Meaningful Experiences Research Articles

Igniting the fire and seeing through the smoke: Enabling medical students to see themselves as future clinical academics.

Lack of recruitment to clinical academic careers is of concern, and may be linked to lack of awareness and promotion of this pathway in undergraduate medical education. Our study explored undergraduate experiences which support academic career progression and potential barriers to pursuing Specialised Foundation roles in the United Kingdom. We adopted a constructivist lens and conducted interviews with specialised foundation programme (SFP) doctors and final year students who had applied for SFP positions. We analysed interview transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis. We recognised four key stages which stimulated and supported students in pursuing a clinical academic career: (1) Lighting the inner spark; (2) Igniting the fire; (3) Feeding the fire; and (4) Seeing through the smoke. Although students showed a strong inner drive, meaningful undergraduate experiences and positive interactions with academics were crucial for sparking academic interests. Participants were more often inspired by their extra-curricular activities than core undergraduate education. Early positive experiences are needed for students to overcome stereotypes and consider clinical academic careers. Medical schools should raise awareness of clinical academic careers early on, ensure all students have opportunities to participate in relevant activities with academic teams, and develop medical educators and researchers who can engage and inspire others.

PBL 교육과정에서 학습자의 성취 수준에 따른 학습몰입 특성: 성찰일지의 코퍼스 기반 분석

Objectives The study aims to analyze the learning engagement characteristics based on learners' achievement levels in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum. Through a corpus-based analysis of reflective journals, the research seeks to objectively evaluate and differentiate the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement types of learners. Methods This research employed a corpus-based linguistic approach to analyze the reflective journals of learners from a PBL course. A total of 24 students from C University participated, divided into high-achieving and low-ach-ieving groups. The reflective journals, collected over nine weeks, were analyzed using the AntConc program to ex-tract keywords representing emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement. Statistical analyses, including One-Way ANOVA and independent samples t-test, were conducted to determine the differences in engagement types within and between the groups. Results The analysis revealed distinct differences in engagement characteristics between high-achieving and low-achieving learners. High-achieving learners exhibited higher levels of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement, reflected in a greater frequency of keywords related to these dimensions. The differences were statistically significant, highlighting the need for differentiated instructional strategies to cater to varying learner needs. Conclusions The findings emphasize the importance of tailoring educational strategies to the individual needs of learners based on their engagement patterns. This approach can enhance the effectiveness of PBL by fostering deeper and more meaningful learning experiences. The study contributes to the development of targeted teaching methods that support both high-achieving and low-achieving students, ultimately improving overall learning outcomes.

Designing values-based Learning Development spaces

Learning Development is emerging as a transformative force in the constantly evolving landscape of Higher Education (HE) requiring LD to adapt to the technological, cultural and pedagogical changes while embracing cultural diversity and weaving values into their pedagogical practices in the physical and virtual spaces that are available to them. Learning spaces play a crucial role in education, impacting student engagement, comfort and overall learning outcomes and therefore, it is crucial for LD to thoughtfully design diverse spaces for “Working in partnership with students and staff to make sense and get the most out of HE” one of ALDinHE’s (2024) Five Values of Learning Development and “promote engagement in learning and equity of opportunity for all to reach their potential” (PSF 2023). The poster illustrates how the campus-based LD office and ClassCollaborate for 1:1 and group tutorials in one UKHEI were intentionally designed to develop agentic, empowered learners who engage in meaningful conversations with the tutor and/or their peers, co-construct knowledge and navigate HE through respectful dialogue to make sense of their academic journey, thrive and achieve their goals. These dynamic, sustainable spaces are underpinned by Vygotsky's Social Constructivism (1978) and Laurillard's Conversational Framework (2002) demonstrating Teaching Presence (TP) and Social Presence (SP) fostering critical thinking essential for learning and Cognitive Presence (CP). LD spaces where TP, SP and CP, the interrelated elements of Garrison, Anderson, and Archer’s (2001) Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework interact, are inclusive places for creating deep and meaningful (collaborative-constructivist) learning experiences taking into account diverse learning needs including social justice issues. It is noteworthy that spaces influence how learning developers facilitate learning and how students learn on a case by case basis and the CoI can be a blueprint for designing future physical and virtual spaces for LD promotion.

Incorporating Graphic Humor and Comic Vignettes in Second Lang

Abstract: This article explores the integration of graphic humor, specifically comic vignettes, into a foreign language teaching (FLT) context and its impact on enhancing communicative competencies. It addresses the paradox of how simple humorous sketches can convey complex meanings and discusses their relevance in a globalized world with approximately 7 billion inhabitants. By examining Alon¬so Abad’s (2010) insights on the intersection of psychology and language pedagogy, the article highlights the advantages of using comic strips over more traditional or conventional verbalist approaches. The current discussion, includes theoretical frameworks such as Krashen’s Affective Filter Theory and the CEFR’s concept of existential competence, emphasizing the role of emotional and personal factors in language learning. The article defines graphic novels and humor graph¬ics, illustrating their ability to engage students with a variety of alternative topics and create meaningful learning experiences in the learning field. It also delves, into the semiotic models of humor and cartoons, noting the cognitive effects of combining verbal and visual elements. Practical aspects of incorporating graphic materials into language teaching are discussed, including the need for specific teacher training and the development of an alternative set of discourses connected with visual competencies. The article concludes with some recommendations based on Littlewood’s (1981) procedures for designing didactic materials, aiming to foster a positive classroom environment and enhance language acquisition through humor. Overall, the integration of comic-based learning materials is pre¬sented as a necessary approach, which intends to fulfil the lack of intuitive and criti¬cal thinking in the second language teaching (SLT) field. Keywords: graphic humor, images, cartoons, vignettes, communication, creativity, critical thinking, innovation.

APPLICABILITY OF GAMIFICATION TO THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS

This research aimed to investigate interactive learning experiences through gamification, evaluating their impact on students’ motivation and academic performance. The methodology involved the analysis of practical cases and the collection of data in educational environments that implemented gamified practices, allowing an in-depth understanding of the dynamics involved. The results indicated that gamification significantly increases student engagement, promotes collaboration and contributes to the development of socio-emotional skills, in addition to improving content retention. The analysis of the data revealed that, although gamification offers many benefits, its effectiveness depends on careful implementation and adaptation to students’ needs, in addition to overcoming challenges such as inequality in access to technology. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of adopting these methodologies on a large scale, highlighting that, by transforming the learning environment into a more interactive and meaningful experience, gamification can be a valuable tool to modernize education and meet the demands of the 21st century.

MATHEMATICS EDUCATION BASED ON LOCAL WISDOM: LEARNING STRATEGIES THROUGH HOMBO BATU

This study aims to explore the application of local wisdom-based mathematics education through learning strategies using the traditional game Hombo Batu. Local wisdom is considered a valuable resource for enriching the learning process and enhancing students' understanding of mathematical concepts. Through this approach, students not only learn theoretically but also connect the material to their daily experiences, which increases their motivation and engagement. The results of the literature review indicate that Hombo Batu can serve as an interactive learning medium, supporting the development of social skills and strengthening students' cultural identity. Although there are challenges in its implementation, such as a lack of training for teachers and limited resources, recommendations for integrating local wisdom into the mathematics education curriculum can help create more meaningful learning experiences. This study is expected to provide insights for the development of more relevant and effective teaching methods in the educational context.

The Effect of Project-Based Learning (PBL) Method on Improving Students' Writing Ability

Education plays a crucial role in shaping intelligent, moral and responsible individuals. The project-based learning (PBL) model emerges as an innovative approach that focuses not only on knowledge transfer, but also the development of students' critical skills, creativity and collaboration. This study aims to analyze the effect of PBL on students' writing ability compared to conventional learning methods. Through a literature study, the data sources obtained show that PBL increases students' engagement, confidence, and in-depth understanding of the material. Students are actively involved in project planning and implementation, which allows them to apply knowledge in a real context, resulting in a more meaningful learning experience. The findings confirm the importance of PBL as an effective method in improving students' writing skills, as well as providing recommendations for educators to integrate PBL in the educational curriculum to create a generation that is ready to face global challenges.

Advancing scientific literacy: Integrating nature of science and nature of scientific inquiry in teaching Griffith’s and Avery-MacLeod-McCarty experiments

The present study aims to design an instruction that engages nature of science (NOS) and nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI) learning objectives with the teaching and learning of important historical experiments taught around the world and presented in most biology textbooks such as those by Griffith and by Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty. The design process involves decisions about which NOS and NOSI aspects to teach and decisions about how to teach. With respect to the latter decisions, our preference is an explicit/reflective perspective used in an overarching inquiry-based science teaching and history of science instructional context. The proposed course is going to provide high school students meaningful and practical inquiry-based experiences through the use of simulated experiments and would help their teachers (a) illuminate several procedural aspects of the taught experiments (b) internalize the importance of teaching NOS and NOSI aspects (c) acquire an integrative understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and the product of that inquiry, namely scientific knowledge, and (d) portray science less as a body of knowledge and more as a creative process involving human and non-human actors. The potential benefits of our proposed instruction for learners’ scientific literacy are also discussed.

The philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings shared by philosophy for children (P4C) and Froebelian approaches

Recent interest in integrating philosophy in early childhood education has led scholars to explore the potential connections between P4C practices and different educational approaches, such as the Reggio Emilia and Montessori. Murris, for instance, reads the Reggio Emilia approach diffractively through P4C and concludes that the P4C and Reggio approach allow for emergent knowledge production and expression, drawing on all of the child's material-discursive languages and disrupting binary distinctions between child and adult. Scarpini draws attention to Montessori and P4C's mutual emphasis on children's right to think and space to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas together in a safe and dialogical space. The emergence of these theoretical and pedagogical inquiries towards the P4C approach makes Froebelian dialogue even more necessary in terms of developing a well-rounded understanding of embedding philosophy in children's early years experiences. Some ontological and pedagogical resonances between Froebelian approaches and the P4C are reflected to discuss the affordances and challenges of integrating philosophy into children's lives in early childhood education. To do this, diffraction is used as a reflexive methodology for reading Froebelian and P4C texts through and around one another that emerge diverse ontological underpinnings to unpack epistemological possibilities for non-dichotomous early childhood understandings and practices. The aim is to achieve a deeper comprehension of how the two can mutually enhance each other and be implemented in practice to promote more meaningful learning experiences for children in the early years.

Deep Learning Model to Analyze Psychological Effects on Gamers

The rapid growth of the gaming industry has sparked interest in understanding the psychological effects of games on gamers. This paper explores using deep learning models to analyze the psychological effects experienced by gamers. With video games' increasing popularity and influence, understanding their impact on human psychology is paramount. This research aims to develop a deep learning model that can detect the state of human facial expressions and classify various psychological states based on gameplay data. The proposed deep learning model utilizes Convolutional neural networks to extract meaningful features and patterns from gameplay data. The model is trained on a diverse dataset of gameplay recordings, capturing a wide range of game genres, player demographics, and psychological experiences. The evaluation and validation of the model are performed using metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The findings reveal that the deep learning model is effective in detecting and classifying psychological states experienced by gamers. The model successfully captures changes in human facial expressions, such as sadness, happiness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust, providing valuable insights into the psychological impact of gaming. The results highlight the importance of considering individual differences and contextual factors when examining the influence of games on human psychology. We can advance our knowledge and promote healthy and meaningful gaming experiences by continuing to investigate this complex relationship

Extending insights from LeDoux: using movies to study subjective, clinically meaningful experiences in neuroscience.

Neuroscience research with public health relevance to emotional disorders examines brain-behavior relations. Joe LeDoux's legacy advances these efforts in ways that remain truly unique. While recognized for his basic science research, he also inspires applied researchers, guiding an agenda for clinical scientists: understanding the pathophysiology of altered subjective experiences in emotional disorders. For brain imaging, movie-watching approaches help clinicians realize this agenda due to movies' relative strength in evoking rich, meaningful subjective experiences. Here, we describe methodological advances in movie-watching paradigms that might sustain LeDoux's impact by facilitating the discovery of neural mechanisms generating complex emotional responses. Of note, while linking subjective emotion to pathophysiology is a first step, innovations in movie-watching designs, especially involving therapeutic techniques for emotional disorders, can boost clinical application. Leveraging research on pathophysiology to generate novel therapy reflects the clinical legacy sustained through Joe LeDoux's rousing career.

Analyzing the impact of work meaningfulness on turnover intentions and job satisfaction: A self-determination theory perspective

Abstract While employees actively seek out workplaces that offer meaningful work experiences, the concept of meaningful work remains notably underexplored within the turnover literature. The present study addresses this gap by examining the role of work meaningfulness among knowledge workers and its direct and indirect effects on turnover intentions and job satisfaction through the lens of self-determination theory. Our findings show significant effects on turnover intentions and job satisfaction, with work meaningfulness emerging as a stronger predictor of job satisfaction, while still contributing to reducing turnover intentions. Most extant literature focuses on sources and ways to enhance work meaningfulness. We contribute to more recent research on its relationship with its outcomes especially the link with turnover intentions, offering insight into a relationship that has produced few, but conflicting,results.

HeritageSite AR: Design and Evaluation of a Mobile Augmented Reality Exploration Game for a Chinese Heritage Site

This paper explores the use of a mobile Augmented Reality (AR) exploration game to enhance immersive storytelling and enrich cultural experiences. Specifically, we present the prototype design and evaluation of HeritageSite AR, an AR exploration game for a Chinese heritage site known as the Relics of Arhat Monastery and Twin Pagoda , or Shuangta . To develop the AR game for use in heritage sites, we employed a holistic approach, beginning with a review of technical means for cultural application development. We then conducted semi-structured interviews with domain experts and administered an online survey to identify user requirements and design goals, which informed our prototype design. An evaluation study showed positive feedback regarding the impact of game design on meaningful and playful CH site experience, and identified areas for potential refinements in future iterations. We discuss the implications and lessons learned for our future work, which may also interest researchers and practitioners exploring the use of AR technologies and game design in heritage site contexts.

Transforming teaching assistant roles into co-creators of instruction

This case study explores the implementation of a collaborative initiative that transformed the traditional role of teaching assistants (TAs) into student-faculty partners in two psychology courses. The objective of the collaboration was to leverage the insights and contributions of undergraduate students as co-creators of instruction for students’ engagement and meaningful learning experience. The case study highlights the processes, impacts, and challenges of these partnerships, revealing opportunities for student partners to develop pedagogical and assessment literacy, enhance communication and leadership skills, and gain insights into student behaviors and preferences. Pedagogical and curricular gains were observed, including the incorporation of student insights into instructional activities and improved teaching materials. However, challenges related to power dynamics and student perceptions of privilege were also identified. The findings emphasize the importance of careful navigation and the creation of meaningful opportunities for student engagement in higher education.

Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions and Experiences of an Interprofessional Simulation

Clinical placements and interprofessional practice for healthcare students are often met with anxiety, unpreparedness and a lack of confidence. Whilst interprofessional simulations may address these concerns, there are gaps in the literature. This study aimed to: (i) investigate the impact of interprofessional simulations on students’ perceived confidence, anxiety and preparedness for placements and their attitudes toward interprofessional practice and education, and, (ii) understand students’ experiences and satisfaction with the simulation. Pre-simulation and post-simulation survey results were collected from 25 speech pathology and 25 occupational therapy graduate-entry Masters degree students from one Australian university. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test while qualitative data was reviewed through content analysis. Statistically significant (p<0.05) improvements across students’ confidence, anxiety and preparedness ratings were observed. Students’ attitudes towards interprofessional practice and education revealed statistically significant positive changes on 8/10 questions and they described the simulation to be a meaningful learning experience. Results indicate that following participation in an interprofessional simulation, students’ perceptions of their confidence, anxiety and preparedness for an adult inpatient hospital placement improved. Moreover, students’ attitudes towards interprofessional practice and education were more positive and the experience was reported to be beneficial. Future studies could explore timing-related considerations and simulation anxiety itself.

Digital media interns

While COVID-19 dramatically changed the way that we taught during the pandemic, not all of these changes were negative. In response to the pivot to remote learning, Western University employed student digital media interns (DMIs) to support faculty in adapting their courses. This resulted in the formation of the Digital Media Intern program at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (SSMD), a students-as-partners (SaP) approach that supports faculty in the adoption and use of educational technology. Despite moving back to in-person learning, the DMI program is thriving and has expanded its scope. An understanding of the learner context of technology can be missing when faculty are designing and updating their courses. The DMI program helps bridge this gap by creating a way for students to directly contribute to their education, gain meaningful employment or experience, and provide feedback to instructors. Instructors benefit in two ways: by gaining hands-on support and ongoing, actionable feedback. This case study will outline the evolution of the DMI program, its implementation and its impact. Leader and student perspectives will also be shared. It describes the evolution of this student intern strategy from a band-aid solution to a fully integrated and supported unit in one academic faculty.

Summer Camp Clinical Placements in Young Families Nursing: An Interpretive Description Study.

Obtaining meaningful clinical experiences with paediatric and perinatal (young families) populations is increasingly challenging for nursing programs. Care for this population has largely moved to outpatient and tertiary settings. Therefore, a current trend is to use non-traditional clinical settings. While summer camps offer rich learning experiences for nursing students, they are seldom used as clinical placements. Faculty at an Atlantic Canadian university sought a novel way to engage students in young families' learning by partnering with overnight summer camps, staffed by counsellors, camp administrators, and on-site nurses. Campers included those with lived experience of cancer, diabetes, physical and developmental challenges, and socioeconomic challenges. This study assesses how young families course outcomes were met by an innovative clinical experience within a Bachelor of Nursing program and describes the perceptions and experiences of those involved. Study participants included students (n = 4), camp directors (n = 3), a camp nurse (n = 1), and the clinical educator (n = 1). Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Interpretive description methodology was used to identify themes and patterns related to overarching research questions. Students met the outcomes and overall participant perceptions and experiences were positive. However, some participants shared constructive critiques for future consideration. Nursing students who completed a young families clinical placement at summer camps met course outcomes, and those involved reported both positive experiences and constructive critiques for future consideration.

Spiritual Healing: Ragam Bahasa Balian Sebagai Salah Satu Pelestarian Tradisi Lokal di Bali

This research aims to identify the language varieties of Balian and the factors that influence these language varieties. This research is descriptive qualitative with a linguistic and pragmatic theory approach used by Balian. Data collection was done by in-depth interviews with Balians in the hotel. The collected data were then transcribed and thematically coded to identify patterns in language use, such as the use of language, the use of metaphorical language styles, and the sentence structure used. The results found that the balian language variety when communicating with clients is the use of affirmative language, the use of spiritual metaphor style, and the use of imperative sentence structure to direct the client's experience and emotional response during the healing process. Meanwhile, the factors that influence balian language varieties are cultural, spiritual, social, economic, and personal factors. An understanding of these factors helps explain how balians navigate between local traditions and the needs of their clients, as well as how they integrate different elements of language to create effective and meaningful healing experiences. Future studies go more in-depth into analyzing balian language use when viewed pragmatically and therapeutically.

Designing for Engagement: The Role of Interactive Elements in Public Art Sculptures in Shanghai

Public art in urban landscapes are significant as they play a cultural role for both beautifying and reflecting cultural identity. Traditional public sculptures, catch our eye but quickly fade from cognitive due to passive experience. However, currently, pubic art are integrated with interactive elements such as touch, visuals, sound etc. to enhance perception. Thus, this study aims to i) To explore how public art sculptures can be designed to foster interaction and engagement with the public. ii) To investigates the role of interactive elements in sculptures, such as movement, touch, and multimedia components, and their effectiveness in creating meaningful public experiences. This study adopted a mixed method involving survey of 100 partcipants through online platform and four case studies. Following analysis, it was found that the physical, visual, auditory, and digital interactions contribute uniquely to the engagement of public. Though the study was limited due to its participant selection, it laid a foundation for understanding the designing elements of public art.

Teacher's understanding of early childhood physical literacy: thematic analysis based on teaching experience from an Indonesian perspective

ABSTRACT Background Early childhood is a critical period for the formation of physical literacy from an early age. Teachers play an important role in supporting the growth of children's physical literacy. Unfortunately, in Indonesia, the understanding of the concept of physical literacy has yet to fully permeate early childhood education. There are no special regulations from the government to include physical education in early childhood education so that children can achieve physical literacy. Traditionally in Indonesia, teachers provide physical activity games with the aim being only to master children's gross motor skills. Therefore, the presentation of physical activity through play provided by teachers needs attention to understand children's physical literacy. These teachers can help inform the provision of physical education for early childhood education in supporting children's physical literacy in the future. Purpose This research aims to reveal the experiences of early childhood education teachers in Indonesia who are used to providing physical activity learning through games. Through this experience, this research also aims to explore teachers’ meanings regarding children's physical literacy. Method Through a phenomenological study in accordance with the physical literacy theoretical framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 early childhood education teachers in West Java, Indonesia. A sample of teachers was taken and interviewed from 5 schools that met the criteria, namely that they were used to teaching physical activity through play for the purpose of developing children's gross motor skills. To add to the description of teachers’ experiences, photo-elicitation interviews were conducted. Top-down thematic and bottom-up thematic analysis was carried out to analyze all the data that had been obtained. Results Physical literacy is interpreted as something related to children's health, meaning physical activity carried out by young children to keep their bodies fit and healthy so they can live their lives independently. Pedagogical experience from an educational background other than physical education is recognized as an obstacle to understanding physical literacy comprehensively. Thus, the teching learning practices carried out in the field only emphasize the meaning of children's physical motor activity. In accordance with the teachers’ experience, the teaching they often do every day is only giving physical activity’ games, this is assumed by them to support the physical literacy of early childhood. Motor physical activities that lead to physical literacy in early childhood are carried out in open field areas or playgrounds. The safety of teaching motor and physical activities for children is also a concern for teachers. Conclusion The findings from this study suggest that teaching experience with an educational background other than physical education can limit the understanding of physical literacy, even if the teachers are used to teaching physical activity in an early childhood education environment. The long-term implications may be that if early childhood education and physical education work together, they will be able to inspire more meaningful experiences in teaching physical activities that contribute to the formation of children's physical literacy.