Master's Degree Program Research Articles

Paradigm shifts in northern art, community and environment studies for art teacher education

In Northern Finland, where this study takes place, nature is a typical setting for recreational activities and employment. At the University of Lapland, attention has been given to art teacher education that supports the continuation of the Northern ecoculture and enhances human–nature connectedness. In this article, we discuss art, community and environmental (ACE) studies developed through international collaborations and joint, long-term action research based on the arts. These studies are part of art teacher training and an international master's degree programme in Arctic art and design. This article explains the paradigm changes that have impacted the aims and methods employed in ACE studies since the 1990s. The discussion is framed by a Western theoretical shift from environmental aesthetics to new materialism, post-humanism and decolonisation. We conclude that ACE projects can enhance revitalisation and increase capacities to retain cultural pride and local ecocultures. Art education that is carried out in a place-specific manner, in cooperation with local communities, is one way to keep traditions alive and foster environmentalism in the North. The article has international relevance for developing art teacher training in Arctic communities but also in other remote locations in which strong bonds between nature and culture are maintained. • Art-based environmental education in art teacher training has been implanted as environmental art and community art activities. • Many artists and art researchers endorse a post humanistic relationship with the environment challenging methods for art education. • Art education can help to release eco-anxiety and increase educators’ capacities in facilitating transformative experiences. • Art education in cooperation with local communities is one way to keep traditions alive and foster environmentalism in the North. • Art-based action research is a research strategy to develop art teacher training and art education methods.

An overview of health information management education in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background In Saudi Arabia, Health Information Management (HIM) programs are established in universities and colleges that offer studies at the Bachelor's and Master's level. Purpose The main objective of this study was to assess the different HIM programs available in Saudi Arabian universities and colleges, in terms of the names of the programs, year of establishment, and other specific differences between them. Another objective was to have input for the establishment of future HIM degrees across Saudi Arabia. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the number, date of establishment, and location of HIM programs available in Saudi Arabian universities and colleges. In this retrospective study, information was collected from the Ministry of Education and updated online websites of universities and colleges. Results A total of 81 universities and colleges across Saudi Arabia were reviewed for the availability of Health Information Management (HIM) programs. Out of the 81 reviewed institutions, 16 had at least one HIM program available. 6 programs were established in private colleges and 10 were in public universities. In terms of the level of education, all of the 16 institutes were offering Bachelor's degree programs; and, 5 of them were offering a Master's degree program. Conclusions HIM undergraduate programs in Saudi Arabia are better established than postgraduate programs. The adequacy of HIM programs in Saudi Arabia can only be judged by a careful analysis of the HIM alumni job placement and workforce needs. The results of this research can be useful to predict the workforce needs to ensure an adequate supply of highly skilled HIM professionals in Saudi Arabia. In this regard, it would be important to systematically monitor trends in healthcare technology and the healthcare industry to identify the level and types of skills required by these professionals.

РЕГИОНАЛЬНАЯ ИДЕНТИЧНОСТЬ ЖУРНАЛИСТА И КУЛЬТУРА РЕГИОНА

The article is devoted to the formation of the future journalist's regional identity at the university as a resource not only for preserving the culture of the region, but also for the development of its economy. Noting the need to retain university graduates in the regions, the author of the article emphasizes the particular importance of the problem in relation to graduates of media specialties. It is journalists and bloggers who today, more than ever before, influence society and shape the mindset in the context of mediatization of all spheres of life. Using the data of the expert survey of leading teachers in Russia (10 universities) in the field of journalism, the author of the article shows how, when taking into account new media trends, not only in the country, but also in the world, to form the regional identity of university students. In addition, the author of the article summarizes his own observations of university youth studying journalism and the methodological experience of heading the department of journalism at a regional university. The article emphasizes that the regional identity of journalists can be one of the most important factors in preventing the destabilizing role of various social and political processes, and in this context, effective strategies for creating it in a university are highlighted. At the same time, the training of a journalist is understood not only as a process of obtaining professional competencies, but also as a process of personal development of a person with the help and on the basis of regional culture, traditions and practices of commemoration. The author proposes the following as ways of forming regional identity among future journalists: broadcasting «success stories» of media persons in the region; the presence in the curriculum of bachelor's and master's degree programs of media specialties of special disciplines with the context of regional culture; project activities of students commissioned by regional authorities and business; obligatory regional component when writing research papers by students.

Rehabilitation healthcare professionals' perceptions of professional responsibility: a focus group study in Italy.

Background and aim of the work:Italian Law no. 24/17 has updated the Italian legislation regarding healthcare professional responsibility. In practice, all eight healthcare professionals (Physical therapists, Speech therapists, Professional educators, Orthoptists, etc.) have well-defined areas of activity and responsibility. This research aims to investigate how rehabilitation healthcare professionals perceive responsibility in the professional life. Gaining new insights could improve the healthcare process and support Rehabilitation Professionals in their daily care assignments.Methods:a qualitative pilot study was conducted using a focus group consisting of rehabilitation professionals enrolled with a convenience sampling in the Master’s Degree program in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Padova in 2019. Out of the 39 invited, 26 Rehabilitation Professionals responded (66.7%), including Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, Professional Educators, and Orthoptist. The Focus Group discussed the teamwork dynamics, the relationship between the participants and the organization, and the caregivers in rehabilitation care.Results:the analysis (performed at micro, meso and macro-level) highlighted that respondents perceived professional responsibility as a dilemma, because it is identified as a continuous balancing between external and internal pressures regarding professional competence, professional autonomy, teamwork, and social matters.Conclusions:rehabilitation professionals seem to experience plenty of dilemmas because they felt that their responsibility was a constant challenge of weighing pros and cons. Rehabilitation professionals need genuine autonomy recognition at every level of their practice to cope with the professional responsibility daily. This analysis helped highlight the emerging issues that need to be addressed in everyday practice.

The Biomedical Ethics Education Marathon in Saudi Arabia: A Chronological Quasi-Chronicle Narrative

Biomedical Ethics education world-wide has taken the time required for the ethics domain to develop as a discipline. Saudi Arabia is no exception. The paper is a narrative of the experience the single author had gone through over a period of more than three decades until a Master's degree programme in Biomedical Ethics from Islamic perspective has been developed. The UNESCO Core Curriculum is being scrutinized to serve the purpose of cultural compatibility. The main aim of the work is to provide guidance for developing culturally sensitive curricula to meet diverse cultural requirements. Obstacles and hurdles along that route are being described.

New directions of biology and biotechnology in urban environmental sciences

Living organisms and biological methods are widely used in recycling urban waste and improving the quality of the urban environment. Urban biology is a branch of biology that studies organisms living in cities. We propose using the new term "urban biotechnology". Urban biotechnology is the use of biotechnological methods to protect the urban environment and in urban energy. Urban biotechnology in the future may be included in the curriculum of the Master's degree programs "Biotechnology", "Ecology " (profile "Applied Ecology"), "Chemistry" (profile " ?hemistry of the urban environment "), and Chemical Engineering (profile "Chemical and Biochemical Engineering "). We consider it important to train specialists in the fields of urban biology and urban biotechnology. We hope that urban biotechnology and urban biology will become independent disciplines in the future.

RESEARCH-BASED LEARNING IN AN ONLINE COURSE-BASED MASTER OF EDUCATION PROGRAM

In this case study research, we examined graduate student experiences with research-based learning in an online course-based master's degree in education at a Canadian university. Data were gathered during two sequential phases, starting with exit surveys and then interviews with graduates from the master of education program. Findings indicated the way students were grouped and progressed through their courses in cohorts and using a signature pedagogy called collaboratories of practice, where students were provided with opportunities to engage in field-focused inquiry online alongside their peers and with guided support from their instructor, which served to support students with continuity throughout their program and with support for developing and applying research-based learning skills. Participants described the cohort structure and signature pedagogy as key elements that contributed to their research-based learning experiences. These findings are consistent with earlier results from studying two previous cohorts of postgraduate students. Study results serve to inform scholarship and program designs for research-based learning in course-based, online master's degree programs. More broadly, the results will also benefit faculties and institutions developing structural supports and pedagogies for new online courses and program offerings.

A Course on Cognitive and Behavioural Interventions for Sleep Disorders within a Master Degree Programme in Clinical and Health Psychology

Given the prevalence of sleep disorders, the efficacy and effectiveness of behavioural/cognitive interventions, mainly CBT for insomnia, we consider that a course on the topic should be introduced within the psychology master degree programmes. Since 2017/18 we are offering the optional course: Psychological Interventions on Sleep Disorders. The present work summarizes the course syllabus and analyses the students' perceptions regarding the first three editions. One hundred and twenty psychology master degree students have voluntarily registered at the course. End-of-semester online institutional anonymous questionnaires were voluntarily completed. Participants were asked to rate the course in a variety of parameters using a 5-point scale (1=minimum; 5=maximum). Ninety questionnaires were completed. Mean scores on each item (addressing: bibliography/other learning materials; quality of learnings; learning results; non-redundancy concerning other courses; theoretical-practical articulation; students’ active participation in the learning processes; development of analytical and critical reflection/thinking skills; overall self-assessment) ranged between 4.23 and 4.46, items’ mean score = 4.35. Students' perceptions on the first three semesters of the course were clearly encouraging. By offering a course on behavioural interventions for sleep disorders at master degree level, we hope to contribute to increase its delivery in health contexts in the near future.

DEVELOPMENT OF COLLABORATION, RESEARCH AND MENTORING SKILLS OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS FACILITATING ICT LEARNING BY OLDER ADULTS

The purpose of the article is to substantiate educational strategies of collaboration, research and mentoring skills development in pre-service teachers facilitating older adults’ learning of ICT with the use of problem-based practice-oriented adult learning activities. The study involved students of Ukrainian and Polish universities who were in the first year of Master degree programme for pre-service teachers and older people enrolled in the non-formal educational programme “The third age university”. In order to identify the data on the initial levels of the target skills development in pre-service teachers, we used narrative interviews, a self-assessment questionnaire, and observations. At the stage of target skills development, we used the problem-based learning method which required the pre-service teachers to research the older adults’ needs in ICT learning, provide mentoring and promote collaboration in the learning process. At the stage of evidence verification, we employed observation of pre-service teachers’ behaviour and a self-assessment questionnaire and compared the results with the initial data. Our findings showed an increased level of the development of all the three skills of pre-service teachers, which confirmed the appropriateness of the use of the chosen learning method based on the authentic problem that was relevant to the pre-service teachers since they understood that its solution was important for the involvement of older citizens in active life of community and society undergoing digital transformation.

The perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental undergraduate students in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

IntroductionThe outbreak and diffusion of the novel SARS‐CoV2 coronavirus have caused an emergency status in the dental education system.Materials and methodsAn anonymous survey composed of 34 questions was delivered to students of the Master Degree Programme in Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics of the Universities of Emilia‐Romagna, the fifth Italian region most affected by the pandemic. The psychological impact of COVID‐19 was assessed by means of the Generalised Anxiety Disorder‐7 scale (GAD‐7). Numerically recoded data were analysed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), whilst to investigate the association between quantitative variables, the Pearson correlation coefficient (R) was computed.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 399 students (75%) out of 532. Most students experienced difficulties in working at the thesis during the COVID‐19 emergency. For over half of them, online teaching could only partially replace traditional face‐to‐face lessons. The negative impact on the study career was judged as particularly high by sixth‐year students. Clinical training activities were considered as exposing to the risk of contracting COVID‐19 infection by the majority of the students. The level of concern of contracting COVID‐19 infections during future university activities was positively correlated to risk perception related to clinical training.ConclusionThe results of this survey could be used to train students to a correct risk assessment. Students reported experiencing concern whilst thinking of COVID‐19 and 6.5% of them showed symptoms related to high levels of anxiety. These data may guide Universities in trying to reduce students' anxiety by means of correct communication strategies.

Educational Programmes in Health Services Research in Germany: Current State and Future Perspectives

ZusammenfassungZiel der Studie Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es, die derzeit akkreditierten Versorgungsforschungsstudiengänge in Deutschland im Hinblick auf ihre Strukturdaten und Inhalte zu analysieren. Methodik Im Rahmen eines deskriptiven qualitativen Designs wurden die aktuellen Studienverlaufspläne, die Modulhandbücher und die Steckbriefe akkreditierter Masterstudiengänge der Versorgungsforschung inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet. Ergebnisse Die 6 analysierten Studiengänge zeigen sich hinsichtlich ihrer strukturellen Merkmale und lehr-lerninhaltlichen Ausrichtung in den wesentlichen Punkten als homogen. Ziel aller Studiengänge ist es, fach- und disziplinübergreifende personale und soziale Kompetenzen zu fördern, um Versorgungsbedarfe im Gesundheitswesen zu identifizieren, Innovationen der Versorgung zu entwickeln, zu initiieren, zu evaluieren und kritisch zu reflektieren. Schlussfolgerungen Trotz ähnlicher Lehr-Lerninhalte bestehen spezifische Ausrichtungen, für die sich die Studierenden vor dem Hintergrund ihrer individuellen Präferenzen entscheiden können. Diese Ergebnisse könnten unter Berücksichtigung aktueller Diskurse und weiterer Erkenntnisse als Grundlage für Empfehlungen zur Entwicklung eines Kerncurriculums dienen.

Students’ learning behaviours and their perception about quality of learning experience: the mediating role of psychological safety

ABSTRACT Experiential learning is considered important to develop managerial skills. Several archetypes are developed to facilitate learning, and various outcomes of experiential learning have been studied by organizational scholars. In an effort to contribute to the literature about learning, this research pursues (1) to examine the effect of students’ learning behaviours on their perception about the quality of learning experience in business education, (2) to examine the mediating role of psychological safety between learning behaviours and students’ perception about quality of their learning experience. Based on Kolb’s experiential-learning theory and Mezirow’s transformational learning theory this research used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 208 students studying in the final semester of their master degree program. Initially, the use of confirmatory factor analysis helped in assessing the validity of the scales in this research context. Later on, hypothesized relationships were tested through structural equation modelling (SEM). Results revealed significant positive impact of critical reflection, student-to-student interactions, and instructor-to-student interactions on students’ perceptions about the quality of learning experience. Moreover, psychological safety was found to mediate the relationship between learning behaviours and students’ perceptions about quality of learning experience. Practical implications for management educators have also been discussed in this paper.

Enhancing of self-regulated learning strategies for health care students to improve e-learning in the "Corona semester" as an interdisciplinary task.

Objective: Self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies are a central prerequisite for the goal-oriented and successful use of digital learning opportunities in the study of health care professions. It is often presumed that students are proficient in SRL, but this could not be taken for granted. Using the example of the master's degree program in nursing education at the Fliedner University of Applied Sciences, it is shown how the topic of SRL can support students in self-directed e-learning and expand their digital learning competence.Method: The period of e-learning was initiated with a project introducing to SRL. The students (n= 49) elaborated task-based text work on SRL, which was made available via a learning platform. Subsequently, the students reflected individually on their SRL using a proven questionnaire and set development goals for themselves. At the end of the semester the usefulness of SRL was evaluated in a group discussion with open questions from the students' point of view and the answers were qualitatively evaluated.Results: The knowledge of SRL supported the students during the period of e-learning to plan their learning activities goal-oriented manner and to use the learning opportunities systematically.Discussion/conclusions: SRL can promote the digital learning competence of students and support them in coping with the study requirements during the period of e-learning. In this context, SRL could be included in an interdisciplinary curriculum to foster the digital learning competence of students as an interdisciplinary topic and cross-sectional subject in all study programs of health care professions.

Coping with COVID-19: a reflection on learning challenges and coping strategies – the case of an accounting conversion masters degree in New Zealand

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to document both, the challenges faced by a cohort of postgraduate students undertaking capstone research projects in an Accounting Conversion Master Degree Programme (ACMP), and the strategies used by teachers in response to those challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown period.Design/methodology/approachWritten communications originating from students were analysed to identify areas of difficulties faced by them. These communications were thematically grouped and reflected upon through the lens of constructivist and behaviourist perspectives of learning.FindingsThe study found that students were severely challenged in sense-making with conceptual, application and judgement-related issues and understanding of the administrative requirements of the module. Innovative strategies used by teachers to resolve each of these issues were documented. While some strategies can be replicated in future periods, some are not sustainable as they have ramifications on other aspects of teaching and learning.Originality/valueThere are no known studies in this genre, conducted especially during a pandemic period.

Approaches to taking into account cognitive styles in the process of professional training of future software engineers

The article presents the results of a study aimed at analyzing the psychological phenomenon of «cognitive personality style». The research goal is to determine approaches to taking into account the cognitive styles of future software engineers in the process of professional training in educational programs of master's level. Methods. Basic research methods used were search and selection of relevant articles on the research problem in the Google Scholar search engine and bibliographic abstract database Scopus; analysis and generalization of scientific publications; study of the educational process. The results. The scientific publications on the problem of cognitive personality styles are analyzed. The modern interpretations of this concept and its characteristics are considered. In particular, it is established that cognitive style is a well-established individual ways of intellectual behavior of the individual. It is shown that the consideration of cognitive styles is important for achieving the goals of training future software engineers in master's degree programs, as one of the requirements for them is the ability to work in conditions of uncertainty. Methods of pedagogical design taking into account cognitive styles of personality in the process of professional training of future software engineers are offered. Conclusions. Professional training of future software engineers in a modern student-centered educational environment is based on individual qualities and cognitive processes of the individual. In addition, attention to cognitive styles of personality is increased as the sustainable ways of handling information are essential for successful activities in the information society. The relationship between the cognitive styles of the individual and the effectiveness of its activities is currently insufficiently studied, so there are a number of problems in the educational process that need to be addressed to achieve the goals of quality training of future software engineers. Based on the analysis of scientific publications and our own experience, we can offer the following approaches to taking into account the cognitive styles of higher education: building an educational process based on the formed cognitive styles for the formation of new knowledge; grouping students with different styles to work together; creating situations for the manifestation of atypical for the individual models of intellectual behavior.

Investigation of the English as a medium of instruction as a pedagogical technology in university educational activities

In 2020 the world has faced the pandemic situation with COVID-19 that caused a vast amount of challenges for many spheres of human life including the system of higher education. Students and faculty members of higher educational institutions were forced to critically change their learning style using distant technologies, Zoom and Moodle platforms which was not always perceived positively. Nevertheless, the existing situation of restrictions revealed larger opportunities for an increase in English learning and education through English. One of the most popular directions is English as a medium of instruction (EMI). The international character and popularity of English are undisputable, that’s why it is widely used to teach specific subjects in non-native English-speaking countries. Institutions of higher education all over the world start offering educational programs in English for disciplines in different training directions whether it is management or agriculture. The article aims at focusing on implementing EMI in two institutions of higher education in the Siberian Federal District where faculty members teach in English within modern European internationalization trend of offering courses and Master degree programs in English. The authors make an attempt to reveal advantages and disadvantages of EMI implementation and introduction. Based on the works and experiments of foreign scientists and having some experience in using English as a medium of instruction, the authors draw the conclusion that the EMI implementation in its pure form has certain imperfections. Consequently, the authors suggest the set of measures to make this process more effective: first, to search for opportunities for the foreign language additional study by students in the Bachelor’s degree, via elective courses, or Language Learning Business Centers; secondly, to use the so-called CLIL-ised EMI; thirdly, to provide faculty members with English-training courses and ensure the access to the resources for the development of methodological materials.

Building Blocks of Knowledge: A Close Look at Prerequisite Coursework for Graduate Programs in Speech-Language Pathology

PurposeThe purposes of this exploratory study were to examine the variability among prerequisite courses required by speech-language pathology graduate programs and to explore how faculty in leadership positions within graduate programs approach decision making about these courses.MethodThis research involved gathering data about the number and type of prerequisite course requirements from American Speech-Language-Hearing Association–accredited speech-language pathology master's degree programs (n= 272) and conducting interviews with a small sample of speech-language pathology department faculty (n= 12).ResultsThe large majority of speech-language pathology graduate programs required the same four general education prerequisite courses. The number of prerequisite courses specific to communication sciences and disorders ranged from three to 17. The rationale for which and how many courses to include as prerequisites varied across programs. Issues related to student preparation and foundation for graduate coursework, the composition of the student body, administrative and logistical factors, and traditions and history of each program influenced how faculty made decisions regarding prerequisites.ConclusionWhile there is not a clear consensus across programs about the number and type of prerequisites necessary to start graduate school in speech-language pathology, most programs feel their ongoing decision making in this area has set up students within their own programs for successful outcomes.

Executive Functions and Clinical and Academic Outcomes in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate executive function measures as they relate to clinical and academic performance outcomes of graduate speech-language pathology students. Method An observational design incorporating correlations and stepwise multiple regressions was used to determine the strength of the relationships between clinical outcomes that occurred at various time points throughout the graduate program (clinical coursework grades throughout the program and case study paper scores at the end of the program), academic outcomes (graduate grade point average and Praxis II exam in speech-language pathology scores), and executive function (EF) scores (EF assessment scores, self-reported EF scores). Participants were 37 students (36 women, M age = 24.1) in a master's degree program in speech-language pathology at a southeastern U.S. university during the 2017–2018 academic year. Results Findings of this preliminary study indicated that a limited number of objective EF scores and self-reported EF scores were related to clinical and academic outcomes of graduate speech-language pathology students. Conclusion As results of this preliminary study suggest that EF tests may be related to clinical and academic outcomes, future research can move to study the potential role of EF measures in the graduate admissions process in clinical graduate programs such as speech-language pathology.

UNDERSTANDING triggering skills for ENTREPRENEURS: The case of ESIC

The aim of this paper is to present the methodology and results of a study on the role played by an institution in higher education, the ESIC Business & Marketing School, in teaching different master's degree programmes to examine whether they respond to the demands of potential entrepreneurs who are seeking to acquire the tools and develop the skills necessary to eventually become successful. The main conclusions were that the students with the intention of achieving a higher level of entrepreneurial skills were enroled in the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) programme without omitting other master's degree programmes also chosen by students with entrepreneurial concerns. It was also found that the variable with the highest impact on entrepreneurial motivation was family environment. Our data lead us to maintain that these students were not always going to start up a new business. The originality of this paper comes from our survey with 1,135 responses from the master's degree programmes taught in five cities in Spain with the inclusion of an analysis for LATAM students.

Bridging the Other Side of the Gap: Teaching “Practical Theory” to Future Practitioners

Abstract Much has been written about the need to “bridge the gap” between the academic study of international relations—particularly policy-oriented subfields such as foreign policy analysis and security studies—and the needs of policymakers. This important agenda largely focuses on encouraging academics to produce more policy-relevant, accessible research. While such efforts are indispensable, they neglect another important piece of the equation: teaching future policymakers how to translate theory into practice. The bridge needs to be a two-way street. Scholars add value for policy because their work is grounded in theory, offering analytical structure to make sense of a complex world. But applying theory to policy is unlikely to resonate with practitioners who do not have the basic conceptual literacy to grasp why theory-informed research is relevant to their own hands-on concerns. We therefore propose a teaching approach we term “practical theory,” geared specifically for professionally oriented students. Drawing on our own experience in teaching, developing curriculum, and writing for students in professional master's degree programs, we recommend instructors: choose theories and frameworks that are most likely to be useful in practice, update these theories for the times as needed, reconsider nomenclature and banish unnecessary academic jargon, and apply theory early and often.