross-professional perspective. Teachers College Record, 111(9), 2055–2100. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146810911100905) in the teacher education programme. Data were collected in a course that was designed to develop pre-service mathematics teachers’ (PSTs) mathematical connections skills through a classroom teaching experiment with individual contributions to the whole class learning process. Thirty-six PSTs who were enrolled in the course participated in the present study. Initial and revised lesson plans were used as primary data collection instruments. In the most general sense, the findings demonstrated that most of the PSTs improved their mathematical connection skills during the course. The results of the current study provide insight into how the courses in undergraduate education should be implemented to give PSTs opportunities to develop their mathematical connection skills.

Students' Perceptions of Professional Short-Messaging Education in Undergraduate Courses

The popularity of short-messaging formats, like text and chat, is on the rise in the workplace with many employees preferring this style over long-form options like email. While many businesses expect employees to communicate using short messages, students may be ill-equipped to effectively use these methods due to a lack of formal training. This study sets out to understand students’ experience, confidence, and education related to professional short messaging. Results indicate a correlation between confidence and experience levels in writing text and chat messages. Further, the participants who indicated they had training on writing short messages, indicated they learned it in a business communication class. Thus, this study highlights a need for education on short messaging in the business communication classroom to increase student experience, and thus, their confidence in writing these messages.

Using Shared Google Docs to Co-Create Life-Affirming Learning

In Spring 2022, we (faculty member and undergraduate student) co-facilitated an undergraduate education course. To support and affirm all participants as whole beings who were both navigating trauma and developing as learners and people, we co-created between us and with enrolled students numerous shared Google Docs. We used these Docs to: (1) ground ourselves and map our intentions and plans as co-facilitators; (2) create structures for student engagement and organization; and (3) ensure that affective experiences were integral to course content and processes. We describe these uses and offer recommendations for educators interested in adapting this design strategy.

University training of the basic kinesiologist

Purpose: The aim was to verify the presence of a relationship between the distribution of ECTS in the three essential fields in L-22 courses. Method: The survey was document-based, using the Universitaly portal, a platform that allows for all the data of undergraduate and higher education courses in Italy. Data were collected on the ECTS present in the three essential fields in L-22 courses in the year 2023, for a total of 43 study courses. A multiple linear regression was performed to predict the value of a variable based on the value of two or more independent variables. Results: The result was statistically significant (P<.05) when the dependent variable was the ECTS related to the biomedical area. The psycho-educational and physical activity-sports areas significantly predicted the ECTS of the biomedical one. Therefore, the training courses seemed to be established based on a criterion. Conclusions: In designing the L-22 curricula, the distribution of ECTS was not due to chance, but was dependent on the biomedical area, inconsistent with the professional figure of the basic kinesiologist. Therefore, there is a need to redesign the L-22 curricula to make the training more focused on physical activity-sports area. Keywords: core curricula; bachelor’s degree; basis kinesiologist; sports reform

Asynchronous Discussions to Enhance Online Communities of Inquiry in the Saudi Higher ‎Education Context

This paper aimed to examine the efficiency of web-based asynchronous discussions in establishing and sustaining online collaborative learning communities in the Saudi higher educational context, by adopting the Community of Inquiry (Garrison et al., 1999) framework as a guiding model. The implementation involved setting up online asynchronous discussions in the Blackboard Learning Management System for a fourth-year undergraduate Education course over 20 days. By using a mixed methodology approach, the results revealed that within the Saudi university context, social presence patterns changed over time, with an overall increase in their levels. This increase attributed to three main factors: the instructors’ effective participation; peers’ active contribution; and the student’s desire to receive higher marks. However, the levels of students’ cognitive presence did not show adequate growth, which is assigned mainly to an inadequate teaching presence. The study also explored the relationships between the three factors and concluded that in order for students to achieve their goals via online learning communities, time is an important consideration.

Determining “Professionalism of Dental Students at Various Academic Levels by PSCOM Scale”

Background/Introduction: Professionalism is one critical cornerstone of a successful academic program and considered to be the mainstay of health care provision. It is of great importance in the life of dentists because it plays a significant factor of interpretation and prediction of human behavior in various contexts of social and clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to determine professionalism of dental students at various academic levels by PSCOM scale. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, the participants consisted of undergraduate dental students at various academic levels. The study was conducted between 29th of December 2021 to 10th of June 2022 at various dental colleges of Pakistan. A survey questionnaire was submitted to all participants to collect data to assess their professionalism through a validated PSCOM Scale. Results: The total number of participants were 403 containing 129 (32%) of men and 236 (58.6%) of women. The minimum age of the respondents in the research sample was 18 and the maximum age was 28 years. The average value of professionalism is 2.934 for BDS1, 3.045 for BDS2, 2.959 for BDS3 and 3.013 for BDS4 respectively. The average value of sub components of professionalism is 3.044 for accountability, 2.945 for altruism, 3.038 for duty, 3.038 for excellence, 2.964 for honesty and integrity and 2.976 for respect. Conclusion: The results shows that professionalism has neither increased nor decreased significantly over the academic years which tend to overestimate the fact that there is a need to promote personal and professional development throughout the undergraduate dental education course. Keywords: Professionalism; academic levels; PSCOM scale; dental students; competency; dental care; curriculum

National General (Liberal) Education College in the Era of Great Transformation

This essay investigates how to establish a Korean Liberal Arts College in the context of the University System Innovation debate, which is regarded as the best practical way to solve the problem found in the higher education academic structure in Korea.The problem with Korean universities is that basic science becomes weaker in the restructuring process. To solve this problem, we should understand that basic science is closely related to general education in undergraduate education. The way to solve this issue is to establish an independent academic structure to be responsible for general and liberal education, so called “Korean Liberal Arts College”. Among a few versions of the “Korean Liberal Arts College”, the National General (Liberal) Education College in the context of University System Innovation debate is proposed as a college that will provide undergraduate courses in the university system. This college will be evolved to be responsible for the general (liberal) education in undergraduate courses at the national level.

Teaching Reform of Undergraduate Courses in Colleges and Universities Based on Machine Learning and Improved SVM Algorithm

In order to deeply understand the current situation, problems, and satisfaction of undergraduate education courses in Contemporary Colleges and universities, and further improve the teaching level of professional courses, first, this paper makes an in-depth investigation on the teaching status and satisfaction of undergraduate education majors in two colleges and universities. The results show that the teaching and satisfaction of undergraduate education majors are at a medium level (m = 2.27). On this basis, combined with the existing problems, combined with the SVM parameter optimization algorithm of improved machine learning and particle swarm optimization algorithm, this paper puts forward the optimization strategy of undergraduate education curriculum teaching reform.

Policy Dispositions Among Music Administrators in Higher Education

Music teachers commonly lack basic awareness of and skill in navigating various education policy areas. One explanation for this lack of policy acumen is the general absence of policy content within the preservice music teacher curriculum. While music teacher educators have primary responsibility for curricular decisions, music education program leaders and music school administrators who regularly operate within policy realms might be expected to indirectly influence policy integration as part of undergraduate and graduate music education courses. To test this theory, we surveyed administrators who influence and finalize these curricular decisions. Respondents tended to have modest policy dispositions, which was consistent with similar work done with different populations and stakeholders. Given this finding, we provide suggestions to help garner more interest in policy among music teacher educators and administrators in an attempt to make the topic more germane to both pre- and inservice music teachers.