Course Of Preparation Research Articles

EMI Classroom Practices of International Program in Thailand University: A Perspective of EFL Thai’s Students

Background and Aim: The adoption of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Thailand, particularly in university-level international programs, was driven by various factors. Most notably, it was viewed as a strategic move to prepare students for an increasingly interconnected world where English reigns supreme in academia, business, and diplomacy. This research examines the attitudes, challenges, and practices of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in an international program at a Thai university from the perspectives of Thai EFL learners. Materials and Methods: The study employs a mixed-methods approach, utilizing surveys, interviews, and classroom observations. A five-point rating scale questionnaire was distributed to 80 learners to investigate their perceptions of EMI. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 participants to gather detailed information on their attitudes, perceived advantages, and challenges related to EMI. Results: The findings reveal that Thai EFL learners have a positive attitude towards EMI, recognizing its benefits for English language proficiency and future employment opportunities. However, they face challenges in understanding instructors' English speaking, comprehending materials, and acquiring specialized vocabulary. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the importance of language preparatory courses, provision of support materials, teacher training, and the development of intercultural competence. Furthermore, it suggests that future research should involve a larger sample size and encompass various educational environments to gain a comprehensive understanding of Thai EFL learners' perspectives on EMI in international programs at Thai universities.

Success for All: Maximizing Digital Accessibility in Special Education Teacher Preparation Courses through Universal Design for Learning

Digital accessibility has become one of the most critical components for post-secondary student learning success because accessibility is the first step of learning and the diverse college student population. However, emerging studies showed that teacher candidates experience high challenges in completing the program due to inaccessible course materials or course implementation. Furthermore, teacher educators addressed the need for more knowledge and skills in utilizing digital accessibility. Despite the demands, few guidelines exist for teacher educators to improve classroom digital accessibility. This article suggests multiple avenues of action for teacher educators to enhance accessibility through the lens of universal design for learning so that all teacher candidates with and without disabilities can succeed. Embedded vignettes illustrate an experience of a practicing teacher educator faced with modifying content with increased demands beyond their own training in special education.

Teaching the Teacher: Implementing a Tool kit to Standardize Effective Preceptorship of Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Faculty can support successful preceptor-led clinical experiences by providing registered nurses with educational resources to guide them in the preceptor role. To upgrade our institution's educational resources using an online platform that enables just-in-time access. This was a quality improvement project to create and implement an educational resource tool kit for prelicensure nursing preceptors. Half of our preceptors (n = 46, 52%) had no formal preceptor education. The preceptors used all the resources and were satisfied with the tool kit's content and ease of use. Implementing the tool kit was feasible. Further development includes ( a ) adding content regarding diverse students and trauma-informed nursing care, ( b ) incorporating interactive educational materials, ( c ) exploring avenues to reduce cognitive load, ( d ) creating a prelicensure preceptor preparation course, and ( e ) considering avenues for providing open access for nursing faculty of prelicensure programs.

A Description of Required NAPLEX Preparation Courses Among US Pharmacy Programs

ObjectiveOne of the final tasks for pharmacy graduates to enter practice is passing the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). Given the recent national declines in pass rates, programs are making significant investments of time and money in NAPLEX preparation. The objective is to characterize the structure and content of required NAPLEX preparation courses. MethodsA survey on NAPLEX preparation practices was developed and distributed to all Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education-accredited pharmacy schools. NAPLEX preparation course syllabi were also collected as part of this survey. Syllabus information was summarized into 4 elements: course structure, content, resources, and assessment strategies. ResultsOf 144 colleges/schools of pharmacy, 100 responded to the survey, 87 reported having a NAPLEX preparation program, and 47 reported having a NAPLEX preparation course. Twenty syllabi were collected. Most courses (14) were longitudinal through the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences year, 16 were credit-bearing, and 19 included a vendor NAPLEX preparatory product. Fourteen courses were hybrid delivery, and 12 focused on licensure preparation and included test-taking strategies, calculations practice, case-based discussions, etc. All 20 courses reported using unproctored timed quizzes and practice examinations, half conducted proctored timed assessments, and 11 included written reflections and/or continuous professional development activities. Most courses were pass/fail (15), and high stakes (16) were defined by delayed or withheld graduation as a consequence for failure. Only 3 of 20 NAPLEX preparation courses were mapped to NAPLEX competencies. ConclusionAlthough required NAPLEX preparation courses focus on assessments, the content is infrequently mapped to NAPLEX competencies. This project provides some information on how schools might create their own NAPLEX preparatory courses.

Strategies to prevent medical errors by nursing interns: a qualitative content analysis

BackgroundNursing interns often face the serious challenges and stress of clinical training. Identifying effective strategies in reducing medical errors can improve student performance and decrease patient risk and injury from errors. The purpose of this study was to identify strategies to prevent medical errors by nursing interns in Medical Universities in Sistan and Baluchistan, Southeast of Iran.MethodsThis is a qualitative study using a content analysis approach. Purposive sampling was used. The study was conducted in 3 medical universities. Ten nursing interns participated in this study. Open-ended, semi-structured, and face-to-face, interviews were used to explore the experience of nursing interns about strategies to prevent medical errors during their internship.ResultsFindings include 20 subcategories, 6 categories and one theme. The main theme is “strategies to prevent medical errors during internship”. Six categories included “strategies to prevent medical errors during internship”. These included “Professional acceptance and support”, “Revision of the implementation of the educational curriculum”, “Retraining courses for challenging skills”, ”Creating learning opportunities” “Professionalization”, and “Facilities and requirements”.ConclusionsPreventing medical errors requires different strategies before and during nursing internship. Error prevention strategies include retraining and preparatory courses for challenging areas, evaluation of students’ performance, and accepting students as members of the health care team, respecting and supporting them and protecting their rights. Learning from medical errors, analysis and reflection on errors should be part of the curriculum during the internship.

Challenges Experienced by EFL Learners in the Context of the ESP Course at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia

This study summarizes difficulties associated with studying a course entitled "English Language 01, with a university code (ENG 101) as a general university requirement course for non-specialist students taught to various departments at Qassim University. ENG 101, is a university preparatory course with an overall objective that goes beyond improving student English language skills, which remained a challenge for some students. Despite the clarity of its objectives, achieving these goals is difficult for some students, especially those who joined colleges with poor language skills. Thus, their problems go back to previous stages where traditional teaching methods were prevalent. Concerning data collection required for investigating problems associated with the present study, the researchers used a qualitative data collection technique that involves gathering and processing numerical data to conduct statistical analysis. Data analysis showed several significant findings, writing and listening respectively emerge as the most formidable talent, as evidenced by a great number of "Not Good At" responses, with the majority of participants experiencing difficulty with these two essential skills.

A Meta-Synthesis of the Literature on Science & Engineering Teaching Self-Efficacy: Current Gaps and Future Research Directions

ABSTRACT Self-efficacy is a topic of great interest in elementary preservice and inservice teacher education given that elementary teachers often have low self-efficacy for STEM teaching. In this article, we synthesize the existing literature on science and engineering teaching self-efficacy to (1) explore trends in science and engineering teaching self-efficacy research, (2) identify current gaps that exist in the literature, and (3) propose a visual model to provide future direction in research. Utilizing a qualitative meta-synthesis, we analyzed 88 articles focused on science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. Of these articles, 66 studied preservice teachers, 21 studied inservice teachers, and one included both preservice and inservice teachers. Findings indicate that the diversity of teacher education programs, both across the United States and globally, offers a rich context for considering a range of programmatic features that impact elementary teachers’ science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. While efforts to increase self-efficacy span across preservice preparation courses and inservice professional development programs, details concerning the contexts in which science and engineering teaching self-efficacy develop are often limited, making it difficult to claim that gains in self-efficacy are lasting. Based on the meta-synthesis of the existing research findings and gaps in the literature, we offer recommendations to assist researchers and curriculum developers involved in preservice or inservice programs to address the persisting challenges related to science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. The implications for future research and practice in multiple contexts, such as educator preparation programs, teaching, and professional development that target increases in teacher self-efficacy, are discussed.

Deepening class insight through participatory lesson study: An experience with students specializing in school psychology

AbstractClass phenomena have primary significance for the diagnosis and intervention at both an individual and a whole‐class level for school psychologists. Trying to bring undergraduate psychology students closer to class and teaching, a learning experience based on an adaptation of Lesson Study, a professional development method for teachers, was designed and evaluated with a group of undergraduate psychology students attending two preparatory and consecutive courses for professional performance in educational environments. Students made participants observations of classes they attended, participated in collaborative reflection with their teachers, and issued a report. Meetings were transcribed, conforming, altogether with their written reports 12 texts, analyzed using thematic analysis. Four primary themes were generated concerning benefits, difficulties, perceived learning facilitators and this experience's contribution to professionalization. The results stress a favorable self‐perceived effect in students' comprehension of the class and the teaching, backed up by an internship experience. Additionally, content expressing empathy toward teachers and an increased perceived self‐knowledge as students was reported. Having a previous experience with the method within the first course and a part time internship in the second course, along with the profile of the second course and its emphasis on procedural content, seemed to foster these outcomes.

Exploring private supplementary tutoring in Finnish general upper secondary education

ABSTRACT We examine private supplementary tutoring within the context of Finnish general upper secondary education. Specifically, we focus on profit-driven private preparatory course providers who cater to individual students and their families, aiming to improve applicants’ prospects of gaining access to higher education. We examine this during a time when a recent education policy reform has renewed seeking admission to higher education in Finland, consequently impacting the private supplementary tutoring market associated with it. We draw on Bourdieu’s concepts of field, capital, and habitus as a starting point for discussing the complex dynamics between public and private actors in the field of Finnish general upper secondary education and the role of economic capital. The ethnographic data analyzed for this paper consist of field notes and interviews (n = 58) from three general upper secondary schools, produced in 2019-2020. The study aims to investigate the negotiations between the public and private spheres of education within the everyday practices of Finnish public upper secondary education during an educational policy reform. We conclude that the fields of public and private education are not separate but rather intertwined, and they can become blurred in the everyday life of schools through both temporal and spatial overlaps.

ПРОБЛЕМА СОЦИОКУЛЬТУРНОЙ АДАПТАЦИИ ИНОСТРАННЫХ СТУДЕНТОВ В РОССИЙСКОМ ВУЗЕ: РОЛЬ УЧЕБНЫХ ПОСОБИЙ

The article is devoted to the analysis of the text-books created to improve the process of teaching Russian as a foreign language and to solve the problems of sociocultural adaptation of foreign students studying at preparatory courses. The subject of consideration is the structural, content and illustrative components of the text-books addressed to foreign students with language proficiency at levels A1-B1. The main aim is to. master communicative competencies in the social sphere of communication and to form sociocultural and intercultural communication skills. The text-books are analyzed in terms of informativeness and accessibility of the content for foreign students of the preparatory course, as well as the experience of using texts and tasks contained in the text-books in the educational process. The purpose of considering this topic is to analyze the texts, dialogues, polylogues and tasks used in the text-books , which have a communicative orientation and contribute to easy adaptation and socialization of foreign students in Russia. The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that the analysis of the features of the considered text-books and the experience of their use make it possible to identify the most optimal structure of the text-books, content component and illustrative support of the texts and assignments in Russian as a foreign language, which can speed up the adaptation period and help in solving practical problems of foreign students living on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Sudden infant death syndrome - a community intervention project.

To capacitate pregnant women to comply with measures designed to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. A quasi-experimental study was conducted before and after the intervention that included pregnant women attending the Course of Preparation for Childbirth and Parenthood of Health Centers Cluster. Six training sessions were given in the context of preventing this syndrome. Three questionnaires were applied, one to evaluate the knowledge of pregnant women before classes, other was submitted after the sessions, and another, one month after the birth of the babies, to identify what skills were acquired and which were practiced. Among 77 studied pregnant women, 70 answered pre-session questionnaire and the proportion of correct answers varied from from 60.0% to 84.3%. After the intervention, 64 women answered the questionnaire and the proportion of correct answers varied between 79.7% and 100% . Prior to the intervention, the most wrong answers were related to the role of smoking as a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome and to the use of pacifiers as a protective measure. After the sessions, all women answered correctly to the questions concerning where the baby should sleep and the safest way to lay the baby in the cradle. Health education with the aim of establishing measures may have a significant impact in terms of care delivery and mortality rate caused by sudden infant death syndrome.

Новые возможности участия граждан в инициативном финансировании бюджетов общеобразовательных школ

The subject of the study is the state of financing of Russian schools. The purpose of the work is to identify opportunities for individuals and legal entities to participate in the financing of secondary schools. To ensure the competitiveness of Russian higher education, it is necessary to create a solid foundation for secondary education so that school graduates have the highest basic education, so that families do not have to bear the huge costs of additional private education in grades 10 and 11 (tutors and additional courses in preparation for the Unified State Exam) to successfully pass the final exams. To improve the quality of secondary education, it is necessary to massively and point wise finance targeted school projects. The article considers the problem of finding sources of financing for initiative budgets of secondary schools. The main drawback of the existing experience in financing initiative budgets in the Russian Federation has been identified, in which the final selection of projects for implementation and the final decision on the amount of allocated funding does not take place at the school board level (as it should be in accordance with the fundamental principles of initiative (participatory) budgeting, but at a higher level – as a rule, by a commission of officials the subject of the Russian Federation in which the school is located. The experience of Germany in terms of the organization of targeted transfer to secondary schools of financial resources received in the form of taxes from specific individuals and legal entities based on the taxpayer's choice is considered. It is proposed to provide school initiative budgets with their own sources of financing, independent of the decisions of executive authorities, based on two ways for parents of secondary school students to transfer part of the amount of parental income tax to the income part of the initiative budgets of schools where their children study, thanks, firstly, to modification of the existing tax deduction for education, bringing its size up to seven times the amount of parents' expenses for transferring money to the initiative budget of the school; Secondly, the permission for parents whose income is more than 5 million rubles per year to direct, at their choice, part of their income tax (levied at an increased rate of 15%) in a targeted manner to the initiative budget of the school where their children study. The economic effect of both methods is calculated using the example of one school.

Error Analysis of Verb Tenses: A Case Study of International English Language Testing System Preparation Courses

Error Analysis of Verb Tenses: A Case Study of International English Language Testing System Preparation Courses

Exploring Predictive Models for Students' Performance in Exams: A Comparative Analysis of Regression Algorithms

Student-centered analysis of academic performance is also the most important aspect in improving education by being able to determine what measures work best, individualized learning approaches, and intervention programs. In this study, we performed a detailed analysis based on the Students Performance in Exams dataset and different regression methods to estimate students' grades. We sought to assess the functioning of numerous metrics and determine an optimal model for this task. Our descriptive analysis identified meaningful trends within this dataset, as it includes central factors like 'gender, raceethnic diversity-based status of a student,' and parental education level based on which the children are catered to by informing them about important lunches and test preparation courses alongside scores in Math, Readings, Writing etc. We used a wide range of regression models: XGBoost, CatBoost, GradientBoostingRegressor, etc. Metrics like Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Average Marginal Loss were used to assess each model rigorously. Importantly, the XGBoost model gave out an MSE value of 0.028, which was the best among all values obtained from various other models. The superiority of the XGBoost model is supported by the excellent performance that was reported across many metrics. This work can be important for informing educational practitioners and policymakers regarding the best possible accurate and realistic model that would predict the students' outcome results. Educational data analytics incorporating the XGBoost model can be used for the customization of interventions and mapping resource allocation while promoting a results-oriented approach based on data in education. This study is a step towards the accumulation of knowledge on educational data analytics. It can serve as a background for further research aimed at improving predictive models regarding student performance.

Isolation and determination of phenolic acids in rowanberry fruits (Sorbus L.) by gas chromatography

Species of the genus Sorbus L. (rowan) are woody plants growing in the Northern Hemisphere; they are of interest as decorative, food and medicinal plants. Rowan fruits contain a unique complex of macro- and microelements, as well as biologically active substances, including phenolic compounds. Complexity of the composition of plant samples requires the development of highly selective and sensitive methods for determining the content of organic components of different classes. A method for determining phenolic acids in rowan fruits is proposed. The method is based on two-stage chemical modification of the acids, and involves preparing methyl esters under acidic methanolysis conditions, liquid extraction with toluene, intermediate re-extraction into an aqueous alkaline solution, subsequent silylation with N, O-bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) and gas chromatographic determination of the obtained derivatives using a flame ionization or mass spectrometric detector. Conditions for extraction of phenolic acids from rowan fruits were studied according to the following parameters: type of extractant, sample to the extractant mass ratio, and duration of extraction (mechanical stirring). The stage of gas chromatographic determination of obtained phenolic acid derivatives was optimized, and their chromatographic characteristics established. The possibility of achieving practically complete separation of aliphatic acids and other accompanying components of a non-acidic nature from phenolic compounds in the course of sample preparation was demonstrated; which significantly increased both the selectivity and sensitivity of the determination of analytes. The range of determined content of phenolic acids (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzoic acid, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-cinnamic acid) in rowan fruits was 0.005–0.5 mg/g, the limit of detection was 0.001–0.002 mg/g, the relative error was 10–15%, the sample weight was 0.5 g, the total duration of the analysis was 4 hours.

Short and Long-Term Success of a Surgery Residency Prep Course.

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of evaluating the short-term and long-term effectiveness of a surgery residency prep course throughout the intern year. The authors offered a surgery residency prep course to graduating medical students. We used an anonymous survey to assess the perceived confidence in medical knowledge, clinical skills and surgical skills pre-course, post-course, and at six months into residency. Participants also completed a pre- and post-course quiz. Eleven students completed the course and participated in a pre-course survey, seven completed the post-course survey, and four completed the six month survey. Students felt significantly more confident for intern year following the course compared to before the course (4.0 vs. 2.7, p = 0.018). There was no significant change in perceived confidence at six months compared to post-course results (4.0 vs. 3.9, p = 0.197). Objectively, there was a significant improvement in postcourse quiz results compared to pre-course quiz results (12.9 vs. 10.6, p = 0.004). This study demonstrates that a surgery prep course may have long-term positive effects on resident confidence when entering a surgery residency.

Exploring the Relevance of Advanced Mathematical Knowledge for Secondary-Level Instruction

The usefulness of advanced mathematics in teaching is referred to as its relevance for secondary-level mathematics instruction. This paper is based on research that explores teachers' views on the relevancy of advanced mathematics and their expectations from advanced mathematics courses for teacher preparation programs. Ten secondary-level mathematics teachers participated in this study. semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions and focus group discussions were utilised for data collection and thematic for data analysis. The finding indicates that advanced mathematics is relevant for developing mathematical proficiency, mathematical, and logical thinking, knowledge of mathematical context mathematical activities and increased problem-solving skills and professional competencies. Along with advanced mathematical knowledge, technological and research knowledge, and skills are expected from undergraduate teacher preparation courses. Therefore, it is suggested to incorporate the expected form of knowledge in the teacher preparation program.

Video Project to Enhance Comprehension of TOEIC Material

This study aims to investigate the application of video project to comprehend TOEIC materials in the "TOEIC preparation" course. The research method used is mix method, which is descriptive qualitative and quantitative research. During one semester, students are given the task of creating video content that re-explains each material that has been explained by the lecturer in the class. Data was collected through observation, interviews, questionnaires to gain an in-depth comprehension of students' experiences and perceptions regarding the assignment of video projects, and pre-test and post-test to know the enhancing of comprehension. The score’s TOEIC of pre-test and post-test were analyzed using the T-test. The research findings show that the assignment of video projects has a positive impact on students' comprehension of the TOEIC preparation material. Through the process of making videos, students are actively involved in re-interpreting and conveying information in a structured manner. Students' English speaking ability also experienced a significant increase. In producing video content, they practice speaking English by expressing ideas and explaining material verbally. In addition, the assignment of video projects also increases student motivation and involvement in learning. This creative activity provides an interesting and interactive way to study TOEIC preparation material, thereby increasing their interest and participation in the learning process. The videos produced by students can also be an additional learning resource for other students in comprehension the TOEIC preparation material. This study concludes that the use of video project is effective in increasing comprehension of the material in the TOEIC preparation course. The result questionnaire revealed that 60% strongly agree and 30% agree. The implication of this research is the importance of adopting active, creative and collaborative learning strategies in an effort to improve the quality of learning English. Based on the quantitative result using T test analysis, it could be said that video project could enhance TOEIC comprehension.

Impact of the online propaedeutic course of the students of the Faculty of Engineering of the Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, during the last 5 years

The use of virtual learning environments has been introduced to schools for a long time, however, in recent years due to the confinement due to the COVID19 pandemic in 2020, higher education (and at all levels educational) suffered a change too fast and therefore the use of these virtual platforms was accelerated to comply with the confinement regulations implemented by the governments of the world. For this reason, the implementation of the online preparatory course to enter engineering and level their knowledge, considering the previous situation, becomes significant as it impacts the training of the engineer. To apply the online propaedeutic course, a survey was carried out before and after it in Google Form with the aim of knowing the perception of the use of this modality of the course. What led to relate what was specified in other studies where it is expressed that today's youth are digital natives, but without a doubt we are also sociable by nature, so we need to interact to learn and relate, which requires the intervention and guidance of a teacher.

Learning English Across Borders: Nepali Students’ Experiences in Nepal and Australia

The students’ experiences, perceptions, and outcomes of learning English may be affected by the different methods and practices of English Language Teaching (ELT). Methods and strategies used in ELT may differ from one country to another due to various factors. This qualitative study employed an interpretive framework and narrative inquiry approach to explore the way Nepali students learned English in Nepali and Australian contexts. The participants involved five Nepali students who studied an advanced-level English for Academic Preparation (EAP) course at Melbourne City College Australia (MCCA). The researcher employed snowball sampling to select the subjects. The technique used in data collection was a semi-structured interview. All the interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was coded and categorized using thematic analysis to find common themes and patterns. The findings revealed significant differences in the teaching methods, vocabulary instruction, feedback practices, and technology use. The study emphasized the importance of using pedagogical strategies that foster communication skills, contextual vocabulary learning, constructive feedback, and technology integration for effective ELT.