First-year Course Research Articles

The first-year course of urine MCP-1 and its association with response to treatment and long-term kidney prognosis in lupus nephritis.

The present study aims to assess the course of uMCP-1 and its association with response to therapy and long-term kidney function in a prospective cohort of adults who received a kidney biopsy for suspicion of active lupus nephritis (LN). Subjects were segregated into a histologically active LN group and a histologically chronic LN group. Both groups were followed for > = 36months and urine were collected at flare, 3, 6, and 12months of follow-up. The association between the course of uMCP-1, response to treatment, and progression to 30% loss of the eGFR was evaluated by linear mixed models for repeated measures. A kidney biopsy was performed on 125 subjects. In 114, the report was consistent with histologically active LN; in 11, with histologically chronic LN. Urine MCP-1 levels were significantly higher in the active LN than in the chronic LN group. Urine MCP-1 levels correlated with the histological findings of cellular crescents, endocapillary hypercellularity, interstitial inflammation, glomerular sclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy. The mean estimates of uMCP-1 at flare were higher in the non-response group than in the complete response group, and decreased in the complete/partial response groups by the third month, while they remained elevated in the non-response group. The mean estimates for uMCP-1 were higher at LN flare and remained elevated in patients who progressed to loss of 30% of the eGFR, while they decreased in patients with stable kidney function. The first-year course of uMCP-1 is associated with response to therapy and kidney survival in LN. Key Points •Urine MCP-1 levels differentiate histologically-active lupus nephritis from histologically-chronic lupus nephritis •Urine MCP-1 levels decrease by 3 months of therapy in subjects with a favorable response whose kidney function remains stable long-term •Urine MCP-1 levels remain elevated during the first year of therapy in subjects the will later lose kidney function.

Students’ perceptions of authenticity in an upper secondary technology education innovation project

ABSTRACT Background Authenticity in schools has been highlighted as important for improving students’ engagement and learning, and to prepare them for future job markets, especially in science and technology. Purpose This study investigates students’ perceived authenticity of a developed innovation project when implemented in an upper secondary technology education program. Sample Three cohorts of students (n = 199) attended a first-year technology course at a Swedish upper secondary school in 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. In addition, eleven students from the 2016 cohort were interviewed two years later to obtain their views on how the innovation project in the first-year course influenced their performance in a subsequent advanced technology course taken in 2017–2018. Design and Methods Groups of students participated in the first phase of an innovation project in the first-year course, a five-week module, cooperatively designing solutions to real-world problems. A Likert scale questionnaire measured the degree of perceived authenticity in line with Herrington, Reeves and Oliver’s (2010) key elements. Focus group interviews were conducted after the second phase – a 20-week follow-up module in the subsequent advanced course – about how authentic they perceived the first and second phases to be. Results A questionnaire measured the degree of perceived authenticity of the students for the first phase, for each of the three years. Coaching and scaffolding received the highest ratings across all three years, whereas Reflection was perceived as having the lowest authenticity. In a qualitative component of the study students found both phases positive, and five new themes of students’ perception of their experiences were revealed. Conclusions The similarities in perceived authenticity between the three cohorts suggest consistency in students’ perceptions of authenticity. However, they did not feel that the project gave them the opportunity to reflect on their learning. According to interviews conducted two years later, they perceived their experiences of the innovation project as having induced creativity, commitment, ownership, motivation, and real-world connection, although at times it was also a challenge to think for themselves and to collaborate with others.

Repeated quizzing of basic mathematics concepts to improve grades in economics classes

Modern economics courses require high mathematical proficiency, and low proficiency may reduce grades or cause students to avoid economics courses. The article’s authors sought to improve students’ mathematical skills and grades with a simple intervention based on repeated quizzing of building-block concepts. They analyzed data from four semesters of a first-year course. During the first two semesters, there were five online quizzes, and each concept appeared on only one quiz. During the latter two semesters, important basic concepts appeared repeatedly across quizzes. Performance with repeated concepts improved across quizzes, and repeated quizzing was associated with slightly higher final exam scores. Mid-semester exam scores, which preceded most quizzes, were not consistently associated with the quizzing approach, helping to rule out cohort effects and other alternative explanations.

Global competence development in EFL teacher training – An interview study on the global content in EFL teacher trainers' courses in Hungary

Abstract In today's world, education needs to empower students to become active global citizens who are prepared for 21st century challenges and who can solve local and global problems, thus, who are globally competent. To affect lasting change in our education systems, it seems urgent to incorporate the global perspective as early as in initial teacher training, and nurture globally competent teacher trainees. As essentially teachers decide on what and how they teach, it is worth examining how they develop the knowledge dimension of global competence, i.e., what content they teach for global competence development (GCD). The main aim of this study, involving five university tutors involved in EFL teacher training in Hungary, is to inquire into what topics they deal with for GCD, what attitudes they have towards dealing with these topics, and how they decide on the content in their first-year language development courses. Findings suggest that they deal with a variety of global and intercultural issues in their lessons; however, they tend to avoid certain local ones. Overall, they have a reasonably positive attitude towards these issues. Finally, the participants predominantly consider the connection to the syllabus, students' language level, and personal and student interest important when deciding on what topics to deal with in class.

Reforming the Teaching and Learning of Foundational Mathematics Courses: An Investigation into the Status Quo of Teaching, Feedback Delivery, and Assessment in a First-Year Calculus Course

Several universities are witnessing an increase in students’ enrolment in mathematics-intensive programmes over the last decades. This increase has come with the price of high failure rates in foundational mathematics courses, which poses challenges to mathematics teaching and learning in higher education. It is therefore inevitable, for some universities, to transform the teaching and learning of mathematics to more student-centred approaches that engage the students mathematically and enhance their success rates. We approach this transformative effort by investigating students’ perception of teaching, feedback, and assessment as a first step in reforming the teaching of a first-year mathematics course at a Norwegian university. The results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data generated using a questionnaire from 107 (80 men) engineering students show that the status quo of teachings offers little support for learning. The teaching is dominated by teacher-led instruction, note-taking, and large pieces of proof which make learning difficult for students during class activities. The results also show that the current structure of the course offers limited formative feedback to students and that the assessment tasks require restructuring to capture students’ time and effort. We discuss the implications of these findings and make some recommendations for improvement.

Challenging creativity constraints

In this design and development research, we revisit the term affordance and explore its contribution to understanding and facilitating collaborative designing in educational settings. Collaborative designing requires students to frame the design task and generate their design ideas by constructing the problem and solution together. We focused on various design challenges – that is to say, creativity constraints – during collaborative designing. Our research entailed three design studios focusing on authentic design tasks with supplied resources. The design tasks were a part of the compulsory first-year courses in Craft Studies at a university. The first design studio consisted of workshops in which student teams constructed toys based on children’s drawings. In the second design studio, the teams designed functional three-dimensional textile puzzles for visually impaired children, and in the third design studio, they produced wearable sea creatures for groups visiting the SEA LIFE aquarium. The study revealed how the creativity constraints and particular sources of inspiration facilitated students’ progressive design processes. The outcomes of the design tasks varied from simply reproducing the elements of the inspiration sources to more complex approaches through which ideas were further developed. We concluded that a balance between openness and the constraints of collaborative design tasks needs careful consideration. Keywords: affordance, collaborative design, constraints, creativity, design task, learning environment

Caring for Self and Others: A First-Year Seminar

At a public university, a nursing faculty member offered a first-year seminar course focused on helping students learn to care for self and others. A premise of the course was that learning how to learn is a form of self-care. Students explore Watson’s theory of human caring, learning how to learn, and contemplative practices. Through varied learning activities, students explored academic and wellness resources on campus. Student work demonstrated understanding of a caring theory. Incorporation of caring principles into the classroom benefits students in becoming a caring person.

Do college students benefit from placement into higher-achieving classes?

We examine a unique admission system at a flagship Colombian university that tracked admitted students into high- and lower-ability classes in the same majors. In a regression discontinuity design, we find that marginal admits to the high-ability classes were less likely to pass their first-year courses, and less likely to earn a college degree in the long-run. These results suggest that college students may benefit when their academic preparation is high relative to that of their classmates, particularly at schools where there is a substantial risk of failing courses.

A construct modelling approach to characterize chemistry students’ understanding of the nature of light

ABSTRACT Across science disciplines, light is a common tool for measuring, characterizing, and catalysing molecules and molecular processes. Despite the ubiquity of light-based tools, little research has been done to investigate how students understand light and light–matter interactions (LMI). This topic is typically first introduced in first-year undergraduate chemistry courses where students initially encounter the quantum nature of light and matter. How students make sense of this content and transition from classical concepts to quantum concepts is relatively unknown. To gain further insight on how students develop quantum-level conceptions about light, we use a construct modelling approach. This approach is best suited to capture progressions in student understanding. In this study, we begin to model students’ understanding of LMI by first developing a model for the nature of light. Two sets of qualitative interviews were conducted about the particulate nature of light and the wave nature of light. Analysis of interviews resulted in four construct maps, which can provide information to instructors and researchers about the variation in student understanding of the nature of light. Findings from this study have implications for how quantum chemistry is introduced at the postsecondary level.

Benefits of implementing student-led review and mock examinations in the medical undergraduate gross anatomy curriculum

Anatomy consists of material that continually defines a student's undergraduate medical curriculum, and thus attaining a solid understanding of it is critical for academic success. Student exposure to anatomy prior to matriculation to the United States (US) medical school is highly variable, with some first introduced to the material in medical school. As a result, students without foundation in anatomy can struggle with adapting to the self-directed learning style that is required to excel with a prosection-based (i.e. hands-off analysis of a cadaver previously dissected by a professional) approach. In this study, second-year US medical students who have previously excelled in the first-year courses at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine (in collaboration with faculty advisors) designed and offered a mock practical examination that mirrors the official practical exam specific to each course: a timed practical examination using dissected human cadavers and radiological imaging to assess anatomical knowledge, followed by a review session. Since the mock practical and review session was designed from a student’s perspective, the material could be tailored to specifically address topics that students historically have struggled with. Students who participated in the mock practical and associated review sessions reported feeling more confident than their peers who did not participate. In addition, they significantly outperformed their peers on the official practical examination, independent of any demographic factors or educational background. This study demonstrates the benefits of incorporating peer-assisted learning (PAL) into the anatomical component of the medical school curriculum.

Literacy, Curriculum, and Pedagogies: Considerations for Anthropologists Teaching First-Year Composition

Despite the fact that this article began as a formal response to Chattaraj (2020), it serves a larger purpose in contextualizing the first-year composition classroom and the training required to provide effective instruction to students across all academic fields. Although an anthropologically-minded approach to the teaching of writing can be quite beneficial, suggesting that an anthropologist can—or even should—assume the responsibilities of first-year composition without additional training is ill-advised. To this end, this article draws upon not only the prior literature on Composition/Rhetoric, but also on the place and benefits of writing in the anthropology classroom more generally. Because the initial publication (i.e. Chattaraj, 2020) relied strictly on personal anecdotal evidence for academic success in a particular classroom setting at a liberal arts university, the findings are not generalizable to most post-secondary institutions due to the institutional accreditation requirements for educators, the concerning statistics on the literacy rates of incoming undergraduate students, the general objectives of curricular pathways, and the remarkable consistency found in first-year composition courses. As a result, this response presents a transparent overview of the first-year composition classroom and offers concrete suggestions for anthropologists who endeavour to support writing across the curriculum and/or in the disciplines.

Maps of meaning: journeys of first year engineering students

ABSTRACT Undergraduate STEM retention has been a longstanding concern. Specifically, majors such as engineering have experienced a high dropout rate consistently in the past several decades. This study is aimed at understanding factors contributing to making the engineering major challenging, and individual factors that help first-year engineering students persevere in the major. Eight first-year engineering students participated in the study by completing an illustrated road map sketch of their first-year experiences and a semi-structured interview. All participants considered the engineering major challenging due to the amount of time and effort required to be successful in the courses. Being academically underprepared for first-year courses was a drawback, but only some participants were discouraged by the academic challenges. Most importantly, students’ perception of academic and social fit within the major influenced their self-efficacy, help-seeking behaviour, and intent to persist.

The effect of higher-achieving peers on major choices and labor market outcomes

This paper investigates how exposure to higher-achieving male and female peers in university affects students’ major choices and labor market outcomes. For identification of causal effects, we exploit the random assignment of students to university sections in compulsory first-year courses. We present two main results. First, studying with higher-achieving peers has no statistically significant or economically meaningful effects on educational choices. Second, we find suggestive evidence that women who have been exposed to higher- achieving male peers end up in jobs in which they are more satisfied.

Preparing first-year engineering students for cooperation in real-world projects

ABSTRACT Problem-based learning is an active student-centred approach, which requires engineering students to work together in solving real-world problems. This study aims to review the incorporation of cooperative learning principles in an introductory first-year engineering course that aimed to develop students’ group skills while working on problem-based projects. A total of 367 students participated in 65 groups. No formal examination was written, as this course only consists of practical work. Data collection included an assessment matrix and reflective sheets where students’ individual and group contribution to the project were recorded. The data were structured and visually integrated into tables. Based on the findings, this research suggests that the integration of cooperative learning principles enhanced the development of essential group skills and team performance in some of the groups while working on real-world engineering projects.

Pairwise Independence May Not Imply Independence: New Illustrations and a Generalization

A number of standard textbooks that are followed in a junior/senior level course or in a first-year graduate level course in mathematical statistics and probability, routinely include one single basic illustration, obviously in its variant forms, to highlight an important point: pairwise independence may not imply (mutual) independence. We earnestly believe that beginning students appreciate more examples to clarify these key issues. Hence, we hope that our new sets of nontrivial illustrations from Section 2 will help our audience. Next, in Section 3, we extend the notion to q-wise independence with a large set of illustrations using both discrete and continuous random variables showing that q-wise independence may not imply (mutual) independence. We reasonably assure that this discourse is immediately accessible to juniors/seniors and first-year graduate students.

Student Self-perception on Digital Literacy in STEM Blended Learning Environments

As students transition into tertiary blended learning environments, their digital literacy in terms of technical capabilities have potential to impact on their access to digital resources. The first foundational year of STEM degrees includes compulsory courses across a broad range of scientific areas, each of which incorporates online technology in a discipline-specific manner. Given the diversity of online resources that STEM students need to access across their first-year coursework, this study applies learning analytical methods to determine whether students’ perceived level of digital literacy has an effect on their navigation of learning management systems (LMS) and overall academic performance. The frequency and nature of LMS interactivity were examined across four first-year STEM courses offered in the same semester at a single institution, using a K-means cluster analysis to group student responses. It was observed that high achieving students accessed LMS resources more frequently than mid or low-achieving students across all four STEM courses. Students’ perceived level of digital literacy was collected via survey (n = 282), and students were sorted high (n = 106) and low-level (n = 176) of perceived digital literacy—HDL and LDL, respectively. HDL students were not consistently found in the high-achieving academic group and did not perform better in their overall grade when compared to LDL students. LDL students were observed to perform better in specific online assessment tasks, which may be attributed to their increased frequency of LMS interactivity. These findings highlight the delicate balance between students’ perceived level of digital literacy, motivation for engaging with online learning environments, and academic performance.

An Intelligent Nudging System to Guide Online Learners

This work discusses a nudging intervention mechanism combined with an artificial intelligence (AI) system for early detection of learners’ risk of failing or dropping out. Different types of personalized nudges were designed according to educational principles and the learners’ risk classification. The impact on learners’ performance, dropout reduction, and satisfaction was evaluated through a study with 252 learners in a first-year course at a fully online university. Different learners’ groups were designed, with each receiving a different set of nudges. Results showed that nudges positively impacted the learners’ performance and satisfaction, and reduced dropout rates. The impact significantly increased when different types of nudges were provided. Our research reinforced the role of AI as useful in online, distance, and open learning for providing timely learner support, improved learning experiences, and enhanced learner-teacher communication.

‘What if my Wi-Fi crashes during an exam?’ First-year engineering student perceptions of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to remote education in post-secondary institutions. To understand the first-year engineering undergraduate student perceptions of this transition to online learning, surveys were administered in two design-focused first-year engineering courses with a total of 201 enrolled students. A thematic qualitative analysis of open-ended survey questions resulted in 7 themes: Health & Safety, Growth Mindset, Student Agency, Course Design, Coping/Management, Execution, and Technology. Students expressed positive and negative perceptions of remote education and included opinions related to current and future learning, and future careers. Most student perceptions were grounded in fear of the unknown, and student mental health emerged as a predominant undercurrent in the data. The identified themes and underlying student perceptions suggest that instructors teaching online should aim to (1) support communication, collaboration, and student engagement, (2) promote meaningful learning and growth mindsets, and (3) foster strong learning partnerships and class experiences.

The anatomy of agency: Improving academic performance in first-year university students.

The transition from secondary to tertiary education can be challenging, as students must adapt to independent learning. For students in the allied health and nursing disciplines, this transition may coincide with compulsory first-year courses in anatomy, which are traditionally difficult to master. Students' agency-their capacity to make intentional choices to alter the path of their learning-may play a role in their successful completion of first-year anatomy courses. This study aimed to develop a measure for agency and to determine whether agency is associated with academic achievement. First-year students (n = 131) completed open-ended questions measuring each aspect of agency. Student responses were quantified using rubrics and then combined to create an overall agency score. Three factors of agency were determined: action, metacognition, and self-efficacy. Students with higher agency scores were significantly more likely to have higher academic achievement in anatomy compared to students with lower agency scores. The relationship between agency and academic achievement was strongest for action. These results suggest that encouraging students to be active participants in their learning may help them to achieve at university.

COVID-19 and the quality of mathematics education teaching and learning in a first-year course

This article is vested on the need for higher education educators to be reflective on their practices in order to configure effective ways to interact with the students and knowledge for specific courses. It is uncontested that education systems globally are under constant pressure to respond to the changing needs of societies. The outbreak of COVID-19 has reminded us that the complexity of education needs responsive practices to facilitate effective teaching and learning across all levels of schooling globally. All over the world, the normative ways of teaching and learning evolved drastically in the first quarter of the 2020 academic year when teachers and students found online offerings to be the dominant option available as a sequel to the pandemic conditions. In South Africa specifically, students and teachers were thrust into virtual teaching and learning situations with the majority of them having no preparation for this shift. This article presents an auto-ethnographical account of the knowledge gaps in the teaching and learning of mathematics education in a first-year education course in an online space. We used auto-ethnography to discuss our experiences of teaching limits and continuity. We argue that teaching the topic on an online platform constrain student teachers’ procedural thinking, conceptual development, and demonstration of their thought processes during mathematics learning and assessment. We also discuss our experiences of developing assessment tasks for the topic and how students identified cheating mechanisms to answer questions in assessments.