Quality Of Higher Education Research Articles

Prevalence and Correlates of Cannabis Use among Cancer Survivors

Abstract Background Delaware has legalized marijuana use for both medical and recreational use. This study identified factors associated with cannabis use among adults with chronic relative to individuals without a history of cancer in the First State. Methods Combined data (2020, 2021 and 2022) from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed for Delaware. Multivariable logistic regression examined individual-level demographic, socio-economic, clinical, and behavioral predictors associated with marijuana use stratified by history of cancer. Results Cannabis use was lower among cancer survivors compared to individuals with no history of cancer (6.76% vs. 13.43%). However, a higher proportion of cancer survivors reported use for medical purposes (75.13% vs. 64.28%). Marijuana use prevalence decreased with age among cancer survivors. After adjusting for sex, age, educational attainment, self-reported race/ethnicity, mental health status and physical health status, current smoking (odds ratio [OR], 4.24 vs. 2.74) and binge drinking (OR, 2.45 vs. 1.75) were associated with cannabis use in both groups. Conclusions Adults with cancer were more likely to use marijuana. Marijuana use prevalence decreased with age. Public perceptions of marijuana is becoming more acceptable. Risk of medical conditions such as cancer increase with age. As such, older adults might also become consumers of marijuana. Clinicians should screen for marijuana use among patients and initiate open discussions with patients about the benefits and risks associated with marijuana. Key messages • Need for ongoing cannabis research to better understand and inform its use for medical purposes. • Development of high-quality standardized education materials and clinical practice guidelines for marijuana use.

Strengthening Policies for Education, Innovation, and Digitization Through Teacher Training: Evaluating ProFuturo’s Open Model in Ecuador

Teacher training and a commitment to innovation in teaching are determining factors in the success of technology adoption processes. This article presents a study on the opportunities produced through the collaboration of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education and the ProFuturo program, which arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. This collaboration resulted in the improvement of digital competency among teachers and pupils and in transference to educational practise. It also strengthened the existing limited capabilities for developing mass training programs for teachers in the country. The research was conducted through an online survey, with a cross-sectional, quantitative, and non-experimental focus from two data sources. A total of 3,565 teachers answered the digital survey for teachers trained using the Open Model in Ecuador between 2020 and 2022. On the other hand, 7,257 teachers answered the ProFuturo Self-Assessment of Digital Skills of Teachers (https://competencyassessment.profuturo.education/?lang=en). The results show an improvement in the competency of teachers following their participation in the program and confirm that they considered digital transformation in the classroom to be of great utility. Teacher training remains a cornerstone of high-quality education and research as this contribution proves a positive impact on learning experiences, where there was a significant transference, driven by an improvement in digital skills applied to the teaching process.

Assessment of Entrepreneurial Education Service Quality Among Management Students in Salem District, Tamil Nadu

The quality of higher education is increasingly becoming an important issue as the socio-economic development of a country owes much to it. All over the country, the main aim is to increase the standard of education. Parents and government utilize a huge amount of money on educational system. India has the largest numbers of colleges as well as the largest number of management education institutes and infrastructure in the world. The objective of the study is to study the socio-economic profile of the management students and to measure the level of the entrepreneurial skills, level of satisfaction among the management students in Salem district. A survey was conducted from the target audience, students from the Management studies. 350 sample sizes were collected from 20 selected institutions both Government and Private colleges in Salem district Tamil Nadu, using stratified proportionate random sampling method. Microsoft excel 2019 and JASP (Jeffrey’s Amazing Statistics Program) software was used for data Analysis. The questionnaire instrument scale is based on Likert’s five-point scale. The study adopted descriptive research design. The results reveal a strong correlation between service quality dimensions (infrastructure, faculty support) and student satisfaction. Recommendations are made to enhance entrepreneurial education, focusing on improving physical infrastructure, curriculum relevance, and practical learning opportunities.

Experiential Teaching Method Enhance Surgical Nursing Learning Achievements and Learning Attitude of Five-Year Higher Vocational Nursing Students

China’s higher vocational nursing education continues to develop. Teaching methods based on classroom lectures are difficult to achieve high-quality teaching results. Nowadays, clinical nursing has an increasing demand for all aspects of higher vocational nursing students. “Surgical Nursing” is a required course for nursing students and the key content of the nurse professional qualification examination. Experiential teaching was introduced as an innovative teaching method. The research aims to achieve several goals: 1) To compare the surgical nursing learning achievement of students between using experiential teaching and traditional teaching methods. 2) To investigate student attitudes toward learning surgical nursing course after using experiential teaching activities. Participants were five-year vocational nursing students studying nursing at a university in Sichuan, China. A control group of 46 students and an experimental group of 46 students were selected through cluster random sampling. This study used the learning achievements and learning attitudes of surgical nursing as research tools. The results of the study showed that participants’ learning achievements and learning attitudes in surgical nursing were significantly improved in experiential teaching methods. These findings highlight the effectiveness and practicality of experiential teaching in higher vocational nursing education. It is recommended that further research be carried out to Experiential teaching methods are used in the teaching of other majors to promote the sustainable development of teaching.

Students’ Interactions and Communication Skills Towards Their Maximum Learning

This paper explores the critical role of interaction and communication skills in educational Settings, especially in the context of higher education in China, and analyzes the impact of these skills on maximizing student learning outcomes. The paper emphasizes the importance of effective interaction and communication as core elements in the process of language learning, because language acquisition and ability development depend on the effective combination of input and output. The paper proposes that a comprehensive educational reform is necessary to address the identified communication barriers of students, aiming at promoting the improvement of students' interaction and communication skills. Such reforms are essential to achieve the goal of high-quality undergraduate education and to develop innovative and communicative skills.

Opportunities Behind Challenges for Classroom Management at Aisyiyah Kindergarten in Kalitengah Village

Community Service Program (KKN) is an extracurricular activity that combines the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, as well as learning and community service. This course is designed to provide students with real-world experience while also enhancing their critical thinking skills. KKN focuses on community welfare. This article discusses the implementation of the 2024 KKN-T group 23 in Kalitengah Village, Tanggulangin, focusing on the educational aspect. This study examines the challenges of teaching in the Aisyiyah Kindergarten class in Kalitengah Village and explores the innovative opportunities that arise from this situation. With an unfavorable teacher-to-student ratio, this educational institution faces several challenges in providing high-quality education. Using qualitative research methods, this study examines the adaptive strategies developed by students and teachers. Data was collected through participatory observation, interviews with teachers and school principals, as well as analysis of school documents. The main idea is that the lack of human capital has driven the implementation of more collaborative and creative learning methods. Strategies such as the implementation of a peer mentoring system, integration of educational technology, and active involvement of parents in the learning process have produced unexpectedly positive outcomes. The research results indicate an increase in student independence, better development of social-emotional skills, as well as efficiency in time and resource management. This study concludes that challenges can serve as a catalyst for educational innovation, with important implications for the development of adaptive and effective classroom management models in other early childhood education institutions facing similar limitations.

AI-Enabled Multi-Mode Electronic Information Innovation Practice Teaching Reform Prediction and Exploration in Application-Oriented Universities

In view of professional learning and practical training in traditional electronic information education of application-oriented universities, this paper constructs electronic information–innovation practice teaching reform (EI-IPTR).In this scheme, by an integrating artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled curriculum with a multi-mode integrated platform and open-style module, big data-based comprehensive education resources are optimally configured. We jointly perform the multi-mode construction of innovative practice teaching, professional education stage design, and teaching management improvement, respectively. Subsequently, new practice teaching mechanisms with information technology and its implementation and management methods are established to achieve better teaching effects. It first strengthens learning and intra-group competition to promote students’ innovation in competitions. Then, the AI technique, i.e., attention mechanism-aided long short-term memory (LSTM), is used to model individual students’ abilities. Thus, it accurately evaluates them for teachers to efficiently manage their teaching process in accordance with their aptitude. The teaching reform practice verifies that the AI-enabled big data optimization of teaching reform has a better effect by the above multi-mode innovation. It exhibits an obvious improvement in the quantity and quality of students’ professional knowledge, personal ability, teamwork, and innovative practice. It is also in accordance with the independent completion of practical course teaching in the analysis of big education data. In addition, it realizes high-quality practical teaching by combining multi-mode, multi-level, and open discipline foundations together with efficient, professional skills.

The Impact of Learning Experiences on Meeting Teacher Accreditation Standards: A Mixed-Methods Study

Professional Accreditation for teacher education programs is a quality assurance measure for normal universities. To clarify the factors affecting student teachers' learning and their mechanisms, a mixed-methods study was conducted on government-funded student teachers. The study found that learning experiences in areas such as clear goals, student support, appropriate assessment, teaching quality, and course organisation have varying degrees of influence on learning outcomes. The mechanisms of influence include: the combined effect of misaligned learning goals and simplified exam content hinders the improvement of learning quality; gaps in subject systems and structural shortages of teacher resources undermine the distinctive features of teacher education; and an imbalance between increasing learning challenges and insufficient student support obstructs the development of professional competencies. Therefore, universities should leverage participation in professional accreditation as an opportunity to reform teacher education curricula, build high-quality teaching teams, optimize the structure of teacher resources, and improve student support services to create an excellent training environment

An Investigation of Content-Specific Unit Emotions in Secondary Physical Education

The intent of quality high school physical education (PE) is to develop a connection with students to help enhance their desire to continue engagement beyond K–12 education. While traditional instructional approaches may produce benefits, it is important to recognize continued data suggesting reasons for decreased student motivation and participation. The purpose of this study was to investigate student responses in their perceived control, value, emotions, and intentions for future activity as it pertained to differing content areas throughout their PE curriculum. The participants included 72 9th grade students. The students participated in five instructional units: modified volleyball, spikeball, outdoor adventure, yoga, and drumfit. At the conclusion of each unit, students responded to a virtual survey utilizing previously validated instruments measuring a variety of emotional contexts. The results were analyzed using a variety of measurements. The in-depth data revealed that student intention may be more anchored in value and emotion than previously identified. Students’ emotional connection to the content appears to be vital to their motivation, engagement, and intention to engage in the activity outside of PE. Based on these findings, teachers should make a concerted effort to select content based on student interests and value, instead of choosing content they find interesting and meaningful.

Professionalisation of initial teacher education in China: 1974–2024

ABSTRACT Over the past 50 years, China’s initial teacher education (ITE) system has undergone significant changes and improvements. To review and reflect on these experiences, we construct a multi-level, context-specific conceptualisation of ITE professionalisation. Guided by this framework, we segment the history of ITE professionalisation into three phases: the specialising phase (1974–1998), the upgrading phase (1998–2012), and the quality-equity balancing phase (2012-present). The specialising phase is characterised by a single-purpose ITE system that is directly governed by educational authorities. The upgrading phase involves a policy-driven enhancement of ITE within higher education institutions and the transition from single-purpose to general-purpose institutions, reflecting broader transformations in higher education policies in China. The quality-equity balancing phase focuses on policies aimed at improving the quality of ITE while ensuring equitable access to high-quality teachers in underdeveloped regions and hard-to-staff rural schools. Our historical review contributes new insights into ITE research, offers practical implications for ITE reform and improvement, and raises questions for further investigation of ITE in both the Chinese context and internationally.

Navigating the Complexities of School Leadership for Students With Disabilities

This case study delves into the complexities faced by Principal Williams, a newly appointed leader at Hudford Elementary School, as she navigates the challenges of providing high-quality education for students with disabilities in an elementary school. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), each student with a disability is required to have access to the general education curriculum and specially designed instruction (SDI) that is tailored to the student’s unique needs. As Principal Williams steps into her role as leader of Hudford Elementary School, she has questions about the current service delivery model for students, the distribution of responsibilities across general and special education, and the extent of inclusion. She is considering her next steps, including how she will address some problematic working conditions experienced by special educators at the school. Through this case, readers gain insights into the complexity of supporting students with disabilities in a time of teacher shortages and learn about identifying the resources teachers need to fulfill their responsibilities.

Research Hotspots and Development Trends of Theme Activities in Kindergartens since 21st Century—Based On Visual Co-word Analysis

In order to accurately and objectively understand the composition and development trend of research hotspots on kindergarten theme activities in the past decade, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) was used as the literature search source. The Co-word analysis software Bicomb2.0 and data statistical software SPSS27.0 were used to conduct time-series, research strength, high-frequency key, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scale analysis on 1674 literature on kindergarten theme activities from 2005 to 2023, and to draw knowledge graphs at different time periods. Research has found that the study of kindergarten theme activities generally revolves around five major areas: research on the selection of theme activity content, research on the connotation and characteristics of theme activities, research on the design of theme activities, research on the implementation and value of theme activities, and research on the theory and reform of theme activities. Strengthening the construction of theme activities in kindergartens is an effective breakthrough for achieving high-quality preschool education curriculum. Therefore, future research should focus on the combination of educational theory workers and educational practice workers to form a research community; Exploring diverse perspectives, deep learning and STEAM courses will become new academic growth points for themed activities; Innovative research paradigm, emphasizing the combination of theoretical research and empirical research.

CLINICAL CONFERENCE ON PRACTICAL CLASSES IN DENTAL THERAPY

The modern education reform in Ukraine aims to provide high-quality subject training for specialists while reducing classroom load and increasing access to information. One of the ways to solve this problem is to introduce new, more effective methods and technologies of learning. An essential stage in training of doctors from the first years of study is the formation of clinical thinking, the ability to analyze and synthesize data, determine the criteria for making a diagnosis, and draw up a rational treatment plan. Developing this ability requires knowledge and practical experience, starting in educational institutions and continuing in clinical settings. Technologies and techniques of learning and teaching clinical disciplines are gaining particular relevance and determining importance. The training of dentists at the Department of Dental Therapy of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University always meets the requirements of the times. Special attention is paid not only to the high-quality teaching of the discipline but also to the diversification of the organization of practical classes. The early years of medical specialists' training are crucial for developing clinical thinking. This process hones the ability to analyze and systematize data, define criteria for establishing a diagnosis, and compile a plan of effective treatment. At I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, special attention is given to the qualitative teaching of the discipline and the diversification of the pedagogical process, with the clinical conference playing a pivotal role in this development. At the Dental Therapy Department, the study of the 'Dental Therapy' discipline concludes with a student clinical conference, a good tradition. This conference, held for the 5th-year students in the X semester, involves three groups of students who are currently completing their study of the subject. In each group, a student-curator who represents a specific clinical case is selected. Students present reports with a visual presentation of the patient's clinical condition, the results of the primary and additional methods of examination, differential diagnosis of the disease, the treatment scheme of the patient and its effectiveness. An important stage at the conference is the performance of prepared opponents, who are appointed from among the students of another group. On the eve of the meeting, the opponents directly familiarize themselves with the work of the student-curator, analyze the sequence of the patient's examinations, the correctness of the diagnosis, the preparation of medical documentation, the differential diagnosis of the disease, evaluate the treatment scheme, ask questions and express observations. The lecturers play a crucial role in this process, providing guidance and doing summaries of the clinical conference, ensuring that the learning objectives are met and the student's progress is acknowledged. Clinical conferences, are not just about deepening and systematizing theoretical knowledge or developing clinical thinking. They also provide a unique and invaluable opportunity for students to gain experience in public speaking. This experience, coupled with the development of personal qualities such as communication and cooperation, prepares students for the challenges they will face in their future careers. This holistic approach to medical education is a key part of the learning process, instilling confidence and readiness in the students.

Exploring the predictor of teaching quality using the job demands-resources model

Introduction. Maintaining teaching quality in higher education in Indonesia is challenging due to the significant job demands placed on lecturers, who are expected to fulfill multiple roles as educators, researchers, and mentors.Aim. The present research aimed to explore the potential of using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model to evaluate the quality of teaching in higher education.Methodology and research methods. This study employs structural equation modelling (SEM) using SmartPLS 3.0 software to analyse the research model based on a random sample of 285 lecturers from nineteen universities in Indonesia.Results. It has been established that role conflict among lecturers negatively impacts teaching quality, whereas self-efficacy positively influences it. The paper presents methods for utilising the JD-R model to examine factors related to the performance of higher education teachers.Scientific novelty. This study, utilising the capabilities of the JD-R model, identifies factors that influence teaching quality and presents mechanisms that underlie the relationship between role conflict and the level of self-efficacy in teaching performance among high school educators in Indonesia.Practical significance. The paper out-lines the opportunities available to university administrations and the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for making critical management decisions related to teaching quality. This includes restructuring the educational process to reduce the burden on teachers and expanding the methods used to assess their performance. These goals can be accomplished through the development of innovative organisational support systems.

Phases in novice university teachers’ development of self-efficacy across and within teacher tasks: a Rasch Analysis

ABSTRACT Supporting academics’ initial development as university teachers is important for improving their ability to contribute to high-quality education and for reducing anxiety and stress around teaching. Focusing on tasks experienced as challenging is considered a key principle for organising effective teacher professional development. To apply this principle in practice, more knowledge is needed about the development of novice university teachers’ self-efficacy in their teacher tasks. Therefore, this study aims to investigate phases in the development of novice university teachers’ self-efficacy. Data were collected amongst 201 novice university teachers at a Dutch research-intensive university and associated university medical centre, using a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy in different teacher tasks. Polytomous Rasch analyses were performed on novice university teachers’ self-efficacy scores, both across and within teacher tasks. Results suggested three developmental phases in novice university teachers’ self-efficacy across teacher tasks: (1) development in ‘teaching and supporting learning’, (2) development in ‘assessment and feedback’ and ‘educational design’, (3) development in ‘educational leadership and management’ and ‘educational scholarship and research’. Two or three phases for the development of self-efficacy were found within each of these teacher tasks. These results expand our knowledge of the development of academics’ self-efficacy related to specific teacher tasks. They also provide suggestions for how pedagogic training and workplace learning may be shaped in such a way that they focus novice university teachers’ learning on teacher tasks that are difficult but not overchallenging.

Will Higher Education Development Influence the Escape from the Middle-income Trap? Insights from Northeast China

This article constructs an index model of higher education development from the 2020 data of 34 prefecture-level cities in Northeast China. GeoDetector was used to find the explanatory power of higher education for economic growth. The stronger the explanatory power, the greater its effect on enabling a city to move beyond the middle-income stage. The results indicated that economically developed cities had advanced levels of higher education development. The development level of higher education in provincial capitals and sub-provincial cities is among the highest in Northeast China. Furthermore, higher education significantly explains economic growth, with the scale of education having a stronger explanatory power than the quality of education. In addition, regional heterogeneity exists in the explanatory power of the scale and quality of education on economic growth. Specifically, the effect of the scale of higher education on economic growth is significantly greater than the quality of higher education in large cities. In contrast, the opposite is true in medium-sized cities. For small cities, the effect of higher education on economic growth is minimal. JEL Classification O11

A Method for Predicting the Result of University Employment Education Transformation Based on Multi-Source Information Technology

In the data on the outcomes of higher education employment transformation, there is high correlation among multiple independent variables, leading to multicollinearity. If multicollinearity exists, it can complicate the establishment of predictive analysis models and the interpretation of relationships between variables for higher education employment transformation outcomes. The employment issues of college graduates have become a focal point of social concern. These issues not only reflect the employment status of college graduates but also indirectly indicate the quality of higher education and the level of talent cultivation. Therefore, a prediction method for the effectiveness of higher education employment transformation based on multi-source information technology is proposed. According to the theory of multi-source information technology, an employment data classification framework is constructed to integrate multi-source information. The matching operator function output values are calculated, weights are determined, and the final college student information collection results are output. The standard error between employment unit types and salary ranges is analyzed, clustering training samples are trained, and the distance from each employment information sample to the centroid is calculated to obtain preprocessing results of the transformation outcomes, thus avoiding the impact of multicollinearity on the results of higher education employment transformation. A model structure for analyzing factors influencing higher education employment is established, allowing for an understanding of the characteristics of different types of educational resources and enabling the prediction of the effectiveness of higher education employment transformation. Experimental results show that this method can accurately monitor the dynamic employment situation of university students. After applying this method, the standard error and probability error values are significantly reduced, proving to be significantly effective in predicting the outcomes of higher education employment transformation.

Fairer schooling for a better housing environment: Effect of abolishing school zones on the housing market

Access to high-quality public education is often closely linked to residential property ownership and location in many countries, contributing to rising housing costs in areas with better educational resources. This creates challenges in housing affordability and perpetuates inequality in education access. Our study explores the effectiveness of two policies aimed at reducing the association between property ownership and access to premium public education: the "six-year-one-position" policy, which limits school enrolment to one student per property every six years, and the "multi-dicing" policy, which uses a random allocation system for student placement. While this research focuses on Beijing, China, the implications of such policies are of broader relevance to cities worldwide facing similar issues. Using a spatial difference-in-difference approach, we find that eliminating school zoning can decrease housing prices by 2.5% in areas where these policies are implemented, with reductions of 4.4%–7.9% in districts previously associated with high-ranking schools. However, the announcement of these policies triggers short-term price spikes, with increases of 2.7%–4.7%, reflecting a panic-buying effect. Moreover, we observe a spillover effect, where demand shifts from regions that abolished school zones earlier to those that implemented the policy later, as revealed by a staggered difference-in-difference analysis. These findings offer insights for policymakers in other urban contexts where educational access is intertwined with housing markets, highlighting the need for balanced strategies to address both housing affordability and equitable education access.

Unveiling Barriers: Challenges to Access High-Quality Education in South African Music Schools for Underprivileged and Marginalised Communities

Unveiling Barriers: Challenges to Access High-Quality Education in South African Music Schools for Underprivileged and Marginalised Communities

Teachers’ shortage and initial teacher education reforms in Italy: an overview

ABSTRACT The paper addresses the critical issue of teacher shortages in Europe, with a focus on Italy. It examines the declining attractiveness of the teaching profession, citing factors such as job dissatisfaction, low pay and difficult working conditions. It highlights the growing demand for teachers and the need for reforms in teacher education. The Italian context is examined, revealing a dual scenario of surplus teachers in some areas and severe shortages in others. The paper discusses the reforms underway in Italy to improve teacher education, recruitment and retention, emphasising the need for innovative, high-quality teacher education programmes and a comprehensive approach to tackling the problem at national level.