Levels Of Student Performance Research Articles

Utilizing Multimedia and Interactive Platforms in a Secondary Vocation School Politics Course: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background and Aim: Using multimedia and interactive platforms in education has the potential to enhance students' overall learning performance and study motivation. This study explores the integration of Bilibili, a popular video-sharing platform, into the political science curriculum for secondary vocational school students in China. By comparing the performance and motivation levels of students using Bilibili with those following traditional teaching methods, the study aims to determine the effectiveness of multimedia tools in improving educational outcomes among vocational students. Specifically, this study seeks to evaluate whether Bilibili can enhance secondary vocational school students' understanding of basic political science concepts and principles, improve their application and analytical skills in the subject through a quasi-experimental design, and assess their motivation to learn political science using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). The results indicate that students in the experimental group who used Bilibili showed significant improvements in test scores and exhibited higher levels of motivation compared to the control group. Materials and Methods: A quantitative research design was used to compare the effects of using Bilibili with conventional instruction. 114 secondary vocational school students were selected via stratified random sampling, with 56 in the control group and 58 in the experimental group. Pre-test and post-test assessments measured learning outcomes and motivation levels across key political science concepts and principles. Results: The use of Bilibili significantly improved understanding of political science concepts compared to traditional methods. Post-test scores were notably higher in the experimental group, indicating the effectiveness of integrating Bilibili into the teaching process. Both mean and t-test analyses supported the superiority of Bilibili-enhanced learning in increasing student motivation and academic performance. Conclusion: Implementing Bilibili as a teaching tool positively impacts academic performance in political science students at secondary vocational schools. This approach significantly enhances learning outcomes and student motivation, offering valuable insights for educational program design in vocational education.

Development of an LLM-based CPX Practicing Chatbot for Korean Medicine Education: Implementation of Automated Scoring and Feedback Generation Framework

Objectives: This study aimed to develop an AI-based CPX (Clinical Performance Examination) practicing chatbot for Korean medicine education, implementing automated quantitative scoring and qualitative feedback systems to enhance individualized learning experiences.Methods: Building upon a previously developed CPX practicing chatbot, we integrated a quantitative scoring system and a qualitative text feedback system using Large Language Models (LLMs). Scoring prompts and feedback prompts were designed based on standardized CPX scenarios. We compared the performance of OpenAI's GPT-4 and Anthropic's Claude-3.5-Sonnet models in terms of scoring accuracy, feedback quality, consistency, latency, and fluency. Three sample chat histories representing varying levels of student performance were created for evaluation.Results: Claude-3.5-Sonnet demonstrated perfect accuracy in quantitative scoring across all samples and faster execution times (average 43.2 seconds) compared to GPT-4. In qualitative feedback generation, GPT-4 provided more specific and actionable feedback, while Claude-3.5-Sonnet produced more natural and supportive language. By combining the strengths of both models, we implemented an optimized system that first uses GPT-4 for detailed feedback generation and then refines the language with Claude-3.5-Sonnet, resulting in accurate scoring and high-quality feedback.Conclusions: The study successfully developed an LLM-based CPX practicing chatbot that offers automated scoring and individualized feedback for Korean medicine education. The optimized system enhances the learning experience by providing accurate assessments and specific, supportive feedback, addressing limitations in current CPX education practices and resource constraints.

The Importance of a Positive Socio-Pedagogical Environment

The socio-pedagogical environment is defined by the general atmosphere in a class of students/educational institution, being measured from the perspective of six components: the relational climate, the pedagogical climate, the security climate, the justice climate, the evaluative climate and the belonging climate. The general well-being of each student, the positive management of behaviors, collaboration, the school-family-society partnership are just some of the principles of action for the quality of the school climate. A broad, multidimensional construct, school climate indicates, among other things, the quality and character of school life, being the generator of the feeling of safety, of students' school success or failure, when it turns out to be negative. In this context, the role of the teacher, from the perspective of the one who organizes the learning situations, is a particularly important one, as he determines the classroom climate according to decisions, style, practices and interaction with students. At the same time, researchers agree that a school climate characterized by positive interpersonal relationships contributes to increasing the level of student performance and reducing the number of students with adjustment problems. The article aims to present the results obtained following the application of a questionnaire targeting the socio-pedagogical environment among primary school pupils. The obtained data offer the possibility of identifying the positive aspects, which aim to improve the quality of school life, but also the negative ones, the possible problems, for which proposed and implemented actions are required to improve the school climate.

TEL Pedagogies: Gamification – Grammar Guru

The Centre for English Communication (CEC) developed and launched Grammar Guru (GG), a browser-based game application, as part of Singapore Management University’s (SMU) TEL initiative in 2023. GG is used as part of CEC’s blended learning resources, which complements our core curriculum module for undergraduates, Writing & Reasoning (WR). GG is an upgraded iteration of Power Grammar 1.0, a basic grammar game developed by students several years ago. GG is an effective TEL tool for teaching grammar as it uses gamification to make learning engaging and caters to the needs of learners with different language proficiency levels. GG improves student engagement through gamification. Gamification is the application of game design, techniques and elements in non-game contexts and activities (Deterding et al., 2011, p. 1). Research shows gamification is highly effective in increasing student engagement, attention, motivation, creativity, digital literacy and performance level (Barua & Bharali, 2023; Fernandez-Antolin et al. 2021; Skritsovali, 2023). GG includes elements such as points, leaderboards, hints, and non-playable characters (NPC) to teach grammar in a professional, corporate context. By contextualizing grammatical and linguistic forms in sentences and paragraphs, GG helps students achieve greater competence and fluency in their English language abilities. The gamification elements make learning more interactive and enjoyable which improves students’ knowledge retention and application. A primary quantitative study conducted by CEC established that “the positive correlation observed suggests that the higher level a student played, the higher the student’s English language proficiency”. CEC is currently conducting a qualitative study to gather students’ feedback. GG also addresses the requirements of learners with diverse language proficiency levels by varying the difficulty of questions. These questions include sentence and text correction, matching, re-arrangement, true/false, fill-in-the-blanks and multiple-choice questions. Players work their way through eight levels that comprises Junior and Senior Intern, Junior and Senior Management Trainee, Junior and Senior Middle Management and Junior and Senior Director. Perez (2020) and Langendah (2016) highlight how certain game elements such as storytelling, challenges, progression, and feedback can boost student drive and learning. The gamification elements in GG have a similar effect, motivating learners of different proficiency levels. GG’s interface is designed to be simple and intuitive. Regardless of students’ socioeconomic background or gaming aptitude, they would be able to navigate it effectively. One challenge GG faces is striking a balance between entertainment and education. Limited game development funds result in limited game design features and less engaging gameplay for students, especially in comparison to commercial games with substantial budgets that offer high entertainment value through advanced graphics and intricate storylines. Furthermore, as CEC instructors are not game design experts, we have limited knowledge that restricts our capacity in designing and maintaining GG. Currently, CEC outsources game design and maintenance to a third parties. This results in instructors not being able to directly make changes to the game questions and content. Moreover, the process of retrieving relevant data for analysis is tedious and time consuming. Despite these constraints, thoughtful and strategic approaches can create valuable TEL resources that improve student learning.

Assessing the effectiveness of implementing immersive technologies within university sustainable development systems

The subject of this study is the processes of assessing the effectiveness of the implementation of immersive technologies in the systems of sustainable development at universities. The problem that determined the purpose of the work is the lack of methodological tools for assessing the level of efficiency in the implementation of immersive technologies on the basis of sustainable development (using an example of Lviv Polytechnic National University). The authors’ toolkit includes a system of indicators, a methodological approach to the use of software for their evaluation, and a matrix for interpreting the results. The choice of the efficiency assessment method is based on the theory of fuzzy sets. The study of the factors influencing the effectiveness of the implementation of immersive technologies in the educational process has made it possible to form a system of integrated indicators, including indicators designed to comprehensively identify its level in the student and teaching environments. The indicator of effectiveness of immersive technologies implemented by students contributes to a thorough analysis of their ability to generate innovations based on such technologies. This indicator allows lecturers to determine the level of effectiveness of the use of immersive technologies in teaching. Taking into account the ideology embedded in the sustainable development systems of universities, the authors' indicators reflect the principles of sustainability. The GE/McKinsey matrix was adapted for the purpose of economic interpretation of mathematical results. The designed methodological tools were tested for courses at the Lviv Polytechnic. The following levels of student performance were obtained: 83.5, 61.5, and 69.8 units, lecturers – 91.2, 78.4, and 82.7 units, which indicates the productivity of lecturer training and a high level of students' understanding of project work tasks. This proved the validity and possibility of using the tools in university practice

Full-time education: Assessment of the impact on learning of the Brazilian program Novo Mais Educação

Although there is no consensus on the effectiveness of full-time education in learning, several countries in Latin America have developed programs to extend school hours aiming at a higher level of student performance. In Brazil, the federal government implemented two policies for increasing school hours: Mais Educação Program (PME), from 2008 to 2017, and Novo Mais Educação Program (PNME), in 2018 and 2019. Therefore, this paper assesses the impact of PNME on students’ learning and discusses the effectiveness of the PNME’s design compared to the previous policy PME. Official data from the Brazilian government were used and the methodology combined Difference-in-Differences with propensity score matching for evaluating math and language students test scores. For the initial years of Elementary School, the results show a positive impact on learning, but for the final years the results were ambiguous: a null effect on language students test scores and a negative impact on math tests scores. Yet these results proved to be more promising than those of its predecessor, the PME, which can be assigned to PNME’s design more focused on expanding language and math learning hours.

Exploring Debugging Challenges and Strategies Using Structural Topic Model: A Comparative Analysis of High and Low-Performing Students

Debugging is essential for identifying and rectifying errors in programming, yet time constraints and students’ trivialization of errors often hinder progress. This study examines differences in debugging challenges and strategies among students with varying computational thinking (CT) competencies using weekly coding journals from an online undergraduate CT course. Participants used Scratch, a block-based programming language, and their journals from five assignments were analyzed using Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency and Structural Topic Modeling. High-performing students engaged with diverse topics and specific blocks tied to their weekly projects while low-performing students faced repetitive and broad challenges, such as understanding motion blocks and broadcast concepts. These patterns reveal that low-performing students struggle particularly during the ‘diagnose the fault’ phase of debugging, often hindering their progress in the final stage. Such challenges highlight the necessity for targeted educational interventions to improve the debugging proficiency and overall CT skills. The study underscores the importance of further research into students’ logical thinking processes during code review and debugging, suggesting the use of think-aloud protocols and detailed tracking of debugging practices for deeper insights. This research contributes to the field by showing that differentiated instruction and strategic support can enhance debugging skills across different student performance levels.

Predictive Analysis of Students’ Learning Performance Using Machine Learning

Several researchers and educational institutions got attracted to the domain of predicting the performance of the students to classify the educational level of student performance. Though the educational sector uses several techniques for extracting useful information about them and the measures to be undertaken in the learning process, it is necessary to develop a student performance assessment model to assist the students as well as faculty members to improve their performance to the next level. This research work majorly concentrates to examine and identify useful rules and patterns to motivate the students for handling their education as well as career in a better way and also to improve the functioning of academics to supervise the policies for students’ benefit. Here, EDM is employed to identify the effective data which helps in applying the active learning in technical applications. Initially, a review of different DM, machine learning (ML), and meta-heuristic models to assess the performance of the students. the proposed models can be employed as an appropriate tool for mining educational data to achieve effective performance assessment of the students.

Research on Knowledge Discovery and Sharing in AIGC Virtual Teaching and Research Room Empowered by Big Data Analysis and Natural Language Processing Algorithms

This paper introduces a pioneering framework named Deep Reinforcement Learning based AI-Generated Content for Virtual Teaching (DRL-AIGC-VR), which aims to transform the landscape of online education and research. At the heart of this system is the integration of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) and Natural Language Processing (NLP), making it exceptionally suited for the dynamic and evolving environment of virtual teaching and research rooms. The uniqueness of DRLAIGC-VR lies in its adaptive content curation and presentation capabilities, achieved through a combination of Deep Q-Networks (DQN) with attention mechanisms. This innovative approach allows the system to personalize learning experiences by tailoring them to individual student performance and engagement levels. Simultaneously, it focuses on presenting the most pertinent information, thereby streamlining and optimizing the learning process. One of the most significant features of this system is its ability to handle and analyze large-scale educational data, a vital aspect in today’s big data-driven world. This capability ensures that DRL-AIGCVR offers a highly interactive, responsive, and efficient learning environment, addressing the varied requirements of students and researchers. The implementation of DRL-AIGC-VR in virtual educational settings has shown remarkable improvements in several key areas, including learning outcomes, student engagement, and knowledge retention. These enhancements are indicative of the substantial progress that the framework brings to the domain of virtual education, positioning it as a leading solution in the realm of AI-driven learning platforms. Overall, DRL-AIGC-VR represents a significant step forward in harnessing the power of AI to enrich and elevate the educational experience in virtual settings, paving the way for more advanced, personalized, and effective online learning and research methodologies.

School Administrative Practices and Student Academic Performance in Mathematics in Technical Secondary Schools in Rwanda: A Case of Ngororero District

The research investigated school administrative practices and student academic performance in mathematics in technical secondary schools in Rwanda. Specifically, the research evaluates the school administrative practices that affect the students’ academic performance in mathematics in technical secondary schools in Rwanda, determines the level of student academic performance in mathematics in technical secondary schools in Rwanda, and analyses the relationship between school administrative practices and the students’ academic performance in mathematics in technical secondary schools in Rwanda. The targeted population was 7,549, for a sample of 481 respondents. This study used primary sources namely questionnaires and interviews to gather data. It employed purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling methods. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used for analysis from IBM SPSS Version 21.0. For the first objective, results indicates that 83.3% of Teachers agree and 10.2 % agreed that Resource allocation and management show the school administration practices, and 73.1 % strongly agreed and 11.5 % agreed that Lead teaching and learning , 71.8% strongly agreed and 20.5 % agreed that The Link the school with other organisations show the school administration practices, 61.5 % strongly agreed and 21.8 % agreed that Driven data decision-making indicates the school administration practices and 62.22% strongly agreed and 21.8 agreed that Resource allocation and management indicates the school administration practices. For the second objective, 88.5% strongly agreed and 11.5% agreed that An increased score in the test and exam indicates the student's academic performance in mathematics,76.9% Strongly agreed and 11.5 agreed that Apply mathematical knowledge to solve complex problems and improve student academic performance in mathematics, 66.9% Strongly agreed and 23.1% agreed that Increased student participation in math class increases student academic performance in mathematics and 65.4% Strongly agreed and 23.1% agreed that Attendance and homework completion affect student academic performance in mathematics. Results on the relationship between school administrative practices and the students’ academic performance in mathematics in technical secondary schools in Rwanda. The study revealed a strong positive correlation between engaging stakeholders, leading teaching and learning, and linking the school with other organizations. Resource allocation and management and setting direction, with an increased score in the test and exam, apply mathematical knowledge to solve complex problems, increased student participation in math class, attendance, and homework completion rates, and that they were positively and statistically correlated since most of their levels of significance were greater than 0.05 in association. It is recommended that teachers' quality, classroom environment, and parental involvement positively impact academic performance. Smaller classroom sizes and higher teacher-student interaction are associated with higher achievement. Resources like textbooks, technology, and laboratory equipment also contribute to better academic performance, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Improvement of Lay Up Shoot Learning Outcomes in Basketball Learning with Deer Jumping Game

This study investigates the effectiveness of using the Deer Jump game to improve Lay-Up Shoot skills in physical education lessons for seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Pagar Alam. Conducted as classroom action research, the study was implemented over two cycles, each consisting of one meeting. The research subjects were all 30 students in class VII A, which included 14 boys and 16 girls. Data collection involved multiple instruments: an observation sheet to monitor student engagement and performance, interview guidelines for gathering qualitative feedback, and field notes to record contextual observations. The data were analyzed and presented descriptively to evaluate the impact of the intervention. The findings indicate that incorporating the Deer Jump game significantly enhanced both the learning process and outcomes for Lay-Up Shoot skills. Specifically, the average student score improved from 61.2 before the intervention to 76.1 in the first cycle, and further increased to 85.03 in the second cycle. Notably, by the end of the second cycle, 88.46% of the students met or exceeded the minimum competency standard of 70, demonstrating the effectiveness of the game-based approach in achieving higher levels of student performance and skill development.

The use of alternative methods in working with underachieving students

In a modern school, one of the main tasks is to ensure a high level of student performance and requires constant efforts. This problem concerns such disciplines of the Natural Science direction as physics. Physics lessons include not only complex theory, but also conducting experiments, solving problems. In physics lessons, a high concentration of students is required for more effective assimilation of the material. Unfortunately, in a traditional school, conditions are not always created for this. Taking into account the fact that it is difficult for all students, especially those who are lagging behind, to take up extracurricular activities, we need to implement them. The traditional system may not contribute to not meeting the needs of these students and not increasing their motivation to learn. This paper presents an alternative teaching method in extracurricular activities in the teaching of physics, which successfully integrates into the traditional teaching system and significantly increases the motivation and performance of lagging students. For students who do not have problems with academic performance, the proposed technique further stimulates interest in the subject of physics. The reason for using alternative teaching techniques is related to improving the motivation of students with poor performance to understand and study physics. Since the greatest attention is paid to lagging students in this work, alternative methods make it possible to create favorable conditions for learning and mastering materials in physics. In this technology, non-standard approaches are widely used that allow you to fully reveal the potential of lagging students due to the fact that traditional methods turned out to be ineffective. The relevance of this study is due to the problem of developing methods and techniques for working with lagging students in high school. Currently, the main methods are associated with developing learning, but alternative technologies are becoming more and more important. The advantage of using alternative technologies in extracurricular activities is their ability to surpass traditional methods, and successfully increase the performance of lagging students. Taking into account modern trends and digitalization, alternative technologies promise prospects and provide a wide field for choosing methods in order to improve performance in classrooms. The purpose of this study is to provide modern alternative teaching methods to work with lagging students in school physics lessons, which are easily integrated into the traditional school system. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set: Analysis of the compatibility of alternative learning technologies with traditional ones. Development of alternative teaching methods for lagging students that successfully integrate into the traditional school system and can be used within the framework of one lesson. Conduct a pedagogical experiment using the methods developed with lagging students, analyze the results and draw conclusions about the compatibility of alternative methods with the traditional school system and their effectiveness for lagging students. The object of the study is the integration of modern methods of alternative learning into the traditional system in order to improve the performance of lagging students. The subject of the study is the degree of integration of alternative teaching methods in a traditional school, based on the analysis of the progress of lagging students before and after the use of these methods. The research methodology involves the development of alternative teaching methods that correspond to current trends and the analysis of the assimilation of the material in physics lessons after their implementation. The novelty of the study is to propose alternative teaching methods that meet current trends in the education system and test them in a traditional school environment. This makes it possible to assess their compatibility with the traditional education system and their effectiveness for lagging students.

Junior High School Written Work Fluent and Accurate

The present study determined the written language performance of junior high school students at Bulan National High School S. Y.2023 - 2024. The study utilized a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the students' written language proficiency. Quantitative data were collected using rubrics to evaluate fluency and accuracy, while qualitative data were obtained through content analysis of the students' essays. The findings revealed that the students' performance in terms of fluency and accuracy varied, with areas of improvement identified in both aspects. Difficulties encountered by the participants included challenges in maintaining coherence and organization in their writing, as well as issues related to spelling accuracy and punctuation and capitalization usage. Based on the findings, an action plan titled "Enhancing Written Language Skills Program" was proposed to address these challenges and improve the students' writing abilities. The study's conclusions indicated that while the average performance level of the junior high school students in terms of fluency and accuracy met the set standards, there were variations in individual performance levels. The participants faced difficulties in fluency and accuracy, including challenges related to content fluency, organization of ideas, spelling accuracy, and proper punctuation and capitalization usage. To address these challenges, the study recommended differentiated instruction, explicit instruction on effective writing components, targeted practice activities, self - editing and revision strategies, a comprehensive curriculum integrating explicit instruction and authentic writing tasks, professional development for teachers, formative assessments for progress monitoring, fostering a supportive writing environment, and utilizing technology resources. In addition to the recommendations from the study, further research was recommended to investigate the effectiveness of different instructional strategies in improving students' writing skills. This research could compare explicit instruction with other approaches, such as inquiry - based learning or project - based learning, to determine their impact on fluency, coherence, accuracy, and organization. Conducting such research would provide valuable insights and evidence - based recommendations for educators to enhance their instructional practices and support students' development in writing with fluency and accuracy.

Effects of cooperative learning modes on reading comprehension: general trends and comparative analysis between students with and without vision impairment

ABSTRACT It is essential to consider the impact of the cooperative learning (CL) mode when evaluating the effect of cooperative reading between students with and without vision impairment (VI) in inclusive classrooms. This research employs a within-subject two-factor experimental design to investigate the influence of the CL mode on the reading comprehension performance and cooperation level of students with and without VI, considering two text types. The independent variables are CL modes (positive interdependence <PI> vs. individual accountability <IA>) and text types (narrative vs. expository). Reading comprehension performance is the outcome-oriented variable, and cooperation level (including knowledge construction, social interaction, and content contribution) is the process-oriented variable. Findings reveal challenges for VI and sighted upper-grade elementary students in reaching higher levels of knowledge construction during cooperative reading tasks. The PI mode demonstrates higher levels of knowledge construction for narrative texts, while the IA mode shows superior content contribution for expository texts. Notably, VI students achieve lower reading comprehension scores than sighted students in the IA mode and face disadvantages in knowledge construction and content contribution across different reading comprehension scenarios. Building upon these findings, this study put forward suggestions to improve reading comprehension and cooperative participation for VI students.

Effects of Teaching Aids on Student's Motivation in Teaching and Learning Mathematics in Day Secondary Schools, Rwanda: A Case of Rusizi District

The research investigated the effects of teaching aids on students' motivation to learn mathematics in day secondary schools in Rusizi districts. Specifically, the study identified the teaching aids that motivate students to learn mathematics in day secondary school in Rusizi districts, Rwanda, evaluated the level of student performance toward the use of teaching aids in learning mathematics in day secondary school in Rusizi districts, Rwanda, and examined the effects of using teaching aids and students' motivation to learn mathematics in day secondary school in Rusizi district, Rwanda. The population in this study consisted of 100 mathematics teachers with a sample size of 57 respondents, 50 head teachers, whose sample size is 28 respondents, and 162 students with a sample size of 67 respondents, with 175 as samples. To triangulate the data, primary sources were acquired utilizing questionnaires, interviews, and observation methods. To generate a sample population, the researcher used purposive sampling techniques to choose mathematics teachers and simple random sampling to choose students and headteachers. In data gathering and analysis, the study used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in tandem. Content analysis aided qualitative data analysis, while quantitative data was presented using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlational and regression analysis) in the statistical package for social sciences. For the first objective, results indicate that 59.9% strongly agreed that the use of Geoboards in teaching indicates that they are being used as teaching aids. 96.6% strongly agreed that the use of algebra tiles in teaching and learning mathematics is indicated by the use of teaching aids, and 93.3% strongly agreed that the use of concrete materials in teaching and learning by teachers and students indicates that they are using teaching aids. 77.5% strongly agreed that place value blocks to teach numerical concepts for teachers are mathematics teaching aids. For the second objective, 84.3% strongly agreed that national examination results indicate their mathematics academic performance, 88.8% strongly agreed that homework completion indicates their mathematics academic performance, 67.4% strongly agreed that improved class participation indicates their mathematics academic performance, and 83.7% strongly agreed that the number of students above pass marks indicates their mathematics academic performance. Finally The study objective three revealed that the correlation and regression results established the existence of a positive correlation among the effects of using teaching aids and students’ motivation to learn mathematics in day secondary school in Rusizi district, Rwanda, where the Pearson's p-value and significance were justified by p-values less than 0.05, and the research results evidenced a positive correlation between the use of teaching aids and students' motivation to learn mathematics in day secondary school in Rusizi district, Rwanda. The study recommended that the government of Rwanda should allocate more instructional materials and training of mathematics teachers to enhance the use of the teaching aids in teaching and learning activities in Rwanda.

Impact of campus closure during COVID-19 on lifestyle, educational performance, and anxiety levels of college students in China

BackgroundHigher education students exhibit heightened sensitivity to environmental changes as they navigate the critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to universities worldwide, exemplifying a crisis that profoundly affects the learning outcomes and psychological status of college students. Although it is known that campus lockdown has triggered dramatic changes in lifestyles, learning outcomes, and psychological statuses, in-depth knowledge of the causal relationships among these changes remains largely unclear.MethodsHere, we conducted a cross-sectional survey designed to assess the impact of campus closure during COVID-19 on lifestyle, educational performance, and anxiety levels among college students. We surveyed over 3,500 junior college, undergraduate and graduate participants from 94 colleges/universities across 30 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China.We employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the relationships between changes in lifestyle, educational performance, and levels of anxiety associated with campus open or closure regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsOur results discovered that sleep duration, physical activity involvement, and social connections were crucial for sustaining students' learning outcomes and mental health. The shift to online learning and campus lockdown exacerbated stressors, contributing to heightened anxiety (β = 0.066), disrupted sleep patterns, and enhanced physical activity (β = 0.070) and reduced learning effect (β = -0.059). Sleep patterns were disrupted by the campus lockdown, an effect mediated by the degradation of relationships among classmates. Nonetheless, the best-fitting SEM uncovered the intricate relationships among lifestyle changes, learning outcomes, and psychological status in response to sudden environmental changes (Fisher’s C = 80.949, P = 0.328). These results highlight the critical role of adaptable, supportive campus policies tailored to meet the diverse needs and interests of students during and beyond crises (Fisher’s C = 59.568, P = 0.809).ConclusionsOur study advocates for a holistic approach that addresses the multifaceted aspects of student life to cultivate a resilient academic community. This approach contributes to a deeper understanding of the effects of sudden environmental changes on students' psychological well-being and academic performance in the post-pandemic era.

Investigating Students’ Perceived Satisfaction and Performance in Online Class: Basis for Online Learning Improvements

The landscape of education has experienced significant changes as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Central to the recent developments is the increasing concerns related to the levels of student satisfaction and performance in Mathematics within the context of online learning. This study seeks to fill the gaps in existing research literature on how mathematics is taught online during the pandemic. In particular, the goal of this research was to investigate the relationship between students' perceived satisfaction and reported academic performance in a Mathematics online class and suggest important satisfaction factors to improve student online learning experiences. The study was a descriptive research design utilizing mixed methods, and the data were collected from a volunteer sample of ???? = 153 respondents, composed of senior high school students from three private schools, through an adapted online survey instrument. Results showed that the association between satisfaction and performance was significant and positively correlated. Furthermore, there was a low but positive significant correlation between satisfaction with their performance. Regardless of their performance levels, students were generally satisfied with online learning. Students, however, pointed out three (3) additional factors that affect their satisfaction – flexible and considerate task management, effective communication and subject mastery in teaching; and accessibility and clarity of educational resources. To improve online learning, these additional factors are essential to have a high level of satisfaction and performance in online learning.

Addressing musculoskeletal curricular inadequacies within undergraduate medical education

BackgroundMusculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and diseases place a significant burden on the health care system. Despite this, research indicates that physician training in the area of MSK medicine has historically been inadequate, with a majority of medical students feeling that their training in MSK medicine is lacking. The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of a new preclinical MSK curriculum that was implemented within a nationally accredited allopathic medical program.MethodsRetrospective analysis was completed on five consecutive years (2017–2021) of preclinical MSK curricular data for 549 medical students, including mid and end-of-course examinations and end-of-course student satisfaction surveys. Both parametric and non-parametric methods of analysis were used to examine within and between class differences (P < 0.05).ResultsThe new MSK curriculum covered 15 of 16 “core or must know” topics in MSK medicine, and academic performance was consistently high over the 5-year period of analysis (final course marks ranged from 76.6 ± 7.1 to 81.4 ± 8.1; failures/year: range from 0 to 4), being equal or above levels of student performance observed for other courses delivered during preclinical studies. Likert data from end-of-course surveys demonstrated that feedback was overwhelmingly positive (overall course satisfaction ranged from a low of 3.07/4.00 to a high of 3.56/4.00) and indicated that students felt that the new preclinical MSK curriculum did effectively support medical student learning and knowledge retention.ConclusionResults are expected to help advance the current body of knowledge that is dedicated to improving physician learning and knowledge retention in the area of MSK medicine and provides a curricular model that could be used by other nationally accredited medical programs to help enhance MSK learning at the preclinical levels of physician training.

Analysis of Remote Learning Challenges During COVID-19 Pandemic on Pakistan’s Education Sector

The COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world in several days. This disease has badly affected corporations, industries, and educational institutions worldwide. The education sector suffered several crises, around 77 million students were affected and absent from class during the pandemic. Using remote learning during the pandemic was beneficial, but it was difficult to find comfort and dependability. The present study examines the challenges faced by Pakistani students and teachers in remote learning, academic performance, and satisfaction levels of students and teachers who have participated in remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the respondents’ comments, analyzed the demographic data and remote learning data using statistical calculations in the R language, and displayed the results in graphs. It used machine-learning models to calculate sentiment analysis results using the R language. According to the calculation results, the proposed study performs well using a support vector machine (SVM) and neural network (NNET), which give an accuracy of 83.5, while the accuracy of the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) is 69.9. The proposed study formulates suggestions for future work that are useful for improving the outcomes of remote learning.

Non-technical skills of Norwegian medical students at different training sites: a comparative, observational cohort study

PurposeMastering non-technical skills (NTS) is a fundamental part of the training of new physicians to perform effectively and safely in the medical practice environment. Ideally, they learn these skills during medical school. Decentralized medical education is being implemented increasingly worldwide. Two of the three training sites studied, Bodø (a regional hospital) and Finnmark (a rural local hospital), implemented decentralized medical education. The third training site was the main campus in Tromsø, located at an urban university hospital. The training in Finnmark emphasised training in non-technical skills using simulation to a larger extent than the two other university campuses. This study aimed to compare the NTS performance of medical students in their last year of education at three different training sites of the same university.MethodsThis blinded cohort study included students from the three training sites who participated in identical multi-professional simulations over a six-year period. Eight raters evaluated the video recordings of eight students from each training site using the Norwegian Medical Students Non-Technical Skills (NorMS-NTS) tool. The NorMS-NTS tool, which comprises four categories and 13 elements, assesses the NTS of Norwegian medical students and assigns an overall global score. Pairwise significant differences in the NTS performance levels between the training sites studied were assessed using Tukey’s test.ResultsThe overall NTS performance levels of the medical students from Finnmark (mean 4.5) were significantly higher than those of the students from Tromsø (mean 3.8) and Bodø (mean 3.5). Similarly, the NTS performance levels at category-level of the students in Finnmark were significantly higher than those of the students from Bodø and Tromsø. Except for one category, no significant differences were observed between the students from Bodø and Tromsø in terms of the overall or category-level NTS performance.ConclusionThe NTS performance levels of the medical students from Finnmark, which implements rural, decentralized medical education, were significantly higher than those of the students from Tromsø and Bodø.