Experiences Of Undergraduate Students Research Articles

One-to-one LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® positive psychology coaching for emerging adults: a single-participant case study

PurposeThis study explores one-to-one LEGO® Serious Play® in positive psychology coaching (1-1 LSP in PPC) as an intervention to help emerging adults (EAs) in higher education develop a growth mindset.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative single-participant case study of an EA undergraduate student's experience with 1-1 LSP in PPC to help him navigate uncertainty about making a decision that he felt would influence his future career.Findings1-1 LSP in PPC enabled the participant to create a metaphoric representation of how a growth mindset operated for him, promoting self-awareness and reflectivity. The LEGO® model that the participant built during his final session acted as a reminder of the resources and processes he developed during coaching, which helped him navigate future challenges.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the emerging literature on the impact of using LSP as a tool in one-to-one coaching in higher education. The participant's experience demonstrates that 1-1 LSP in PPC may be an effective way to support positive EA development. More research is needed to explore its potential.Practical implicationsThis study provides a possible roadmap to incorporate 1-1 LSP in PPC into coaching in higher education as a reflective tool to build a growth mindset in EA students.Originality/valueBecause most undergraduates are EAs navigating the transition from adolescence into adulthood, universities would benefit from adopting developmentally informed coaching practices. 1-1 LSP in PPC may be an effective intervention that provides the structured and psychologically safe environment EAs need to develop lasting personal resources.

A Study on Parent Child Relationship and Adverse Childhood Experiences of Psychology and Non-Psychology Undergraduate Students

A Study on Parent Child Relationship and Adverse Childhood Experiences of Psychology and Non-Psychology Undergraduate Students

A Qualitative Study Exploring the Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Teaching and Learning of Family Medicine Course among Undergraduates in a Local University in Malaysia

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the global teaching and learning process (TnL). Unfortunately, to date, not many qualitative studies have been published specifically on the impact of COVID-19 on the Family Medicine course, particularly in Malaysia. Hence, this study aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the teaching and learning experience of undergraduate students undergoing their Family Medicine course at a local university. Methods: A qualitative study using focused group discussion (FGD), was conducted among undergraduate students during the lockdown period. A semi-structured interview guide was used to interview 20 students, in their fifth undergraduate year, undertaking their fourth to fifth week of a total six-week course. They were selected using purposive snowball sampling method. There were four focus group discussions (FGD) with five students in a group. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and the contents were analysed using the standard content analysis framework. Subsequently, thematic content analysis was conducted, and three major themes were produced. Results: The three major themes were (1) facilitators to learning, (2) barriers to learning, and (3) rooms for improvement. Conclusion: Although COVID-19 pandemic had significant impact on TnL of Family Medicine course among undergraduates, the students remained optimistic and proposed some improvement from their point of view. However, a creative, realistic, effective, and impactful way of TnL, particularly in clinical aspects should be developed and experimented. Technological progress and advancement should permit this idea to be achievable and implemented in near future.

81 Examination of Undergraduate and Graduate Student Experiences in an Undergraduate Research Course

Abstract Mentored undergraduate research experiences have been identified as beneficial to students for persistence in STEM disciplines and increased grade point averages. Participation in research is impactful for both STEM and non-STEM students. Additionally, undergraduate research experiences have a positive effect on subsequent student performance in graduate and professional school as evidenced by students with previous research experience having superior communication skills at the start of their first year and after. Undergraduate research courses tend to be heavily hands-on experiences and structured classroom teaching may not be large portions of the course content. Online material has become increasingly common in the post COVID-19 learning environment. Courses that can have difficulty with online instruction or the inclusion of online content tend to be courses with a heavy focus of hands-on learning or hands-on skill development. The use of a flipped classroom can facilitate student learning in a digital way in addition to in person class meeting. The incorporation of online lecture content to broaden undergraduate student understanding of the application of the scientific method was used to enhance the research experience. Student experiences were evaluated with the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment survey. Significant positive correlation was found between student feelings of “project responsibility” and “Workshops on science writing and presentation” during the semester that online lectures were incorporated. Additionally, graduate student training is a variable and highly individualized experience for each trainee. Most programs focus strongly on cognitive skill training, advanced knowledge of the discipline, conducting research, and preparing manuscripts for publication. Professional development is a component of graduate training that can be easily overlooked or undervalued. The development of soft skills such as time management, personnel management, and leadership and mentoring qualities are vital for trainee success post-graduation. Some current thinking is that devoting time to professional development will result in a slower progression by the trainee, however this is shown to be untrue and students who participate in career growth maintained the same level of productivity measured by time to degree completion and manuscript output. Graduate student experiences with mentoring undergraduates were shown to develop soft skills while also being noted as “an influential experience” when making future career decisions. Development of an undergraduate research program that incorporates more than simply hands on skill development that also significantly incorporates graduate students benefits both student groups and leads to improved outcomes for both student groups post-graduation.

Experience and perceptions of nigerian undergraduate dental students to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 outbreak impacted negatively on teaching globally with traditional face-to-face teaching mostly affected. This study evaluated the experiences and perceptions of Nigerian undergraduate dental students to virtual learning (VL) including perceived institutional challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional survey of 346 dental students from all 13 Nigerian dental schools. Data collection was done using an open/close-ended online questionnaire. The level of awareness and understanding of dental students to virtual learning was high (93.6%) and good (84.7%), respectively. About two-thirds (62.4%) of the students had a virtual learning classroom experience before the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical students spent more time on the Internet and reported more confidence in the use of VL platforms than their pre-clinical counterparts during the lockdown (p < 0.05). More male students than their female counterparts felt that VL had less quality than traditional classroom teaching (p < 0.05). Similarly, male students showed more confidence in the use of VL online tools (p < 0.05). Institutional and self-perceived preparedness to VL was ranked low and moderate by the students, respectively. The high cost of data subscriptions, unstable Internet connectivity, and lack of other institutional facilities were perceived as challenges to effective VL by students. None of the identified variables predict effective VL. Experiences of dental students and their preparedness to VL were moderate. The high cost of Internet subscriptions, unstable Internet connectivity, and low institutional facilities were major challenges to students' VL. None of the socio-demographic factors could successfully predict effective VL.

Undergraduate healthcare professional students experience of receiving feedback: A cross sectional survey

Undergraduate healthcare professional students experience of receiving feedback: A cross sectional survey

Achievement Emotions in Paper-Based Exams vs. Computer-Based Exams

This study investigates the emotional experiences of undergraduate students when taking computer-based compared to traditional paper-based exams. The authors surveyed 144 students and conducted in-depth written interviews with 44 of them to gain a comprehensive understanding of their emotions and experiences. The findings revealed that students generally feel more positive emotions, such as enjoyment, hope, and pride during computer-based exams. Conversely, they experienced less anger, anxiety, and hopelessness compared to paper-based exams. However, they observed no significant differences in feelings of relief and shame between the two exam modes. The interview responses provided valuable insights into the reasons behind these emotions. Students found computer-based testing to be more efficient, user-friendly for language editing, and appreciated the auto-grading features. However, technical concerns were identified as a major challenge in this format. On the other hand, paper-based exams allowed students to avoid technical problems, draft their answers, and express ideas more effectively. Despite these advantages, students reported disliking the lengthiness of the written responses, the difficulty of editing, and the pressure of maintaining legible handwriting. Overall, this study sheds light on the emotional experiences of students in different exam formats, helping educators make informed decisions to optimize testing environments.

Stranded in the living room: A narrative study of occupational disruption and imbalance as experienced by two Norwegian students during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown

ABSTRACT The everyday life experiences of undergraduate students under conditions of social isolation have been little explored. This paper explores the ways in which the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown impacted two Norwegian students’ everyday lives. Data were derived from diary entries kept by the students, one with a physical impairment and the other a single parent, over a 5-week period during the first lockdown (May-June 2020). Initial data analysis was done by the students and formed part of their bachelor’s degree theses. Their two supervisors subsequently carried out the secondary analysis presented in this paper, using a narrative design and methodology. The concept of social isolation is used as a lens through which to explore occupational disruption and imbalance experienced by both students during lockdown. Three themes emerged from the students’ personal stories: 1) Life at home: Not being able to maintain a healthy occupational balance, 2) Finding confidence, regaining motivation and purpose, and 3) The meaning of a productive place. The findings highlight how social isolation led to a significant experience of occupational disruption that influenced the ability to maintain a healthy occupational balance for both students, despite their quite different situations. This paper contributes to occupational science literature by showing examples of occupational disruption in everyday life of students during a pandemic. Furthermore, we introduce occupational resignation related to occupational disruption and discuss the meaning of a productive place to maintain occupational balance and regain motivation after occupational disruption.

Circle of success—An interpretative phenomenological analysis of how Black engineering students experience success

AbstractBackgroundThough minoritized undergraduate engineering students earn less than 25% of engineering bachelor's degrees, minority‐serving institutions (MSIs) are leading the way in producing a large percentage of those underrepresented engineering bachelor's degree holders. However, much of the published research about the experiences of underrepresented engineering students occurs within the context of predominantly White institutions. Upon deeper inspection into the apparent success of some MSIs, graduation rates of specific minoritized populations (e.g., Black students) remain critically low. This suggests that there is more to be learned about how to better support Black engineering students' success.PurposeWe explored the experiences of Black undergraduate engineering students at a large public doctoral university with very high research activity.Design/MethodWe used interpretative phenomenological analysis to understand the experiences of eight participants.FindingsWe inductively developed two themes to describe how Black engineering students experience success at a Hispanic‐serving institution, which include building success networks and implementing rules of engagement.ConclusionParticipants enacted their cultural capital to construct their circles of success through the intentional engagement of others, resources, and themselves to realize success. This work sheds light on how Black students describe what it means to be successful in their engineering environment.

Lived experiences of undergraduate medical students after failure in final professional examination: A phenomenology.

The objective of the study is to focus on the actual phenomenon of medical students' exposure to failure. The research aims to highlight the lived experiences of undergraduate medical students after failure in final professional examination, from the student's point of view. Study was conducted in Bahria Medical and dental college Karachi, Pakistan. Interpretative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of students who failed in the final professional MBBS examination. Interpretivist and pragmatic research paradigms were used for philosophical explanation of the phenomenon. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. These interviews were repeated until data saturation was reached. Interviews of participants were initially audio-recorded and then transcribed. Non-verbal communication was transcribed using observation method and following continuum of lexicalisation ranging from symbolic gestures to phrases or words omitted or adapted to enhance thick description and interpretation of latent content analysis. Verbal data was analysed by content analysis, non-verbal and verbal data were integrated, and phenomenological interpretive method was used in this study. Constant reflection on data or parts of data contributed to the understanding of the phenomenon. Data was organised in codes and themes using atlas ti-9. Results showed 16 codes under three themes, i.e. personal, social, and academic factors. Interpretive phenomenological approach applied in this study helped to uncover the complexity of medical students' failure.

The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality Applications on Enhancing the Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Health Care Students: Systematic Review With Meta-synthesis.

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) applications are gaining popularity in health care education. They provide an uninterrupted, scaled environment capable of simulating the full magnitude of sensory stimuli present in busy health care settings and increase students' competence and confidence by providing them with accessible and repeatable learning opportunities in a fail-safe environment. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of IVR teaching on the learning outcomes and experiences of undergraduate health care students compared with other teaching methods. MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus were searched (last search on May 2022) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies published in English between January 2000 and March 2022. The inclusion criteria were studies involving undergraduate students majoring in health care, IVR teaching, and evaluations of students' learning outcomes and experiences. The methodological validity of the studies was examined using the Joanna Briggs Institute standard critical appraisal instruments for RCTs or quasi-experimental studies. The findings were synthesized without a meta-analysis using vote counting as the synthesis metric. A binomial test with P<.05 was used to test for statistical significance using SPSS (version 28; IBM Corp). The overall quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. A total of 17 articles from 16 studies totaling 1787 participants conducted between 2007 and 2021 were included. The undergraduate students in the studies majored in medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, pharmacy, biomedicine, radiography, audiology, or stomatology. The IVR teaching domains included procedural training (13/16, 81%), anatomical knowledge (2/16, 12%), and orientation to the operating room setting (1/16, 6%). The quality of the 75% (12/16) of RCT studies was poor, with unclear descriptions of randomization, allocation concealment, and outcome assessor blinding procedures. The overall risk of bias was relatively low in the 25% (4/16) of quasi-experimental studies. A vote count showed that 60% (9/15; 95% CI 16.3%-67.7%; P=.61) of the studies identified similar learning outcomes between IVR teaching and other teaching approaches regardless of teaching domains. The vote count showed that 62% (8/13) of the studies favored using IVR as a teaching medium. The results of the binomial test (95% CI 34.9%-90%; P=.59) did not show a statistically significant difference. Low-level evidence was identified based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. This review found that undergraduate students had positive learning outcomes and experiences after engaging with IVR teaching, although the effects may be similar to those of other forms of virtual reality or conventional teaching methods. Given the identification of risk of bias and low level of the overall evidence, more studies with a larger sample size and robust study design are required to evaluate the effects of IVR teaching. International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42022313706; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=313706.

Investigating Undergraduate Student Experiences of NEE Courses in Guangdong, China during the COVID-19 Pandemic from 2020 to 2021

New Engineering Education (NEE) has become increasingly important in higher education in China. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced higher education institutions to adopt online and hybrid modes of instruction globally, with Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) becoming a primary educational tool. In this paper, we explore the impacts of online/hybrid modes on NEE courses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that the rapid transition to online/hybrid modes may have negatively affected students due to insufficient preparation by teachers. This hypothesis was tested through an investigation involving 787 students conducted in 2020 and 2021. The results indicated that, while most students considered online/hybrid modes a helpful tool for their studies, 28.69–36.74% of participants reported significant issues. Through one-to-one interviews with negative/neutral attitude students, we found that insufficient and burdensome communication/interaction with classmates and teachers was the main contributor to these issues. We conclude by proposing a conceptual path to address the issues raised in the study, as well as offering the obtained results as a critical reference for educational researchers seeking to improve the quality of online/hybrid courses and contribute to the field of education.

Virtual Flipped Classroom in HCI Courses: Case Studies on the Experience of Brazilian Students

Abstract The interest in virtual learning is not new; however, it has become a hot topic since the outbreak of COVID-19. In the area of human–computer interaction (HCI), there have been few educational experiences conducted in fully online mode. This paper examines a virtual flipped classroom–based approach, which was adopted to support HCI teaching–learning by using online tools. We conducted two case studies at a Brazilian University and carried out qualitative data analysis. We also investigated how this approach affected the experience of undergraduate and graduate students, together with the skills it enabled them to acquire. The results revealed a high degree of satisfaction and motivation felt by students when they adopted this approach and a change in their mindset about the importance of HCI in their future job activities as professionals. Skills related to effective work in group management and innovative thinking were also stimulated by our approach.

Two Cultures, One Identity: Biculturalism of Mexican American Undergraduate Students

ABSTRACT While the number of Hispanic undergraduate students enrolled in higher education has more than doubled in the past 15 years, graduation rates for this population continues to be well below that of white students. Understanding the unique life experiences of bicultural Hispanic undergraduate students becomes vital for higher education professionals to better support this unique population. The purpose of this study was to explore life experiences of undergraduate Mexican Americans through a phenomenology design specifically to highlight how biculturalism is reflected in their lives, how they navigate two cultures, and the way they construct their bicultural identity. By using rich qualitative data including interviews, photo elicitation, and document analysis, this study paints a descriptive picture of biculturalism within eight Mexican American college students. Results indicate that bicultural individuals organize and respond to their culture in terms of behavior and cognition independently from the feelings they experience while engaging in cultural frame switching. Even when participants were able to organize their dual cultures and compartmentalize them in their life, they still struggled with conflicting feelings. When cultures and ideologies of the participants clash and at times feel contradictory, these students still manage to respond and function in both cultures.

Learnt And Perceived Professional Role: A Focus Group Discussion of Tourism Students’ Internship In A Hotel In Indonesia

The internship program provides students with a good experience developing their potential to prepare themselves to work in the future. This paper focuses on looking at students' experiences in carrying out internships in a hotel in rural areas far from the center of the crowd. This qualitative study aims to examine the experiences of undergraduate tourism students conducting an internship program which approximately three months to see the reality of world work at a hotel. The study was designed with a descriptive qualitative method to study the participants’ experiences. This study conducted the data through focus group discussions and a semi-structured interview. The data obtained were analyzed through transcribing, coding, managing, and interpreting. This study involved four undergraduate tourism students aged twenty-one to twenty-three years old. This study revealed the benefits and the challenges they got through the internship program at the hotel. The benefits include learning disciplines, self-development, and gaining new skills. The challenges include adaptation to the skills required in work, such as responsibility, teamwork, and communication, limited days off, and limited public transportation around the internship site. This study concluded that students learned various skills and knowledge at the internship site through guidance from the supervisor and team. As a result, they achieve self-development and skills useful for their career in the future.

Clinical Immersion of Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Students: Best Practices for Short-Term Programs.

Many biomedical engineering degree programs lack substantial immersive clinical experiences for undergraduate students, creating a need for clinical immersion programs that contribute to training objectives that emphasize current clinical needs (Becker in Eur J Eng Educ 31:261-272, 2006; Davis et al. in J Eng Educ 91:211-221, 2002; Dym et al. in J Eng Educ 94:103-120, 2005). Immersive clinical experiences have the potential to bridge the gap between clinical and non-clinical learning objectives in biomedical engineering curriculum. In collaboration with Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, we have created, executed, and evaluated a two-week cardiovascular clinical immersion program for biomedical engineering undergraduate students at Purdue University. As of August 2022, this program has run 11 times since 2014 with 60 participants to date, exposing students to intensive and non-intensive care environments, facilitating interactions with medical professionals, and encouraging exploration of innovative technologies shaping the training of clinicians with direct patient interaction. The variety of cardiovascular topics discussed and clinical settings observed has provided students with a unique, highly beneficial learning opportunity. Keys to the continued success and growth of similar programs include: recruiting a diverse team, support from administrative staff/clinicians, a funded student intern position, and careful consideration of liability/risk management. Areas of future consideration include, streamlining the order of scheduled events, determining if offering course credit would be beneficial to students, and tracking career trajectories after participations.

Intergenerational Service-learning: An Experience in Health Promotion among Undergraduate Students in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Service-learning has been well documented for its benefits to students. This study examined the service-learning experience of undergraduate students enrolled in the subject Practices in Health Promotion. Data were retrieved from the reflective journals of 72 students and thematic content analysis was performed. The findings indicated that students benefited from incorporating their health promotion skills into a period of community service, which changed their misperceptions about older adults into positive attitudes. The service-learning experience provided opportunities for students to promote health in a real-life situation through intergenerational interactions, and benefited students even though the period of service-learning was short.

Monologue or Dialogue? Oral Feedback Experiences of Students and Supervisors During Undergraduate Research

Effective feedback provides information to both students and educators about the goals they need to achieve, students’ current performance and understanding in relation to the goals, and the next activities or goals to be achieved to make better progress. Despite its significance as a catalyst to enhance learning, feedback may not always fulfill its true potential. Specifically, feedback as telling where the educator takes a central role in the feedback process has been identified as problematic and insufficient to promote students’ self-regulation. Following a qualitative case study design, this paper explores oral feedback experiences of undergraduate students and their supervisors during students’ undergraduate research projects. Data were collected using audio-recorded attended observations of supervision meetings of four student-supervisor dyads. Findings from the present study revealed that students and supervisors had a limited view of feedback and therefore unable to harness the potential of feedback for students’ self-regulation. The uniqueness of this study lies in its representations of authentic student-supervisor verbal exchanges. It also demonstrates that although there are always opportunities for students and educators to engage in verbal interactions, these do not necessarily lead to dialogic exchanges between the two parties.

Development and Implementation of a Bioinnovation Focused Course-Based Research Experience for Undergraduate Students

Development and Implementation of a Bioinnovation Focused Course-Based Research Experience for Undergraduate Students

Negotiating the second mesiobuccal canal: A comparison of nickel titanium files through the experience of undergraduate dental students.

The aim of this study was to compare the ability of undergraduate students to reach working length (WL) in second mesiobuccal root canals (MB2) of maxillary first molars (n=210) by using Reciproc Blue without glide path preparation, and One Curve with glide path preparation. The students (n=105) attended theoretical and practical courses. The first group (n=53) shaped MB2 root canals using the One Curve system and then Reciproc Blue; the second group (n=52) shaped MB2 root canals following the reverse sequence. Participants completed a questionnaire. The chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis using significance of p<0.05. The full WL was reached and shaping procedures were completed without complications in Reciproc Blue and One Curve groups at rates of 86.67% and 82.85%, respectively (p>0.05). Treatment time was shorter in Reciproc Blue (p<0.05). More (62.9%) students felt the One Curve system safer, while 61% felt the Reciproc Blue system faster. Within the limitations of this study, instrument kinematics and glide path preparation did not interfere with undergraduate students' ability to achieve the WL in MB2 root canals.