College Student Participants Research Articles

Enhancing Intergenerational Connections: Exploring the Benefits for Older Adults and College Students in a Telephonic Reassurance Program

Loneliness is well documented as a major, yet preventable, risk factor for well-being among older adults that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half of some countries’ older population experience loneliness, which significantly increases risks for dementia, heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, hospitalization, and even hastened death. Utilizing socioemotional selectivity theory, the current study addresses. the inverse relationship between aging and social outlet availability by providing empirical data on the benefits of intergenerational programming. Data from adult–college student dyads who participated in a telephone reassurance program focused on reminiscence guiding were analyzed to determine outcomes of participation. Qualitative analyses revealed the emergence of themes surrounding familial/friendship bonds and self-discovery among adult participants and a rejuvenated appreciation for the little things in life as well as a sense of purpose from meaningful contributions among college student participants. Results are discussed in terms of continued growth and development during late adulthood and professional and personal growth among students. The psychologically and emotionally meaningful nature of quality intergenerational programs provides a platform for the formation of unique relationships to offset fractured social outlets during later life, providing protections against loneliness and work to establish unique relationships between disparate groups who otherwise may never have crossed paths.

Chinese EFL Learners’ Emotional Intelligence, Academic Boredom and Class Participation

This study investigates the relationship among emotional intelligence, academic boredom, and classroom participation of Chinese non-English major college students in English learning. Utilizing a quantitative and descriptive design, data was gathered from freshmen and sophomores majoring in economics, management, and fine arts at a regional university in Yuncheng, China through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire comprised sections on emotional intelligence, academic boredom, and class participation, aligning with emotional intelligence theory, academic boredom theory, and class participation theory, respectively. The findings reveal significant correlations: emotional intelligence is inversely related to academic boredom, indicating higher emotional intelligence corresponds to lower academic boredom levels. Affective intelligence positively correlates with class participation, suggesting higher affective intelligence is linked to increased participation. Conversely, academic boredom negatively impacts class participation, as greater boredom is associated with reduced engagement. These results hold vital implications for enhancing English learning effectiveness and student well-being, offering valuable insights for educators. The study proposes a language-learning program focused on enhancing emotional intelligence and engagement to alleviate academic boredom. Recommendations include incorporating emotional intelligence training in universities, diversifying classroom activities, fostering cross-cultural communication opportunities, and leveraging technology for emotional intelligence and engagement promotion. Future research should expand sample sizes and school majors to deepen understanding and integrate technology tools into teaching practices and curriculum design.

Learning Environment, Classroom Participation and Innovative Behavior of Chinese College Students

The competition for knowledge and talent has become increasingly fierce in the 21st century. The innovative consciousness and ability of college students are of great significance for improving the level of talent cultivation and enhancing comprehensive national strength in China. Among the many factors that affect the innovative behavior of college students, their learning environment and classroom participation play a positive role in promoting their innovative behavior. This research aims to explore the relationship between classroom involvement and creative conduct among Chinese university students, how the learning environment influences this interaction. The study technique adopted a literature analysis and empirical inquiry. A total of 425 college students from four colleges and universities in Hebei Province in China consisting of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors from Humanities, Sciences, and Engineering majors were the respondents of the study. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire and were treated using correlational analysis. Descriptive statistical results show that participants in this study are more inclined to establish good teacher-student relationships in the learning environment, exhibited a more positive state of cognitive participation in classroom participation, and more positive attitudes towards academic learning and thinking patterns in their innovative behavior. In addition, the results of the Mann-Whitney Test found that there were differences in the three variables at the grade level, majors and family location. Students from cities and lower grades have a better learning environment; Science majors, and lower grade students have more active classroom participation; Boys, younger students, science majors, and urban students have better innovative behaviors. In addition, correlation analysis indicates a highly significant correlation between these three variables.

The Influence of Emotional Competencies on the Entrepreneurship Intentions of University Students in Colombia

The main objective of this article is to analyze the effect of a group of predictors on entrepreneurial intention from the perspective of emotional competencies. To achieve this aim, a sample of 996 students belonging to ten public and seven private universities was selected, with each university having been granted high-quality accreditation by the Colombian Ministry of Education. The theoretical approach was based on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the empirical analysis was based on structural equation models. Eight hypotheses were tested, with entrepreneurial intention as the dependent variable and emotional competencies, subjective norms, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial attitude as independent variables. The information was obtained by applying a questionnaire with a Likert scale to students of subjects related to entrepreneurship. From the findings of the study, it is concluded that in the two ecosystems analyzed (public and private), emotional competencies (EC) have neither a direct influence on entrepreneurial intention (EI) nor an indirect one since no significant influence is observed between emotional competencies and entrepreneurial attitude; however, a direct and positive effect was recorded between the self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attitude constructs on entrepreneurial intention. In addition, it is observed that subjective norms (SN) do not directly affect EI, but they do influence it indirectly, being mediated by entrepreneurial attitude and self-efficacy. The contribution of this study is focused on obtaining a better understanding of the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Colombia, which will make it possible to foster strategies for the generation of youth employment and public policies to promote various entrepreneurial initiatives. This could be based on government regulations adopted in the last decade, which are still under development, and the broad participation of university students and research groups of higher education institutions. Furthermore, given the dearth of research examining the impact of emotional competencies on the entrepreneurial intentions of young Colombian university students, this study aims to bridge the existing knowledge gap, thereby contributing to the development of a more robust body of literature that can inform the design and implementation of educational strategies and public policies aimed at fostering entrepreneurship within the university ecosystems of this country.

Exploring college students’ perceptions of STEAM education in China—Taking Jiang’xi province as example

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education has recently been encouraged and attracted much national attention. This qualitative study aimed to conduct a thematic analysis of college student STEAM open responses to provide an examination of college students’ perceptions of their STEAM experiences into the STEAM field. Based on transformative learning theory, a thematic analysis of 756 written responses to seven prompts by 108 college student participants revealed three primary themes: (1) exciting and challenging difficulties, and transdisciplinary learning in STEAM; (2) STEAM learning of gradual process, problem-oriented instruction, and creative problem solving; and (3) metacognition development in STEAM. The findings revealed that undergraduates’ STEAM perceptions provide strong support for STEAM implementation to enhance teaching effectiveness in higher education.

In their narratives: academic socialization in the experience of sensory processing sensitivity among university students.

While much of the worldwide contemporary research on sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) and environmental sensitivity (ES) has relied on the participation of university students, there remains a significant gap in understanding the academic social experiences of those scoring high in SPS (i.e., highly sensitive individuals). To address this gap, this exploratory study aimed to investigate in detail students' academic socialization through their narratives. We conducted nine interviews with Italian university students who self-identified as highly sensitive. Through thematic reflexive analysis, we identified and analyzed 6 themes (with subthemes and versions of subthemes) concerning their self-definitions, their university experience (in classroom, before, during, and after exams), and socialization with peers and teachers. After 20 years of research on SPS, this study integrates the relevant literature into the field of social psychology and academic socialization, emphasizing the importance of understanding SPS within real-life educational contexts and considering highly sensitive students' perspectives on their resources and challenges in attending university. By contributing to the emerging qualitative literature on SPS and ES, this study provides practical implications for educators and policymakers seeking to foster inclusive learning environments for all students.

Assessing the Relationship between College Student Leadership and Participation in Extra Curricular Sports Activities

This study explored the connection between participation in extracurricular sports activities and the development of leadership skills. By doing, it seeks to benefit students, educators, and the wider educational community by fostering personal growth, creating a positive environment and advancing knowledge in this field The results shows Extracurricular sports have a substantial impact on college students' academic and psychological development Individuals who participate in extracurricular sports activities are more likely to develop leadership skills. The frequency and duration of participation teamwork and collaboration in extracurricular sports have a significant impact on the development of quality leadership skills. Consistent involvement and active participation are key to developing leadership skills.

Factors associated with political participation among university students in Peru

In Peru, the political participation of university students is low, influenced by legal, cultural, and personal factors that limit them to voting only out of obligation. This work analyzed the factors associated with political participation in university students, considering their socio-academic variables. A sample of 310 students was used, where low levels of political participation were found, with significant associations to factors such as apoliticism, mobilization, and activism, but without relation to sociodemographic variables such as sex, occupation, or economic dependence. The lack of participation is attributed to distrust in political actors due to corruption and personal disinterest, with a greater focus on one's academic activities.

Social networks that matter: Explaining the social participation of university students

Young people’s social participation has numerous benefits, and universities can play an important role in promoting it. The aim of this study is to broaden our understanding of the impact of social relationships on the development of social participation among university students. We also aimed to determine to what extent previous social participation experiences may modulate said impact. A total of 827 undergraduate students completed a questionnaire assessing their previous experience with social participation, the likelihood of their engaging in social participation in the future and the composition of their social networks, distinguishing between contacts on the basis of the type of relationship and its context (on or off campus). Although a clear relationship was found between social networks and previous experience with social participation, the association with the likelihood of engaging in social participation in the future was weaker and more complex. Previous experience was not found to modulate this association, and relationships with friends seem to be the most important factor in predicting future participation. The differences between civic and political participation are analysed, along with the practical implications of the results in light of, among other things, the potential role played by social norms.

Beyond Frequency and Quantity of Cannabis Consumption among College Students: Context of Using Cannabis Relates to Cannabis-Related Outcomes

Objective: Due to little knowledge regarding the contextual factors related to cannabis use, we aimed to provide descriptive statistics regarding contextual factors related to use and examine the predictive ability of contextual factors. Method: We included college student participants (n = 5700; male = 2893, female = 3702, other gender identity = 48, missing = 57) from three multi-site studies in our analyses. We examined the means and standard deviations of contextual factors related to cannabis use (social context/setting, form of cannabis, route of administration, source of purchase, and proxies of use). Additionally, we tested the predictive ability of the contextual factors on cannabis use consequences, protective behavioral strategies, and severity of cannabis use disorder, via an exploratory machine learning model (random forest). Results: Descriptive statistics and the correlations between the contextual factors and the three outcomes are provided. Exploratory random forests indicated that contextual factors may be helpful in predicting consequences and protective behavioral strategies and especially useful in predicting the severity of cannabis use disorder. Conclusions: Contextual factors of cannabis use warrants further exploration, especially considering the difficulty in assessing dosage when individuals are likely to consume in a group context. We propose considering measuring contextual factors along with use in the past 30 days and consequences of use.

Effect of environmental education program implemented with university student participation on secondary school students’ environmental attitude

ABSTRACT Study aimed to increase university students’ sensitivity and the environmental attitudes of secondary school students through environmental education program. It was planned as quasi-experimental research. The first phase was completed with five fourth-year students who took Social Awareness Course at a university’s nursing department in Turkey. In second phase, sample consisted of 264 5th-grade students studying at Secondary School in Black Sea Region. University students implemented Environmental Education Program for secondary school students for four weeks. Mean environmental attitude scale score of 5th-grade students before education was 2.79 ± 0.32, and after education was 3.51 ± 0.41. A statistically significant difference was determined between mean total scale scores of university and 5th-grade students before and after education (p ˂ 0.05). It was determined that environmental sensitivity of university students and environmental attitudes of secondary school students were at medium level before Environmental Education Program and high level after education.

Impact of seasonal changes in urban green spaces with diverse vegetation structures on college students' physical and mental health

Based on the perceptions of college student participants in winter and summer, the effects of different vegetation structures within landscapes (single-layer woodland, tree-shrub-grass composite woodlands, tree-grass composite woodland, and single-layer grassland) and concrete squares without plants were investigated, and the skin conductivity level (SCL) and environmental perception recovery score (PRS) associated with landscape types were calculated. The results indicated that seasonal differences in landscape perception significantly affected college student participants' PRS but not their SCL scores, both in winter and summer. Viewing single-layer and tree-shrub-grass composite woodlands in summer, as well as single-layer woodland in winter, enhanced the environmental perception of the college student participants. The restorative effects of the four vegetation types in green spaces were ranked as follows: single-layer woodland, tree-shrub-grass composite woodlands, single-layer grassland, and tree-grass composite woodlands and concrete squares without plants. These findings underscore the importance of considering seasonal variations when choosing plant species for landscaping purposes, with evergreen single-layer woodland being a suitable choice for winter urban landscapes. This provides a scientific basis for assessing landscape perception and preferences in the future.

Temporal Variations in Convergence Insufficiency Symptomatic Status among University Students before and after COVID-19: A Longitudinal Analysis from 2018 to 2023.

The present study aimed to assess the symptomatic status of Convergence Insufficiency (CI) in university students from 2018 to 2023 considering the educational environment pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic confinements. A Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) was conducted annually from 2018 to 2023, excluding 2020, in an initial group of 217 third-year Optics and Optometry degree university student participants. In the final group (178 participants), the statistical differences in CISS scores between years were analysed, both overall and by questionnaire subgroup, along with associations between CISS diagnostic categories before and after 2020. Significant differences were found between years in the subscale and total score analyses (Kruskal-Wallis, both p ≤ 0.049). Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences for the performance subgroup in 2021 vs. 2019 and 2018 (Mann-Whitney, both p ≤ 0.004), while in terms of the total score, there was a statistical difference in 2021 vs. 2018 (Mann-Whitney, p < 0.001). The distribution analysis indicated a significant difference between groups (Chi, p = 0.004), with participants from 2021 or later more likely to exhibit higher CISS scores (OR = 3.47, 95%CI 1.04-8.58). The present study shows significant temporal increments in symptomatic status related to CI among university students from 2018 to 2023, indicating a potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic educational landscape on these outcomes.

What Will People Think? How College Students Evaluate Bystander Intervention Behavior.

Many colleges utilize bystander intervention programs to address gender-based violence. The goal of these programs is to help students overcome barriers to intervention, including evaluation inhibition, which occurs when bystanders expect to be viewed negatively for intervening. We have limited information, though, on how college students evaluate bystanders who intervene. Specifically, we do not know whether evaluations of bystanders who engage in different levels of intervention vary across situations or how men and women who intervene similarly are evaluated. Without this information, it is difficult to design prevention programs that help bystanders overcome evaluation inhibition. To gather this information, we conducted a vignette experiment with college student participants (n = 82). We specifically examined how students evaluated the reasonableness of male and female bystanders who engaged in different behaviors (direct intervention and threatening to tell an authority, direct intervention only, indirect intervention, doing nothing) across four situations (assault at a party, workplace harassment, harassment by a teaching assistant, and intimate partner violence). Analyses of variance found that there was situational variability in how the bystander is evaluated for different intervention tactics, though bystanders who did nothing were always evaluated the most negatively. Bystander's gender, however, did not affect evaluations, suggesting that intervention expectations for men and women are similar. These results indicate that while there is an underlying norm supportive of intervention behavior, situational characteristics influence whether college students think it is reasonable to call authorities, confront the perpetrator, or engage in indirect intervention. The central implication of this study is that bystander intervention training should provide opportunities for students to practice intervention behaviors across a wide variety of situations of gender-based violence in order build up their store of intervention tactics, thus increasing their ability to overcome evaluation inhibition.

RETRACTION NOTICE: The participation of university students

Retraction note: Hernández Fernández, C., Alcoceba Hernando, J. A. &amp; Homont, L. P. P. (2022). The participation of university students: A case study. TECHNO REVIEW. International Technology, Science and Society Review Revista Internacional De Tecnología, Ciencia Y Sociedad, 12(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.37467/revtechno.v11.4501 The Editorial Office of Eurasia Academic Publishing Group has retracted this article. An investigation carried out by our Research Integrity Department has found a group of articles, among which this one is found, that are not within the thematic scope of the journal. We believe that the editorial process was manipulated and, furthermore, acceptance decisions were made under possibly inappropriate peer review.

The effect of structured brain gym and brisk walking training on the executive functions of university students: a single-blinded randomised controlled trial

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of structured brain gym and brisk walking training on the executive functions (inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility) of university students. The study was designed as a single-blinded prospective randomised controlled trial with the participation of university students. 42 sedentary university students(18–25 years) joined in the study. The participants were randomly divided into three groups (two intervention groups and one control group): The Structured Brain Gym Group (SBGG), the Brisk Walking Group (BWG) and the Control Group (CG). The interventions consisted of 50-min exercise twice a week for an 8-week period. BWG attended into brisk walking programme as moderate-intensity aerobic exercise; meanwhile, SBGG performed structured brain gym activities. CG did not participate in any regular physical activities during the 8 weeks. Executive function tests (Stroop colour test, forward and backward digit span test, frontal assessment battery and verbal fluency test) were applied to the participants as a pre-test and post-test. Kruskal–Wallis, Wilcoxon test and Mann–Whitney U tests were used in the statistical analyses. According to the statistical analysis, both BWG and SBGG indicated significant improvement in inhibitory control (p < 0.05) and general frontal functions (p < 0.05) following the intervention. However, compared to BWG, the improvement in inhibitory control was better in SBGG. No change was found in working memory and cognitive flexibility in any of the groups. We can recommend that cognitively demanding and fun aerobic exercise tasks can be used to improve young adult’s inhibitory control.

Domain matters: An examination of college student physical activity participation patterns by gender and race/ethnicity

Background Physical activity (PA) consists of multiple domains, including leisure-time PA (LTPA), occupational PA (OPA), and transportation PA (TPA), though limited research has examined these domains among college students. Methods This cross sectional, online survey asked undergraduate students to self-report demographics (gender, race/ethnicity, employment) and PA (LTPA, TPA, and OPA). Participants were categorized as meeting/not meeting current aerobic PA recommendations with only LTPA and with all domains of PA. Analyses examined differences by domain and demographics. Results For participants (n = 3732) when only considering LTPA, 79% met recommendations, while considering all forms of PA resulted in 94% of students meeting recommendations. Gender and race/ethnicity differences in the odds of meeting PA recommendations were present with only LTPA, however when considering all PA domains, some disparities were no longer present. Conclusions These findings highlight how different domains of activity contribute to overall PA and the relationship with gender and race/ethnicity.

Developing university students’ personal skills: the role of business–university partnership programmes

Purpose This study aims to explore the influence of Mutqen programmes on university students’ personality and skills development. It evaluates the cognitive attitudes of university student participants in Mutqen training programmes. The research was analysed thematically, and this paper reports on the roles businesses and universities play in enhancing students’ personality and skills and the importance of knowledge acquisition to develop students’ career prospects. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative research approach, the study used a descriptive survey design. A total of 1,039 respondents based in Saudi Arabia participated voluntarily in the survey. Findings The results revealed a positive impact from Mutqen programmes on students’ personality and skills development. Moreover, the outcomes demonstrated that the Mutqen programmes promote knowledge acquisition, which enhances future career readiness by enabling students to positively develop their awareness of potential future career requirements. Originality/value The critical contribution of this paper is that it empirically evaluates the perceived impact of social corporate training programmes on students’ personality and skills development from the perspective of the students themselves.

Sports Participation of College Students Towards Youth’s Physical Development in Anhui Province

This study investigates the impact of sports participation on the physical development of college students in Anhui Province, China, with a focus on Anhui Fuyang Institute of Technology. Against the backdrop of the institute's commitment to industry-education integration and the unique sociocultural context of Anhui Province, the research adopts a descriptive-comparative quantitative design. The study involves 377 randomly sampled full-time students, employing a comprehensive questionnaire to assess academic, emotional-social-moral, and physical dimensions. The findings reveal positive correlations between sports engagement and academic performance, self-confidence, social relationships, and physical well-being. While demonstrating a generally favorable association, the study identifies nuanced challenges, emphasizing the need for tailored sports programs to address specific physical issues. The research contributes valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and practitioners, proposing a development program to enhance sports participation and holistic development among college students at Anhui Fuyang Institute of Technology.

Study on the Path of College Students' Participation in the Construction of Community Music Culture: Taking Huangshi Tianqiao Community Music Volunteer Service Station as an Example

With the rapid development of the urban economy, the people's spiritual and cultural needs are increasing. As an important basic unit of society, the community has become an important platform for cultural development, and community music culture plays a key role as an important part of it, the organisation of various cultural activities helps to enrich the spiritual life of residents and build a harmonious ecological environment. This paper takes the practice of "Huangshi Tianqiao Community Music Volunteer Station" as an example, and puts forward the ideas and suggestions for college students majoring in music to participate in the construction of community music culture by means of volunteering, cultural exchanges and internship bases. The participation of college students in the construction of community music culture not only enriches the cultural life of the community residents, but also provides college students with the opportunity and environment to practice and exercise their professional and communication skills.