Reflective Journals Research Articles

End-of-Life Education in a Prelicensure Nursing Program.

The demand for palliative and end-of-life nursing is increasing with the aging US population. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing published recommendations for incorporating palliative and end-of-life care across nursing curriculum to prepare the future workforce. However, recommendations regarding teaching end-of-life content are limited. This project aimed to integrate and evaluate the outcomes of end-of-life education introduced in a prelicensure nursing program. Using a documentary created by the American Nurses Foundation, students had the opportunity to discuss common themes in end-of-life care, practice morgue care in the simulation laboratory, and practice reflective journaling. The students' preevaluations and postevaluations indicated that the educational program significantly increased their confidence in providing end-of-life care and support to patients and families, demonstrating the importance of end-of-life curricula in nursing school.

Enhancing Project Management Education: Investigating the Effectiveness of Flipped Learning and Active Experiential Learning Approaches

This study proposes an in-depth investigation into the efficacy of combining flipped learning and active experiential learning methodologies within the context of project management education at Open University Malaysia. The primary aim is to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional lecture-based teaching approach, which often falls short in engaging students and equipping them with the practical skills required for effective project management in real-world scenarios. By transitioning towards a more student-centered model through the implementation of flipped classrooms, this research seeks to enhance student engagement, learning outcomes, and overall satisfaction with the course. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study will involve quantitative and qualitative techniques to gather comprehensive data. This includes pre- and post-assessment of students' knowledge and understanding of project management principles, alongside surveys and reflective journals to capture students' perceptions of the learning experience. The participant base will consist of students enrolled in a project management course, allowing for direct observation of the pedagogical strategies' impacts. The anticipated outcomes of this research are twofold. Firstly, it aims to provide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of integrating flipped learning and active experiential learning in project management education. Secondly, it seeks to offer actionable insights for educators and educational institutions on how to design and implement more engaging and effective instructional strategies. Ultimately, this study aspires to contribute significantly to the literature on educational methodologies in project management, paving the way for enhanced educational practices and student preparedness for professional success.

Implementing a process-based reflective teacher training course through situational role play, video, and scenario evidence and its effects on EFL teacher candidates’ perceptions of caring and reflective practices

ABSTRACT The current study examined the teacher candidates’ perceptions of ways a process-based reflective teacher training course-especially those focused on bumpy moments in the classroom, through situational role plays, video reflections, and scenarios- could assist them in their reflective and caring practices. In this regard, a sample of 45 pre-service teacher candidates enrolled at a teacher education university in Iran partook in the study and filled in the reflective and caring practices questionnaire before and after the treatment. Moreover, three teacher candidates were offered to keep reflective journals about the procedure based on their observations. Furthermore, pre- and post-phase interview was conducted with 15 participants. The results of this study revealed that the participants across all three intervention groups experienced improvement as a result of engaging in the teacher training course. The scenario group had the highest mean, followed by the video group; the role play group showed the least amount of improvement in reflective questionnaire mean score of all the treatment groups. The implication is that the process-oriented reflective teacher training course through situational role-play, video-based reflection, and scenario-based reflection can make teacher candidates more cautious about the caring and reflective aspects of their teaching.

Challenging South African early childhood development teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices regarding gender

ABSTRACT To develop gender equality, teacher perception and pedagogical practices need to be challenged. This article sets out to explore challenging early childhood development (ECD) teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices regarding gender in South Africa. There is a dearth of research on gender pedagogical practices among ECD teachers. The research methodology employed participatory action research that focused on collaborative learning workshops. Data collection methods were interviews, observations, reflective journals and focus group discussions with 12 ECD teachers. Data was generated in two phases. The first phase revealed that teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices of gender needed to be challenged as they were gender biased. The second phase, teachers highlighted the influence of challenging their perceptions and pedagogical practices on gender. Findings revealed that learning environments were more gender aware by challenging teachers’ perceptions and pedagogical practices. The findings revealed that teachers’ development programmes are paramount to gender-equitable transformations at ECD centres.

“My Child Might Be Thinking About Something Beneficial to Humanity”: Enhancing Parental Perspectives on Engineering Education in Early Childhood

ABSTRACT This qualitative case study explores how parental involvement (PI) in early engineering education (EEE) of 5- to 6-year-old children provided through a school-based program reflected on Turkish parents’ perspectives regarding three themes: 1) engineering, 2) EEE, and 3) PI in EEE. Data were collected from 13 parents through pre- and post-interviews and reflective journals. Findings revealed that, after their involvement in the program activities, parents tended to define engineering as related to problem-solving and facilitating daily life and perceive the contributions of EEE to children more comprehensively. After participating in the program, parents reported a more expanded perception of alternative ways of supporting their children’s EEE through PI. Findings also indicated that parents’ perceived life contexts might constitute a barrier to PI in EEE, and parents need more guidance on providing effective scaffolding for their children’s EEE.

Teaching Religious Moderation to Pre-Service Teachers: An Indonesian Case Study

This case study investigated the enactment of a religious moderation literacy project for pre-service teachers of Islamic education at a university in Indonesia. Ten student teachers who participated voluntarily in an online tutorial session and a field trip program to the village where the community embraced interfaith tolerance were interviewed. They wrote reflective journals and collected photographs after joining the field trip. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that the pre-service teachers improved their awareness of religious tolerance, felt empowered to act as tolerant teachers, and found leadership to be important for leading a peaceful life.

The Effect of Digital Storytelling Activities on Prospective Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Digital Writing

Digital storytelling includes a writing process that is conducive to enhance writing skills at various stages of the educational process. By incorporating elements such as text, video, visuals, and sound, students create digital stories through applications on computers, mobile phones, and other digital platforms, employing multimedia formats. This approach leverages multiple media components, appealing to different senses within the digital story, and aims to aid in the retention of learning. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of digital storytelling activities on preservice teachers' attitudes toward digital writing and to gather their perspectives on the process. A mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods, was adopted for this study. The quantitative dimension adopted a single-group pretest-posttest experimental design, whereas the qualitative dimension involved evaluating the preservice teachers' reflective journals on the process. The study was conducted with students (n=31) from the primary education department of Faculty of Education at Pamukkale University. Research data were collected via the "Attitude Scale for Writing in Digital Environments (DOYAT)," developed by Kırmızı, Kapıkıran, and Akkaya (2021), and the participants' reflective journals. The study was implemented over eight weeks, with sessions held twice per week. Upon comparing the pretest-posttest results and the journal findings, it was observed that digital storytelling activities positively influenced preservice teachers' attitudes toward digital writing. Findings from their reflections indicate improvements in their digial competencies, digital writing skills, and social skills. On the other hand, participants reported facing challenges in editing images, adding sound, structuring stories, and sequencing transitions. The process of creating animations for digital stories emerged as the most time-consuming difficulty for the preservice teachers.

What medical students want from Mental Health Self-Help Resources: A focus group study

BackgroundMedical students frequently report higher levels of psychological distress than the general population, and emotional regulation skills learnt during their time of study underpin future psychological self-management. There have been few self-help mental health resources designed for this population, and it remains unclear what formats medical students prefer these resources to take on. Therefore, this study sought to understand what medical students want from self-help mental health resources. MethodsOtago Medical School students in their second, third, or Honors research years of study participated in focus groups where questions were posed to them about their preferences about format, perceived benefits, and interactions with self-help mental health resources. The data was recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed to identify relevant themes. ResultsThirty-four participants took part in six focus groups which lasted an average of 34 min each. Themes emerged around format, usefulness, and engagement. Formats included passively used resources like podcasts, actively used like reflective journals and social group-based resources to strengthen communities. Useful resources included novel, targeted approaches that would assist with navigating specific struggles as opposed to previously taught academic content. Recommendations included advertising through trusted student bodies and providing short, gamified resources. ConclusionParticipants reported a strong preference for brief, visually appealing, and gamified resources. It is recommended that universities provide a diverse collection of these self-help mental health resources tailored specifically to at-risk student populations like medical students to increase their uptake and, in doing so, provide them with more effective mental health support.

Exploring Science and Technology Teachers’ Experiences with Integrating Simulation-Based Learning

Science and technology require learners to engage in practical work and inquiry-based learning. In South Africa, schools still need laboratories, textbooks, and equipment for practical work. Considering the above contextual challenges, this paper calls for integrating computer simulation-based learning (SBL) into science and technology education. Very little is known about science and technology teachers’ experiences of simulation-based learning in rural settings. This interpretative study, located at a teacher training institution in South Africa, aimed to explore science and technology teachers’ experiences of integrating simulation-based learning in their teaching. The study was framed within Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which posits that learning is a process of creating knowledge through the transformation of experience. Sixteen practicing teachers enrolled for their honors degree were purposively selected. Data were generated via semi-structured interviews, online interactive discussion forums, and reflective journals. All ethical protocols were observed. NVIVO was used to create tag clouds before thematic analysis could begin. The findings illuminated participant experiences as learning, unlearning, disrupting pedagogies, revisioning best practices in a community of inquiry, and promoting conceptual understanding and spatial visualization. The findings demonstrated an authentic practice of educating and training teachers to integrate SBL into their teaching and the use of SBL in promoting the conceptual understanding and spatial ability of learners in school settings that lack laboratories and functional equipment.

Designing learning trajectory to support preservice mathematics teachers' skills in creating and implementing realistic mathematics tasks

In mathematics teaching and learning, mathematics tasks embedded in realistic contexts are crucial for developing mathematical concepts, procedures, and the application of mathematical knowledge. Despite this, mathematics teachers often encounter challenges in designing and implementing such realistic mathematics tasks. Therefore, this study aims to construct a learning trajectory to enhance preservice mathematics teachers' abilities to create and implement Realistic Mathematics Tasks (RMTs). Employing a design research methodology, the study comprises three phases: preliminary design, teaching experiment, and retrospective analysis. The data presented in this article are from the first cycle, encompassing all three phases. The research involved four fourth-year preservice mathematics teachers from Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, participating in a preliminary experiment conducted over three months outside their regular coursework. Data were collected through pre-course written tests, observations, interviews, journal reflections, and analyses of the preservice teachers' work. The findings indicate that the learning trajectory effectively raised awareness among preservice teachers about key characteristics of realistic mathematics tasks. This heightened awareness was evident in their reflections and work. Additionally, observations of their teaching practices revealed that preservice teachers valued student reasoning in solving RMTs. However, they faced difficulties in classroom management and guiding students to construct new knowledge actively through their experiences in solving RMTs.

New graduate nurses’ readiness for practice, transition and integration into the workplace: A longitudinal study with mixed methods research

AimTo examine the readiness of new graduate nurses for practice and evaluate factors influencing their transition into the workplace. BackgroundThis is new research in Bahrain. Understanding readiness for practice is important during a time when there is a national initiative to promote nursing as a career among the indigenous Bahraini population. The worldwide nursing shortages and aging workforce require new and innovative recruitment and retention measures. There is change, increased demand and complexity, in nursing and healthcare needs with accompanying healthcare specialization. In such a health care environment, the transitioning and readiness of newly qualified nurses is an increasing challenge. DesignA longitudinal design, with a triangulated, mixed methods, research approach was used. MethodsThe study population consisted of 50 newly graduated nurses. Data were collected over one year through self-administered questionnaires, reflective diaries and focus groups. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS and qualitative data using thematic analysis with adherence to GRAMMS reporting guidelines. ResultsIn Bahrain, there are actions to recruit young Arabic students to nursing including schools and community presentations by trained nurse ambassadors, social media activities and career exhibitions, however there is a lack of objective information on the perspective of cohorts of nurses who have successfully completed graduate nursing registration programmes and transitioned into practice. International literature suggests that the transition of newly graduated nurses can be stressful and challenging. On entry to practice, the respondents positively perceived their characteristics and attributes; however, their confidence was affected by challenges in the workplace. The transitioning of the new graduate nurses was affected by the availability of support and leadership, induction programmes and the new complex work environment. ConclusionUnderstanding work readiness and the emotional needs of new graduate nurses, accompanied by improved support, will enhance the transition of newly qualified nurses into the workplace and reduce attrition. Study RegistrationKHUH/Research/No.279/2019

The role of emotional tensions in English language student teachers’ identity construction: an activity theory perspective

ABSTRACT Despite the recent growth of attention to language teachers’ emotions, knowledge about how emotional tensions contribute to student teachers’ identity construction is still under-developed. In response to this gap, the present study explored the role of emotional tensions in seven Iranian English language student teachers’ identity construction over a semester-long period. Theoretically grounded in activity theory, the study was conducted through collecting data from pre-course interviews, during-course reflective journals, and post-course interviews. Data analysis revealed three major themes: (1) emotional tensions as a source of marginalisation, (2) emotional tensions as a motivator of professional investment, and (3) emotional tensions as a fund of identity. We found that beyond positive and negative contributions for student teachers’ identity construction, emotional tensions could play a mediatory role in identity development when they interact with system-related discourses and participants. Based on the findings, we provide implications for teachers and teacher educators to turn emotional tensions into a positive contributor to interpersonal and organisational development.

Digital literacy and EFL teachers’ anxiety with teaching online via a virtual classroom software

This study employed qualitative analysis to investigate the technology anxiety experienced by Iranian EFL teachers conducting online classes, taking into account their digital literacy levels. A digital literacy questionnaire was administered to a group of EFL teachers teaching English online at two branches of a language institute in Iran using the virtual classroom software BigBlueButton. Based on the questionnaire responses, 12 teachers were categorized as high (N=6) and low (N=6) digital literates. Through semi-structured interviews and reflective journals, the study delved into teachers’ anxiety regarding online teaching, identifying three primary types of anxiety: pedagogical anxiety, technological anxiety, and social anxiety. The findings revealed that pedagogical anxiety stemmed from disruptions in teaching and learning processes, technological anxiety arose from challenges such as internet disconnections, and social anxiety related to judgments based on technological proficiency. While effective language instruction was a shared concern among high and low digital literate teachers, their approaches to managing anxiety varied significantly. High digital literate teachers demonstrated greater resilience in addressing online teaching challenges, whereas low digital literate teachers experienced reduced confidence and struggled with virtual classroom management. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing technology-related anxiety among language teachers in online education to enhance teaching efficacy and student outcomes. It suggests integrating digital literacy courses and providing expert support to alleviate teaching and technology-related anxiety and stress among EFL teachers, leading to more effective teaching practices.

교원양성기관 체육 전공과목 초임 강사의 교수 경험과 지원방안 탐색

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore my experience teaching physical education major subjects as a first-time instructor at a teacher training institution and how universities support new instructors. Methods We collected data such as personal diaries, reflection journals, mobile phone recordings and memo records, syllabus, student activity photos, student lecture evaluations, and student LMS reflections for about 10 months from January to October 2023, and analyzed them inductively. Category analysis was performed. Results My experience as a first-time instructor was categorized as “Road to Part-time Lecturer,” “standing in the pulpit,” and “giving and receiving evaluations.” The ‘Road to Part-time Lecturer’ was categorized as ‘Preparation for permission for concurrent employment’, ‘Approval of concurrent positions completed by coordination’, and ‘Preparation for educational activities’. ‘Standing in the pulpit’ was categorized as ‘striving to improve the lesson’, ‘responding to unforeseen variables’, and ‘struggling to interact with students’. ‘Giving and receiving evaluations’ was categorized into ‘I who evaluate’ and ‘I who am evaluated’. Universities should establish a systematic system to develop the teaching capabilities of beginning lecturers starting from the doctoral program and create an atmosphere of voluntary and proactive efforts to improve the teaching and increase expertise of beginning lecturers. Conclusions Universities should establish a systematic system to develop instructors' teaching capabilities starting from the doctoral program and provide support so that new instructors can collaborate with fellow new instructors or receive systematic help from experts to enhance their individual expertise.

What is the structure of a Challenge Based Learning project? A shortitudinal trajectory analysis of student process behaviours in an interdisciplinary engineering course

ABSTRACT Challenge Based Learning (CBL) is an educational approach that has gained popularity in response to the need for authentic learning environments. While the CBL literature is predominantly focused on cases of pedagogical implementations, the actual processes by which students develop CBL projects remain under-investigated. This shortitudinal study seeks to examine the phases of CBL project development and associated process behaviours at group level, as they unfold. The participants are 6 interdisciplinary student groups totalling 22 students enrolled in a first-year course on ethics and data analytics. Data was collected weekly throughout 10 weeks via reflective diaries (n = 15 students) and observation of course sessions (n = 22) and is complemented by interviews after course completion (n = 15). The data was subject to a thematic trajectory analysis. The study identifies 7 distinct phases in the temporal structure of a CBL project: gaining client know-how, articulating a problem, mapping the problem context, setting the aim, proposing an action path, testing and evaluating it, and implementing the solution. The article concludes with recommendations for further research into CBL project development processes, which may support the growing adoption of real-life interdisciplinary projects in engineering education.

To mentor and be mentored in Grade R

Research suggests that beginner teachers face challenges when transitioning from pre-service to in-service teaching. Both nternational and local research found that transitioning from preservice to newly qualified teachers can be problematic. This study explores the learning experiences of beginner foundation phase Grade R teachers. The study utilises a qualitative research design embedded in the interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected from six foundation phase Grade R teachers using semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. The findings show that beginner teachers face enormous challenges early in their careers, and their sustainability in the classroom depends on how well they address these challenges. The findings have significant implications for the implementation of formal mentoring in practice.

Fostering EFL Learners’ Writing Skills through Blog-Assisted Language Learning (BALL)

Blog-Assisted Language Learning (BALL) provides a platform for students to enhance their language skills through interactive and engaging activities. These activities include peer review and feedback, interactive discussions, reflective journals, and multimedia integration. This study aims to investigate the specific impact of BALL on improving EFL learners' writing performance, addressing the problem of how this innovative approach can enhance various aspects of writing skills. This study was conducted using classroom action research in one cycle, involving 18 vocational school students. Data were gathered through writing tests, observation checklists, and questionnaires. The findings revealed that implementing Blog-Assisted Language Learning significantly enhanced the learners’ writing performance and attitudes toward learning English. The students showed improvement in content, organization, vocabulary, language use, and mechanics of their writing. The average score increased from 71.61 in the pretest to 81.9 in the posttest. All students were engaged in the teaching and learning process, and they found using a blog to promote language acquisition to be an enjoyable activity. Additionally, a Paired Sample t-Test showed a significant difference between the students' overall scores pre-test and post-test, with a level of significance of 0.000, indicating that the implementation of Blog-Assisted Language Learning had a statistically significant impact on improving the students' writing performance. Therefore, Blog-Assisted Language Learning proves to be a valuable strategy for enhancing EFL learners' writing skills, and its interactive and enjoyable nature can motivate students, creating a more dynamic and student-centered learning environment.

Reflective Diaries as a Tool for Promoting Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The concept of reflection has become increasingly prevalent in higher education over recent decades, particularly in the domains of teaching and learning. Being a reflective learner means that students can critically evaluate their learning, determine areas of their learning that need further development and make themselves more independent learners. This paper discusses a case study where reflective diaries were used to facilitate and assess both learning and teaching methods. As an assessment method, reflective diaries can assess students’ comprehension of the course content and can also promote critical self-reflection and enhance self-awareness (Biggs, 1999; O’Rourke, 1998). The data were collected through individual interviews and reflective diaries written by undergraduate students at the University of Dhofar. Data analysis indicates that the use of reflective diaries proved beneficial for enhancing both teaching and learning experiences. This is because the process of writing the diaries requires students to reflect on the learning activities that have taken place in class, analyze their own learning and express it in a personal way. Reflective diaries can also enable teachers to evaluate their teaching methods and generate feedback for improving their classroom practices.

Impact of Distance Professional Development Course on Early Childhood Teacher’s Knowledge, Skills, and Beliefs on Self-Regulation

This study aims to evaluate the impact of a distance professional development course, within the framework of the Preschool Situational Self-Regulation Program (PRSIST), on the knowledge, beliefs, and skills of early childhood education teachers about self-regulation skills. One of the qualitative methods, the case study, was preferred for the current study. The research was conducted with 5 early childhood education teachers, working in a city in middle Anatolia, Turkey. The teachers attended the synchronous distance professional development course 1 day a week for 5 weeks. The total duration of the five sessions was 120 minutes. Interview forms, reflective journals, and documents were used as data collection tools. As a result of the research, it was found that the course had positive impact on teachers' knowledge, skills, and beliefs about self-regulation skills.

Operationalizing Critical Literacy in EFL Classrooms in KSA: Possibilities and Challenges

Using a qualitative research method, this article explores how EFL teachers can operationalize critical literacy (CL) when teaching prescribed textbooks that emphasize functional literacy in EFL classrooms in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). To address this research issue, the action research demonstrated and reflected my experience of using CL in one of my college-level EFL classrooms. The study ends by shedding light on the possibilities and challenges which teachers may need to negotiate and navigate through when implementing CL in EFL classrooms. Data were collected from two primary sources: my teaching reflective journals and classroom observations. The results indicate that students’ engagement, autonomy, voice, agency, and critical conscious awareness can be maintained and promoted when CL is enacted in EFL classrooms. In addition, the findings show that the use of CL can empower students and teachers alike to take on new positions and play different roles in EFL classrooms. KSA can equip its learners with the necessary skills to critically engage with language and texts, empowering them to become informed, active participants in an increasingly globalized world.