Educational Options Research Articles

Tactical Games: An Inclusive Pedagogical Model for K-12 Students in Physical Education

The literature regarding K-12 student experiences in physical education (PE) has long identified issues regarding curriculum and social justice. Contributing to this narrative, the most widely used pedagogical model in K-12 PE programs in the U.S. and worldwide is the multi-activity (MA) or physical-education-as-sport techniques approach. Conversely, alternative options like the Tactical Games (TG) model have been shown to be effective in motivating students and increasing activity levels during physical education (PE) lessons. The TG model prioritizes student tactical understanding and skill develop-ment using modified games and/or simulations so all students may experience success. Therefore, in partnership between a PE Teacher Education (PETE) program and an all-girls private high school (HS) in the Northeast United States, a pilot study was designed to explore the implementation of the TG model as an alternative to MA. By practic-ing a TG lesson several times during the intervention, participating PE pre-service candidates reported better comfort with and more likely 86Tactical Games Model for K-12 Students in Physical Educationuse of TG in the future. At the same time, most HS student partici-pants reported high levels of enjoyment and limited previous experi-ences with the TG lesson structure. Results suggest the TG pedagogical model may be an inclusive option for physical educators to consider for diverse K-12 students and learning environments today.

Experience of Mentoring Healthcare Professionals in Developing Core Competencies and Key Professional Capability Indicators

<p>能力導向醫學教育(competency-based medical education, CBME)在近半個世紀以來，被倡導為醫學教育的主流。為增進醫師以外之各職類醫事人員之學（公）會就各該職類的CBME、可信任專業活動(entrustable professional activities, EPAs)發展之共識，本團隊協同14個職類之學（公）會，擬定其專屬之核心、次核心能力及EPAs，並研訂CBME訓練之展開架構。透過專案小組會議，彙整14職類醫事人員學（公）會代表的建言，以及辦理PGY師資培訓課程的討論回饋，促成各醫事職類發展CBME之共識。惟，各訓練醫院可就學（公）會發展的EPA為基礎，調整修正為符合個別化需求的內容，並據以制定其臨床醫事人員訓練計畫。</p> <p>本文希望能為CBME課程的設計者，提供推動CBME訓練的策略規劃及相關經驗。期有助於持續推廣及深化CBME、EPAs的理念與應用，落實CBME理念之訓練模式，達成精進臨床醫事人員訓練之目標。</p> <p> </p><p>Competency-based medical education (CBME) has been promoted as the future of medical education for nearly half a century. To establish consensus regarding the development of CBME and entrustable professional activities (EPAs) among professional associations across healthcare disciplines, our team collaborated with 14 healthcare professional associations to propose core competencies, sub-core competencies, and EPAs and design a framework for implementing CBME training. Through task force meetings, feedback from healthcare association representatives, and discussions during PGY faculty training courses, a consensus was reached on CBME development across healthcare disciplines. Training hospitals can modify the EPAs provided by professional associations to meet their specific needs and develop clinical training programs for their trainees.</p> <p>This article offers strategic planning and relevant insights to facilitate the implementation of CBME curriculums. Strengthening the understanding and application of CBME and EPAs can ensure the effective integration of CBME principles into training models, enhancing educational options for clinical healthcare professionals.</p> <p> </p>

“Since you live in two worlds, it is not always easy to tell them apart”

Online Sámi language education experiences a booming interest, not least as large groups of Sámi live in diasporic communities outside the traditional area of Sápmi where Sámi language teachers are hard to find. Therefore, for many, online education is the only available educational option. From a philosophical perspective, this paper aims to contribute knowledge about online Sámi language education contextualised to the Swedish and Norwegian side of Sápmi. Information from conversations with six online 1-9 Sámi language teachers revealed that they operate within a colonial matrix underpinned by dominant perspectives expressed through legislation, policies, financial incentives etc. Within the matrix, teachers work hard at counteracting colonial consequences, such as pupils with a wide array of pre-knowledge leading to conflicting expectations, and a disconnection to land, animals and people. One consequence might also be embodied colonialism manifesting in different ways. The teachers’ work of applying Sámi philosophical and pedagogical perspectives is done with hardly any outside support and poor financial resources to the best of their ability. There is a need to digitally transform the practice to, amongst other reasons, counteract potential spatial limitations, as teachers need support structures to make the most of the epistemic space created through this mode of education. If Sweden and Norway continue to frame online education within the compulsory school system as a second-best option that should be avoided, if possible, it is unlikely that enough resources will be allocated without political pressure.

Catholic School as a Model of Interaction Between Church and State in Italy

The article deals with the phenomenon of Catholic schools as a model of interaction between the Church and the State in Italy. The objective of work is to consider the principle of “equality” as an alternative state option in education. The author concludes that the “equification” of Catholic and public schools in 2000 did not de facto give Italians the opportunity to choose freely the type of education for their children – a principle enshrined in the Italian Constitution. With the reduction of state subsidies, some “equal” schools are forced to close. The State's policy towards such schools is criticised by the Catholic Church and by Catholic public opinion, which rightly consider what is happening in view of the conflict between secular and religious culture. Christian principles, study of European culture, recognition of the dominant role of the family, centrality of the person, education in the spirit of solidarity, priority of collective values on individualism, respect for diversity, including those linked to disability – these fundamental principles of the Catholic educational project are appreciated by Italians who would like to raise their children in the respect of the Christian cultural tradition. The author concludes that in the context of globalisation, secularism, the state monopoly on education, Catholic education continues to be perceived by some Italians as the most important component of national identity.

Performance of Popular Large Language Models in Glaucoma Patient Education: a randomized controlled study

PurposeThe advent of chatbots based on large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, has significantly transformed knowledge acquisition. However, the application of LLMs in glaucoma patient education remains elusive. In this study, we comprehensively compared the performance of four common LLMs – Qwen, Baichuan 2, ChatGPT-4.0, and PaLM 2 – in the context of glaucoma patient education. MethodsInitially, senior ophthalmologists were asked with scoring responses generated by the LLMs, which were answers to the most frequent glaucoma-related questions posed by patients. The Chinese Readability Platform was employed to assess the recommended reading age and reading difficulty score of the four LLMs. Subsequently, optimized models were filtered, and 29 glaucoma patients participated in posing questions to the chatbots and scoring the answers within a real-world clinical setting. Attending ophthalmologists were also required to score the answers across five dimensions: correctness, completeness, readability, helpfulness, and safety. Patients, on the other hand, scored the answers based on three dimensions: satisfaction, readability, and helpfulness. ResultsIn the first stage, Baichuan 2 and ChatGPT-4.0 outperformed the other two models, though ChatGPT-4.0 had higher recommended reading age and reading difficulty scores. In the second stage, both Baichuan 2 and ChatGPT-4.0 demonstrated exceptional performance among patients and ophthalmologists, with no statistically significant differences observed. ConclusionsOur research identifies Baichuan 2 and ChatGPT-4.0 as prominent LLMs, offering viable options for glaucoma education.

Choosing new careers: patterns of occupational change within vocational education and training and fulfillment of career aspirations in Germany

This study investigates occupational changes in the German vocational education and training system among “stopouts,” i.e., individuals who terminate their training prematurely and switch to another occupation. We examine whether occupational changes are related to the fulfillment of career aspirations and changes in key occupational characteristics such as gender typing, social status, and task profiles. Utilizing longitudinal data from the German National Educational Panel Study and employing latent class analyses, we scrutinize patterns of change in occupational characteristics across different social categories. Results indicate that the majority of stopouts switch to occupations more aligned with their career aspirations, reflecting individual agency in career development. We identify two types of latent classes of occupational change: one in which characteristics remain more or less consistent with the previous position, reflecting practices of fine-tuning, and another showing notable task profile differences compared to the previous position. The latter primarily concerns medium-educated individuals who face a wider array of career opportunities compared to their lower-educated counterparts. Our findings emphasize the dynamic nature of career decision-making and stress the need for support for individuals undergoing career transitions. Career counselors and practitioners can use these insights to encourage alignment with individual occupational aspirations, address career compromises, and promote exploration based on interests, particularly among individuals with a medium-level education and diverse career options.

A new study on marketing and support for adult learners

Adult learners have more higher education options than ever before — from degree to nondegree‐bearing programs. Understanding whether adult learners still desire a 4‐year degree — and if so, why — the authors of a new white paper assert, is “especially important at a time of great enthusiasm about novel alternatives to college diplomas.”

Gender occupational segregation: a new approach to quantifying the effect of educational segregation

ABSTRACT This article analyses the impact of educational segregation on the gender gap in the probability of working in a gendered or gender-balanced occupation, which is our measure of occupational segregation. Specifically, our methodology allows quantifying two different effects of education on this gap: one due to girls and boys choosing different educational options (presorting), and the other due to men and women with the same education entering the same or different occupations (postsorting). Using a sample of university graduates from Spain, a country with a highly segregated labour market, we conclude that the gender composition of education and occupation are strongly related. However, the greater presence of women in female-dominated jobs is not only due to them choosing female-dominated degrees, but also due to many women from gender-balanced, and even some from male-dominated programmes, working in female-dominated occupations. Thus, reducing educational segregation does not seem to be enough to fight against occupational segregation. It is also necessary to guarantee that men and women enjoy the same opportunities in the labour market, removing discrimination practices, and to ensure that both, workers and employers, do not make decisions based on gender role expectations or stereotypes.

University-based academic programs in addiction studies in the regions of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand: An overview.

Current trends in the addiction field reflect a significant emphasis on the workforce development and education. There are already some data about university-based addiction studies programs, but not much from Australasia. The aim is to provide an overview and describe the academic programs for addiction professionals in Australia and Aotearoa NZ. The research was conducted in 2017 and updated in 2023. Firstly, university websites were searched using pre-defined keywords, followed by a content analysis of the identified programs. The data were analysed and interpreted by using descriptive statistics. We found 21 universities in Australia (13) and Aotearoa NZ (8) where 46 single programs are provided. There are three bachelor programs, nine masters, and the majority of degrees include (post)graduate certificates and diplomas. No doctorate programs are identified. The taught courses provide comprehensive coverage of the addiction field topics. Twelve programs state clearly that there is clinical practice/internship included. Application to most programs requires completion of a relevant degree and in some cases possible clinical experience. In comparison to educational options in other regions, we observe a trend towards preparing university graduates for the workforce, thereby expanding the range of programs at lower levels. Most programs possibly represent clinically oriented education primarily specialising in addictions, and graduate programs in addictions for professionals with other disciplinary bases. Great emphasis is given to the quality standards of education, and also to relationship between education and labour market. Findings help opening opportunities to collaborate globally.

Switching Trends in Medical Education: Faculty Perception

Objective: To determine the level of awareness among faculty members of Sindh Medical College regarding switching trends in medical education from traditional to integrated modular system. Study Design: Qualitative study (Phenomenology). Place and Duration of Study: Sindh Medical College, Karachi Pakistan, from Nov 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: The perception of 32 faculty members working in Sindh Medical College regarding Integrated Modular System (IMS) was explored through interviews, where participants were asked 12 open-ended questions, responses were coded, and theme and subthemes were drawn. Results: Based on the participant’s view, an integrated modular curriculum offers a more comprehensive approach to teaching. The majority of faculty believed that if only horizontal mode of IMS is implemented, it will be more effective and helpful for students to acquire in-depth knowledge. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that IMS is a better option for medical education with the majority of faculty favoring horizontal IMS.

Impact of Perceived Internationalization of Higher Education on Student Outcomes

Given the multitude of international education options available to students, academic institutions need to understand better how international students perceive their internationalization efforts and how these perceptions influence student outcomes. Employing quantitative and qualitative methods, this study investigated how student satisfaction and performance are impacted by perceived internationalization. Primary data were collected from 124 international students enrolled in a state university in Thailand using a pre-tested questionnaire. The data were assessed for validity and reliability through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Bottom of Form The predicted relationships were examined using path analysis and mediation analysis. Results indicated neutrality in students' perceptions of their international educational environment and experience. Perceived internationalization was directly related to satisfaction. However, the path modeling analysis showed a negative mediating effect of satisfaction on the relationship between perceived internationalization and performance. This finding suggests that international students may still perform well academically even in non-satisfying educational contexts. The implications for higher education institutions present opportunities to align policies, strategies, and actions toward developing a truly international learning environment that will be beneficial for students.

The alternative pathway: Factors influencing middle-income parents to choose homeschooling

Given that Malaysia is still a developing country with a predominantly middle-income population, understanding the dynamics of homeschooling within this economic context was critical. The objective of this study was therefore to explore the factors influencing middle-income Malaysian parents’ decisions to homeschool their children. This study which was a qualitative case-study, was conducted through in-depth interviews with three middle-income parents’ whose children were currently homeschooling in Malaysia. The self-designed instrument achieved a Kappa score of .74, ensuring reliability of instrument for data collection. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis approach integrated by Miles et al.’s (2013) three-cycle analytical coding was utilized in analyzing the data. The results from the in-depth interviews revealed four major themes which discussed factors influencing middle-income Malaysian parents’ decisions to homeschool their children. Flexibility and individualized learning, discontent with traditional schooling, children’s ability and disparity in classroom instructions and cultural independence have led many middle-income parents to explore home-schooling as an alternative educational option. The findings in this study uncovered that many parents perceived the home environment as a perfect setting for education. This study has practical implications as it highlighted the importance of creating a more inclusive and effective educational environment within the traditional school environment, hence decreasing the need for parents to choose homeschooling as an educational option.

Family background, education, and earnings: the limited value of “test-score transmission”

AbstractThis paper investigates the relationship between the inter-generational transmission of educational achievement (“test-score transmission”) and the inter-generational transmission of higher earnings (“income transmission”). We use administrative data from Israel to track the evolution of education and earnings gaps between “second-generation” (SG) students, whose parents have some tertiary education, and “first-generation” (FG) students, whose parents have none. We find that SG students achieve much better results on the screening tests that regulate access to selective tertiary education than FG students with similar eighth-grade test scores. Consequently, they enjoy greater access to the most selective tertiary degree programs, crowding out FG students with higher eighth-grade achievement. Yet this advantage does not manifest itself in earnings differentials at age 29, similarly conditioned on eighth-grade achievement, which are not statistically significant, and we find no evidence that these patterns are driven by SG students choosing study fields with steeper earnings curves. We find evidence of two mechanisms that mediate the relationship between achievement gains and earnings: FG students compensate for fewer options in tertiary education by accumulating more labor market experience; and SG students are more likely to forgo higher earnings for non-pecuniary benefits in employment, particularly by choosing public-sector employment.

Which videos are better for the students? Analyzing the student behavior and video metadata

Due to its inherent flexibility and adaptability, e-learning has become a versatile and effective educational option, with video-based learning (VBL) enabling asynchronous engagement. Despite the wealth of video resources, evaluating their effectiveness remains challenging. This study employs a comprehensive approach, analyzing student behavior and video metadata to assess educational videos’ efficacy. Metrics such as average playback speed, video and course completion rates, and video metadata were examined using the XuetangX dataset, MOOC- CubeX. Results indicate that viewing patterns are more influenced by students’ choices than by video content. Well-conceptualized videos increase viewing time, with 17 % of students engaging with videos over 30 min if they cover focused topics. While shorter videos generally have higher completion rates, many remain untouched. Playback speed analysis shows a preference for standard speed, with positive correlations between speed and both completion percentage and viewing time. Courses under 5 h are likely to be watched for less than an hour, reflecting brief viewing durations. Metadata analysis reveals that generic titles may deter engagement, underscoring the importance of precise tagging and content relevance for enhancing student interaction.

The Value of Work Flexibility: Staff Perceptions in Higher Education

ABSTRACT Increases in the technological availability of the digital workplace and shifting expectations after the COVID-19 quarantines in 2020–2021 have caused a significant increase in institutional capacity, and employee expectation of flexible work options in higher education. An analysis of institutional practices and experiences of higher education employees is needed to build a scant body of research on the topic and guide higher education leadership as they engage in policy development. By better understanding what workers in higher education value, leadership can more accurately assess and improve crucial organizational practices and policy through work flexibility such as recruitment, retention, and employee satisfaction. In this study, interviews with academic advisors representing 16 different Association of American Universities (AAU) institutions were conducted to better understand how employees define work flexibility, its meaning to them as employees, and how it impacts them as individuals. Our study revealed four primary themes centered on how higher education employees want the ability to customize their role, be treated with compassion, feel trusted in the workplace, and have clarity around work flexibility expectations.

Theory in action for graduate nurse educator students: An experiential learning project

BackgroundHigh turnover rates of new nurse educators are amplifying nursing shortages by reducing the ability of nursing programs to educate new nurses. When nurses enter their new role as nurse educators, there is a major transition from experienced bedside nurse to novice educator. This transition can be difficult and frequently leads to frustration, and in many cases nurse educators leaving the field. AimThe aim of this project is to improve the readiness, and preparedness of new nurse educators prior to entering the field. ProjectGraduate nursing students in the Master of Science in Nursing Education (MSNE) Option at Lamar University were competitively selected and hired as graduate assistants (GA) with a focus on easing the transition of becoming nurse educators by creating nursing professional development (NPD) opportunities for current nursing faculty. The project utilized Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and mentorship to prepare future nurse educators for their future role. ApplicationsThrough the application of Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, graduate assistants (GAs) developed curriculum to be deployed in continuing education courses. This provided graduate assistants the ability to maneuver the nuances of course development using Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory as a template for curriculum development by examining their work with peers and analyzing the cycle of concrete experiences (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE). ConclusionMaster's programs help instill knowledge necessary to equip future educators with the tools needed to give nursing education students a solid foundation. By utilizing Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory with this project, future nurse educators could apply a deeper understanding of newfound knowledge into practice. Increasing demands in nursing requires innovations in the preparation of nurse educators. By incorporating projects such as this, with a strong grasp on concrete experiences (CE), reflective observation (RO), abstract conceptualization (AC), and active experimentation (AE), novice educators can be primed for their new role of developing future nurses.

DYNAMICS OF THE MERITOCRACY TRAP AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

In this study, Daniel Markovitz's book titled "The Meritocracy Trap: How America’s Foundational Myth Feeds Inequality, Dismantles the Middle Class, and Devours the Elite," published by Penguin Press, is thoroughly evaluated in the context of the dynamics of the meritocracy trap and the two distinct phases it contains. The first phase corresponds to a period when the education system and the labor market were open to everyone. During this phase, human capital could be equally invested in through education. However, from the 1970s onwards, the spread of automation due to technological transformations eliminated this advantage for the middle class, either displacing middle and low-skilled workers from the labor market or condemning them to lower wages. While the middle class was replaced by automation, the elite class began to own the high-skilled and consequently high-yielding jobs created by automation. In this transformation, the education systems once again revealed their elitist structure, creating a new elite educational option only accessible to wealthy families, strongly linked to elite jobs in the labor market. The study also discusses the potential of artificial intelligence technologies to move these dynamics into a third phase. The proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies has dynamics similar to those that moved the meritocratic system into the second phase, greatly strengthening automation. Therefore, this study discusses how artificial intelligence technologies can be used not merely to strengthen automation but to focus on employment and enhance the skills of particularly middle and low-skilled workers in workplaces, complementing human labor and increasing overall productivity.

Food Neophobia and Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake among Adults and Related Factors.

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) includes age-inappropriate feeding behaviors in eating patterns, including food neophobia, defined as refusal or reluctance to eat new or unknown foods. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ARFID and food neophobia among adults and determine the related characteristics of these risks. The study used an anonymous survey questionnaire consisting of three parts as the research tool. The first part of the questionnaire was a metric and concerned socio-demographic data. The Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) and the Nine-Item Avoidance/Restrictive Food Disorder Screen Questionnaire (NIAS) were used to evaluate the eating disorders. The survey included 309 people (60.2% women, 39.8% men) aged 18-77 years. NIAS results indicated that 15.2% of the subjects showed food selectivity, and 11.0% had food anxiety. In the FNS assessment, 42.4% had a low risk of food neophobia, 38.2% a medium risk, and 19.4% a high risk. A higher risk of food neophobia correlated with higher NIAS scores, indicating a higher risk of ARFID (p = 0.00231). The NIAS score increased with the risk of food neophobia (p = 0.000). Respondents at low risk of neophobia were most likely to avoid several products (83.97%), while in the high-risk group, 56.67% did not want to eat a favorite food enriched with a new ingredient. A higher risk of neophobia was correlated with more food avoidance and adverse reactions to new foods (p = 0.000). A higher risk of food neophobia is strongly correlated with a higher risk of ARFID. Although demographics did not significantly impact NIAS results, some trends were noted, such as higher scores among older and underweight people. Those with a higher risk of food neophobia show more food avoidance and a greater reluctance to experiment with new ingredients. Public education should emphasize that eating disorders affect both sexes equally, with tailored interventions for high-risk groups such as the elderly, rural populations, and those with lower education. Health policies should promote access to nutrition education, psychological support, and diverse food options, while further research is needed to improve targeted interventions.

Creating new embryological models for teaching cardiac development in embryology.

Embryology is an essential component to understanding human anatomy. It requires an in-depth understanding of 3D knowledge but is primarily taught with 2-dimensional resources. In particular, the development of the human heart is a complex process and difficult to understand using traditional teaching methods. We present here a series of heart embryology models created to supplement embryology education and aid students in understanding this complex process. Using Polydoh moldable plastic, models representing six different critical steps in heart formation are described, including: the fusing of the heart tubes (days 21-23), beginning of the cardiac loop (early day 23), fully formed cardiac loop (late day 23), four-week heart, formation of the endocardial cushions and septi (late fourth week), and heart with fully formed septi with functioning foramen ovale (sixth week). These models not only improve embryology education but also the understanding of heart pathologies. This method provides an affordable option for embryology education and provides students with learning tools that assist with the comprehension of the development of a complex organ.

General High School or Vocational High School: School Choice for Students Near the High School Entrance Examination Score Line

The study focuses on exploring the Chinese students’ school choice decisions. In particular, it explores why some students prefer vocational schools over general high schools, even when eligible for the latter. The research also examines how pupils make sense of these dual purposes at the time of choosing. According to this study’s results which were based on in-depth interviews with eight vocational school students, most of them chose these schools because they considered the courses offered there as more important than attending prestigious general high schools. Students choose their schools according to personal feelings and understandings about educational equality and achievement in society. Students' choices reflect their subjective experiences and individual interpretations of social signals regarding educational equity and success. The findings emphasized psychological and structural determinants in selecting schools so as to foster equal learning opportunities among all children regardless of their backgrounds. This study contributes to the understanding of how students navigate the complex landscape of educational options, and how their choices are influenced by broader societal forces.