Preparation Of Students Research Articles

Advancing inclusive practices in higher education: possibilities and limitations of a social justice professional development course

ABSTRACT Research on widening the participation of historically underrepresented university students tends to focus on student preparation and the structural adjustments needed to attract and retain them. Few studies have examined how to prepare university staff for the diversity of students that comes with such widening participation programmes. This paper contributes to this gap by discussing the impact that a professional development course on practising inclusion in higher education had on academic and professional staff participants’ understanding of equitable and inclusive practices. Using interview data, we found that participants developed a more nuanced and sensitive practice and greater confidence to act for change as they acquired new skills and knowledge associated with social inclusion practices, reflected on their professional identity changes, and gained critical insights into their roles. These findings support the need for this type of professional development to prepare all higher education staff to genuinely support university students from underrepresented groups. They also highlight the need for these professional development offerings to foster greater reflexivity about taken-for-granted assumptions, a deeper understanding of structural power and inequity in higher education, and higher education staff members’ capacity to enact change within these structures.

Technologies for ensuring the unity of physical and military-patriotic education of high school students

The article examines the content and technologies of the unity of physical and military-patriotic education of high school students. It is highlighted that the relevance of the research is determined by society's need for a self-sufficient, goal-oriented, decisive, self-confident individual who is able to realize his role in the life of the state, to take an active part in applied physical training, physical culture and health activities and social life, to be ready to protect the Motherland , devoted to her interests. The article mentions the study of modern psychological and pedagogical literature on the studied category. The results of the analysis of the practice of educational work of general secondary education institutions confirm that the levels of physical and military-patriotic education of high school students do not meet modern requirements in the conditions of martial law. It is highlighted that the content of applied physical training consists in the fact that high school students (future soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) during the lessons of physical culture and "Defense of Ukraine" acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities about physical and tactical-technical training, physical, the need to overcome significant physical exertion and adverse factors of combat activity. In our opinion, using the unity of physical and military-patriotic education in the process of applied physical training helps high school students to gain the necessary knowledge and ideas, new interesting practical experience; try yourself in various physical and mass activities and military-patriotic roles; to acquire the necessary skills and abilities to work in a team. Also, the benefit of this research lies in the actualization of important functions of education, namely: increasing the levels of physical fitness, physical and military-patriotic upbringing of schoolchildren in conditions of armed and informational aggression; increasing the level of readiness of students to serve in the Armed Forces, other military formations and the defense of Ukraine; protection of high school students from hostile information and propaganda influence.

Physical fitness as a component of students' psychological readiness to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Introduction and purpose of the study. An important task of physical education is a timely response to the needs of society. In the context of the full-scale war unleashed against Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the problem of psychological preparation of conscripts for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine has become especially relevant. The author proceeds from the fact that he considers physical fitness as an important factor in the psychological readiness of students for service in the armed forces. The purpose of the study is to test the hypothesis about the positive impact of physical fitness on the psychological readiness of students to serve in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Material and methods. The study involved 29 students of the Dnipro National University of Railway Transport named after Academician V. Lazaryan. Diagnostics of physical fitness was carried out using the tests proposed in the State Tests and Standards for Assessing the Physical Fitness of the Population of Ukraine. To diagnose psychological characteristics, appropriate methods of psychological diagnosis were used. Results. The relationship between the indicators of physical fitness and a number of personality characteristics that determine the psychological readiness of students for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been established. Conclusions. Physical fitness of students is a factor that significantly affects such components of psychological readiness for service in the armed forces as selectivity of attention, concentration and stability of attention, personal anxiety, tolerance to uncertainty, volitional qualities of the individual.

Enhancing fieldwork readiness in occupational therapy students with generative AI.

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into health professions education is revolutionizing traditional teaching methodologies and enhancing learning experiences. This study explores the use of generative AI to aid occupational therapy (OT) students in intervention planning. OT students often lack the background knowledge to generate a wide variety of interventions, spending excessive time on idea generation rather than clinical reasoning, practice skills, and patient care. AI can enhance creative ideation but students must still adhere to evidence-based practice, patient safety, and privacy standards. Students used ChatGPT v. 3.5 in a lecture and assignment to integrate generative AI into intervention planning. Students analyzed a case study, generated ideas with ChatGPT, selected interventions that aligned with the client's needs, and provided a rationale. They conducted evidence-based searches and wrote an analysis on how the research influenced their decisions. The results demonstrate generative AI's potential as a valuable tool for OT students, enhancing their comfort with AI and understanding of ethical and safety considerations. Qualitative feedback highlighted AI's role in boosting efficiency and creativity in intervention planning, with most students expressing strong intent to use ChatGPT in clinical practice due to its ability to reduce cognitive load and generate innovative ideas. These findings suggest that integrating generative AI into the OT curriculum could enhance intervention planning and improve clinical readiness.

Динамика профессиональной идентичности студентов аграрного колледжа в процессе профессионального обучения

The study aimed to identify the dynamics of professional identity of students of an agricultural college in the process of their professional training. The study was carried out using the cross-sectional method. It involved students of the 1st (n = 42), 3rd (n = 38) and 4th (n = 36) years studying in the areas of agricultural education. To identify the features of the professional identity of respondents, the methodology of A.A. Ozerina was chosen, with the help of which the educational and professional plans of students studying in different years, their professional position, motivation, professional intentions, attitude to the acquired profession and its representatives, self-assessment of themselves as a future specialist were studied. It was revealed that professional training has a positive effect on the formation of professional identity in students of an agricultural college, which is reflected in its positive dynamics from the first to the third year. However, in the final year, due to the crisis of professional training, there is a decrease in the number of students ready to build a professional career in the agro-industrial complex. The study concludes that in the process of professional training of future specialists in the agro-industrial complex, it is necessary to develop and implement targeted programs to form their professional focus on work in the field of the acquired profession. The main areas of such programs should be the development of educational and professional motivation, subjective position, the formation of a positive attitude to the acquired profession through overcoming the stereotypical image of an agricultural worker, fixed in the mass consciousness, the ability and readiness of students to independently and maturely choose their professional future.

Current and Future Directions for School Media Specialists

School media specialists have served as technological experts for their schools and have been pioneers with digital natives, helping create good digital citizens and addressing digital gaps for learners and advocate for access no matter what barriers students face. School of Library and Information Science programs have focused on creating a curriculum that will help create a school technology expert for every school library. This served schools well during the COVID-19 shutdowns, where the school had to find new ways for students to learn remotely.School media specialists have now become the target of hate in their schools. This has become increasingly complicated with states legislating what can be put in school libraries and how teachers can address historical events. School media specialists are required to make decisions on access or potentially losing their jobs. While these are important areas, they are just a small part of the job for school media specialists. The American Association of School Librarians has increased the expected role for school media specialists, having them often serve as teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator, all in addition to serving as the expert technologist at their school. However, not all school media programs take this approach to pedagogy for school media.School media specialists create technological opportunities for schools and are a key source for teachers seeking to reach students with diverse learning styles while informing and building relationships with families on internet safety and other important topics. Teachers depend on school media specialists to provide resources and support for the classroom while school media specialists also support students’ intellectual freedom. Ultimately, the focus for school media specialists has been to try to create a school library that represents everyone’s values. While this sounds ideal, it has been a difficult road for the profession.The position of school media specialist has changed dramatically over the last four years. This panel seeks to address research contributions to scholarship on school media specialists and how Schools of Library and Information Science are changing their programs to prepare school media specialists for the workforce. There will be a moderator and a panel comprised of four faculty members who are educators, practitioners, and researchers specializing in school media. Their perspectives and expertise will be present in this discussion, along with the following discussion topics:What are your current research findings telling you?What are practitioners experiencing?What is working with educational pedagogy in school media?What is not working with educational pedagogy in school media?What new technologies have you incorporated into the curriculum?What changes are being made at Schools of Information Science programs to help ready students for the current environment?The panel will explore questions of education, research, and practitioner-based experiences to address concerns impacting school media specialists. The information will inform the future discussion and curriculum pedagogy for school media specialists. The panel discussion will be formatted around the expertise of the faculty with school media. These discussions will inform pedagogical teaching practices in school media programs and hopefully provide a framework for improvement.

EVALUATION OF STUDENTS' TRAINING LEVEL IN THE ELECTIVE DISCIPLINE "QUALITY SYSTEMS IN PHARMACY"

The pharmaceutical industry is rapidly developing and implementing new innovative approaches and legal regulation of the quality management system of medicinal products, which includes a set of methods, processes and resources that are necessary for quality management. Therefore, the study by students of the specialty 226 "Pharmacy, industrial pharmacy" of the elective discipline "Quality systems in pharmacy" is an important area of professional training of a qualified specialist who will master the methodology of quality management, normative-legislative and organizational-economic aspects of quality control of medicinal products at pharmaceutical enterprises. Training of domestic students in the field of drug technology is an important direction of pharmaceutical education today. The main tasks of studying the elective discipline "Quality Systems in Pharmacy" are: formation of students of higher education in general knowledge about the quality indicators of medicinal products according to the stage of their life cycle by fulfilling the requirements of proper pharmaceutical practices and developing documentation in accordance with their requirements; formation of practical skills; raising the level of general and scientific development of students of higher education, forming their outlook and perspective as modern qualified specialists in the field of pharmacy. The purpose of the work was to study the assessment of the level of training of domestic students in the elective discipline "Quality Systems in Pharmacy". Materials and methods. We used an empirical research method (questionnaire). Questionnaire was a key research method, as it allows to get answers from the student audience regarding the organization of the educational process. A survey was conducted to assess the level of preparation of domestic students of the 5th year of the Faculty of Pharmacy who completed the study of the selective discipline "Quality Systems in Pharmacy". 50 full-time students and 2 distance learning students took part in the survey. Out of all the respondents, only one studies on budget forms of education. Research results. According to the curriculum, the elective discipline "Quality Systems in Pharmacy" at the Faculty of Pharmacy of IFNMU is studied in the V course in the IX semester, at the stage when students have already acquired basic knowledge of pharmaceutical disciplines. The discipline is chosen by already formed specialists who possess a large stock of theoretical knowledge and practical skills and are motivated to study a new subject, so it remains for the teacher to systematize information for the proper conduct of the discipline study course. 3 ECTS credits are provided for the study of the discipline in the curriculum. The discipline includes 20 hours of lectures, 30 hours of practical classes, 40 hours of independent student work and ends with a module. Lecture and practical material taught at the level of modern scientific and practical data with the aim of forming students' program results. We conducted an analysis of problems in the organization of the educational process for students of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University during full-time education. The success of implementing the selective discipline "Quality Systems in Pharmacy" and ensuring a high level of training depends primarily on the quality of the work of scientific and pedagogical workers.

Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude of Pharm.D. Students on Antimicrobial Stewardship: A Report

Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) is a strategy to optimize antimicrobials and prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Pharm.D. students are future Clinical pharmacists who play a key role in promoting rational use and implementing AMS programs. Only a few studies about their knowledge, awareness and attitude regarding AMS exist. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the middle of December 2023, among Pharm.D. students of different academic years from three Pharmacy colleges and Pharm.D. graduates in South India. The survey was conducted online using a validated questionnaire and Pharm.D. students audited the results under the guidance of an Infectious disease specialist. The survey comprised 17 questions covering demographic information, AMS knowledge, attitude and awareness questionnaires. This study included a total of 190 respondents. However, only 32.11% reported having participated in any AMS activity during their period of pharmacy education. Pharm.D. students have a positive attitude (72.48%) and optimal awareness (65.13%) but they lack sufficient knowledge (45.19%) towards AMS, specifically regarding surgical prophylaxis and antibiotic allergy testing. It serves as a valuable resource for educators, policymakers and stakeholders involved in shaping the curricula of Pharm.D. programs to enhance the training and preparedness of students in AMS practices. In the future, AMS education programs should target not only clinicians but also Pharm.D. students and interns.

Student engagement and accountability in flipped and traditional classrooms: A comparison of concept map and question and answer homework strategies

Flipped classroom structures are increasingly prevalent in higher education and facilitating student preparation is a necessary ingredient to maximize effectiveness of the approach. This research expanded upon a yearlong pilot study comparing two types of accountability homework in flipped and traditionally structured first year master’s level healthcare classrooms. Outcome measures included perceived learning, satisfaction, and usefulness of concept maps (CM) versus question-answer-rationale (QAR) homework. Study sample ( n = 77) participants were randomly assigned to either CM or QAR homework group for a period of 4 weeks. Then, participants completed the alternate homework type for a subsequent 4 weeks. Findings indicated that perceived learning, satisfaction, and usability of the method was significantly greater in the CM group as compared to the QAR group in both traditional and flipped classrooms. The use of accountability homework assignments is discussed for both classroom types.

Practice-oriented tasks as a tool for testing the readiness of high school students for elective courses in informatics

The article substantiates the importance of incoming control for elective courses in informatics. It shows what didactic tools can be used to implement this control. Several elective courses in informatics developed by students of the Physics and Mathematics Department of the Mordovian State Pedagogical University named after M. E. Evseviev on the university discipline "Technology of development and methodology of conducting elective courses in informatics" are given. For each of them, developed practice-oriented tasks for the incoming control are given, which take into account the minimum set of knowledge and skills of schoolchildren necessary for successful assimilation of the material by the latter. Possible results of completing the tasks of the incoming control are demonstrated and it is shown what information a teacher can extract from them in order to effectively create an elective course, including the choice of forms and methods of teaching, organizing the activities of students, combining them into pairs or groups to perform joint project work.

Двата модела практика в професионалното обучение: теоретична или реална и практическа, swot анализ

Education, as a multifaceted process, encompasses both theoretical knowledge and the practical application of this knowledge. Effective teaching in secondary vocational education requires a balance between the two aspects to ensure a comprehensive and effective preparation of students. The article comments on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT-analysis) of theoretical practice classes and in relation to practical teaching, also indicates how these approaches can be optimized for better educational practices and results. The analysis was carried out in two aspects: both for students and for vocational teachers, and was supported by an exploratory survey.

College Preparation of U.S. High School Students, the Dual Enrollment/Early College Program Model, and Impact on Educational Administration and Stakeholders

Numerous dual enrollment programs have recently emerged due to the ongoing push for pursuing higher education in the United States. In South Texas, dual enrollment programs are prevalent in almost every high school campus and collaborating colleges and universities. This begs the question, Are students being adequately prepared for college in high school? Currently, there are concerns regarding college preparation for American high school students that include academic preparation/college preparation, academic rigor, college readiness, academic preparation, and overcoming personal barriers to success. Moreover, this review also discusses challenges that students face to succeed in college such as financial barriers, being a first-generation college student, being a part of a minority group, and not receiving adequate preparation through college. Last, different stakeholders such as strategic leaders, educators, and students shed light on the dual enrollment/early college program and its impact.

Enhancing academic performance: a shadow curriculum approach for medical and dental student preparation in basic sciences and pre-internship comprehensive exams

BackgroundThe shadow curriculum is an emerging concept in curriculum studies that has not yet garnered significant attention in medical education. It includes programs and activities outside formal education to improve students’ academic performance in the formal educational system.ObjectiveIn this study, we designed and developed an online course based on the shadow curriculum and evaluated its effect on students’ learning and academic performance.MethodsThis study represents a form of developmental research, with the study population comprising medical and dental students from universities of medical sciences in Iran. The course was conducted at the Smart University of Medical Sciences, following the ADDIE instructional design approach in three phases. The initial two phases involved designing and implementing the program according to the students’ needs and requirements. In the third phase, we evaluated the program using the Kirkpatrick model. In the first level evaluation, the reaction of 70 students in the course was investigated. To assess the impact of the course, pre and post-tests were administered to 30 students. Finally, the effect of the course on students’ success in the comprehensive exams for basic medical sciences, dentistry, and pre-internship was analyzed by examining the passing and failing statuses of 83 and 57 students who participated in the September 2023 and February 2024 exams.ResultsThe results indicated that the students responded positively to the program. The analysis of pre-test and post-test scores showed a significant improvement in the students’ academic performance across all the subjects presented in the course, including basic medical sciences, dentistry, and pre-internship (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). Overall, the descriptive analysis of the program’s influence on the students’ success in comprehensive exams in basic medical sciences, dentistry, and pre-internship showed that 70 out of 83 participating students passed the September 2023 comprehensive exams. Additionally, 51 out of 57 participants completed the comprehensive exams in February 2024.ConclusionsIn an era where the shadow curriculum is reshaping learning and the educational landscape, the findings presented in this study indicate that this type of curriculum should be given special attention in the theoretical, research, and practical dimensions of the field of medical education.

Computational Thinking Readiness Level of First-Year Students of Mathematics Education

The main objective of this study was to measure the level of computational thinking readiness in prospective first-year mathematics education students. In addition, this study also aims to identify factors that influence their level of readiness towards computational thinking. This research is qualitative and descriptive in nature. This study describes first-year mathematics education students' mathematical computational thinking ability based on the theory of mathematical computational thinking. This study was conducted on first-year mathematics education students in the academic year 2023/2024. There were 16 first-year mathematics education students, all of whom were taken as samples in this study, to obtain more in-depth information about the computational thinking ability of first-year mathematics education students for further research development. The instruments used to collect data on first-year mathematics education students' mathematical computational thinking ability are (1) a mathematical computational thinking ability test and (2) an interview. The data obtained were calculated using statistical tests, and the results will be explained in depth. The mean score of the first-year mathematics education student's computational thinking ability test was 59.68, indicating that students generally have a fairly good level of computational thinking ability.

Beyond the Demographics of the Special Education Workforce: Developing Intersectional Competence to Sustain Teachers of Color

This case demonstrates how school administrators’ development of intersectional competence can disrupt racial inequity in special education. Intersectional competence refers to educators’ preparedness to recognize how schooling is implicated in multiple, intersecting systems of oppression, collaborate with relevant stakeholders who themselves navigate multiple social marginalizations, and consider sociocultural differences while making instructional decisions. Examining how federal legislation approaches racial disparities in special education and its emphasis on personnel preparation for students with disabilities, the authors argue that recruiting, preparing, and sustaining racialized teachers is more complex than simply focusing on their racialized identities.

Flipped Classrooms: Addressing Students Participation and Preparedness

The flipped classroom concept has gained attention in recent years as a modern pedagogical approach that offers an alternative to traditional teaching methods. While the flipped classroom model represents a significant shift in teaching strategies, its effectiveness in promoting active student participation and engagement cannot be guaranteed. The widespread use of mobile phones and computers has had a negative impact on digital learners, leading to a decline in the review of pre-class materials among higher education students. This paper critically examines the potential of the flipped classroom as an active learning strategy and raises questions about its effectiveness in meeting students' diverse needs. Results indicate that the flipped classroom teaching approach enhances student engagement and academic achievement. However, the effectiveness of this method hinges on digital learners adapting their study habits. A significant number of students fail to review course materials outside of class due to their reliance on digital tools, resulting in reduced pre-class preparation and fewer active participants in classroom discussions.

Changes in mathematical skills among freshman engineering students

This study investigates the critical transition from secondary to tertiary mathematics education, focusing on students’ challenges and the impact of curriculum reforms in Sweden. Through an analysis of diagnostic test scores and admission data from Umeå University over the period 2006–2021, we examine the evolving mathematical competencies of incoming engineering students and the broader implications of these shifts for educational policy and student preparedness for higher education. Our findings indicate a significant improvement in students’ mathematical readiness in the latter years of the study, correlating with the implementation of curriculum changes and variations in admission statistics. This research documents the positive outcomes of these educational reforms on student preparedness. It places these findings within a global context, highlighting the universal challenges and responses in mathematics education transitions. The study underscores the complex dynamics of the secondary-tertiary transition and provides valuable insights into the specific mathematical areas where students have shown varying degrees of improvement.

About the results of the olympiad in the discipline "Law" among 9th grade students

The article analyzes the results of the regional stage of the All-Russian Olympiad of schoolchildren in the discipline "Law" in 2023-2024, the authors conducted acomparative analysis of the results of competitive works of 9th grade students. The authors of the work have proposed recommendations in the framework of additional preparation of students for the Olympiad in the discipline "Law", which, of course, is an important contribution to the development of legal education of schoolchildren.

Assessing student readiness for mobile learning from a cybersecurity perspective

This research aims to measure student readiness in implementing mobile learning from a cybersecurity perspective. Using a quantitative method with a survey approach, the participants in this research were 150 students of the electrical engineering study program at Padang State University in Indonesia, who were randomly stratified to ensure a balanced representation of the academic year. The research is an online objective test related to cybersecurity topics. The data analysis technique used is quantitative descriptive. The analysis results show that system updates are the only indicator with a “good” awareness level, while other indicators are at the “sufficient” and “poor” levels, indicating the need for further improvement. These findings underscore the importance of integrating cyber security education in mobile learning curricula to increase student readiness to face evolving cyber threats. Thus, this research recommends developing specific training programs and adding comprehensive cybersecurity material to the curriculum to equip students with the skills necessary to maintain cybersecurity effectively.

To Develop and Implement a Preclinical Operative Dentistry Module to Enhance Class-II Cavity Preparation Training

Background: A competent dental undergraduate at the preclinical level will ensure a confident transition into clinics and quality treatment for patients. Cavity preparation of a tooth is one of the key competencies in dentistry. A preclinical training module was introduced to enhance the skill training and improve students’ learning. Aim: This study aims to develop and implement a preclinical operative dentistry module to enhance Class-II cavity preparation training. Methodology: Feedback was taken from the 3rd year undergraduate batch regarding the preclinical operative dentistry training. Based on the feedback, a training module was developed and implemented for Class-II cavity preparation for 2nd year dental students. The three-stage intervention included a preparatory intervention with a Prebrief PowerPoint presentation, followed by a live demonstration of the Class-II cavity preparation and access to a video demonstration. In the third stage, formative assessments were conducted with the help of an assessment rubric. At the end, student and faculty perceptions were gathered using a feedback survey. Results: Most students (98%) were satisfied with the training. All the faculty strongly agreed that the module should be part of future training. Video demonstration and rubric-based assessments were testified by 93% of students as the most helpful element of the module. Major themes after thematic analysis were a better understanding of the procedure, enhanced visualization, the ability to identify areas for improvement, and boosted confidence for final exams. Conclusions: The preclinical training module successfully met the needs of the participating undergraduate students. Video demonstration proved a beneficial digital learning resource.