Individual Student Experiences Research Articles

Investigation of Experiential Learning Practices in K-12 Education

Experiential learning is a teaching strategy and theory that emphasizes the individual student's experience "... there is one permanent frame of reference: namely, the organic connection between education and personal experience” (Dewey, 1938, p. 25). What is known about experiential learning methodology conclusively is that students experience superior learning outcomes when experiential learning methods are used (Burch et al., 2019). What requires further investigation are the factors of assessing experiential education to determine what procedures contribute to the achievement of student outcomes. There is a lack of formal research in K-12 experiential learning and available experiential frameworks are insufficient when applied to K-12 education. Experiential resources focus primarily on the student’s progress through a set of defined procedures when supporting material for the facilitation of learning by educators are noticeably absent. This paper establishes the need for a base of instructors' understanding in K-12 experiential methods assessment. This research identifies areas for further exploration of concepts and future studies to develop relevant supports to facilitate meaningful experiential education in K-12 education.

A Multi-Method Approach to the Future of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Since the establishment of the Journal of Political Science Education (JPSE) in 2004, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning has become more rigorous and data-based, thanks in large part to the efforts of editors, peer-reviewers, and submitters to the journal. Where does the field go from here? I argue that our greatest strengths lie in multimethod approaches. To best understand how to improve teaching and learning in political science, we need to use all of our methodological tools. To illustrate these tools, I provide examples of some of the most-cited pieces in JPSE over the past 20 years, including ones using large-n statistical, experimental, case study, student self-report, qualitative evaluation, and reflective methodologies. I also provide examples of multimethod SoTL work and argue that the best way to move the field forward is to use multiple methodological tools together. Multimethod approaches help us better understand both the teaching problems that are facing the field of political science today and how best to respond to them. For instance, big data can help us understand overall trends, but may hide the individual experiences of students; experiments may reveal causal relationships, but surveys can help us understand how they function in practice. By bringing multiple methodological approaches together, we can get better answers to important questions. The widespread adoption of multimethod SoTL approaches in the future will require rethinking graduate school training, thoughtful research design, and providing intentional collaboration opportunities through conferences and infrastructure.

Internationalization of Quality Assurance as a Pre-Requisite for Internationalization in Higher Education

Abstract There are multiple positive effects of internationalization of Higher Education (HE) on enriching students’ experiences in general and providing opportunities for exchange and development of all segments of university functioning. This paper aims to contribute to determining the role of institutional QA in promotion of the international cooperation in HE by analysing undergraduate students’ perceptions on their international experience and comparing them to their home University. Individual experiences of students from the Southeast European University (SEEU) in North Macedonia, who participated in Erasmus exchange program in the last two academic years (2021/22 and 2022/23), with regard to the main quality assurance (QA) principles and measurements applied at their home University, are being considered. Their academic progress at the international universities is also taken into consideration. The aim is to collect firsthand information from the main stakeholders in the QA process about areas that can be further developed, as well as to position SEEU and self-check where it stands comparing and benchmarking it with some reputable European universities in order to better prepare its students for the international job market. SEEU has one of the most developed QA systems in the wider region, created and constantly being developed based on the international standards and guidelines and the long institutional experience. Thus, the paper also aims to contribute to defining some basic standards of internationalization of QA which would be recommended to the institutions from less developed, ITC (inclusiveness target countries) in order to assist them to place and welcome international students more successfully.

The Experience of School-Age Assistive Technology Users and Their Families During Emergency Remote Instruction and the Impact on Classroom Engagement

ABSTRACT Student engagement in the classroom is important for academic and future success. Many students with disabilities rely on classroom supports, such as assistive technology (AT), to access the curriculum and demonstrate their understanding. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many school districts to abruptly shift to emergency remote instruction. Numerous factors impacted the individual student experience and their classroom engagement. As engagement is vital for student success and well-being, this study aimed to gain a rich understanding of the student and caregiver experience during emergency remote instruction. Nine dyad pairs of AT student users with disabilities and their caregivers participated in semi-structured interviews. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four superordinate themes were constructed to reflect participant responses. During emergency remote instruction, daily student occupations changed. Students reported feeling socially isolated and confused by the added school demands from the home environment and caregivers, and schoolwork was less meaningful. Students were forced to redefine what it meant to be a student. Future research should continue to use IPA methodology to generate a richer understanding of the student experience and to explore long term impact of emergency remote instruction on occupational participation.

“Pengembangan E-modul KPK dan FPB Berbasis Realistic Mathematics Education untuk Meningkatkan Motivasi Belajar Siswa Kelas IV SDN Karang Anyar 03 Pagi Jakarta Pusat”

The purpose of this research and development is to produce a learning design product that can be used as an alternative for students, which can be used for independent learning, so that it can increase student learning motivation in class, namely E-modules. This research and development was carried out at SDN Karang Anyar 03 Pagi, Central Jakarta. This research and development uses the ADDIE model which consists of 5 stages, namely analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Learning Mathematics with a Realistic Mathematics Education approach that places a problem in Mathematics Learning in the daily life of students, so that it can make it easier for students to receive material and provide direct experience with individual student experiences. The eligibility of design experts is 83% in the feasible category, the eligibility of linguists is 96% in the feasible category, the eligibility of material experts is 95% in the feasible category, and the effectiveness of the pretest with a score Based on the overall results by the validator and students declared feasible to be implemented in the learning process students independently.

Applying an Ecological Systems Framework: How a Historically Black University, a Predominately White Institution, and a Public School System Created a Collaborative Undergraduate Research Experience

Abstract Guided by the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics and measures of competence provided by the Council on Social Work Education, the social work field serves as a model for strategies that promote collaboration across difference, strengths-based advocacy with communities, and education through engagement. These values and perspectives are relevant beyond social work, as they are applied in various disciplines and settings including educational systems. In academic environments, social workers and educators work together to facilitate the development of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and interactions that are individualized, empowering, equitable, strengths-focused, and culturally responsive among all individuals serving children in the school setting, including volunteers from the surrounding community. Using an ecological systems framework to explore the bidirectional relationships between individual student experiences, peer interactions, university–community connections, and collaboration with a local public school district, this article identifies how an interinstitutional student-engaged research partnership between a historically Black university, a predominately White institution, and a local school district models the power of a diverse and equitable collaboration with each subsystem positively contributing to the realization of social work values and ethics. Implications for public school students, staff, and surrounding communities are discussed.

Magnetide and Associated Factors of Gender Based Violence Among Female Students of High School and Preparatory in Mikewa Town, Oromia, Ethiopia in 2019

Background: Gender Based Violence refers to acts of sexual or physical violence inflicted on children in and around schools because of their sex or gendere identity. It results in fatal and non-fatal injuries, unintended pregnancies, induced abortions, STIs and mental health problems. Schools are not isolated from traditions, culture, norms, customary laws and governmental policies that exist in the country and the community, nor from individual experiences of students and staff both outside and inside schools and educational institutions. If not addressed properly, schools can normalize a violent environment both in the classroom and outside it. Objective: To assess magnetude and factors related to Gender Based Violence among female students of high school and preparatory students in Mikewa town, Oromia, Ethiopia in 2019. Methods: Institutional based cross sectional study was conducted on female students of mikewa high school and preparatory. Cluster sampling was used and Data was collected using structured self administered questionnaire and entered into Epi info version 7 and SPSS version 16 for was used for data analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used to present data. Biviriate and multivariate logistic regression was computed to assess statistical association between the outcome variable and independent variable. The result was then displayed by using text, graphs and tables. Content analysis was implemented manually for the qualitative part. Result: The magnetude of GBV among study participants was 187 (46.6%). Students who are from extended family OR=0.42; (95%CI: 0.27, 0.66), students having drunken friend OR=2.44; (95%CI: 1.47, 4.04), having history of sexual intercourse OR=0.16 (95%CI: 0.03, 0.95), place near school where girls fear to go alone OR=2.09; (95%CI: 1.29, 3.41) history of discrimination or marginalization OR=0.29; (95%CI: 0.14-0.62) were the identified associated factor with GBV. Conclusion: The current study showed the magnitude of GBV is unacceptable. Variables like being being female students from extended family, having drunken female friend or boy friend, having history of sexual intercourse, place near school where girls fear togo alone, history of discrimination or marginalization were the identified associated factors. Recommendation: Identified factors associated with GBV of this study finding needs attention and corrective action from policy makers, school officials, community, parents, students, and other concerned bodies including programs aimed at preventing GBV.

All Inclusive?! Empirical Insights into Individual Experiences of Students with Disabilities and Mental Disorders at German Universities and Implications for Inclusive Higher Education

In the context of the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the German Rectors’ Conference has expressed the goal of empowering inclusive education at German universities. The German study “beeinträchtigt studieren” from 2018 indicates that the situation of disabled university students needs to be improved (1). The present case study uses a mixed-methods approach to re-examine the situation of disabled students against the background of individual narratives. One important focus is on accessibility in teaching (2). The study shows that students with disabilities have to deal with many special barriers, among them learning environments, learning materials, and attitudes of teachers—a situation that is further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic (3). Given the results, the question arises as to what measures are useful in ensuring that students do not suffer from stigmatizing or discriminatory experiences during their studies (4). There is a need for further training and development of inclusive teaching methods, such as the Universal Design for Learning (5).

Students' perceptions of global health competencies in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum

IntroductionThis study sought to determine pharmacy students' self-assessment of their level of competency in specified global health statements across various schools. It also evaluated attributes associated with competency and perception of importance, as well as explored students' perspectives on how best to incorporate global health content into pharmacy education. MethodsCross-sectional survey administered online to pharmacy students from three pharmacy schools in the United States. ResultsThe self-assessed competency of pharmacy students in global health topic areas was low. Current or prior exposures outside of the PharmD curriculum to the global health content presented in the survey were significant indicators of self-assessed competency scores. Within individual participating schools, demographic characteristics such as gender, age category, speaking a non-English language, and progression through the PharmD curriculum were also significantly associated with competency scores reported. Most respondents (96%) agreed that relevant global health education should be incorporated into the pharmacy curriculum. ConclusionsPharmacy students generally perceive global health competencies to be of great importance in practice, but acknowledge their deficiencies in this area. The current burden of global health education at the schools surveyed relies on individual student experience rather than curricular support. Ensuring that future pharmacists understand their role in global health teams and are able to achieve the necessary level of competency to function in interdisciplinary initiatives will require more strategic incorporation of relevant content into the curriculum.

Framing education policies and transitions of Roma students in Europe

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to identify the contexts and conditions that allow for successful education transitions and opportunities for the Roma minority in Europe. Thus far, transnational and national policies have failed to ensure Roma inclusion and education equality, even though some progress is visible. Using a combination of policy analysis and interviews with NGO and European Union actors, University academics and Roma students, the article examines the key contexts that frame education policies and create the necessary conditions for education transitions. It identifies the problems and challenges within the contemporary EU education policy frameworks and highlights the tensions between political rhetoric and policy commitments that are visible at national, transnational, and local levels. In addition, through a focus on individual student experiences, the article captures the lived reality of Roma students who have managed their education transitions with success.

Developing Student Meta-Cognition in a Design Course.

practice can help with developing professional skills. To encourage the development of self reflection and ultimately meta-cognition related to project and design work, undergraduate electrical engineering students in anon-capstone project course undertook reflection exercises on their group project. The instructor observed a range of abilities to undertake the reflections, with some not going beyond describing the work that they had done, whereas others started to show a deeper consideration and thinking about their project work. The main route for reflection was a reflection journal, where five entries were required over the period of the project. The choice of reflection topic was up to the student except in one entry case when a mandatory question on life long learning was asked. For each of the other reflections a suggestion was provided for a reflection topic. Other opportunities for reflection were included with questionnaires at the beginning and end of the course, as well as presentations including one describing one thing the group had learned.The individual experiences of students in a first major group project course allow a range of reflections to occur, from ideas about planning, group work, problem solving and design being potential areas for discussion. Evaluation here is restricted to the instructors observations and not a detailed analysis of the student’s reflection work. This is an early examination of reflection and meta-cognition of the students but there areindications that students are taking the first steps in considering their approaches to project and design work.

Stigma Consciousness Among Adolescents With Learning Disabilities: Considering Individual Experiences of Being Stereotyped

Being identified with a learning disability makes students vulnerable to experiences of stigmatization, which can be associated with negative academic and emotional effects. Yet, research with other vulnerable populations demonstrates that individual perceptions of stigmatization, or stigma consciousness, are not uniform and that variability in stigma consciousness is more predictive of outcomes than assuming all members of the group are similarly affected. We present here a measure that enables consideration of such individual experiences of stigma consciousness specifically designed and tested with adolescents with learning disabilities ( N = 42). We demonstrate that the Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire–Learning Disabilities (SCQ-LD) is reliable, valid, and usable with this population. Furthermore, we demonstrate that variability in stigma consciousness is present. Results support the use of this construct and measure to contribute to our understanding of the individual experiences of students in this population.

Using emotion regulation to cope with challenges: a study of Chinese students in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACTThere is increasing research on the challenges that Chinese students experience during their time studying abroad, but limited studies have explored how they self-regulate their emotions to address these challenges. This paper identifies key stressors experienced by Chinese postgraduate students during their study in academic institutions in the United Kingdom as well as the emotion regulation strategies that they employed. Understanding the emotional experiences will provide important insights into Chinese students’ learning behaviour and their choice of different emotion regulation strategies when interacting with peers and academic tutors. Emotion regulation strategies believed to improve individual student experiences and their interaction with tutors and peers are discussed.

Influence of the workplace on learning physical examination skills

BackgroundHospital clerkships are considered crucial for acquiring competencies such as diagnostic reasoning and clinical skills. The actual learning process in the hospital remains poorly understood. This study investigates how students learn clinical skills in workplaces and factors affecting this.MethodsSix focus group sessions with 32 students in Internal Medicine rotation (4–9 students per group; sessions 80–90 minutes). Verbatim transcripts were analysed by emerging themes and coded independently by three researchers followed by constant comparison and axial coding.ResultsStudents report to learn the systematics of the physical examination, gain agility and become able to recognise pathological signs. The learning process combines working alongside others and working independently with increasing responsibility for patient care. Helpful behaviour includes making findings explicit through patient files or during observation, feedback by abnormal findings and taking initiative. Factors affecting the process negatively include lack of supervision, uncertainty about tasks and expectations, and social context such as hierarchy of learners and perceived learning environment.ConclusionAlthough individual student experiences vary greatly between different hospitals, it seems that proactivity and participation are central drivers for learning. These results can improve the quality of existing programmes and help design new ways to learn physical examination skills.

Ex(er)cising Student Voice in Pedagogy for Decolonizing: Exploring Complexities Through Duoethnography

Engaging in pedagogy for decolonizing as a theoretical approach to Indigenous 1 education 2 with adults raises questions and tensions, particularly when individual student experience and structures...

Leadership Development through Project Based Learning

The traditional hierarchical model of leadership is outdated and in its place are flatter industrial models where leadership is shared amongst the various individuals in a team. The modern team based project is an essential method used to create successful endeavors. Engineers must be trained to lead and participate in multidisciplinary teams. The learning process of becoming an effective leader and a valued team member must begin through the introduction of leadership skills during undergraduate engineering education. Project Based Learning (PBL) is an example where such training can have a profound influence on the learner, enabling growth of future leaders. Project Based Learning has long been touted as an excellent method of active learning which greatly facilitates application and retention of theory. Its use to improve ‘soft skills’ such as communication, individual growth, life-long learning and team-work is also evident. Difficulties with PBL are more often institutionally-based involving implementation on a large scale and faculty enthusiasm and time commitments. This paper expands on the use of PBL as a method to develop student leaders focusing on individual student experiences within team environments. It introduces various PBL approaches and their implementation within an existing engineering educational framework.

Special educational needs, e-learning and the reflective e-portfolio: implications for developing and assessing competence in pre-service education

This article reports on the use of e-portfolios to assess aspects of a one year, post-graduate pre-service teacher education programme in Northern Ireland within the specific context of special needs education. The rationale for using an e-portfolio for programme assessment and the potential it offers in demonstrating a range of teaching competencies is examined, with participants in the study challenged to develop their individual e-portfolios by selecting and presenting evidence for assessment drawn from a wide range of sources. In so doing they were asked to reflect upon their personal, academic and pedagogical learning and development across the pre-service year. The article also reports on the individual student experience of building an e-portfolio and attitudes towards its use for assessment purposes within pre-service education and beyond. Finally, it considers the potential for using e-portfolios across all phases of teacher education.

An Exploration of Potential Factors Affecting Student Withdrawal From an Undergraduate Music Education Program

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree withdrawal patterns of undergraduate music education majors, with a specific focus on the individual experiences of students withdrawing from the major. Data from recently withdrawn students ( N = 14) were assembled using a qualitative methodology that included semistructured interviews, questionnaires, researcher journals, and meetings with experienced researchers. The data were analyzed and coded, generating a number of categories for discussion and analysis. Students’ experiences during college were diverse, with concerns focused on the applied music component of the degree surfacing as important to many students. The reasons given for withdrawal from the music education program also were diverse, including dismissal from the applied music studio, erosion of personal confidence as a musician, realizations about their feelings toward music versus their feelings about teaching in general as it related to their personal career goals, and personal life issues. Following withdrawal from the music education curriculum, all interviewed students reported that they remained actively involved in music in some way. Implications of these results are discussed in relation to individual experiences and the function of those experiences within the context of current models of student persistence.

“Making an impact”: a profile of a business planning competition in a university

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the issues experienced in the delivery of a business challenge to a cohort of business undergraduate students at the University of Glamorgan. The challenge involved initiating and running a “real” business and returning a profit within a week. The students worked in groups of up to eight and were given start up capital. The paper seeks to evaluate the impact of the business challenge in terms of changing entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviour, and to examine the skills competencies acquired by the individual students.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a mixed method approach to examine the respondent experience. The basis of the investigation involved a semi‐structured questionnaire undertaken on completion of the challenge. In total, in excess of 50 students completed the research instrument. The questionnaire enabled the authors to quantitatively explore the overall impact of the business challenge by student age and gender. In addition, the semi structured design enabled the authors to explore the qualitative “rich data” of individual student experience based on their reflections.FindingsThe findings reveal a positive impact in terms of enhanced attitudes towards the attainability and attractiveness of an entrepreneurial career. The findings reveal that the business challenge provided the students with a significant enhancement in generic enterprise skills including team working, leadership, communication and specific business skills such as sales and marketing behaviour. The students valued the opportunity and personal responsibility offered by the business challenge to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real world context. Several individuals reported that the positive experience with their business venture meant that they wished to continue the business alongside their graduate studies.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to a limited literature in assessing the impact and benefit of business challenges. It will be of value to enterprise education providers in organising and planning such activities.

A practical approach to teaching medical ethics

Teaching medical ethics and law has become much more prominent in medical student education, largely as a result of a 1998 consensus statement on such teaching. Ethics is commonly taught...