Teaching Program Research Articles

Boundary crossings: innovating assessment practices in higher education

Purpose Advancing assessment practices represents an underexplored yet integral dimension of further progress for the field of sustainability-related teaching and learning in higher education. This study aims to address this area by seeking to understand the barriers that program leaders and instructors face in advancing assessment practices to identify possible innovations. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual framework centered on boundaries and boundary crossings is used to conceptualize barriers and possibilities in innovating assessment practices. The study then examines how a boundary object, the deliberation of assessment practices among a sustainability education community of practice, can be leveraged to identify boundaries and boundary crossings. Through an exploratory action research approach, data were collected via workshops, interviews and a survey. These were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Six themes were identified as key areas for barriers and possibilities for advancing assessment practices. These themes are: defining sustainability education, practice characteristics, interdisciplinary approaches, transdisciplinary strategies, meeting demands and facilitating innovations. For each theme, status quo practices and potential innovations are described as well as boundary-crossing strategies to enable advances in practice. Originality/value This study considers the conceptual, practical and logistical breakthroughs needed to advance assessment practices across course, program and institutional levels of sustainability-related teaching and learning in higher education. The insights from the study provide considerations for the design and implementation of assessment practices while also suggesting the value of participatory deliberative processes in shaping innovations in practice.

Perigos de uma Filosofia Única

The article deals with French-uspian structural historiography as an illustrative case of the dangers of a sole philosophy becoming a pedagogical program for teaching and producing philosophy. To this end, it begins by exposing the construction of the French-uspian historiographical curriculum. Next, we discuss the unilaterality of the structural method, since it encompasses the conception that all philosophies have a sole logic, the systemic one, even if a philosopher refuses to present an architecture of reasons. Finally, the production of the “system of inhibitions” is explained, summarized in the banishment of controversy and programmed alienation, as a domestication of thought, masked under the veil of modernizing exegetical techniques. The objective of the article is to show that one of the Brazilian philosophical problems is the coloniality of philosophical production, marked less by the philosophy of the structural method and more by the inhibiting intellectual and pedagogical dispositions that it favored. This disposition can be produced by other pedagogies based on unilateral philosophies. Hence the importance of considering the French-uspian case to encourage a review of the regional formations of the teaching and study of philosophy in Brazil and, thus, combat the forces of domestication of philosophy among us.

Stress, physical activity, and mindfulness practices among youth amidst COVID-19

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated stress and anxiety among young people, particularly university students, impacting their mental well-being and daily life. Given the rise in social isolation and economic uncertainty, the adoption of mindfulness practices such as sophrology, meditation, and yoga becomes essential for improving their mental health. This study aims to evaluate the impact of these practices on stress levels and their effect on engagement in physical activities among youths.MethodThis study employed a mixed methods design to assess the impact of different wellness and mindfulness practices on stress levels and physical activity (PA) engagement among university students. Quantitative data were gathered electronically from 218 students at the University of Rouen and the university of Paris-Cité through validated questionnaires, including custom tools on sports and mindfulness practices and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The sample consisted mainly of young adults aged 18 to 35, with a majority of 170 female and 48 male participants. Qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews with three directors of the university's sports and physical activities department (SUAPS), as well as four wellness program instructors. Data analysis involved statistical techniques using Statistical Analysis System (SAS) software for quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically using Sphinx software, a tool for textual analysis. Ethical approval for the study was obtained, and confidentiality of all participants was maintained throughout the research.Results and conclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic had significant effects on French university students’ PA, mental health, and stress levels. Lockdowns led to a decline in sports practices for many, while others adapted by increasing their engagement in fitness and wellness practices. The majority of participants (64.68%) reported moderate levels of stress. A significant correlation was found between motivations for mental health support and stress management, and higher levels of stress (p = 0.0000 and p = 0.0024, respectively). Regular participation in wellness activities was associated with lower stress (p = 0.0193). The findings reinforce the idea that incorporating wellness practices into educational environments can strengthen students’ mental resilience and overall well-being, equipping them with essential tools to effectively cope with future stressors.

Optimalisasi Peran Kepala Madrasah Kunci Revitalisasi Pendidikan Islam

Islamic education is currently facing various challenges that require revitalization measures to improve the quality and effectiveness of the learning process. The role of the head of the madrasa becomes crucial in this revitalization process. This study aims to explore how the head of the madrasa can maximize their role in supporting the renewal and enhancement of Islamic education. The research method used is library research, which involves a review of literature on the role of the head of the madrasa and best practices in educational management. The study shows that the head of the madrasa needs to perform several key roles simultaneously. Firstly, as a leader, they must be able to motivate and inspire all members of the school to achieve the established educational goals. Secondly, in their capacity as an educator, the head of the madrasa should provide the necessary guidance and support to teachers to improve the quality of teaching and the learning process. Thirdly, as a manager, the head of the madrasa must efficiently and effectively manage school resources. Fourthly, in the role of administrator, they must ensure that school administration runs smoothly and complies with applicable regulations. Lastly, as a supervisor, the head of the madrasa needs to monitor, mentor, and improve the classroom learning process and design relevant training programs for teachers.

AI-Powered Training Program for Enhancing Teachers’ Skills in Creating Educational Digital Games

This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based training program in developing electronic educational game production skills for teachers of students with learning disabilities. Data were collected using research tools, including an achievement test designed to measure cognitive skills and an observation checklist aimed at assessing performance in the production of electronic educational games. Using a quasi-experimental design with a single group, the research tools were applied and then the AI-based training program was implemented, with the tools being applied again afterwards. The research sample included all 50 teachers from public and private schools for students with learning disabilities in the Jazan region during the third semester of the academic year 1444 AH / 2023 AD. The results demonstrated that the AI-based training program helped teachers of students with learning disabilities improve their cognitive and performance skills in creating electronic educational games. In light of these findings, the researcher recommends employing AI-based programs in education and encourages collaboration between teachers and educational technology experts to achieve effective educational training methods and the continual development of technical skills among these teachers. KEYWORDS Chatbots, ChatGPT, e-learning, special education, learning disabilities, Make It

Education Research: Use by Neurologists of Microteaching and Microassessment Programs for Teaching, Learning, and Patient Care Needs

Education Research: Use by Neurologists of Microteaching and Microassessment Programs for Teaching, Learning, and Patient Care Needs

Exploring the introduction of remote external clinical teaching visits into Australian general practice.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way education was delivered. In Australian general practice training, external clinical teaching visits (ECTVs) had to be done remotely. This research explored that phenomenon from the point of view of the participants to answer questions about feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness. The experiences of ECTV visitors, registrars, supervisors and practice managers were invited initially by survey and then through interview and focus groups. Data were analysed using a constant comparative method giving four major themes and several subthemes. Remote ECTVs were well accepted by all participants. They are different to ECTVs done face to face, with both advantages and disadvantages. Remote ECTVs are feasible and effective and are likely to become part of the ongoing Australian general practice teaching program.

Educational needs of school health teachers caring for students with type 1 diabetes: An analysis using the Borich needs assessment and the locus for focus models

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify educational priorities to ensure school health teachers’ competencies in managing students’ type 1 diabetes.Methods: A secondary analysis of the data from a cross-sectional study involving 188 health teachers was conducted. Fourteen specific competencies were identified through a literature review. Using paired t-tests, differences between knowledge levels and perceived importance were analyzed. The Borich needs assessment measured the gap between knowledge and perceived importance, and the locus for focus model presented the priorities.Results: Of the participants, 75.5% (n=142) had experience caring for students with type 1 diabetes. The discrepancy between perceived importance and knowledge level regarding the “management of the latest diabetes devices” was found to be the most significant difference (t=18.36, p<.001). High-priority competencies revealed by the Borich needs assessment and the locus for focus models included “latest guidelines,” “emergency management,” and “dietary management.” Prioritization differences were noted for the competencies “management of the latest diabetes devices,” “unique issues during the school life of children,” and “psychological issues;” the differences were dependent on the health teachers’ experience managing students with type 1 diabetes.Conclusion: An educational program for health teachers is needed to enhance their competencies in managing the latest diabetes devices, handling emergencies, addressing unique issues, and staying informed about the latest insights on type 1 diabetes. Tailored education should be provided based on health teachers’ experience in managing students with type 1 diabetes.

Effective Teaching as Described by Teachers who Are Also Doctoral Students: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Teachers' roles in their students' lives cannot be underestimated because they impact students in various ways. However, what makes a good teacher is often based on personal perspectives and values, making it subjective. This qualitative descriptive study sought to explore how teachers, who are also students or recent graduates of a teaching and learning doctoral degree program, define effective teaching and describe the characteristics of effective teachers. Data were collected using semi-structured, conversational interviews. The findings revealed that effective teachers exemplify three characteristics: rapport, communication, and passion. Recommendations for practitioners and future research are included. Keywords: effective teaching, teachers, students, rapport, communication, passion

An Analysis of Integrating Language Skills in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers

This study explores the importance of integrating the four language skills- listening, speaking, reading, and writing teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, as opposed to the traditional methods that isolate these skills. The objective of this research is to demonstrate how an integrative approach to language instruction enhances learners’ overall proficiency and communicative competence. Using an analytical survey method, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to 120 students enrolled in the Post Graduate and Research Department of Arabic at The New College, Chennai, India. The findings reveal that students benefit significantly from a cohesive approach that mirrors real-world language use, improving their fluency and accuracy across all language domains. Results also indicate that integrating language skills helps learners develop balanced linguistic competence, reinforcing the interconnectedness of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Based on these findings, this paper advocates for the redesign of educational curricula and teaching programs to adopt this integrative method, thereby improving the efficacy of Arabic language instruction for non-native speakers. The conclusion underscores that such an approach is vital for fostering communicative competence and linguistic development among learners.

Effectiveness of a structured teaching program on knowledge and attitude regarding child mental disorders among primary school teachers at selected schools in Vijayapur, Karnataka

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a structured teaching program on the knowledge and attitudes of primary school teachers regarding child mental disorders. Given the projected rise in childhood neuropsychiatric disorders, teachers, who spend significant time with students, are in a pivotal position to identify mental health issues early. A pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was utilized, involving 100 primary school teachers selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a self-structured knowledge questionnaire and an attitude scale. Results indicated a significant increase in knowledge (pre-test mean = 8.47, post-test mean = 21.39; t = 36.31, p < 0.001) and attitudes (pre-test mean = 23.60, post-test mean = 33.77; t = 15.51, p < 0.001) post-intervention. Additionally, the study found significant associations between knowledge and specific socio-demographic variables, including prior identification of children with mental disorders. The findings suggest that structured teaching programs can effectively enhance teachers' knowledge and attitudes toward child mental health, underscoring the need for such initiatives in educational settings.

The effectiveness of the teaching program “scientific creativity in practice”

This study examines the impact of the Scientific Creativity in Practice program on students’ scientific creativity. This comprehensive teaching program aims to foster general creative skills, domain-specific competencies, and certain personality traits in science education. The program includes a variety of interventions and reflection tools that focus on divergent thinking, problem-solving, bisociation, imagination, and metacognition, which promotes strategies for developing, selecting, and evaluating creative solutions to scientific problems. The study used a two-group, repeated-measures design in Austrian secondary schools, with 26 classes taught using teaching techniques from the program and 12 control classes using traditional teaching methods. The effectiveness of the teaching program was assessed using the Divergent Problem-Solving Ability test, which was administered at the beginning and end of the school year. The results showed that the intervention classes achieved significantly higher scores, indicating improved divergent problem-solving ability.The study also emphasized the importance of intervention fidelity, with the quality of implementation (adherence) having a significantly higher impact on outcomes than the quantity (number of interventions). The results confirm the effectiveness of the Scientific Creativity in Practice program in fostering academic creativity and emphasize the importance of a well-structured teaching program. Future research will focus on measuring the impact of individual techniques of the program on different aspects of scientific creativity.

Trends and patterns in K-12 computer science education: data analysis from twitter

ABSTRACT K-12 computer science (CS) education has emerged as a vital component of modern education, nurturing computational thinking, problem-solving, and digital literacy. This study examines the K-12 CS education dynamics, emphasizing its impact and implications, particularly in the context of equity. Twitter data from 2017 to 2021 were collected, focusing on English-language tweets within the United States. This collection was completed before Elon Musk’s acquisition of the company and its subsequent rebranding to X. Three keyword sets span CS education, computational thinking – a core competency of CS learners and CS education organizations and conferences. The findings indicate: (1) a significant decrease in tweet volumes for each set of keywords after 2019, (2) the critical role of coding within a broader STEM education framework, and (3) the centrality of students in semantic networks formed by the tweets, highlighting the pertinence of a student-centered learning strategy in K-12 CS education. To ensure equitable access and opportunities, K-12 CS education in a broader STEM ecosystem should adopt student-centered learning, with teachers facilitating coding, programming, and technology education. These insights inform educators, policymakers, and researchers about K-12 CS education’s significance in preparing students for the future, with a strong emphasis on equity and inclusion.

Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme (Stp) On Knowledge Regarding Prevention and Management of Urinary Tract Infection Among Female in Patients Admitted in Ah&Rc B G Nagara

Background: Urinary tract infection occurs among the most prevalent infections in humans is urinary tract infection. When uropathogenic bacteria, typically Escherichia coli, rise from the perineum into the bladder and defeat host innate immunity, simple infections most frequently occur in apparently healthy women Urinary tract infection is one of the commonest infections to affect humans. Purpose: The study assessed the effectiveness of Structured teaching programme on regarding UTI among female patients admitted in Adichunchanagiri Hospital & Research Center B G Nagara. Method: The patient’s level of knowledge was assessed using an 30-item Urinary Tract Infection female Patient Awareness Questionnaire. An STP was administered to 60 patients with UTI Female Patient. Discussion: The pretest mean knowledge score was 42.89% and SD was ±2.45. The posttest mean knowledge score was 77.00% and SD was ±2.14. The paired t-test showed t=2.04, df=29. Conclusion: STP was effective in enhancing the knowledge of UTI Female patients. This implies that when appropriately implemented, the UTI patients will bring the benefits of STP, Which could enhance their overall health condition.

Editorial

Dear Readers, First of all, I am very happy to announce that the funding round of the KOALA initiative initiated by the TIB was successful and that our journal will be part of the computer science and mathematics cluster for the next three years. The entire J.UCS team is very grateful for the great efforts of the KOALA team and for the support of the J.UCS community. This enables us to continue our work to maintain J.UCS as a diamond open access journal and to further improve the service and scientific quality. Also, I would like to thank all the authors for their sound research and the editorial board for their extremely valuable review effort and suggestions for improvement. These contributions, together with the generous support of the consortium members, contribute to the quality of our journal. It gives me great pleasure to announce the eleventh regular issue of 2024. In this issue, 6 papers by 21 authors from 5 countries - Brazil, India, Algeria, Italy, Sweden - cover various topical aspects of computer science. In an ongoing effort to further strengthen our journal, I am continuously looking for new editorial board members: If you are a tenured associate professor or higher with a good publication record, you are welcome to apply to join our editorial board. We are also interested in high-quality proposals for special issues on new topics and trends. Geová Junio da Silva Tavares and Nelson Souto Rosa from Brazil present the results of a survey on humans in the loop for self-adaptive systems. Aluizio Haendchen Filho, Adson Marques da Silva Esteves, Hércules Antonio do Prado, Edilson Ferneda and André Luis Alice Raabe from Brazil discuss their study on adaptive content recommendations to improve logic and programming teaching and learning by using learning paths to group students and provide personalized recommendations based on peers' progress. Rupesh Kumar Verma, A. J. Khan, Sunil Kashyap and Manoj Kumar Chande from India conduct their study on the certificateless aggregate signature scheme in terms of their computational performance and security, which can be widely used in areas such as IoT or healthcare systems. Besma Hezili and Hichem Talbi from Algeria address the collaborative auto-diversified optimization scheme (CADOS) for solving continuous and combinatorial optimization problems by exploring the synergy of various optimization algorithms and enhance their effectiveness and efficiency, particularly for higher-dimensional problems. Maroua Chemlal, Amina Zedadra, Ouarda Zedadra, Antonio Guerrieri and Med Nadjib Kouahla from Algeria outline their approach and findings on a multi-criteria food and restaurant recommendation system. And last but not least, Ashish Ranjan Mishra, Rakesh Kumar and Rajkumar Saini from India present their study on the improvement of the effectiveness of person authentication by using deep learning techniques on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals by applying a multiscale convolutional neural network (CNN) and a Bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM) model to extract features and classify raw EEG data. Enjoy Reading! Kind regards, Christian Gütl, Managing Editor Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria

Using Adaptive Content Recommendations to Improve Logic and Programming Teaching and Learning

The high dropout rate in Information Technologies courses is a relevant problem in many countries, mainly because of the increasing demand for professionals in this sector. Usually, high dropout rates in these courses are related to difficulties in algorithms and programming subjects. Content recommendation systems are proposed to mitigate this problem, employing adaptive learning environments that facilitate the learning process. This study presents a content recommendation system that uses learning paths to group students and provide personalized recommendations based on peers' progress. The work follows the many efforts of group-based recommendation systems reported in the literature. The system uses intelligent agents and clustering algorithms to implement the recommendation system and was evaluated by submitting the simulation results to the judgment of human experts who significantly agreed with them. This initiative could make programming teaching more adaptive, using the groups' knowledge. Facilitating learning is one of the key issues to reduce dropout rates and resolve the shortage of labor in the technological area in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Exploring Formative Assessment Strategies for Pupils with Learning Disabilities in Inclusive Schools in Temeke Municipality, Tanzania

Formative assessment is a key tool for monitoring the progress of pupils with disabilities in inclusive educational settings. This study investigates the strategies used for formative assessment of pupils with learning disabilities in inclusive schools, with a specific focus on teachers' perceptions in Temeke Municipality. The study is grounded in an interpretive paradigm and adopts a qualitative research methodology, using a multiple case study design. A purposive and snowball sample of 22 teachers was selected, with data collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis facilitated by Atlas Ti software. Ethical considerations were adhered to by obtaining approval from the Directorate of Research, Publications, and Innovation at the Open University of Tanzania, and ensuring participant confidentiality and anonymity throughout the research process. The findings indicate that teachers primarily use quizzes, tests, exams, and task-based performance as common formative assessment methods for pupils with learning disabilities. Such methods helped to assess the academic progress of pupils, including those with learning disabilities, by providing valuable insights into their understanding of the material. Teachers also noted the importance of ongoing feedback in supporting student progress. The study concludes that the use of a variety of assessment techniques is essential for improving the academic performance of pupils with learning disabilities in inclusive settings. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the government should implement regular professional development programs for teachers, focusing on enhancing their formative assessment skills in special needs. Such initiatives are expected to foster a more inclusive and effective learning environment for all pupils.

PRIORITY DIRECTIONS OF CREATING A BARRIER-FREE ENVIRONMENT IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS AND DETENTION CENTERS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE CRIMINAL-EXECUTIVE SERVICE OF UKRAINE

The study is dedicated to finding out the vision of employees of penal institutions and pretrial detention centers of the State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine, whose duties are related to working with people with disabilities, priority directions for creating a barrier-free environment in penal institutions and pretrial detention centers. Eighty-eight research participants were united into four focus groups; the task of each was, based on their own work experience, assessments the relevance of problems related to the maintenance of persons with disabilities in the penal institutions, as well as the available capabilities of the institutions, to form a list the most priority directions and methods of barrier-free environment creation. The content analysis and generalization of the obtained data showed that additional socio-psychological support, removal of physical barriers on the territory and in the buildings of institutions, and ensuring the availability of physical support services by specially trained personnel and other convicts turned out to be the most priority areas of barrier-free implementation in the participants’ evaluations. At the same time, several important directions, such as the elimination of informational, economic, and educational barriers, were not included in the lists of most groups, which, according to the authors, may indicate both an underestimation of these components of barrier-freeness by the study participants and lack of opportunities for their implementation. Development of psychological and pedagogical programs and formation of the readiness of the State Criminal-Executive Service staff and selected convicts to provide physical support services to persons with disabilities, including barrier-free communication skills, monitoring the special needs of convicts and prisoners with disabilities, according to the authors, along with other measures, will contribute to the purposeful implementation of the Strategy for the introduction of barrier-free access in places of deprivation of liberty. Key words: barrier-free environment, prisoners and convicts, penal institutions and pretrial detention centers, staff of the State Criminal-Executive Service of Ukraine.

The effects of the Hand in Hand: Empowering Teachers(HAND: ET) programme on teacher burnout in Slovenia. Do experience and baseline emotional competencies matter?

The effects of the Hand in Hand: Empowering Teachers(HAND: ET) programme on teacher burnout in Slovenia. Do experience and baseline emotional competencies matter?

CHATGPT AS AI ASSISTANT IN THE PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS TRAINING AND THEIR FUTURE ROLE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

The reception of ChatGPT in the educational field has varied between enthusiasm and skepticism, sparking a series of controversies and challenges in response to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within the educational context. For this reason, exploring the student perception of future educators in training regarding these tools, considering the challenges they will face both in their immersion processes in practice and in their future professional role, is believed to constitute a contribution to the field of initial teacher education knowledge. The purpose of this study was to interpret and describe the perceptions of a group of pedagogy students on the use of ChatGPT as an assistant in a learning experience implemented during their training and on the implications of this AI tool in their future work context as teachers. In this context, applied research in teaching was conducted with a course on "Assessment of and for learning" comprised of 26 students from various pedagogy programs in their fourth year. A sequential mixed methodology was employed, collecting quantitative data initially, to then delve deeper into the analysis based on qualitative data. For this, students were first asked to complete a questionnaire on prior knowledge and experiences with the use of ChatGPT. Subsequently, considering the results, work in class focused on two central themes: the drafting of prompts and academic integrity. Then, the workshop, its phases, and the students began working with the assistance of ChatGPT. Feedback sessions on the workshops were held, followed by the application of a semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended questions aimed at gathering information on student perceptions based on this experience and the implications of AI as future teachers. The data collected were analyzed based on codes and the development of categories. A focus group with 12 student representatives was later conducted to promote reflection and critical analysis among students on the implications of artificial intelligence in their future professional teaching performance. The extracted data revealed new codes and explanatory categories of the phenomenon under study. From the qualitative phase, 4 categories and emerging themes were identified, such as "Advantages of using ChatGPT as an assistant in the training of university pedagogy students", within which students expressed a positive valuation of the experience, highlighting the assistance of the chatbot during the workshop through various functions such as helping to justify or provide conceptual support to the evaluation criteria they were developing, proposing ideas for assessment situations, and receiving guidance or feedback quickly on their work. Additionally, a second category grouped the risks associated with using the chatbot, such as the possible lack of rigor or reliability of the information it provides, or the misuse of these tools through plagiarism. Other categories reported on student perceptions regarding their future professional teaching performance, with emerging themes such as the importance of teacher training and mediation when integrating these tools into learning processes with their students, ethical implications, and the need to transform assessment methods in schools to promote the development of critical thinking, information analysis, and creativity, so that AI tools can be a real support for students and not a threat. Finally, students highlighted the importance of working with these tools from the beginning of their training with the mediation of a teacher and a specialist in these new information technologies.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0965/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>