Quality Of Student Experience Research Articles

Students’ evaluation of professional experience placement quality in a pre-registration nursing programme: A cross-sectional survey

AimTo evaluate the quality of student nurses' experiences and overall satisfaction with professional experience placements at a regional Australian University. BackgroundProfessional experience placements are a crucial component of pre-registration nursing programs. However, the absence of standardised approaches to assess placement quality has created uncertainty on what constitutes a high-quality placement from a student’s perspective. DesignCross-sectional survey. MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional survey was administered online to 800 second and third year undergraduate nursing students at an Australian university. The survey contains demographic questions (e.g., year of study, placement specialty, duration, setting and geographic location), a validated Placement Evaluation Tool and free-text comments. The Placement Evaluation Tool is a 20-item questionnaire that measures two key factors: clinical environment (factor 1), learning support (factor 2) and overall satisfaction of students’ learning experiences during a professional experience placement. A descriptive analysis was conducted to evaluate the student’s overall experience and satisfaction. Multivariate linear regression was used to assess the relationship between the quality of the student experience and demographics and presented as beta coefficient (β) and confidence interval (CI). Free-text comments were thematically analysed. ResultsA total of 1104 survey responses were received (as students may rate more than one placement), with an estimated 71% response rate. Most responses (60.3%) were third-year students. Most students experienced high-quality placements, reflected in the overall positive placement experience (PET item 1–19 score: mean 85.9 out of 95) and high student satisfaction (PET item 20: mean 8.53 out of 10). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the third year of study and public facilities were independent predictors of positive student experiences (β: 2.61, 95% CI: 0.75, 4.47 and β: 3.72, CI: 0.90, 6.55, respectively). Further analysis of PET items related to factor 1 and factor 2 revealed that high positive experiences in public facilities may be due to the higher learning support (β: 2.54, CI: 0.80, 4.27). Three main themes were perceived to be important to students' professional experience: (i) staff and facilitator attitudes, (ii) learning opportunities and (iii) a team-based learning environment. ConclusionsMost students reported high-quality placement experience and high satisfaction; however, a lack of learning support may contribute to less positive student experiences. This finding emphasises the importance of collaboration between clinical facilities and educational institutions to enhance the student’s placement experience.

Students’ Relative Attitudes and Relative Intentions to Use E-Learning Systems

Students’ Relative Attitudes and Relative Intentions to Use E-Learning Systems

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Studying the factors of successful acquisition of ESL speaking skills in Ukrainian adult learners, the authors focused on the correlation between emotional intelligence and development of oral communication skills, and, on the other hand, on the growth of these indicators as a result of purposeful inclusion of content-related emotions into activities aimed at the development of speaking and listening skills. Theoretically based on the ideas of emotional intelligence as an important factor in human interaction and guided by the hypothesis that content-related emotions intensify emotional involvement and have a positive influence on the acquisition of oral communication skills, the researchers applied Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test and the English Language Oral Communication Skills Test developed by the authors, to measure the key oral communication skills indicators against a 100 point scale. Experimental teaching of 124 undergraduate students of International Relations during September 2018 – May 2019 proved a beneficial influence of including emotions in the learning activities on the acquisition of ESL oral communication skills, as well as on student motivation and overall quality of student experiences. Significant increments in Emotional Intelligence and ESL oral communication skills in the experimental group compared to insignificant growth of the same indicators in the Reference group allow to establish a positive correlation between the growth of emotional intelligence and acquisition of the ESL speaking skills pursuant to inclusion of content-related emotions into the ESL learning in Ukrainian students.

Transformative study abroad programs in emerging nations: Moving toward equitable Global North-South partnerships

ABSTRACT This work explores how short-term study abroad programs in emerging nations might be redesigned to become more beneficial to host institutions and communities, while providing more responsive, transformative learning experiences for students, and analyze how study abroad programs, as well as follow-on grant and research programs, can also be the tools that develop a sustainable and equitable partnership between universities in the Global North and South. This research is focused on the challenges of developing equitable north-south partnerships, as well as research focused on improving the quality of student experiences in emerging nations. Based on multiple study abroad programs from North America to Botswana, we examine the development of more collaborative study abroad programs in developing countries. This research, focused on the development and execution of study abroad programs with the propensity to positively impact their host community, or at least to do no harm, particularly in developing nations – includes analyses of programs that emphasize connecting and coping skills for all participants, community engagement and the avoidance of missionary zeal, and effective service-learning projects.

The determinants of degree programme satisfaction

ABSTRACT Using a unique European dataset for graduates, this paper examines the determinants of college satisfaction and investigates the relative importance of human capital, course composition, and subsequent employment outcomes. We find that aspects of the degree programme related to the mode of teaching and personal development were considerably more important in determining college satisfaction, relative to the field of study, or the subsequent jobs that they obtained. Our results highlight that practical learning approaches and an experience that enhances non-cognitive personal development (NCPD) are some of the course attributes most valued by students retrospectively. Therefore, universities can enhance the quality of student experiences, and also equip them with aspects of human capital allowing them to prosper within the labour market, with an increased focus on both applied learning experiences and non-cognitive personal development.

Developing Measures of Placement Quality in Allied Health, Dentistry, Medicine, and Pharmacy

As placement numbers expand, there is a concern that the quality of student experience and learning may diminish. Furthermore, there is a paucity of evidence for evaluation and quality improvement in clinical health placements and there have been few studies undertaken to assess quality. Valid and reliable measures of placement quality are needed to provide an evidence-base to guide decisions about the most efficient and effective placement models in health. A two-phase mixed methods design, using a modified Delphi process, focus groups, and surveys, developed and tested items to measure placement quality. Thematic analysis, descriptive statistics, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to analyse the data. Twenty-three participants took part in the Phase 1 stakeholder focus groups, and 150 useable surveys were returned by 161 who took part in Phase 2 to test validity and reliability of the student survey items. Results show broad agreement on the features of a quality clinical placement across allied health dentistry, medicine, and pharmacy professions. The student survey was found to be a valid and reliable measure of placement quality, with the EFA showing one component accounting for 58.5% of the variance in the survey data. The findings offer a framework and approach that others can adopt to measure placement quality in their setting. The measures may be adaptable to contexts outside health.

Student international learning experiences in Cebu, Philippines

Background: Universities are increasingly exploring international placements and learning experiences for paramedicine students. This has given rise to questions about the quality of student experiences overseas within the paramedic curriculum and how useful they are. Aim: This study investigates whether a university-organised overseas trip provided a useful clinical and cultural learning experience for undergraduate paramedicine students. Methods: A 60-question survey was administered, with questions focusing chiefly on clinical and cultural experiences during the overseas trip. Statistical software was used to analyse continuous and categorical survey data. Findings: This international trip appears to have provided useful cultural but suboptimal clinical learning experiences, despite participants' involvement in childbirth, emergency room presentations and blood draws. Conclusions: The different practice settings and cultural elements of the trip provided valuable learning experiences. A validated survey that would allow universities to evaluate and better understand the dimensions of quality in overseas paramedic student placements should be developed.

Teacher Attrition in a Northern Ontario Remote First Nation: A Narrative Re-Storying

Increasing teacher retention in First Nations communities has been identified in the literature as requiring attention. When attrition rates are high and teacher efficacy, quality of student experience, and overall academic achievement is compromised, efforts to mobilize plans for stability are needed. Through a narrative re-storying approach this paper unpacks the challenges and opportunities related to teacher attrition in one remote First Nation community in Northern Ontario. Although teacher attrition is inevitable, it is necessary to re-envision attrition factors as a plan for retention. Community integrated induction and mentorship programming, and continuous and multi-year contracts are two possible approaches to boost retention. Teacher education is also explored as a long-term approach to address teacher attrition from a system perspective. In all approaches, collaborative effort, engagement, and funding are needed from the federal government, local education authorities, and faculties of education to increase teacher retention in remote First Nation communities.

Operations management in the design and execution of MBA programs

ABSTRACTMaster of business administration (MBA) programs are under intense pressure to improve efficiencies, lower tuition, and offer refreshed curriculum that is of high quality and regarded as relevant by the marketplace. In light of this environment, the authors propose a conceptual framework for effectively employing operations management (OM) methodologies in the design and execution of MBA programs. OM is shown to be applicable in key areas including curriculum design, faculty utilization, quality of student experience, assurance of learning, and program redesign. Results from survey data indicate that most MBA programs are not fully utilizing OM methods in their operations.

The Implementation of Project Method: Educating Golden Generation or Conservation Nation On Exhibition Subject ECE Department

The efforts to improve and enhance the quality of education by making curriculum changes, both structural and its formulation procedures would be more meaningful if accompanied by changes in teaching practices that support the successful implementation of the curriculum. One method that can be used is Project Method, whereby it is expected that the quality of student learning experiences in the classroom is more effective and instill the character associated with the environmental, cultural, and natural resources conservation. The purpose and benefits of this research are to provide an overview of procedures or mechanisms of implementation and find out how much the success rate of the method used in learning, especially in exhibition subjects with project method. This research is a classroom action research with the approach used in this study is a descriptive qualitative approach. The population in this study was all 90 studentsofEarly Childhood Education Department at Semarang State University who are on 6th semester who are taking exhibition subject. The result shows that the procedure of project method activities have to go through stages of actions and observations, which showed at the beginning of the first cycle obtained an average of student ability in this activity amounted to 59.25% and increased in the second cycle achieving 93.08%. It shows that by using the project method, it is very effective to improve the quality of learning for students. How to cite Diana & Eka, R. A. A. (2015). The Implementation of Project Method: Educating Golden Generation or Conservation Nation On Exhibition Subject ECE Department. Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies , 4(2), 96-100. doi:10.15294/ijeces.v4i2.9463 DOI 10.15294/ijeces.v4i2.9463

Research teaching in learning disability nursing: Exploring the views of student and registered learning disability nurses

Whilst there is a need to develop the research base within learning disability nursing it is also significant that currently there is little published data as to how research is taught to this group of nurses. To increase understanding of how research is currently taught to learning disability nurses within the UK. A survey design was used. The research was undertaken at a conference held in the UK in March 2014. 310 learning disability nurses attending the conference of which 212 completed the free text question. This comprised student nurses (n=158), registered nurses working in practice settings (n=25) and registered nurses working in educational institutions (n=24). Five participants did not specify their background. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire that included a free text question regarding the teaching of research to learning disability nurses: it is the responses to this question that are reported in this paper. Responses were transcribed and thematically analysed. Eight themes emerged: Teaching approach--the good and the bad; finding the right level; right from the start; we need more time; generic versus specialist; there's not enough; getting research into practice; and what should we focus on? Variations exist in terms of the timing of research education, the teaching approaches used, and hence the quality of student experience. Of particular concern is the apparent gap between research teaching and the use of research in practice, and the reported lack of support for research within practice settings. However, enthusiasm for research is evident and hence recommendations are made both to enhance teaching and to strengthen links with practice.

Partners or opponents: the engagement of students in a compliance driven quality assessment

The Australian government recently established a national regulator with responsibilities of registration and accreditation of all kinds of higher education providers including universities. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) subsumes the functions of the previous Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) with legislative powers to place sanctions on institutions for non-compliance. One of the key changes in relation to quality assurance and external reviews is a shift of focus from an improvement-led audit to a compliance driven assessment using externally set standards and risk based reviews. The new quality and regulatory framework introduced by the government is extensively based on the review of documentation and institutional performance on various metrics to identify compliance or non-compliance against standards and analysis of risk using risk indicators. Unfortunately, unlike the previous AUQA audit, TEQSA's quality assessment does not engage students in the review process as a way to identify areas of good practice and areas needing improvement. This paper argues the need for the national regulator to engage students in the review process rather than assessing the quality of student experience solely based on paper trail and documentation review. Failure to engage students in the assessment of quality raises questions on the role of students in external review, and whether the national regulator is established to serve the purpose of the government only in advancing quality and or transforming student learning and enhancing their experience.

Commencing student experience: new insights and implications for action

In many developed countries, including Australia, it is common practice to regularly survey university students in order to assess their experience inside and beyond the classroom. Governments conduct nationwide surveys to assess the quality of student experience, benchmark outcomes nationally and in some cases reward better performing institutions. Internal surveys aim to identify which aspects of university services student rate higher or lower on their importance and performance. Thus, universities can promote highly performing areas and work on those needing improvement. Traditionally students are surveyed at the end of each year of study. However, in recent years, some Australian universities have introduced surveys for commencing students focusing on their experience in the first few weeks of study. This article investigates whether surveying students at the early stage can be informative and help universities manage proactively student expectations to optimise first year engagement and retention. The research sample consisted of 8228 first year undergraduate students who participated in the Commencing Student Survey (CSS) conducted by a large multi-campus Australian university in 2010 and 2011. The results have significant implications for the university's first year retention strategy and consistently suggest the importance of: helping new students with learning methods; staff accessibility and responsiveness; course flexibility; implementing a wide range of formal and informal peer support activities and systems; giving students better prior training on what will happen at university; and providing new students with guides on how the university works and how to do well, written by experienced and successful students from their group.

Significance of laboratory experience in undergraduate microbiology

The 2008 Review of Australian Higher Education highlighted current financial constraints on higher education in Australia that impact negatively on the quality of student experience and their learning outcomes. Practical laboratory experience is costly in providing venues, staffing, materials and equipment. However, the practical nature of microbiology necessitates acquisition of significant knowledge and experience of laboratory skills to effectively support the profession. This article provides evidence that inclusion of practical classes in undergraduate microbiology courses has multiple advantages: quality learning facilitated through experiential, engaging learning activity; undergraduates in theory plus practical courses achieve significantly higher results than those taking theory-only units; and student feedback that articulates that laboratory experience facilitates quality learning outcomes.

Teacher instructional language and student experience in middle school choral rehearsals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between teacher language use and student quality of experience during choral rehearsals. Particularly at the middle school level, few data exist about the ways in which instructional discourse during rehearsals affects student experience. Existing research suggests the use of instructional scaffolding as effective in enhancing student learning and experience, but this had not been previously investigated during music rehearsals. The language of two teachers during 20 rehearsals was recorded and examined for evidence of instructional scaffolding and sequential units of instruction; student self-reports of affect, challenge and skill were correlated with the teachers’ language. Students reported higher levels of challenge and skill (often referred to as ‘flow experience’) during rehearsals with greater use of scaffolding language. Analysis suggests that a strong positive relationship exists between teachers’ use scaffolding language, complete sequential units of instruction, and quality of student experience during middle school choral rehearsals.

Evaluation of quality of student experiences at a university using a rasch measurement model

Evaluation of quality of student experiences at a university using a rasch measurement model

Quality of Student Experiences at University: A Rasch Measurement Model Analysis

The Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire from the United States of America (Friedlander, Pace, & Lehman, 1990) was revised and rewritten for Australian university students. The Australian Quality of Student Experiences Scale comprises 60 items relating to student expectations and, in direct correspondence, 60 items relating to their experiences. The items are based on a model involving academic, personal and group experiences for eight areas: My Course, The Library, My Lecturers, Student Acquaintances, The Arts, Writing, The Sciences and Vocations. The convenience sample was 305 first year students and the data were analysed with a Rasch measurement model. Fifty-eight items did not fit the model and were discarded. Most of these items came from the sub-scales: The Arts, The Sciences and Writing. The final scale of 62 items had excellent psychometric properties. Expectations are easier than experiences, as conceptualised, and the conceptual design of the scale is confirmed.

Client‐based management education: values and quality

Over recent years there has been a considerable growth in the provision of client‐based postgraduate and post‐experience management education. Client‐based programmes delivered on company premises raise serious concerns connected with the educational quality of student experience and wider issues of academic freedom within higher education. Discusses the values of higher education, the learning environment, teaching style, politicization of knowledge and research tensions.

Becoming a Teacher: Early Childhood Practicum Experiences

The purpose of the study was to design curricula for practicum to improve the quality of student experiences. The study describes factors which influence practicum experiences of 30 student teachers, such as institution settings of the placement, curriculum of the practicum, student disposition and those with whom they interact, based on the work of Zeichner (1980), Fuller and Brown (1975), Katz (1982) and Fielding (1983). Change measures were based on student self report and coded using Kelly's (1955) “personal construct” repertory grid with eight elements. Construct dimensions were developed from audiotape transcripts and scored on a scale of 1 to 5 on three separate occasions during the practicum. Research findings suggest that there are special characteristics in early childhood teaching, and that the content and context of practicum experiences need to be matched with a sequence of role‐related experiences, particularly for capable teacher education students seeking challenges in the practicum placement.