Postgraduate Students Research Articles

Progressive Palaeontology 2024 conference report.

The 20th instalment of the Progressive Palaeontology conference was held from 17th-20th of June 2024 at the University of Bristol, UK. Progressive Palaeontology gives postgraduate students experience of presenting at a conference to an audience of their peers, and the opportunity to form networks with researchers at their career stage. The conference was organised on behalf of the Palaeontological Association by Hady George, Thomas Farrell, James R. G. Rawson, Isaura Aguilar-Pedrayes, Benton Walters and Kirsten E. Flett, all of whom are postgraduate students in the Bristol Palaeobiology group. The meeting was a great success, featuring a high standard of research presentations on a wide range of topics, and inclusive and educational events hosted throughout the conference.

Exploring library service preferences: A study of information source usage in engineering colleges

This study investigates the perception and preferences of library services and information sources among patrons at engineering colleges, specifically focusing on the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the research employs a survey method, collecting data from a sample of 382 respondents, including undergraduate students, postgraduate students, research scholars, and faculty members. The survey assesses satisfaction levels across various resources, including print books, e-books, print journals, e-journals/databases, and multimedia resources, with a particular emphasis on AI-based library services. Results indicate that faculty members exhibit the highest satisfaction with library services, particularly those enhanced by artificial intelligence, while undergraduate students show the least satisfaction. The findings highlight the importance of understanding user preferences to enhance library offerings, optimize resource utilization, and improve overall user experience. This research contributes valuable insights into the evolving needs of engineering college patrons in a digital age and offers recommendations for library management to better serve its diverse user base, particularly through the integration of AI-driven services.

Evaluation of the Participation of Brazilian Women in Research in Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine.

Despite recent advancements, women still encounter significant challenges in various fields, including dentistry. However, the increasing interest in female participation in science acknowledges its fundamental role in the advancement of knowledge. This study aims to assess indicators of women's involvement in Brazilian research in the areas of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine. This cross-sectional study evaluated 197 professionals affiliated with the Brazilian Society of Stomatology and Oral Pathology in 2023. Data were collected from publicly available Lattes curriculum and organized into three sets of information: researcher profile, scientific production and human resources formation. Both the data from the researcher's entire career and from the last 5 years (2019-2023) were assessed separately. Descriptive analyses of categorical variables were performed, while the Mann-Whitney test was employed to compare the numerical variables regarding researchers' gender. Of 197 professionals, 117 (59.4%) were female. Although there was no significant difference in scientific production between genders, men had more publications, received approximately twice as many citations, and exhibited higher H-index values compared to women. Notably, women surpassed men in undergraduate student supervision, while men predominated in supervising master's and PhD students. This study highlighted the relevance of female participation in Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine research in Brazil. However, disparities persist regarding women participation, especially in scientific article citations and postgraduate students' supervision.

VET leaders’ collaborative problem-solving skills: insights from a professionals’ master’s degree program

Vocational education and training (VET) structures are ecosystems bound to collaboration. As VET leaders’ roles become increasingly diverse and demanding, challenges must be addressed through collaborative efforts within teams. Leaders’ collaborative problem-solving (CPS) skills remain unexplored despite the importance of CPS in VET settings. This single case study investigates the CPS skills that VET leaders use in addressing tasks and challenges in an educational setting. Postgraduate students in a professional master’s degree program with several years of work experience in VET leadership positions served as study participants. We utilised content analysis on video data of participants engaging in group work on an assignment that required them to give both constructed responses and creative solutions. The study also analysed VET leaders’ self-reflections on their CPS skills collected through a survey tool. Our results revealed that despite participants’ similar professional profiles, their performance in CPS varied significantly. Older participants seemed to have better self-reflection skills, and experienced professionals could allocate cognitive resources to more complex strategic and meta-cognitive processes. This study can be used as a roadmap for targeted professional development programs aiming to improve CPS skills and for informed decisionmaking in choosing professionals for pivotal leadership positions.

Teaching social inclusion, public policy and governance through active learning and educational games

How can an active learning approach enhance how key topics in public policy, public administration, and governance are taught? This article describes four educational game scenarios that illustrate decision-making processes in social inclusion policies. Various governance aspects can be examined through these games, including accountability reforms, crisis management, challenges in implementing artificial intelligence in social service provision, and market regulation. All these cases have been developed within the framework of the P-Cube project, an Erasmus + project that aims to foster active learning through the use of educational games for teaching public policy. The first case illustrates the effect of regulation on nursing home services, and aims to examine the implications of establishing independent agencies to regulate specific social sectors and the involvement and participation of the market and stakeholders in these regulatory bodies. The second case explores the application of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making in a surveillance system for detecting welfare fraud, in which the main learning objective is to discuss governance implications and consequences for social innovation and inclusion. The third case examines the implementation of alternative solutions for providing school meals to children from low-income families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objective here is to explore the role of participatory mechanisms in driving policy change and to identify the factors influencing their degree of effectiveness. The fourth case explores the potential ways of regulating the rights of workers employed in the digital platform-based economy. Our cases target graduate and postgraduate students in political science, public administration, public policy, social policy, and other related fields. They also offer valuable insights for practitioners, specifically public managers at different organizational levels.

Generation Z’s role in addressing social challenges through social entrepreneurship: Moral obligation is the key

The current study examines how moral obligation impacts the social entrepreneurial intentions of Generation Z with the help of Theory of Planned Behavior. The data comprises 392 undergraduate and postgraduate professional course students who fall in the category of Generation Z. PLS-SEM 4 was used for the analysis. We could note from our results that moral obligation is a significant factor in impacting social entrepreneurial intentions. Moreover, it has different impacts with the determinants of theory of planned behavior. Theory of planned behavior is significant and positive mediator between the relationship of moral obligation and social entrepreneurial intentions, however, interestingly, subjective norms failed to act as mediator for the same. The study also highlights implications for policymakers and practitioners to increase social entrepreneurial intentions and propose future research agenda in this research field.

E-Learning in the post-COVID era: Experiences of tertiary students

The present study sought to unearth challenges capable of confounding the success of e-learning and elicit the best practices. A total of 382 (291 undergraduate and 90 postgraduate) students from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana participated in this cross-sectional survey study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, which was conducted both in-person and online. The data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, correlation, and MANOVA. Key findings were that students found the e-learning sessions complicated. Specific challenges included access to an internet network, data cost, low IT skills, and e-classroom proficiency. It is recommended that universities and policymakers in Ghana take proactive steps to enhance digital literacy, provide affordable internet packages, and support students with computer literacy training to improve e-learning. Special measures should be implemented to address gender disparities by introducing targeted programmes for women to ensure equal participation in digital education. Additionally, e-learning initiatives should be designed with inclusivity in mind, considering the unique needs of students in collectivist cultures to foster effective and socially engaging learning environments. Implications from the study are particularly relevant for non-WEIRD (non-Western Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic) institutions.

PAYLATER USAGE BEHAVIOR AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A MODIFICATION OF THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR

This study aims to empirically test the interrelationship of Paylater use which is suspected to be influenced by hedonic conformity and family financial education, as moderated by financial risk tolerance and self-control among students. This study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by modifying the determinant variables as determinants of Paylater usage behavior. By applying the purposive sampling method, 117 undergraduate and postgraduate students were selected as respondents. The findings revealed that hedonic conformity has a positive effect on the use of Paylater, while family financial education has a negative effect on the use of Paylater. Furthermore, financial risk tolerance has been shown to moderate the hedonic conformity pathway on the use of Paylater, but self-control has not been demonstrated to moderate the effect of family financial education on the usage of Paylater.

Utilizing ChatGPT in checking academic writing for postgraduate students

Although artificial intelligence has long been controversial, there is no doubt about its enormous impact on language education. This study investigates the potential utility of ChatGPT in assisting postgraduate students enrolled in academic writing courses at a public university in Southeast Asia in terms of grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and cohesiveness. The study used quantitative data collected through questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT in improving students' academic writing skills. Data was gathered via an online questionnaire completed by 18 postgraduate students who had used the chatbot to write essays. Our findings reveal that ChatGPT can significantly enhance students' writing skills, helping them avoid grammatical and lexical errors while also reducing writing time. However, the study also uncovered certain challenges, such as concerns about the use of a copyrighted chatbot and the cost of implementation. Despite these obstacles, the research underscores the value of ChatGPT as a tool for educators designing language programs and for researchers working in comparable settings.

Evolution of scientific productivity in dentistry: tracking postgraduate publications at a Peruvian university

IntroductionScientific production indicators help universities quantitatively and qualitatively assess postgraduate students’ publications and contribute to the optimization of research processes. This study aimed to determine the frequency of publication in scientific journals of the documents submitted by postgraduate dentistry students to obtain a second professional specialty title and master's and doctoral degrees at a private Peruvian university over seven years.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted, considering the population and the records of documents submitted to obtain the second professional specialty title and the master's and doctoral degrees in dentistry at a private Peruvian university, published in its institutional repository from 2017 to 2023. The primary outcome was publication in scientific journals, and the covariates were the year of formal submission of the document, postgraduate level, modality of document preparation, area of dentistry specialty according to the American Dental Association, year of publication, international indexing, impact factor (IF), and quartile. A descriptive analysis was performed to obtain absolute and relative frequencies.ResultsBetween 2017 and 2023, out of 322 documents submitted to receive the second professional specialty title and the master's and doctoral degrees published in the institutional repository, 72 were published in scientific journals. Of these, 81.94% (n = 59) were published in an internationally indexed scientific journal, with 13.56% (n = 8) published in a journal with an IF≥2 and 10.18% (n = 6) in a Q1 category journal.DiscussionIn low-income countries, the nexus between education and scientific output is multifaceted. While education serves as a critical catalyst, numerous challenges constrain the expansion of research. These nations contribute a mere 2% of global scientific production, despite confronting significant public health issues, underscoring a notable discrepancy between educational attainment and research productivity. The disparities in scientific output across universities in Latin America, Asia, and Europe are shaped by a confluence of cultural and economic determinants. In conclusion, 22.36% of the documents submitted to obtain the second professional specialty title and the master's and doctoral degrees by postgraduate dentistry students at a private Peruvian university over seven years were published in scientific journals.

A Qualitative Study and Future Research Agenda for Cultivating Critical Thinking in Culturally Diverse Postgraduate Students

Critical thinking, based on Western cognitive models, is a commonly expected and desired skill in learners in Western academic institutions. This phenomenological study uses an interpretivist paradigm to explore culturally-influenced perceptions of critical thinking. It suggests ways through which marketing instructors and culturally diverse, postgraduate students can change their perspectives to enhance critical-thinking enactment and expression in culturally diverse marketing classrooms. The study expounds a clarified construct of critical thinking and presents a critical-thinking cultivation framework to empower culturally diverse, postgraduate, marketing students with the ability and self-authority to engage in critical thinking. In addition, a toolset of critical-thinking cultivation techniques is offered that marketing instructors can use in the classroom to enable them to achieve their course and university objectives.

Effectiveness of an Internet-Based Self-Help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Program on Medical Students' Mental Well-Being: Follow-Up Randomized Controlled Trial.

Psychological distress is a growing problem among medical students worldwide. This highlights the need for psychological interventions to focus on mental health and improve well-being in this population. This study developed an internet-based, self-help, acceptance and commitment therapy program (iACT 2.0), aiming to examine its effectiveness in reducing depression, anxiety, stress, psychological inflexibility (PI), and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) among medical students. A total of 520 Chinese postgraduate medical students were randomly assigned to either an iACT 2.0 intervention group (n=260; six online lessons, once every 5 days) or a control condition (n=260; without intervention). Participants completed questionnaires including the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the revised Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, and the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory at the preintervention (T1), postintervention (T2), and 1-month follow-up time points (T3). No therapist support was provided during the 1-month iACT 2.0 intervention period. Data were collected via an online platform and analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Participants in the intervention group demonstrated a significant decrease in depression, anxiety, stress, PI, and OCSs compared to the control group after the intervention (F=22.9-672.04, all P<.001). Specifically, the intervention group showed significant reductions in all measured outcomes from the preintervention to postintervention time point and at the 1-month follow-up (all P<.001). In contrast, no significant changes were observed in the control group over the same period (all P>.05). The groups did not differ significantly at baseline (all P>.05). Significant differences were noted at both the postintervention and follow-up time points (all P<.001). This study demonstrated that the newly developed iACT 2.0 was effective in reducing depression, anxiety, stress, PI, and OCSs. Notably, the positive effects of the intervention persisted at the 1-month follow-up. This program can offer a useful addition to existing mental illness treatment and lead to improvements in clinical and psychotherapy planning while simultaneously reducing the burden on traditional counseling and services. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300070725; https://tinyurl.com/2h75wx8n.

Vol 1 Issue 1 – Welcome to the issue

Welcome to this, the inaugural edition of the Northumbria Psychology Bulletin where we showcase some of the outstanding research conducted by our undergraduate and postgraduate students, both campus based and distance learning. Our goal is to provide a platform for innovative research that might help launch the careers of the next generation of professional and academic psychologists. I have always been impressed by the diversity and quality of research that our students carry out in the completion of their programmes of study under the exceptional supervision of our academic team. The continuing approach adopted by the department of psychology to support and facilitate the research ideas generated by the students is something that delivers an excellent opportunity for their development of research skills and steps towards independence. The continued student engagement with the process of writing for publication and the ongoing guidance of their supervisors is particularly impressive given that it extends beyond the completion of their degree programmes and is purely voluntary. I think it demonstrates the commitment of both parties to success beyond the classroom as well as the potential contribution our graduates can make to academic research. This issue features articles reporting applied experimental research in the area of healthcare and a qualitative investigation of the impact of Covid on the experience of higher education. I invite readers to engage with these thought-provoking studies and look forward to the future success of this journal.

Favorable Strategies for oral biology learning from dental students’ perception

Oral biology is an important tool in clinical dental training. Therefore, a good understanding of oral biology is crucial for improving the outcomes of dental education. This study aims to assess dental students’ perceptions of the relevance of oral biology in dentistry and investigate their attitudes toward learning and study approaches. We also investigated the acceptance of each teaching method and study resources. Materials and methodsA Likert scale-based online questionnaire was administered to undergraduate dental students, dental interns and to a group of postgraduate dental students at the College of Dentistry, Umm AlQura university in the end of the academic year.Results and conclusion:The results indicated that most dental students consider oral biology relevant to dental education and clinical practice. Academic lectures appear to be the most favorable learning method for dental students, followed by practical sessions. Regarding preferred study resources, handouts appeared to be the most preferred, followed by online resources. Furthermore, it appears that students’ preferences for teaching methods and study resources often vary according to their academic level; overall, it appears that students depend more on passive learning than active learning.

34th Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists Annual Conference in collaboration with 2nd Malaysian Biomedical Science Association Symposium 2024

The Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists (MACB) and the Malaysian Biomedical Science Association (MyBiomed) successfully organized the 34th MACB Conference in conjunction with the 2nd MyBiomed Symposium 2024. Under the theme 'Towards Holistic Integration and Sustainability in Medical Laboratories, the event brought together experts from various disciplines to explore advancements and sustainability in laboratory medicine and biomedical science. The conference featured a comprehensive program including plenary lectures, industrial talks, oral and poster presentations, and trade exhibitions. It provided a platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge and insights into emerging technologies and practices. A diverse range of professionals participated, including local and international chemical pathologists, clinical biochemists, medical laboratory scientists, researchers, and postgraduate students. Key topics covered included natural product research, herbs and metabolic disease, molecular diagnostics, pharmacology and toxicology, endocrinology, reference intervals, value-based laboratory medicine, newborn screening, the role of digital technologies in medical labs, and strategies for developing green &amp; sustainable medical laboratories. The discussions were aligned with the conference’s goal of fostering integration and sustainable practices in the medical laboratory sector, reflecting the latest trends and future directions of the field. The event achieved its aim of providing participants with valuable updates on scientific and technological innovations while fostering collaboration and dialogue among laboratory professionals at a global scale.

Influence of green practices on environmental consciousness of management students for perceived financial well-being

This study explores the relationship between green practices, environmental consciousness, and perceived financial well-being among management students, focusing on pursuing postgraduate students from the Delhi region in India. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted between January 2024 to March 2024 and the data were coded and analyzed using NVivo 14 to identify key themes and sentiments. Aligned with the Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Identity Theory, and PERMA theory, the study presents a novel framework for understanding green practices, environmental consciousness, and financial well-being to integrate with management education. The study identified 17 themes indicating that green practices contribute to raising environmental consciousness among students, thereby shaping their perceived financial well-being. The study highlights the importance of integrating sustainability education into the management education curriculum to prepare future business leaders for sustainable practices. The findings of the study offer insights for educators, academicians, businesses, policymakers, and researchers aiming to align strategies with management student preferences, promoting sustainable business practices and leadership.

Okay in intercultural lingua franca interactions between Chinese and British postgraduate students

AbstractThe forms and functions of okay have been investigated extensively in contexts where interlocutors speak the same language (e.g., German, Hungarian, and Swedish). Conversely, comparatively few studies have been conducted on how okay is used among people who do not share the same first language, such as lingua franca encounters. This article narrows this gap by investigating the use of okay in face‐to‐face tandem language learning between Chinese Expanding Circle users of English and British Inner Circle users of English. Using applied conversation analysis on a large corpus of 36 h of video recordings, the findings demonstrate that okay is used by both groups of speakers to manage comprehension in two ways: (1) okay is used to display sufficient understanding and (2) okay is used to display insufficient understanding. Although both groups of speakers use okay to claim sufficient and insufficient understanding, there are small, nuanced ways that the British Inner Circle users of English and Chinese Expanding Circle users of English differ in the use of discourse markers. These findings suggest that much more work is needed to fully understand how discourse markers are used in lingua franca interactions and world Englishes contexts.

The challenging reality of the clinical learning environment at Damascus University Faculty of Dental Medicine in Syria: A qualitative study

Introduction In Syria, specialist dentists undergo five years of undergraduate education and four years of postgraduate education. In the latter, students engage in treating complex cases as part of their professional training. This study aimed to obtain in-depth qualitative understanding of the clinical learning environment at Damascus University Faculty of Dental Medicine, Syria. Methods Semi-structured interviews were held with eight postgraduate dental students at Damascus University Faculty of Dental Medicine. The faculty has eight clinical departments; therefore, a single participant was purposively sampled from each department. The male-female ratio of the eight interviewed participants was 1:1. All interviews were conducted between 26th April 2020 and 8th January 2021. Data were analyzed inductively using reflective thematic analysis. Pragmatic saturation was discussed during the analysis and the authors made an interpretative judgement to stop data collection at the eighth interview. Results Major themes which emerged covered different aspects of the clinical learning environment such as clinical training, social interaction and assessment procedures. Faculty’s negligence of their teaching duties was one of the most recurrent themes. In clinical training and due to faculty inaccessibility, students had to rely on themselves or their senior peers in training. The social climate was perceived negatively and assessment was described as unfair and biased. Discussion This study employed Gruppen’s conceptual framework to conduct a theory informed analysis of the clinical learning environment in a dental school with limited resources. The findings highlight important areas of improvement that needs addressing, including the unavailability of teaching staff, neglect of student needs, a competitive social atmosphere, and inconsistent assessment practices. Future research ought to focus on understanding the perspectives of teaching faculty and decision makers regarding the obstacles to implementing substantial reforms aimed at enhancing the clinical learning experience.

The Influence of Positive Thinking Interventions on Reducing Academic Stress among Postgraduate Students during Thesis Writing

The Influence of Positive Thinking Interventions on Reducing Academic Stress among Postgraduate Students during Thesis Writing

Exploring Metacognitive Awareness and Metaliteracy Skills Towards Becoming a Self-Determined Postgraduate Student: A Case Study

Research and scholarly output are essential in the advancement of knowledge and society as a whole. In South Africa, the Council for Higher Education (CHE) requires that learning and teaching at higher education institutions (HEIs) must be informed by research done by universities. With high dropout rates these aspirations are not attainable. The question that this study addresses is: firstly, what motivates emerging researchers and postgraduate students to enrol for research and postgraduate programmes at a South African higher education institution, and secondly, what motivates them to complete their studies. Following a qualitative approach, this case study explores self-determination awareness among a group of master’s students in a supervisory context. It interrogates requisite metaliteracy competencies and the core metacognitive attributes underpinning human motivation. The aim is to ascertain how students doing research could be supported and developed to become self-directed and motivated to conduct and complete quality research. The value of the study lies in adding new knowledge to an under-explored area and to propose steps to close the current gap.