Previous Educational Experiences Research Articles

Optimizing dental students' use of feedback: Validation of a theoretical model.

A model describing the factors that influence the use of feedback by dental students from three UK dental schools has been proposed. Seven factors that influence feedback utilization were identified. This project aims to test the validity of this model in a larger student population from two UK dental schools in Newcastle upon Tyne and Cardiff. An electronic questionnaire was created and circulated to two dental schools. Data from schools were combined and analyzed using SPSS software. A total of 304 responses were analyzed using principal component analysis resulting in the extraction of nine components which were identified as "most important." The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the correlations of these components with the demographic characteristics of participants. The nine components were feedback utility, feedback value, credibility, learning approach, the learner's understanding of the feedback's purpose, and its processes, accessibility, future applicability, and institutional processes. According to the Kruskal-Wallis analysis, seven of the components (but not credibility or institutional processes) were found to be influenced by differences in the gender, nationality, and ethnicity of students as well as their previous educational experience. However, no evidence was found that variables such as age, student year group, or religious beliefs affected any of these components. Some demographic characteristics are more engaged with one or more components than others. Understanding that will help optimizing this model and ultimately benefits students and institutions. The main project's goal was met by the research in validating the previously developed model.

Previous education experience impacts student expectation and initial experience of transitioning into higher education

IntroductionEntering higher education (HE) is one of the most significant transitions in a student’s life and is negatively impacted by any disparity between expectation and initial experience when joining their course.MethodThe current study explored how the students’ experiences of learning and teaching practices in their previous educational environment influenced their expectations and initial experiences of HE. The study adopted a mixed methods approach, initially surveying 69 students concerning their previous educational experiences, expectations and experiences of HE. Informed by the questions in the survey, two semi-structured focus groups comprising a total of 6 students were completed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.Results and discussionThe current research identified specific challenges students face as they transition into HE, often resulting in an initial culture shock as that adapt to their new learning environment. These challenges are, to some extent, a consequence of their previous learning environment. Whilst expectations of HE were cultivated in their previous educational environment, they were not always accurate and resulted in a mismatch between expectation and reality of HE. This article identifies what may be missing for a student as they transition from further education into HE, and explores some of the opportunities HE faces in addressing these deficits.

Digital competence of faculty members in health sciences measured via self-reflection: current status and contextual aspects.

This descriptive study aims to determine the digital competence level of faculty members who teach in the health sciences, empirically considering possible contextual aspects. Two data collection instruments were used: a self-reflection questionnaire to assess digital competence, and a survey querying demographics and aspects of teaching and learning context. In total, 306 health sciences faculty members from six universities voluntarily participated the study. The results revealed that a majority of the faculty members have intermediate (integrator or expert) level of digital competence, which is described as being aware of the potential use of digital technology in teaching and having a personal repertoire for its use under various circumstances. Age, digital teaching experience, perception of work environment, and previous teaching experience in fully- or partially-online courses were identified as influencing factors for digital competence. Faculty members in health sciences were able to integrate digital technologies in their teaching practices. Health education institutions may facilitate the use of digital technologies in teaching and learning environments. Moreover, institutions or stakeholders should consider that digital competence requires practice and experience in meaningfully-designed digital environments and tools.

Evaluating the Realism of a Task Trainer and the Impact on Residents' Confidence in Managing Massive Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Among Emergency Medicine Residents.

Objective Hemodynamically unstable upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) represents a life-threatening emergency that often lacks adequate high-fidelity training in the insertion of balloon tamponade devices. To address this gap, we developed an affordable task trainer that provides real-time feedback to enhance the training experience for emergency medicine residents. This study aims to evaluate the realism of the task trainer and its impact on residents' confidence in managing massive UGIB. Methods Constructed from low-cost, readily available materials, the task trainer was utilized in a training session attended by 28 emergency medicine residents. Following the review of an instructional video, participants were timed during the insertion of the balloon tamponade device. Subsequently, they completed a paper survey to assess their experiences and confidence levels. Results All 28 residents completed both the pre- and post-session surveys. The average time for inserting the balloon tamponade device was 3 minutes and 49 seconds. Sixteen participants strongly agreed, 11 agreed, and one felt neutral regarding the task trainer's realism in teaching the procedure. Additionally, all residents rated the simulation average or above average compared to previous educational experiences. Fourteen residents reported feeling significantly more confident in managing massive UGIB, while 13 felt slightly more confident, and one noted no change in confidence. Participants provided several positive remarks regarding the training session. Conclusions The balloon tamponade device task trainer proved beneficial in enhancing emergency medicine residents' confidence in managing patients with massive UGIB. Furthermore, the task trainer was perceived as realistic and superior to other educational modalities.

Pre-service teachers’ experiences, interests and confidence in teaching Humanities and Social Sciences

ABSTRACT With education research focused heavily on literacy, numeracy and STEM, our understanding of HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) is comparatively underdeveloped. HASS disciplines, such as Geography, History and Civics, not only contextualise learning in other disciplines, but are vital to ensuring that society is prepared to face complex social, economic and environmental challenges. There is room for improvement in HASS education for students and teachers alike. This paper examines the HASS education experiences, interest and teaching confidence of 80 pre-service teachers from a regional Australian university. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a digital survey. Descriptive statistics and thematic analyses were used. Results showed that the pre-service teachers were most interested in Indigenous Culture, Sustainability, Local Community and Global History. Conversely, they were far less interested in Economics and Democracy. Participants’ responses were mixed in terms of their previous HASS educational experiences and their confidence to teach HASS concepts.

Admissions pathways and international undergraduates’ academic achievement

ABSTRACT Background There are a number of pathways available for international students to gain admission into universities in English-speaking countries. While many international students for whom English is not their first language succeed academically, there is concern that some do not cope with the demands of university which can affect their retention and academic success. This study considers the effects of different admissions pathways on international undergraduate students’ academic success in one New Zealand university. Purpose Findings from the first phase of this research revealed that international students who entered university with the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) gained at high school in New Zealand performed significantly worse academically than their peers who entered through three other admissions pathways. This study aimed to ascertain whether there were salient features of students’ prior education and undergraduate experiences which contributed to this outcome. Method In-depth interviews were conducted with nine students who entered a university in New Zealand via two admissions pathways: NCEA or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The data generated through these interviews was analysed to enable qualitative comparisons between the two groups. Findings Results suggest that the IELTS group outperformed their NCEA peers due to maturity and prior education in their home countries. While the NCEA students had spent some years at high school in the host country, they did not, in general, demonstrate the same level of academic literacy as their IELTS peers. Conclusion International students’ outcomes appear to differ due to previous educational experiences. Students who enter via NCEA are potentially more likely to need support, as they may still be dealing with language proficiency issues, whereas those who enter via IELTS with prior higher-level education in their home country may be more academically prepared. It is important that institutions promote learning support opportunities for all international students, to ensure they experience a positive social and learning experience, which can ultimately contribute to their retention in learning, and their academic success.

Enhancing Pedagogical Competence in Inclusive Early Childhood Education through Interactive Digital Modules: A Pre-Experimental Study

One of the primary challenges in early childhood education (ECE) is ensuring that teachers possess the necessary pedagogical competence to effectively support diverse learners, particularly in inclusive education settings where students with special needs require tailored teaching strategies. This study explores the effectiveness of interactive digital modules in enhancing the pedagogical competence of early childhood education (ECE) teachers in inclusive settings. Using a quantitative pre-experimental design, 70 teachers from 12 inclusive ECE institutions participated in pre-and post-tests to assess their pedagogical skills before and after module exposure. Results show a significant increase in post-test scores, with an average improvement from 50 to 89, confirmed by a paired sample t-test (p < 0.01). The N-Gain analysis revealed a high level of effectiveness, with an average score of 0.78, indicating that the modules substantially improved teacher competencies. However, the lack of a control group limits the study’s ability to attribute improvements solely to the intervention. Other factors, such as previous teaching experience or additional resources, may have influenced the outcomes. Despite this limitation, the findings suggest that interactive digital modules are valuable for advancing pedagogical skills in inclusive education. These results have important implications for teacher professional development, supporting integrating of digital tools into ECE teachers' training programs. Future research should employ more rigorous experimental designs, including control groups, to better isolate the impact of digital modules and investigate their long-term effects on teaching competence and student outcomes in inclusive environments.

Turkish EFL Preparatory Class Students’ Attitudes Towards Distance Education

This study aimed to reveal Turkish EFL preparatory class students’ attitudes towards distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to some demographic variables. The participants were 300 students from an English preparatory class in Istanbul and the data were collected via a questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe’s Test. The findings demonstrated that the attitudes of students towards distance education were positive and there was a statistically significant difference between the students’ attitudes and gender, age, English proficiency level and computer possession. However, there was no statistically significant difference between their attitudes and Internet usage duration, previous distance education experience and graduated high school types. In light of the findings, it is suggested that new teaching and testing materials should be adapted and hybrid learning settings could be employed to increase the quality and effectiveness of distance foreign language education in the future.

An Examination of Meaningful Experiences During Sport Education

Background: In recent research years, there has been an increasing focus on the meaningfulness of physical education experiences. While it has been suggested that certain curriculum models such as sport education or cooperative learning provide opportunities for meaningful engagement in physical education, to date there has been no empirical study of those claims. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine students’ perceptions of meaningfulness in two physical education contexts: traditional multi-activity format, and sport education. Methods: Sixty seventh-grade students aged 12 to 14 completed a 20-item survey titled "Meaningful Experiences in Physical Education Survey (MEPES)" prior to and at the completion of one of three sport education seasons. The analysis consisted of independent samples t-test comparisons between the two contexts (previous physical education experiences, and sport education) for each of the five dimensions of meaningfulness. A Pearson correlation was conducted to examine if there were significant relationships between the five dimensions. Results: Results of the independent samples t-test showed that significantly higher levels of meaningfulness were identified from participation in sport education than in previous physical education for four of the five dimensions. Pearson's coefficient results indicated significant positive correlations between all five meaningfulness dimensions. Conclusion: Sport education has structural elements that promote a sense of meaningfulness within physical education.

Tales of the unexpected: The lives and experiences of working‐class academics

AbstractThis article explores and discusses some aspects of autoethnographies from a published collection written by working‐class academics. The original objective was for each academic to write an account of their life and their experiences of becoming who they are in an industry steeped in elitism. I was interested in how they experienced becoming a working‐class academic, what their journeys had been like, and how they navigated their way into their professional roles. I was also curious about their identities and if they continued to identify as working class, or if their social positioning and/or identities have undergone change. The autoethnographies are powerful and deeply personal accounts of the working‐class academics' lives; they make a significant contribution to the field of research on higher education by providing unique insight into personal experiences. Within this article I have explored some of the accounts and considered how the academics overcame, for example, feelings of failure from previous educational experiences, feelings of (un)belonging and tackling imposterism.

Using simulation to teach nursing students how to deal with a euthanasia request.

Nursing students are confronted with euthanasia during their internship and certainly during their later career but they feel inadequately prepared in dealing with a euthanasia request. This study presents a simulation module focused on euthanasia and evaluates nursing students' perceptions after they have completed the simulation practice. The 'euthanasia module' consisted of a preparatory online learning module, a good-practice video, an in-vivo simulation scenario, and a debriefing session. The module's content was validated by four experts in end-of-life care. The module was completed by three groups of students from two different University Colleges (n = 17 in total). The students were divided into three groups: one with no previous simulation education experience, one with all students having previous experience, and another with a mix of experiences. After completing the entire module, each group had a discussion regarding their perceptions and expectations concerning this simulation module. Thematic content analysis was conducted on audio-recorded group interviews using NVIVO® software, involving initial open coding, transformation into specific themes and subthemes through axial coding, and defining core themes through selective coding, with data analysis continuing until data saturation was reached. Students generally found the online learning module valuable for background information, had mixed perceptions of the good-practice video, and appreciated the well-crafted scenarios with the taboo of euthanasia emerging during simulations, while the debriefing process was seen as enhancing clinical reasoning abilities. Students considered the simulation module a valuable addition to their education and nursing careers, expressing their satisfaction with the comprehensive coverage of the sensitive topic presented without sensationalism or taboos. This subject holds significance for nations with established euthanasia laws and those lacking such legal frameworks. The findings of this study can aid teachers in developing and accessing euthanasia simulation training programs, contributing to broader education's emphasis on integrating euthanasia-related knowledge and skills.

Investigating the Factors That Sustain College Teachers’ Attitude and Behavioral Intention toward Online Teaching

Online teaching is considered an important approach for achieving sustainable learning and education, and college teachers’ attitude and behavioral intention are essential for the sustainable adoption of online teaching practice in higher education institutions. To examine the influencing factors that sustain teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a sample of 1102 college teachers in Central China using hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore the possible influencing factors at the following four levels: individual experience, environmental support, self-perception, and technology acceptance. The study results show that the subjective norms, readiness, beliefs, and perceived usefulness of online teaching had a significant impact on the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention. Nevertheless, the effect varied with factors like the online teaching load and teachers’ technology self-efficacy, and their influence seemed to be singular, affecting the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching or behavioral intention exclusively. In contrast, previous online teaching experience did not notably affect either. The findings of this study reveal the complex interactions of the factors that influence college teachers’ disposition toward and decisions about online teaching practices and emphasize the need for targeted strategies to maintain and enhance online education in the post-pandemic era.

Developing an alternative curriculum for mathematics teaching in a detention faculty adopting an ethnomathematics perspective

In Greece, as more or less all over the world, the curriculum is a matter of central authority and teachers can only apply it in their classrooms, without any connection to the whole curriculum development process. Students’ population in prison schools, and especially young prisoners, often show school denial, poor performance, academic inadequacy, and failure, leading to low self-esteem (Mallett, 2014). Common barriers to participation are lack of motivation —often because of the absence of any means for meaning-making and identity formation in prison— and previous negative education experiences (Liebling, 2011) especially in secondary school when they frequently begin to truant. Working, as teacher, for long time in the secondary school of a youth detention center in Greece, I faced the challenge to reconsider the formal curriculum. Following an ethnomathematics perspective, an alternative curriculum is developing aiming to meet young prisoners’ needs and expectations as a matter of social justice, taking into consideration the need of techniques and strategies that can help to untangle and respond to above structures as part of ongoing research, policy, and practice. The young detainees following the official curriculum applied in the mainstream classes are faced with various problems, such as lack of appropriate schoolbooks, the need to motivate and successfully address educational, psychological and environmental difficulties, and the need for developing a framework for alternative teaching practices and materials based on a multicultural education with the teaching and learning of mathematics, as is the case in the field of ethnomathematics is dictated.

Envisioning Future Elementary School Teachers’ Practices in The Post-Pandemic Era: A Visual Narrative Inquiry

The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionised the educational landscape massively, including the way teachers enact their roles both inside and outside the classroom context. The abrupt changes also influence pre-service teachers’ way of envisioning themselves as future teachers in the post-pandemic era. The aims of this study is to analyze the underlying influences and concerns for their choice of future projection as post-pandemic elementary school teachers. This study using the photo-narrative frame construct of visual narrative inquiry, this study explored the way three first-year pre-service elementary school teachers imagined their. The data were collected from students’ self-portraits and written narratives narrating their past, current, and future projection as post-pandemic teachers. The multimodal narrative analysis was applied to analyse both the visual and written narratives. The findings suggest that technology integration and student-centred pedagogy became the most common themes when the pre-service teachers projected their future selves. At the same time, their previous schooling experiences and future concerns about becoming a teacher had certain impacts on the way they projected themselves as future teachers. Therefore, it is recommended that future pre-service teachers should be given opportunities to reflect on their previous teaching and learning experiences and project what they wish to emulate and enhance for their future teaching practices.

Teachers’ perspectives on inclusive language teaching in higher education

Principles of inclusive education have recently started to enter the agenda of universities, which have been dedicating a growing attention to the students’ needs and to the creation of inclusive learning environments. This study provides an outline of the current state of inclusion in university language courses in Italy, as viewed from the perspectives of language teachers. To this aim, we developed and administered an online questionnaire investigating teachers’ perceptions on the most common language learning difficulties displayed by students with SEN and on what might work best to support their learning process. Moreover, we explored the effects of socio-demographic and background-related variables (age, gender, previous teaching experience and preparation to teach students with SEN) in determining teachers’ practices, self-efficacy beliefs and disposition towards inclusive education. Results show that gender and specific training on inclusive education influence teaching choices. Self efficacy and attitudes towards inclusion are found to be positively related to each other but are not affected by socio-demographic and background-related variables.

A REVIEW OF TIME MANAGEMENT RESEARCH AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN CHINESE UNIVERSITIES

This paper adopts a qualitative approach, conducting a literature review which studies time management among undergraduate students in Chinese universities at home and abroad through libraries, reference rooms and online resources. There is significant gender, urban/rural, arts and science, grade, academic performance, and school-type discrepancies in time management among Chinese university undergraduates. Professional time management training and group counselling can help develop undergraduate students' time management abilities. In addition, according to the theoretical analysis framework of "time management tendency", issues in time management among Chinese university undergraduates appear to be closely related to psychological characteristics and behaviours of individuals. Previous research on undergraduate time management has focused on the management of the current situation, while systematic research on the underlying causes of poor time management has been neglected. While it has been suggested that time management skills can be improved through training, little has been written about research into other educational interventions. Compared with students’ previous educational experience, the proliferation of after-school free time is a distinctive feature of university life. An individual's time management skills directly affect his or her ability to study independently and further influence the personal qualities of the individual as a whole. This study aims to investigate the current situation of Chinese undergraduates' after-school time management ability, reveal the problems underlying Chinese undergraduates' after-school time management, disclose the shortcomings in the current management process and identify the factors affecting Chinese undergraduates' after-school time management ability, in order to help improve time management skills among Chinese undergraduate students.

Recognition of nursing qualification and credentialing pathway of Filipino nurses in Finland: A qualitative study.

To understand the experiences of Filipino internationally educated nurses (FIENs) on their recognition and credentialing pathway in the recruitment process in Finland. The nursing shortage in Finland results in the recruitment of internationally educated nurses (IENs) such as those from the Philippines. In the context of migration, IENs experience a rigorous process to become qualified nurses in the destination country. A thematic analysis of the secondary data from qualitative interviews was conducted. Ten FIENs (n=10) were recruited from university hospitals in Finland through purposeful and snowball sampling. The study adhered to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. Three main themes were identified. First, pre-migration victories and predicaments described the experiences of FIENs during the recruitment process and the pathway to acquiring a Registered Nurse qualification. Second, ambiguous integration implied integrating into the workplace while working on the top-up education programme as a prerequisite to nursing registration. Lastly, migration uncertainty discussed the interest among FIENs to continue practising as Registered Nurses (RNs) in Finland. Pre-migration orientation and workplace integration experiences influenced FIENs' choice to practise as RNs in Finland. The licensure pathway for FIENs required collaboration from various stakeholders in Finnish society. It is recommended to structure the system for the recognition and qualification process of IENs by creating a national model in line with international standards and requirements in collaboration with higher education institutions. Recognition of previous education and clinical experience can facilitate the transition to becoming an RN for IENs, but the lack of a clear education model and recognition of foreign nursing qualifications leads to deskilling and hinders IENs from practising. Policies prioritising education and integration into the local healthcare system can facilitate the integration and professional growth of IENs, enabling them to contribute significantly to the healthcare system.

Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Education: Associations with the Major Subject, Previous Education and Work Experience

Based on previous studies, it was hypothesized that the personal background of students, including previous qualifications and work experience, may be one factor affecting their perceptions of interprofessional education. In a cross-sectional study, the associations between students’ (N = 149) gender, major subject, previous degrees, and interprofessional work experience, perceptions of interprofessional education, and appraisal of members of their own profession in interprofessional cooperation were examined. According to the most noteworthy results, having more interprofessional work experience and a previous degree from a university of applied sciences was associated with perceiving interprofessional studies to be more useful. Moreover, having less interprofessional work experience was associated with perceiving members of one’s own profession more positively regarding interprofessional cooperation. It is suggested that also these background variables are considered when designing and implementing interprofessional education.

“Why Did Devon Just Leave the Classroom?”: Disability Studies in Education-Informed Related Service Provision

Public schools often schedule related services by using a mix of pull-out and push-in instruction, referred to as service delivery models. This poses challenges because the transitions to and from services are obvious to other students and can influence student identities and result in a loss of academic instructional time. This article shares inclusive approaches for novice teachers to learn how to organize related service provision in ways that strengthen student identities as individuals with disabilities. By focusing on how our previous teaching and research experiences inform our pedagogical design in our teacher education courses, we seek to open the door for future research on how related services are constructed and enacted in public schools that are working towards more inclusive pedagogy and practice. In this article we share how both authors are rethinking teacher education curriculum as a potential site for helping beginning educators understand the array of service delivery models and to address ways to conceptualize how related services are offered to students in PreK-12 schools across all classroom settings.

Apps in LD: gifts or gimmicks?

In ‘one-shot’ Learning Development (LD) teaching, how much space is there for using apps (and similar technologies) creatively? Can they further students’ understanding and enable active learning within workshops; is there even potential for using them in tutorials? What barriers are there to their use, how could we remove these, and indeed should we – is there enough to be gained or are they just a gimmick? This Wild Card session was an opportunity to collaboratively explore the potential of a selection of apps and technologies which are used in other areas of education, and consider whether they can augment provision in LD. The apps and programmes chosen for this session were used in an international Erasmus+ research project, which worked with lecturers, teachers, students, and school children who observed their strengths and limitations in use (Digital Learning Across Boundaries: Developing Changemakers (DLAB), 2017-2022). This Wild Card session looked to evaluate how these apps might be applied in the LD world by reviewing benefits and barriers to their use in an LD context, and considering how we might maximise any usefulness and contend with limitations or concerns. I wanted to explore how they might support transition through familiarity and links with previous education experiences, and whether the activities which use them might impact on belonging. Participants were encouraged to evaluate and share their thoughts on the apps, and collectively generate a resource of ideas as to their use in LD. This resource could then be shared and drawn on by others.