Master Course Research Articles

Instructional Design of an Integrative Online Business English Course for Master’s Students of a Technical University

The article deals with the instructional design of an integrative Business English course for master’s students of a technical university (a case study of the Saint Petersburg Mining University) for blended and/or flexible learning. The main goal is to design a course that can be used as a full-fledged online course in asynchronous learning and is at the same time adjustable to the existing offline Business English course. The research uses methods such as observation, focus groups, surveying, empirical research and analytical and descriptive methods. The authors see a solution in a special instructional design based on the integration of traditional teaching approaches in offline learning, information technology and elements of infotainment and edutainment. The article presents the results of the target audience analysis and the needs analysis, outlines the structure of the course, specifies approaches to enhance motivation in master’s students and presents an integrative system of assessment and evaluation of the learners’ knowledge and skills. The key features of the instructional design of the Business English course suggested include exposure to professional scenarios, learners’ reflection, multiple instruments encouraging learners’ cognitive activity and performance and an opportunity to apply their knowledge to actual performance rather than summative assessment.

Experience of international students on studying a master's course at Delta University

ABSTRACT
 This study investigates the experiences of international students on studying a postgraduate course at Delta University. Previous studies have not explored in detail the experiences of blended learning on international students during the Covid-19 era when universities in the UK shifted teaching from face-to-face to blended or online learning. This research thus seeks to address this research deficit by employing zoom interview method to examine international students’ experiences of blended learning. 
 The research discovered that some international students had positive experiences of studying a postgraduate course because the university staff members were supportive towards students. Furthermore, blended learning gave students the flexibility to manage their studies. On the contrary, students’ negative experiences were attributed mostly to Covid-19 regulations of social distancing whereby students made limited friends and various students’ activities were cancelled. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made. Provision of sufficient and relevant information to students on what will be taught in courses is needed in order for students to make the right decisions regarding the courses of study. Additionally, students need extra support on how to write the dissertation. Moreover, lecturers should offer the pre-recorded videos as an online live session because students concentrate effectively when lectures are leading the session compared to when students are on their own.

Designing a Master Course on Architectures for Big Data: A Collaboration between University and Industry

We describe a collaboration between Marelli and Università degli Studi di Milano that allowed the latter to add a course on «Architectures for Big Data» in its Master programme of Computer Science, with the aim of providing a teaching approach characterized by an intertwined exposition of discipline, methodology and practical tools. We were motivated by the need of filling, at least in part, the gap between the expectation of employers and the competences acquired by students. Indeed, several big-data-related tools and patterns of widespread use in working environments are seldom taught in the academic context. The course also allowed to expose students to company-related processes and topics. So far, the course has been taught for two editions, and a third one is currently ongoing. Using both a quantitative and a qualitative approach, we show that students appreciated this new form of learning activities, in terms of enrollments, exam marks, and activated external theses. We also exploited the received feedback in order to slightly modify the content and the structure of the course.

Awaken the Question

In general, religion means a life of faith in the perspective of a good life. But apart from vague images such as heaven or the kingdom of God, it is still an open question what a good life is supposed to be. It should be perfect, but how does one define perfection in life? We cannot prescribe this for young people and we should not. It is a question that needs to be awakened in their hearts, if only by our listening to how they respond to it. In the process of responding to the question, they may grow in their responsibility towards the good life. In the master course Youth Culture and Spirituality at the Tilburg School of Catholic Theology, we invited the students to pose the question to youngsters in their school: “What is the kingdom of God to you?” or “What is the good life to you?” The youngsters’ answers resulted in interviews and letters, in which general ideals – a job, a family, a house – were gradually filled in with personal experiences. We were particularly interested in how the youngsters discovered and developed their stories. A narrative analysis of their stories shows that they feel responsible for the good life, even if it consists simply in a claim to receive: “one should be able to enjoy all the beautiful things.” They also experience that talking about the good life is already a form of participating in it. We may conclude that awakening the question of the good life is already an introduction into it.

Advocacy for Health Justice: An Innovative Pilot Course for MD and Master of Public Policy Students

Problem : U.S. medical schools are searching for ways to address issues of health justice in undergraduate medical education. Physicians have not typically received training in how to be effective advocates for systemic change and individuals in policy fields are not usually equipped to understand the complex issues of health science and their intersection with the health system and society. To address this gap, medical school faculty partnered with school of public policy faculty on a collaborative learning model that engaged MD and Master of Public Policy students together to strengthen their collective knowledge of the healthcare landscape, and to build skills to work for health justice. Intervention: We hypothesized that pairing medical students with public policy students to learn about the intersections of health justice and advocacy could enhance the efficacy of each group and provide a new model of collaboration between medical and policy professionals. The students collaborated on a health justice advocacy project through which they provided consultation to an established community organization. Context : The 8-week course took place in the spring of 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Due to Covid-19 the course was taught online and included asynchronous learning modules and live Zoom sessions. The project also served as a pilot for the post-clerkship phase of a new longitudinal health justice curriculum for MD students that launched in August 2021. Impact : Analysis of student work products, course evaluations, partner interviews, and student focus groups showed that students valued learning through their interdisciplinary collaborative work which gave them new perspectives on health justice issues. The community partners indicated that the students consultative work products were useful for their initiatives, and that they found working with MD and MPP students to be a valuable way to think about how to build stronger and more inclusive coalitions to advocate for health justice. This project has the potential for national impact as it aligns with the Association of American Medical Colleges’ renewed focus on the responsibility of academic medicine to partner with communities for health justice. The project also contributed to the national conversation on how to align health systems science education with the aims of health justice through our participation in the American Medical Association Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium. Lessons Learned : Leveraging faculty relationships with community partners was crucial for developing meaningful projects for students. Cultivating and expanding community partner networks is necessary to sustain and scale up this type of intervention. Centering the needs of communities and supporting their on-going work for health justice is essential for becoming an effective advocate. Learning communities that bring interdisciplinary students, healthcare providers, policy professionals, and community partners together to learn from one another can create key opportunities for ameliorating health inequities.

Environmental Emissions Dispersion Modelling, Principles and Algorithms; Cross-Border CZ-PL Course for Master’s Students

Abstract Regular mathematical modelling of the dispersion of emissions from large sources is required by law in all EU countries. It is also used in risk analysis to predict releases of toxic substances from various technologies, from volcanic activity and possibly also terrorist acts. However, there is a shortage of experts in this very specific and demanding profession in the labour market in most EU countries. In a collaboration between academicians from neighbouring University of Hradec Králové and University of Opole and experts from important ecological companies of both regions we designed and verified as a part of a four-year pedagogical project supported by the EU a comprehensive education system in mathematical modelling of emission dispersion with exchange field trips and internships of students during cross-border Polish-Czech university education. The paper consists of two separate parts. The first part is focused on implementation of innovative lesson “Principles, algorithms, and differences of environmental dispersion emissions models”, used on both sides of Polish-Czech border region. An example of the use of the educational package of the Gaussian plume model with PC Templates, who was modified in cooperation between teachers from both cross-border universities and experts from professional companies is presented here too. Our four-year experience with student motivational field trips to professional companies in both border regions and exchange one-month professional internships for interested students to two Czech professional companies, where students learn to work with to the Gaussian plume model and one Polish professional company, where students are introduced to the Gaussian puff model is also discussed. The following separate second part will be focused on the innovative lesson of multivariate statistical methods of environmental data analysis, which are required for processing materials for modern mathematical modelling of the dispersion of emissions in practice. The target users of this two-part innovative courses are students of the MSc degree in Physical Measurement and Modelling at the University of Hradec Králové and students of the MSc degree in environmental studies at the University of Opole. However, it is also open to other Czech and foreign students and professionals.

Textile study courses – evaluation of student performance over one complete decade

The success of students and their performance are influenced by manifold parameters. The current study focusses especially on the correlation between study duration and the student performance. Investigated are the numbers of two textile related courses (bachelor and master) over the complete time frame of one decade. Data of more than 800 students are considered. Data evaluation is done with the final marks of the students and by using a calculated value – the student performance index PI. Especially discussed is the behavior of long-time students needing more than the double of the regular study duration. In this study only results of students are discussed which successfully finished the study course with a degree. Students leaving without a degree are not considered. For the bachelor course a correlation of their final grades with larger study duration can be determined. In contrast, for the master course nearly no influence of the study duration on the student performance is determined. A possible explanation for these different results can be discussed with the different reasons for longer study duration. For master course it is obviously the situation that the studying is combined with part-time or even full-time jobs. This combination of job and study course leads even for excellent students to prolonged study duration. With this background, for future developments a special designed part time master study course should be developed and offered for students who like the combination of a job carrier with gaining simultaneously a master degree.

The Educational Benefit of a Remote Automatic Control Laboratory. A Win-Win Collaboration between Asia and Europe

This project aims to implement a Remote European Asian Lab, an Automatic Control remote laboratory, in the joint academic cooperation framework between two universities located in Europe and Central Asia. Emphasis is given to the inclusive solution of a shared teaching facility and its learning achievements into a bachelor course (Uzbekistan) and a master course (Italy) to foresee a better education quality. The different cultural and social contexts allow (a) the evaluation of the effect obtained by introducing a remote laboratory experience in a course entirely theoretical, and (b) the shift from a physical laboratories experience to a remote one. Students are first introduced to this laboratory by the lecturer in dedicated classes. Then students can independently access it 24/7 by simply booking a specific station for a time slot. From the analysis comes out that remote laboratory experiences positively impact learning achievements. The benefits of the remote environment are perfectly comparable with the ones obtained from the physical laboratory activities.

Inquiry in psychology.

When they discuss the Danish academic situation, Szulevicz, Lund and Lund (2021) address three questions about the academic training of psychology researchers: (a) why do Danish master's students in psychology more frequently choose the qualitative method for their research?; (b) what are psychology students working on?; and (c) what are they interested in? These three questions have led us to reflect on researcher training and the political and educational model universities adopt for psychology master's courses, not only in the Danish context, but also in other general contexts. In this commentary, we will discuss one strictly normative issue: what should the scientific ideal be for training researchers in psychology? Or more accurately: how can psychology contribute to discussions about the scientific ideal of researcher training in this knowledge area?

The Evaluation Result of Online Master Course During Pandemic: Case of Industrial Management Course at Mongolian University of Science and Technology

This paper describes shortly about Mongolia, its higher education in current days, teaching during pandemic in Mongolia and evaluation of online master course at Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST). Mongolia is a developing country and the engineering education is one of the important issues of country development. There are comparatively high number of higher education institutions in country which proves need of families to support education of their children. The MUST is a public university which offers the most engineering study courses. The MUST offers bachelor, master and doctor programs in different fields. This paper covers teaching of master courses for “Industrial Management” professions at Graduate School of Business. Due to the pandemic situation the teaching format switched from traditional to fully online mode without any preparation time. Since winter semester of 2022 teaching format returned to face-to-face mode but it is still important to figure out feedback from students who attended master courses fully online during pandemic. Therefore, this paper describes evaluation model and evaluation results for the master course “Industrial Management”.

When students write comedy scripts: humor as an experiential learning method in environmental education

Humor has received increasing attention in environmental educational research in recent years as it can have a variety of positive effects on learning atmosphere, outcomes, and student-educator relationships. In most cases, humor is used by educators while students act as consumers. However, this does not exploit the full potential of humor for environmental education. This article shows how humor can be applied as a distinct learning method and what outcomes and effects can be achieved. Our method draws on approaches from comedy-writing schools, thus bridging this community of practice to environmental education. It provides students with an understanding of the basics of humor, empowers them with practices to develop their own humorous texts, and guides them towards high-quality comedy scripts. We implemented several master courses at the Vienna University of Economics and Business based on this method. In 2021, we assessed the effects on students’ sustainability knowingness, attitudes, and behavior and analyzed qualitative outcomes. It was revealed that humor can play a pivotal role in environmental education as it fosters critical thinking and creativity, helps students cope with emotionally difficult topics, and supports them in becoming agents of change.

Brief Reports Prepared by Students and Graduates of Master of Science in Biobanking.

Brief Reports Prepared by Students and Graduates of Master of Science in Biobanking.

The Master Course Design Process Explained Using General College Botany as a Case Study

This paper describes the master course design process at the largest institution of higher education in Colorado, USA. The master course design process demonstrated principles of backwards design and employed a team-based approach to course development. The course map was the primary vehicle for communicating the design of the course during development and later for accountability. This case study presented the redesign of General College Botany. The General College Botany curriculum employed authentic assessment and provided an andragogical learning environment. The central authentic assessment in the course was a term-long research project. Other assignments included wiki-building discussions, traditional quizzes, and at-home labs. The accounting of this process and the assignments described for an online science course provide a template for other institutions to follow when considering the implementation of master courses in higher education settings. As botanical curricula continue to be cut from degree programs and the need for remote learning becomes imminent in the modern world, the scaling of educational resources is facilitated by master course design. Master course design promotes accountability and standardization while also affording a well-researched, constructive, and blended learning environment.

Teaching agile operation and leadership through linked university courses

Agile software development methods, especially Scrum, are commonly used in software development companies. For this reason, our goal was that our undergraduate students gain experience as Scrum development team members and our master's students as agile leaders. To this end, we had redesigned and linked an undergraduate and a master's course, and launched the new course in the spring of 2021. The success of our approach was confirmed by a questionnaire survey of 86 undergraduate and 27 master's students. A/B testing was also performed. Our approach is a novelty compared to solutions where the Scrum Master is a course member, an instructor, or a university employee. In addition to being resource-efficient, it also offers master's students an unparalleled opportunity to develop agile leadership skills.
 Subject Classification: 97U50

The influence of TikTok on dermatology, aesthetics and skincare

This is an update of Diala Haykal's presentation at the Skin and Digital Summit, which took place at International Master Course on Aging Science (IMCAS) 2022 in Paris

Evidence in reproductive medicine

Evidence in reproductive medicine

Integration of life-cycle assessment in a multimodal building design approach

Decades of rapid and widespread digitization of our living and working environments have not yet brought about a comprehensive qualitative improvement of our built environment in terms of sustainability and functional and aesthetic performance. The designs of the future must be much more consistently concerned with optimizing the multimodal performance of human spaces. This paper presents a design approach to implement and combine life-cycle assessment with different simulation methods such as energy efficiency, daylight analysis, acoustics, noise insulation, structural analysis and fire protection in order to provide the designer with tools to evaluate how architectural decisions affect the building performance and its environmental impacts. This approach was applied by the architecture students of a master course at the Universität der Künste Berlin. They were given the program of a building to be constructed in the Siemensstadt in Berlin and they implemented this methodology to come up with different sustainable designs. This paper also discusses the results of this course and empathizes how the implementation of simulation tools does not constrain the possibilities of the design process, but it enriches it and leads to a more sustainable built environment.

Switching Learning Methods during the Pandemic: A Quasi-Experimental Study on a Master Course

The COVID-19 pandemic marked an important breakthrough in human progress: from working habits to social life, the world population’s behaviours changed according to the new lifestyle requirements. In this changing environment, university courses and learning methods evolved along with other “remote” working activities. For this quasi-experimental study, we discuss the effectiveness of the changes made by the LUMSA University in Rome, comparing two different groups of students who attended a master’s course with blended and fully remote methodologies. Here, we focused our attention on the paradigm shift, comparing the data gathered during the blended course in the 2019/2020 academic year with data gathered during the same course, but conducted fully online, in the academic year 2020/2021. Considering the sample size and type, the group comparison was made using a non-parametric test (U-test). The statistical analysis results suggest that there was no substantial difference between the students’ performance, confirming that the course changes made to adapt to the pandemic situation were successful and that learning effectiveness was preserved.

Advancing nursing in Italy through the development and evaluation of an innovative postgraduate programme in Family and Community Nursing - A pilot study.

SummaryIntroductionDue to the impact on the public health systems of the ageing and the increasing frailty of the population, the European Union and the World Health Organisation have emphasised how family and community nurses (FCNs) could play an important role in supporting the ageing process through prevention, promotion, and protection in the territory.MethodsThis study describes the first experience in Italy of a one-year postgraduate blended-learning master course divided into 5 modules for FCNs piloted as part of the EuropeaN curriculum for fAmily aNd Community nursE (ENhANCE) 2018-2020 project, funded by the European Commission. The 5 modules focused on: Epidemiology and Prevention (14 ECTS); Fundamentals of care (19 ECTS); Organisational Models and Priority Health Problems (12 ECTS); Communication Models and Continuity of Care (5 ECTS); and Nursing Research (10 ECTS). Participants included a total of 45 students and 23 lecturers and a team of clinical tutors.ResultsThe Italian pilot course for the FCNs proved to be a successful example of innovative teaching methods using blended didactic methods, which enabled participants to achieve high-standard learning outcomes and competencies in the field of family and community nursing.ConclusionsThe pilot course is well suited to preparing competent family and community nurses to meet the growing healthcare needs of the population. Therefore, we have planned to replicate this course to increase the workforce of family and community nurses, who through their healthcare services aimed at prevention, promotion and protection, will ensure high quality services to the public and consequently relieve the burden on acute hospitals.

Building legitimacy for sustainable business schools: Using the business model concept when teaching corporate sustainability

Dedication to sustainability means that business schools face challenges to their legitimacy. Teaching is the central activity through which business schools build legitimacy, and there are three legitimacy related aspects of management education which can be directly influenced through teaching: the overreliance on normative theoretical models in teaching and research, the distance between academia and practice, and the custom of developing academic silos. We suggest that the business model concept is especially well-suited to ameliorate these characteristics and support the development of more legitimate and sustainability-oriented business school. The paper builds on experiences gathered from a master's course in sustainable management where the business model was used as a key component in the analysis of the sustainability performance of selected case companies. The results show that the business model concept helps students to critically assess normative theories on management by introducing practice-oriented questions about how sustainable business management can be conducted and how value creation can be conceptualized for different stakeholders. The business model helps to bridge the gap between practice and academia by conveying an understanding of the complex reality that managers deal with. Furthermore, by providing a common terminology the business model improves the students' ability to make connections between subjects taught in separate disciplines. Nevertheless, the business model also poses a risk to teaching sustainability since it may be interpreted as elevating an economic perspective on sustainability. The paper both exemplifies how teacher led activities may help to ameliorate the challenge that sustainability poses to business schools and discusses the implications of using the concept as a part of legitimacy-oriented work.