Experienced Students Research Articles

Rubric for peer evaluation of oral presentations: Use and perceptions among experienced and non-experienced students.

A properly designed rubric for oral presentations should be useful both to assess students' performance and to help them prepare for the task. However, its use and perceptions might be influenced by scholars' previous familiarization with rubrics during pre-university courses. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the previous experience of students in the use of rubrics can influence their assessment of oral presentations and to compare their ratings with those assigned by educators. Eighty-six first-year undergraduate dentistry students were randomly distributed in teams to prepare oral presentations. A newly designed assessment rubric was presented to the students prior to the assignment. Six weeks later the students performed the presentations and were anonymously assessed with the rubric by their peers and seven educators (EDU). Students' perceptions towards the rubric as a learning and assessment tool were registered with an anonymous survey, which also recorded if they were familiar with the use of rubrics (experienced students, ES) or not (not-experienced students, NES). Assigned scores by NES, ES, and EDU were compared. Sixty-seven students completed the survey. No differences were found in the scores assigned among experienced (41) and non-experienced students (26). Educators assigned significantly lower scores than students. ES and NES considered the rubric a complete easy to use and useful tool that helped them feel confident during assessment and performance. Previous experience does not influence students' use and perceptions of the newly developed rubric, however, ratings assigned by students are not comparable to those of EDU.

Corporate Strategy Development: Insights from Military Strategic Practices

This study examines corporate strategy development through the lens of military strategic practices, highlighting the parallels between military and business approaches. It draws on data from a survey conducted among experienced Czech managers and management students, analysing their use of strategic tools, data preferences, and operational methodologies. Advanced statistical techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, reveal differences in the emphasis placed on macroeconomic indicators and internal processes by managers versus the preference for tools like SWOT and PESTLE among students. Key findings underscore the significance of protecting competitive intelligence and adopting adaptive methodologies to enhance decision-making. The study bridges theory and practice, offering practical recommendations for integrating military-inspired strategies into business education and corporate frameworks.

Opinions of Polish postgraduate nursing students on medical humanization courses in relation to age, years of service, and nursing specialty

BackgroundThe Polish educational system for nurses has undergone a substantial transformation over the past two decades, with the introduction of a mandatory university education that encompasses humanization in medicine. Consequently, nurses who had been licensed to practice before the implementation of the reform returned to universities to pursue master’s degrees alongside their younger colleagues who had only recently obtained bachelor’s degrees. This distinctive learning environment, in which nurses of varying ages and years of practice study together, offers an opportunity to gain insight into their perspectives on the educational process. Accordingly, the present study aims to examine the opinions of Polish postgraduate nursing students at one university regarding medical humanization courses, focusing on the extent to which these opinions are shaped by age, years of service, and specialty of nursing care.MethodsFrom February to June 2023, an anonymous survey was conducted on the university’s online platform, involving 89 out of 169 participants in the master’s degree nursing program. The newly designed questionnaire comprised 15 primary questions and 11 metric questions.ResultsThe study population consisted of registered nurses with a mean age of 35 years (ranging from 22 to 54 years). The majority of participants were women (97.8%). The analysis revealed that older students (Spearman’s rho 0.480, p < 0.001) and those with more years of professional experience (Spearman’s rho 0.377, p < 0.001) perceived humanizing classes as a vital component of nurse training and work. Younger and less experienced students did not share this perspective. Specialization status was also identified as a differentiating factor (Chi² = 10.830, p < 0.05). However, other characteristics, including the number of positions held during the survey, the type of position, the primary employer, and the nature of work (shift or non-shift), did not exhibit statistically significant differentiation among participants.ConclusionsThis study found age- and work-experience-related differences in nursing students’ opinions toward courses teaching humanization in health care. The results suggest that changing the teaching format and involving older and more experienced students in sharing experiences with younger and less experienced students could potentially improve the implementation of learned skills in clinical practice.

Effects of a Novelty Virtual Interactive Brain Atlas on Student Perception of Neuroanatomy

The instructional techniques in neuroanatomy laboratories continue to evolve to incorporate online interactive resources to improve student experience and outcomes. This study aims to design an “all in one”Virtual Interactive Brain Atlas (VIBA) that provides students with an educational resource that will improve their knowledge of neuroanatomy while in the brain lab and provide them with lab resources they can self-study and self-test. Coronal, midsagittal, whole brain, and horizontal brain slices were used to create detailed descriptions, interactive features, and quiz assessments to create VIBA. Upper level undergraduate and optometry students taking a neuroanatomy one-semester course were provided with VIBA for use during the semester. A paper survey was distributed after completing the course to determine student perception. No significant difference was indicated between the student groups regarding their self-reported understanding prior to the brain lab (p= 0.194) and after the brain lab (p= 0.308). There was a significant difference between the student populations when stating that they strongly agreed that the online brain atlas improved their understanding of neuroanatomy (p= 0.032) and that the VIBA tool was easy to navigate (p=0.048). There was a significant difference between the two student groups that strongly agreed that the online brain atlas quality was sufficient (p= 0.015). This online interactive brain atlas was created in a time-efficient manner from readily available models and was well received by experienced neuroanatomy faculty and students.

Can Peer-Mentoring be a Model for Retention in Higher Education?

Research highlights the benefits of peer mentoring in helping less experienced students understand their university roles and achieve academic goals. The current study aims to explore the perspectives of mentees and mentors, focusing on program expectations, challenges faced, and suggestions for improvement. This single-case study investigates a 12-week mentoring program at a foundation university using qualitative surveys, monthly reports, and focus group interviews. The findings suggest that both mentors and mentees have academic and social expectations, encompassing the enhancement of problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills and mentees’ adjustment to campus life. As for the challenges encountered, the key themes emerged, establishing boundaries/relationship, time management, meeting diverse needs and expectations and coping with a lack of information/miscommunication. Mentors and mentees reported that the effectiveness of the mentoring program was influenced by factors such as support from academic programs, a well-structured program, and the training provided to the mentors before the program started. The participants stated that they took advantages of the mentoring program, acquired personal, professional, and academic skills, facilitating a smooth transition to the campus life. The results are expected to inform future mentoring programs and promote peer mentoring in higher education.

Retrieval-based concept mapping makes a difference as a retrieval practice activity: a study with high school students

IntroductionWhile specific sequences of retrieval-based activities have been shown to have a powerful effect on learning, no previous study has examined this issue in children or adolescents. Here, we aimed to determine whether the benefit of concept mapping as an initial retrieval activity observed previously with college students in a lab setting may also be found in younger and less experienced students in a more naturalistic school setting.MethodsAfter a short training in concept mapping, participants (N = 60) read an educational text and then engaged in a sequence of two learning activities that required them to retrieve relevant ideas from the text. One of the activities involved free recall by writing down as many ideas as possible and the other involved creating a concept map, both of them in the absence of educational texts. Critically, we manipulated the order in which the activities were performed.ResultsA mediation analysis with success during retrieval practice as the mediator revealed both a direct effect of retrieval sequence and an indirect effect. Creating a concept map first and then freely recalling by writing paragraphs significantly improved performance on a 2-week delayed learning test, as compared to performing the same activities in the inverse order, even when doing concept mapping first led to lower success rates during practice.DiscussionThese results support the idea that concept learning from instructional texts can be modulated by the sequence of retrieval activities performed and point to the educational value of retrieval-based concept mapping as a first learning activity within a series across different learners and educational settings.

Experiences of face-to-face and online collaborative learning tutorials: A qualitative community of inquiry approach

This study explores the experiences and the preferred schedule of face-to-face and online tutorials in a problem-based learning setting where students learn collaboratively, based on cognitive, social, and teaching presences. Seventeen experienced students and 13 tutors attended semi-structured interviews focusing on their experiences and preferences. The majority (15 students and seven tutors) preferred a 100% face-to-face schedule as the default option to stimulate deep learning and social interactions, while two students and five tutors preferred a schedule with a majority of face-to-face tutorials with some online sessions. Overall, face-to-face tutorial meetings were perceived to deepen content discussions, create a sense of connection through social interactions and non-verbal communication, and protect student well-being.

Impact of Attentional Focus on Dance Performance: A Critically Appraised Topic.

Dancing is a demanding esthetic activity with dancers having an 85% annual injury incident rate when performing complex dance motor skills. Teachers and clinicians use a combination of external and internal attentional cues when teaching dancers motor skills and when working on rehabilitation programs with injured dancers, respectively. External attentional focus (ie,focusing on movement outcome) reportedly results in superior performance than internal attentional focus (ie,focus on body movements). Interestingly, dancers reportedly often adopt an internal focus when dancing. Still, limited literature exists examining the effects of attentional focus on dancers' performance. How does attentional focus (external or internal) impact performance in dancers? Four original quasi-experimental studies met inclusion criteria. In the current examination, we found mixed results about the impact of attentional focus in dancers. Specifically, using an external attentional focus resulted in better performance in 2 studies, but these findings were limited to lesser experienced dancers. Experienced dancers did not have any physical performance differences when using external or internal focus. Internal focus also did not negatively affect dancers' performance in 2 studies. Some authors noted positive motivational effects (eg,increased perceived competence) when dancers used external focus. Low-quality evidence exists supporting the notion that in less experienced dance students, external focus improves performance. In experienced dancers, the type of attentional focus did not impact performance. External focus provides positive mental effects. Thus, clinicians working with dancers can integrate individualized feedback according to dancer level, with a preference toward external focus due to positive mental effects, to design optimal training and rehabilitation programs. Grade B evidence exists supporting the notion that an external attentional focus improves performance in less experienced dance students and also has positive mental effects. Internal attentional focus does not impede experienced dancers' performance.

Effect of Enrichment Program on the Achievement of Vocational High School Gifted Students in Mathematics Competitions

The group of gifted students is a group of students who need special services in learning. SMK Negeri 1 Turen, is one of the schools in Malang Regency that has a platform for gifted students, in the form of a mathematics olympiad team. Every year there are beginner students who join the mathematics olympiad team. Therefore, matriculation is needed for them to catch up on the material they are missing. This research was conducted to find out how many enrichment program meetings are needed for beginner students to equalize their abilities with experienced students. The participants in this study were 10 students, consisting of 6 beginner students and 4 experienced students. Based on the Mann-Whitney test, the results of this study indicate that a long-term enrichment program (17 meetings) has a significant effect on students' achievement in mathematics competitions.

How to break bad news and how to learn this skill: results from an international North-Eastern German Society for Gynecological Oncology (NOGGO) survey among physicians and medical students with 1089 participants

BackgroundDelivering bad news to patients is one of the most challenging tasks in medical practice. Despite its great relevance to patients, relatives, and medical staff, there is a paucity of...

Enhancing chemistry education through technology-enhanced learning: Impact on student outcomes

This scientific poster presentation highlights the student-led feedback and modifications made to improve chemistry subjects, along with the subsequent impact on student outcomes. Our team has embraced technology-enhanced learning as an effective approach to enhance the learning experiences of a diverse student cohort. The literature emphasizes that blending face-to-face, online, and self-paced learning tools lead to increased student engagement and improved learning outcomes (Serrano et al., 2019). Our chemistry subjects have undergone significant evolution to incorporate technology-enhanced elements, such as custom-made resources like short lightboard videos and virtual laboratories, which are integrated with our active classroom environment. This integration of theory and practice fosters meaningful, dynamic, and student-centered learning, drawing upon Lev Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to provide differentiated instruction through scaffolding. Our diverse student cohort consists of individuals with varying chemistry backgrounds and enrolled in different degree programs, yet they all undertake the same chemistry subjects. To cater to the varying entry-level knowledge, scaffolding resources have been provided to guide students with lower proficiency through complex concepts, while additional resources engage and challenge more experienced students. This approach places active classes within the optimal zone, where the average student is challenged beyond their comfort zone but not to the extent of disengagement. This instructional approach is complemented by a sociocultural structure that encourages critical engagement among students working in peer groups as well as with the educator. In the absence of our team, virtual educators, via our lightboard videos, support this sociocultural, student-centered approach between classes. The presentation will showcase innovative initiatives that embody the evolution of technology-enhanced learning, with a particular focus on the impact of lightboard videos and virtual laboratory experiments on students' overall learning experiences and outcomes. The influence of these resources is evident locally, nationally, and internationally, as demonstrated by usage statistics and invitations to showcase our work. These resources have garnered strong support from peer reviewers, academics, high school teachers, and key stakeholders. Through this abstract, we aim to provide a concise overview of our innovative approach to chemistry education, emphasizing the positive impact of technology-enhanced learning on student outcomes. Our findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on effective instructional strategies in science education, and we believe they have the potential to inform and inspire educators in their pursuit of enhancing student learning experiences.

1519. Prevalence and factors associated with HIV testing among sexually experienced high school students in the U.S.A.

Abstract Background HIV testing is a critical strategy for the prevention of HIV/AIDS yet testing among sexually experienced adolescents remains low. This study examined the prevalence of HIV testing and its influential factors among high school students in the USA. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Analysis was limited to 3123 complete cases of sexually experienced high school students as measured by ever having sex. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses involved three models comprising predisposing, enabling and need factors were conducted to study lifetime HIV testing. Results The prevalence of lifetime HIV testing was 18.8% with females getting tested more than males. Female gender (OR:1.55; p&amp;lt; 0.001), being Black (OR:1.42; p=0.008), and sexual debut below 13 years (OR:1.67; p=0.013) were positively associated with lifetime HIV testing. Further, we observed that having multiple sexual partners (OR:3.09; p&amp;lt; 0.001) and mild physical activity (OR:1.28; p=0.025) were significantly associated with HIV testing. Lastly, we noted that Hispanics/Latinos (OR:0.67; p=0.025) and those using condoms (OR:0.77; p=0.015) were less likely to have reported ever having an HIV test. Conclusion Our study revealed that HIV testing among sexually experienced high school students remains low and sexual risk behaviors that impede testing among students need to be addressed to effectively scale up testing for this vulnerable population. The implication of this study to the relevant stakeholders responsible for creating a healthier nation is to strengthen the current efforts targeting sexually experienced high school students to encourage HIV tests and linkage to care. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Care and education: Instability, stigma and the responsibilisation of educational achievement

Research highlights a plethora of negative outcomes for care leavers and it is widely accepted that children in care are likely to have lower educational attainment than their peers. Rather than concluding that these figures can be attributed directly to being ‘in care’, scholars have indicated that the matter is more complex, drawing attention to circumstances which pre-date or supersede entry into care. This paper seeks to highlight the experiences of those care leavers who bucked the trend and achieved sufficient qualifications to study in higher education. Despite achieving well academically, our research shows that young people in care still struggled to manage the academic pathway between care and university. This paper draws on evidence collected from 234 care experienced students in England and Wales to consider the educational challenges faced by those without familial support. Findings revealed that instability, stigma and poor institutional support were significant barriers in participants' educational journeys. We consider the impact of narratives of 'meritocracy' and 'resilience' on interpretations of educational success for care leavers. We conclude that caution should be exercised when celebrating individual successes, and greater attention should be paid to structural and systemic barriers to educational achievement.

Student exploration of the Henderson-Hasselbach equation and pH readings to determine the pK a value of 4,4′-trimethylenedipiperidine (TMDP)

Abstract This educatory experiment uses an inexpensive pH meter to determine an approximate negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant (pK a ) value of 4,4′-trimethylenedipiperidine (TMDP). Using a pH meter and statistical data analysis by Excel tool presents an excellent opportunity to deepen student engagement with the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation and acid/base dissociation constant (K a /K b ). Furthermore, students understand the importance determination of K a /K b and its relationship with the concentration and strength of acid/base. Four different concentrations of TMDP aqueous solutions were prepared and a series of pH readings were collected using a calibrated pH meter. Some statistical parameters were calculated and analyzed using the statistical program in Excel. Finally, students identified an unknown pK a for TMDP and compared their obtained value with a predicted pK a using software like ChemAxon. The experiment is inexpensive, safe, simple, and clean, and less experienced students can perform it. In addition, all pH recordings can be readily accessible for analysis and descriptive statistics by the Excel formula.

Turning the tables on online exam cheating via language mediation tasks

Abstract This article addresses the issue of foreign language testing in the online mode and proposes a strategy to reduce the possibility of academic misconduct, specifically cheating, by designing tasks that assess the language skill of mediation in Legal English exams. Such tasks require test-takers to generate original answers, which can significantly reduce the risk of copying and pasting. Additionally, mastering the skill of mediation is a valuable asset for future lawyers. The authors introduce two original distinct intra-language mediation tasks that they developed for assessing English for Legal Purposes. One is aimed at first-year students with limited Legal English experience, while the other is intended for more advanced and experienced students. The article analyses student responses and evaluates their performance. The authors follow the action research approach, which involves a circle of observing, reflecting and acting, and raise questions concerning the originality of answers, production of a measurable sample of the target language, objectivity of assessment, and whether the practice in class impacts the success rate. The article also discusses challenges encountered during the process and how they were addressed. It can be concluded that mediation tasks are practical for online testing but could be used equally well for traditional classroom assessment.

The Effectiveness of Online Learning Activities Using Google Classroom on Arabic Writing and Reading Skills for Non-Native Speakers in Bahrain

Implementing online learning activities through a learning management system as a supplementary tool for motivating and empowering independent learning and Innovative teaching is becoming a crucial part of 21st-century education. Google Classroom is one example of a social learning site that teachers and students use in many educational institutions in Bahrain. In particular, the study aims to determine the effectiveness of online learning activities using Google Classroom on writing and reading skills among year six students. Data were collected with a mixed-methods research paradigm. Altogether, 80 students from Bahrain government primary schools were involved in an intervention program intended to analyze students’ Arabic writing and reading skills as the primary research inquiries of the study. From the said population of respondents, 80 students participated in the experimental group activities and an interview dealing with their experience using Google Classroom. Overall, the findings affirmed that most participants considered Google Classroom an effective supplementary tool for their learning. This study proved that experienced students using Google Classroom influence their fluency in learning Arabic courses, so they found it easier to apply Google Classroom, serving as an advantage.

시청각장애 학생을 가르치는 저경력 특수학급 교사의 실천적 지식 형성에 대한 자문화기술지

Objectives This study aims to examine my experiences as a researcher and an low experienced special class teacher teaching deaf-blind students and to determine practical knowledge built through this experience.&#x0D; Methods I used autoethnography to examine my experiences as a researcher to achieve the purpose of this study. Autoethnography is a qualitative research method that involves critically narrating one's reflective stories about their personal experiences within a social context, with the aim of facilitating a theoretical understanding of one's life. In this context, as the researcher, ‘I’ sought to describe the ‘experiences of an low experienced special education teacher’ assigned to the social and cultural environment of a ‘special class with deaf-blindness stu-dents’ from a reflective and self-reflective perspective.&#x0D; Results The results of this study are as follows. First, I feared educating students with deaf-blindness, but ‘knowledge of the milieu of teaching’ was built by identifying the characteristics of deaf-blind students from mul-tiple aspects. Second, ‘knowledge of the curriculum and subjects’ was built by process of designed, conducted, and evaluated classes of educating these students. Third, ‘personal knowledge as a teacher’ was built by cooper-ating with teachers and parents, communicating with deaf-blind students and those without disabilities, and growing into an expert in educating deaf-blind students.&#x0D; Conclusions The results provide the necessary pointers for improving the adaptability of low experienced special education teachers.

Manual annotation of Drosophila genes: a Genomics Education Partnership protocol.

Annotating the genomes of multiple species allows us to analyze the evolution of their genes. While many eukaryotic genome assemblies already include computational gene predictions, these predictions can benefit from review and refinement through manual gene annotation. The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP; https://thegep.org/) developed a structural annotation protocol for protein-coding genes that enables undergraduate student and faculty researchers to create high-quality gene annotations that can be utilized in subsequent scientific investigations. For example, this protocol has been utilized by the GEP faculty to engage undergraduate students in the comparative annotation of genes involved in the insulin signaling pathway in 27 Drosophila species, using D. melanogaster as the reference genome. Students construct gene models using multiple lines of computational and empirical evidence including expression data (e.g., RNA-Seq), sequence similarity (e.g., BLAST and multiple sequence alignment), and computational gene predictions. Quality control measures require each gene be annotated by at least two students working independently, followed by reconciliation of the submitted gene models by a more experienced student. This article provides an overview of the annotation protocol and describes how discrepancies in student submitted gene models are resolved to produce a final, high-quality gene set suitable for subsequent analyses. The protocol can be adapted to other scientific questions (e.g., expansion of the Drosophila Muller F element) and species (e.g., parasitoid wasps) to provide additional opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in genomics research. These student annotation efforts can substantially improve the quality of gene annotations in publicly available genomic databases.

Development of Postgraduate PsychiatricNursing Students'Clinical Competency Questionnaire.

As to the significance of clinical competency, the competency concept should be up-to-date periodically until clinical competency is evaluated based on it. This study aimed to develop and evaluate psychometric properties of a new tool to measure the postgraduate psychiatric nursing students' competencies. The current study was conducted with a sequential exploratory mixed-method, in Iran, in 2019 -2022. The qualitative part was conventional content analysis, and the quantitative part was a methodology study. The questionnaire was developed by the item generation via individual semi-structured interviews with 21 participants sampled purposefully, and a literature systematic review. In the quantitative phase, psychometric analysis was performed based on consensus-based standards for the selection of health status measurement instruments (COSMIN) criteria, and using face, content, and construct (i.e., convergent, known group, and exploratory factor analysis done on 199 postgraduate psychiatric nursing students by available sampling) validity. t-test analysis was used to compare the clinical competence ratings of two groups of experienced and inexperienced postgraduate psychiatric nursing students. Additionally, dependability was examined for internal consistency, stability over a one-month period, and measurement error. The sampling technique used for content validity was deliberate. Then, the responsiveness (through minimally detectable changes), and interpretability (through minimal important changes) were calculated. The questionnaire consisted of 43 items. Construct validity assessment via exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed that 67.53% of the cumulative variance was explained by two factors: "Education and nursing care" (23 items) and "Evidence based psychiatric nursing interventions" (20 items). The convergent validity with one golden standard instrument was 0.49. The difference of the clinical competency scores of the two groups of experienced and novice was significant (p<0.001). The internal consistency of the entire instrument, and the first and second factors analyzed using alpha Cronbach (α) were respectively 0.947, 0.897, and 0.891. Stability was confirmed by the ICC agreement 0.956 for interrater (CI 0.907-0.980). Standard error of measurement was 3.14. The competency score of students based on their demographic information was not significant (p>0.05). The 43-item postgraduate psychiatric nursing students' clinical competency questionnaire is a valid and reliable newly developed instrument. Further studies are recommended to be conducted to assess competency with the largest sample size to promote instrument.

Influence of decision-making algorithms on the diagnostic accuracy using the current classification of periodontal diseases—a randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesTo examine the influence of the decision-making algorithms published by Tonetti and Sanz in 2019 on the diagnostic accuracy in two differently experienced groups of dental students using the current classification of periodontal diseases.Materials and methodsEighty-three students of two different clinical experience levels were randomly allocated to control and study group, receiving the staging and grading matrix, resulting in four subgroups. All diagnosed two patient cases with corresponding periodontal charts, panoramic radiographs, and intraoral photographs. Both presented severe periodontal disease (stage III, grade C) but considerably differed in complexity and phenotype according to the current classification of periodontal diseases. Controls received the staging and grading matrix published within the classification, while study groups were additionally provided with decision-trees published by Tonetti and Sanz. Obtained data was analyzed using chi-square test, Spearman’s rank correlation, and logistic regression.ResultsUsing the algorithms significantly enhanced the diagnostic accuracy in staging (p = 0.001*, OR = 4.425) and grading (p < 0.001**, OR = 30.303) regardless of the clinical experience. In addition, even compared to the more experienced control, less experienced students using algorithms showed significantly higher accuracy in grading (p = 0.020*). No influence on the criteria extent could be observed comparing study groups to controls.ConclusionThe decision-making algorithms may enhance diagnostic accuracy in dental students using the current classification of periodontal diseases.Clinical relevanceThe investigated decision-making algorithms significantly increased the diagnostic accuracy of differently experienced under graduated dental students and might be beneficial in periodontal education.