General Education Courses Research Articles

Grade prediction in the middle east: a post-pandemic case study of the optimism bias.

Evidence exists that the pandemic has brought about stress, and altered study habits and academic performance. No evidence exists regarding whether metacognition has also been altered. The present field study examined the accuracy and confidence with which college students make grade predictions in a general education course after the pandemic. It tested whether one of three types of biases affected students' predictions as a way to cope with the uncertainty of a final exam's outcome: illusion-of-knowing, optimism, and pessimistic bracing. Students made predictions both before and after completing the final exam (summative assessment) to determine the impact of each of the hypothesized biases on estimates made in a context of varying uncertainty. Accuracy was computed as the difference between expected and actual grades on the final exam. Confidence in the predictions made was measured on a Likert scale. Exam performance was categorized as good, poor, or inadequate. In this study, less-than-desirable performance was accompanied by overestimations. However, overestimations were made with little confidence and benefited from the information acquired from completing the exam. This pattern of results suggests that students who are not doing well are not under the spell of the illusion-of-knowing phenomenon. Indeed, their optimistic predictions are punctured by the awareness of a likely undesirable outcome (as indicated by their weak confidence in the predictions made). Implications and applications of these findings are discussed.

Correlational Analysis of Academic Performance in General Education Courses During the Digital Learning Space

The integration of digital learning setups in higher education has revolutionized the educational landscape, necessitating a reevaluation of academic performance in General Education Courses (GECs). This correlational analysis study examines the interconnectedness of student grades across eight GECs during the transition to digital learning environments. By investigating the relationships between GEC subjects, the study sheds light on potential interdisciplinary connections and offers insights into overall academic performance trends. Findings reveal significant correlations between various GECs, highlighting the importance of fostering interdisciplinary learning experiences and promoting critical skills development among students in digital educational contexts. The study underscores the imperative of designing curriculum frameworks that encourage holistic learning experiences, prioritizing the development of communication skills, scientific literacy, and ethical reasoning. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for continuous evaluation and improvement initiatives to enhance the quality of education in digital learning environments. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of academic performance trends in GECs and informs pedagogical practices aimed at preparing students for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Tertiary Education Teachers’ Perception on Block Scheduling: Advantages and Disadvantages in Tertiary Education

Block scheduling is a way of designing class schedules where fewer courses are offered for a shorter number of meetings yet increasing the number of class hours per day, thus still covers the required number of hours for a course. This study was conducted to determine the perception of professional course teachers and general education course teachers toward block scheduling. It employed comparative descriptive design considering 76 teachers at a tertiary school in Tangub City. These teachers were chosen using convenience sampling technique. A researcher-made survey questionnaire with seventeen (17) statements was used to gather the teachers’ perception on the advantages and disadvantages of using block scheduling. The results revealed that the tertiary education teachers agree on all the statements describing the advantages of Block Scheduling. Professional course teachers agreed on the disadvantages of block scheduling. However, general education course teachers disagreed on most of the disadvantages of block scheduling. The advantages of Block scheduling are more favored by the general education course teachers than the Professional course teachers while the latter agree more on the disadvantages of block scheduling than the former. It was recommended that the institution can continue implementing block scheduling specially for online classes.

Artificial Intelligence Enabled Teaching Optimization for General Studies Elective Courses

Abstract Network general knowledge course is a meaningful way to cultivate comprehensive quality talents in Chinese higher education based on the modern information technology environment, and the optimization of network general knowledge course teaching is directly related to whether the network general knowledge course can be effectively implemented, which affects the overall effect of talent cultivation. In this paper, starting from the purpose and goal of humanities general education courses, the optimization direction of teaching general education courses using artificial intelligence is clarified. Skeletal sequence feature extraction is used to obtain students’ general education classroom behavior data, and a stackable multimodal attention module consisting of a self-attention layer and a multimodal co-attention layer is designed for feature fusion and action prediction based on multimodal characteristics. After data integration and processing, the HGCL-LG network model is proposed to complete the diagnosis of students’ general knowledge cognition. The trend of interest assessment and multimodal model calculation value is consistent. In contrast, the student’s interest attention in general knowledge classroom above 0.33 accounts for more than 40% of the overall information, and the interest attention is good. Students’ scores on the objective questions of general knowledge are good; the average score range is between 1.5 and 2 points, the degree of dispersion is small, and the mastery of basic knowledge of general knowledge is good.

Fostering Student Engagement and Success in STEM Education: An AI-Driven Exploration of High Impact Practices from Cross-Disciplinary General Education Courses

Due to the increase in data and software tools, the need for programmers and data analysts has risen in the United States during the 21st century. As a result, more students are enrolling in Computer Science, Information Technology, and Data Science programs nationwide. However, switching to online and blended learning and using cyberlearning tools have presented new challenges for student learning, retention, and program success. One way to overcome these challenges and improve student achievement is to implement evidence-based pedagogical strategies and innovative technologies within clear theoretical frameworks. Recent studies have shown that various Learning Engagement Strategies (LESs) in STEM education, such as gamification, active learning, feedback and assessment, and interactive multimedia, significantly increase student engagement and course completion rates. High-Impact Practices (HIPs), identified as crucial by Kuh in 2008, have become powerful tools for enhancing student involvement, retention, and completion in higher education. This article explores practices that can enhance student learning and success that have many benefits, including more robust relationships between students and faculty, cooperative learning, quick feedback, inclusive environments, and conflict resolution. The study uses NLP-based text analytics to investigate the application and impact of these High-Impact Practices (HIPs) across different disciplines. Firstly, it identifies the most prevalent HIPs in various General Education (Gen Ed) disciplines that impact student success. Secondly, it formulates AIdriven recommendations for cultivating a student-centric learning environment through HIPs within STEM education. The results of empirical analyses using course materials, survey data, syllabi, and pre/post-workshop surveys sourced from around 65 Gen Ed course at a small public university provides valuable insights into successful HIPs for STEM courses that can help instructors improve their online and blended course designs. By implementing these practices, educators can increase student engagement, retention, and completion rates across diverse student populations in Gen Ed STEM courses. Keywords— High-Impact Practices; General Education, STEM education; Natural Language Processing.

Developing College General Education Courses from the New Liberal Arts Perspective: A Case Study of “Greek Mythology”

Developing College General Education Courses from the New Liberal Arts Perspective: A Case Study of “Greek Mythology”

Big Data General Education Courses in Local Application-oriented Universities: Research and Practice in Weifang University

Big Data General Education Courses in Local Application-oriented Universities: Research and Practice in Weifang University

Research on Classroom Teaching Practice of General Education Course of "Fine Analysis + Strong Thinking" Driven by Cases Based on OBE Concept

This paper discusses the reform and practice of general education teaching based on OBE concept. According to needs of general education curriculum and society for personnel training, it puts forward a teaching mode with "fine analysis + strong thinking" as the direction and case-driven as the main body, from the aspects of teaching content, teaching design and teaching mode selection, assessment and implementation effect. By comparing the traditional teaching method with the reformed teaching method, it shows that the reformed teaching method can stimulate students' interest in learning and improve their learning effect and comprehensive quality.

The Innovation and Practice of “Three Awakens and Three Thoughts” Blending Teaching Mode in General Education Courses from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education

The Innovation and Practice of “Three Awakens and Three Thoughts” Blending Teaching Mode in General Education Courses from the Perspective of Ideological and Political Education

Experiencing art creation as a therapeutic intervention to relieve anxiety -a case study of a university's ceramic art course.

University students are anxiety prone. Due to their changing their social roles, the proportion of university students with anxiety is relatively high. In this study, using the simple random sampling, we surveyed 53 university students, including sophomores, juniors, and seniors. This paper examines the relationship between art creation and anxiety. This study uses the Self-Assessment Anxiety Scale (SAS). The test form measures the presence and extent of their anxiety problems through a series of questions. We tested the effects of an art creation process on SAS scores and suggest best practices for course settings and teaching methods for art-related subjects. Art therapy intervention reduced anxiety. The most effective technique was found to be slapping the clay board during the creation process. Other actions relieved anxiety as well. Results suggest that the art creation process is an application of art therapy effective in relieving anxiety in university students. Key actions in the process of creating art are closely related to the treatment approaches used in art therapy interventions. This has the potential to not only improve mental health, but also to promote the health and well-being of students. Implications for future research: Rapid societal changes increasing competition for employment creates work and life pressures. University students face challenges with learning, peer competition, and employment, often resulting in anxiety. A diversified curriculum can alleviate anxiety through proper curricular planning and design. Based on this, the university's arts courses should be able to study how to improve and optimize the existing teaching and learning outcomes and can be integrated with the university's general education curriculum planning. Through appropriate teaching content and learning methods, the courses of university general education can play a role in reducing students' anxiety and promote physical and mental health, thus contributing to sustainable development of the society.

Improving Performance of Education Students in Mathematics in the Modern World by Relay Teaching Method

In the Philippines, Mathematics in the Modern World is offered to tertiary level students as one of the general education courses in almost programs. This course comprises various mathematics disciplines that aims to expose undergraduate students to various domains of knowledge and ways of comprehending social and natural realities, developing intellectual competencies and civic capacities. Through collaborative teaching, particularly on having more than one instructor in a class could offer a blending of expertise, complementary personalities, and a balanced approach to grading. Thus, relay teaching method was used. The relay teaching method in this study refers to taking turns in succession in teaching students the different lessons on Data Management as a selected topic in Mathematics in the Modern World. This study utilized the pretest-posttest research design with no control group, with three groups of education students were subjected to the relay teaching method. The performances of the students during the pretest and posttest were measured using a valid and reliable multiple-choice type of test. The mean, t-test, and ANCOVA were used to analyze the data. To summarize the feedback of students, it employed qualitative data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that there is an improvement in the level of performance of the students on data management with the implementation of the relay teaching method. The performance of the students before and after exposure to relay teaching was significantly different. The BTLEd students have significantly better performance than the BPEd students. The relay teaching method significantly helped improve the performance of the BTLEd students as compared to the BPEd students. The use of relay teaching could be more effective with enrichment activities such as coaching and sharing of lecture notes, social networking, and the use of social media and the internet.

Concentration and Excavation of Course Ideology and Politics in Computer General Education Course in Colleges and Universities

With the rapid development of computer technology, computer general education course in colleges and universities has gradually become an important course. However, the problems and challenges brought by technological progress also present a complex and diverse appearance. In this context, the course ideology and politics in the college computer general education program have become more and more important. In this paper, we will discuss how to condense and excavate the course ideology and politics in the computer general studies course in colleges and universities, aiming to provide some suggestions and ideas for college and university teachers, to better guide students to adapt to the development and requirements of the modern society.

Factors Affecting the E-learning Experience of the College Students in a General Education Course

E-learning has emerged as the primary response for the continuity of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This mode of learning relies on digital devices and emphasizes accessibility to the internet, the primary conduit for information. This research explores the impact of college students’ gender, year level, scholarship status, monthly family income, and monthly internet expenditure on their e-learning experience in a general education course. Employing a descriptive methodology and quantitative research design, data was collected using a survey questionnaire based on the Demand-Driven Learning Model (DDLM) and a 4-point Likert scale, validated with Cronbach’s Alpha. The sample size of 251 respondents was determined using Cochran’s formula and selected through stratified random sampling. Results revealed significant differences in students’ e-learning experiences based on gender (content, delivery, service, and outcome), year level (content, delivery, and outcome), scholarship status (service), and monthly internet expenditure (service). No significant difference was found in terms of monthly family income. The study recommends applying the collected data to enhance factors influencing the quality of students’ e-learning experiences, encompassing content, delivery, service, and outcome. These findings contribute additional evidence, information, arguments, and perspectives. The paper’s structure, design, and methodology can serve as a model for other e-learning courses offered at the university. Keywords: education; pandemic; Demand-Driven Learning Model (DDLM); Likert scale; Philippines

CHALLENGES TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Abstract The University of South Florida has more than 50,000 students. The School of Aging Studies first offered an MA in Gerontology in 1967. We currently offer many undergraduate General Education courses, two undergraduate majors, online graduate certificate and master’s programs, and a PhD in Aging Studies. Accountability and addressing university metrics and priorities have become an increasing requirement at USF and elsewhere. We have had great success in our General Education courses, consistently reaching over 5,000 students per year and producing high Student Credit Hour (SCH) numbers, an important metric. Recently, our programs experienced challenges with increased class sizes resulting from higher demand for our general education courses. In several cases, the number of course sections offered and the number of seats in each had doubled. Meeting these demands placed a strain on faculty, instructors, and graduate student assistants. We also face challenges as our university funding formula increasingly focuses on undergraduate major enrollment, and therefore we are focusing on innovative methods to recruit more students at the undergraduate, master’s, and PhD level. In this presentation, we will describe some of the strategies that have maximized our successes, and efforts to address challenges in sustaining larger numbers of degree seeking students in our programs. We will include data on SCH, grant funding, publications, citations, and program graduates per year which help us monitor our successes and areas needing improvement.

HOW GERONTOLOGY PROGRAMS ARE MEETING CHALLENGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract Population aging means that gerontology education is increasingly relevant for all students, yet trends in higher education create existential challenges for many gerontology programs, who may not attract robust number of applicants or majors. In this symposium, educators from five different gerontology programs will share their programs’ particular challenges as well as a wide variety of strategies they have used to meet these challenges. The first presentation will show how recent losses at Ithaca College, including the Aging Studies major and independent department status, also come with opportunities for collaboration with health science and public health programs. The second presentation will describe the University of North Carolina at Wilmington’s approach of combining undergraduate and graduate programs to attract and retain students after being placed on a “low-productivity list” in the not-too-distant past. The third presentation will share how a new Occupational Endorsement Certificate at the University of Alaska Anchorage took the place of the deactivated gerontology minor. Colleagues from the University of Massachusetts Boston will describe their efforts to enhance diversity and grow program enrollment across undergraduate and graduate programs. Finally, the fifth presentation will describe how increased demand for general education courses as well as funding dependent on undergraduate major enrollment created challenges at the University of South Florida. This is a Directors of Aging Centers Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

Retracted: Construction and Empirical Study of Learner Portrait in Online General Education Course

Retracted: Construction and Empirical Study of Learner Portrait in Online General Education Course

The good and bad of an online asynchronous general education course: Students’ perceptions

The pandemic resulted in many courses being shifted to online delivery, but some courses are designed as online courses from their conception. Courses intentionally designed for online delivery should be well-received by students, but it is not clear which aspects of courses students find particularly appealing and unappealing. We examined students’ perceptions of one such online asynchronous course in psychology in order to better understand students’ preferences in terms of specific course elements. Students were asked to identify what they particularly liked and disliked about the course in two open-ended questions. Responses were then coded to quantify the frequency of each aspect of the course. An inductive and latent approach to coding was used, with codes being used to develop themes based on the underlying meaning of the text. Overall, students identified few negative aspects about the course. They particularly enjoyed the specific psychology content, format, and structure of the course, that it related to their real lives, and the flexibility provided by the asynchronous nature. The hope is that this information can be used to improve this particular course as well as inform instructor decision-making related to the design of online asynchronous courses in general.

Examining the Black Box of Prison Education Programs: A Descriptive Study of Statewide Correctional Education Practices

About half of incarcerated individuals housed in state prisons reported participation in educational or vocational programming (Harlow, 2003). These programs serve as a way to fill a disparity gap since the prison population tends to have literacy, education, and employment needs. Participation in education programs can result in positive impacts on reentry outcomes (e.g., reduced recidivism, increased employment outcomes) (Bozick et al., 2018). However, the characteristics of effective education programs remains a “black box” in terms of instructional strategies and classroom practices. This study examined the characteristics of over 200 literacy, general education, vocation/apprenticeship, and college courses across 28 prisons in one state. Interviews, observations, and staff surveys were used to gather data related to leadership, classroom management, and quality assurance practices in prison-based education departments. The results revealed substantial differences across programs and facilities. Implications for future research and opportunities to reduce social disparity through prison education are discussed.

The present state of online teaching of general education courses in terms of instructors’ and students’ experiences, needs, and challenges

This study explores both teachers’ and students’ perceptions regarding the teaching and learning of general education (GE) courses in an online environment, where activities such as pair work, group work, and discussion frequently feature. These activities typically necessitate a high level of interaction during class time. This presents an intriguing environment for studying both teachers’ and learners’ experiences due to the abrupt switch to online education in recent years. The participants included 10 Thai teachers of GE courses and 431 Thai and international undergraduates enrolled in the GE courses and taught via an online platform. Online questionnaires and interviews were used to obtain participants’ perceptions of both instructors’ and students’ experiences regarding online learning, particularly in terms of communication difficulties and potential intercultural communication difficulties. The data obtained from the online questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The frequency count and the percentage were used for calculating and thematizing the numeric data. Interview data was transcribed, analyzed, and reported based on themes. Key quotes from the participants’ responses were collated and presented in a narrative. The findings revealed the students’ and the lecturers’ perceptions of the benefits of online teaching, challenges, and their future needs.

Exploring the Mode of Inter-university General Education Consortium Based on Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology has found widespread adoption in all walks of life in China today due to its high security and tamper resistance. However, its application in the realm of education has seen limited notable successes. With the continuous advancement of undergraduate education reform in Chinese universities, general education has garnered increasing attention from colleges and universities, triggering a wave of exploring new general education models. In this paper, we introduce the consortium blockchain to analyze the existing general education models of colleges and universities in China and propose building a consortium blockchain-based general education course management platform. The present work aims to facilitate the collaboration of general education among colleges and universities, promoting the “self-organizing” operation of online learning communities and the exploration of a decentralized education system, ultimately driving the high-quality development of education.