Graduation Requirements Research Articles

Best practices in creating partnerships for transformative engaged learning experiences at a small, liberal arts, Lasallian institution

AbstractAll undergraduate students at Saint Mary's College of California, a small, private institution, are required to complete an engaged learning (EL) course or experience for graduation. This graduation requirement was established to provide students with the opportunity to learn in and from the community; an important value from the principles of the Liberal Arts and Catholic Lasallian traditions that inform the College's pedagogy. The social justice and community engagement center on campus called the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA), establishes EL partnerships with nonprofit organizations, school districts, campus departments, and other higher education institutions throughout California for EL courses, internships, place‐based work, and research projects. We value the expertise of our partners and view them as co‐educators in creating transformative learning experiences for nearly 600 students annually. In this article, we will share our process in sustaining community partnerships, our scaffolding engagement efforts, and best practices for collaborating with partners.

Research on the Talent Cultivation Model of Accounting Professionals in Higher Vocational Colleges under the OBE Concept

The OBE philosophy is to set the student's learning outcomes as the teaching goal, advocate the OBE philosophy, combine the needs of enterprises in hiring personnel, formulate training plans, establish curriculum systems, design and implement teaching processes, and determine graduation requirements. In order to promote the development of accounting and finance majors in vocational colleges and provide support and suggestions for the reform of vocational education as a whole, we study and explore how to expand the reform ideas of accounting and finance major curriculum systems in vocational colleges under the guidance of the OBE philosophy, and how to carry out the talent cultivation model of accounting and finance majors in vocational colleges.

The Coordination between Arabic Studies Programs and Job Prospects for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students in Chennai City

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, it's essential to adapt strategically to changing trends and job opportunities for graduates. The Master's Program in Arabic Language is taking proactive steps to ensure the curriculum remains relevant to the demands of the job market. This study aims to assess the alignment between the curriculum and job requirements for graduates and postgraduates, the time taken to secure employment, the skills utilized in Arabic teaching roles, and the adequacy of the curriculum in preparing graduates for the challenges of the professional world. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive approach, data was gathered from alumni and employers between 2018 and 2022 through questionnaires, interviews, and group discussions. Analysis of the data revealed that 69.9% of graduates found their work aligned with the curriculum, with 39.2% working as Arabic language teachers, 20.3% in Computer, Media and MNC Companies and 28.4% are working outside the education sector. The average time to secure employment was less than six months, with technology-based teaching skills being the most impactful. Recommendations include adapting the curriculum to embrace technology in Arabic teaching, enhancing research methodology, and encouraging publication of articles and books to meet the demands of the digital era and the labour market.

THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF «KEY COMPETENCIES OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS»

The study conducts a systematic theoretical analysis of the concept of «key competencies of future specialists» in line with the ideas and provisions of modern foreign and domestic regulatory documents, scientific positions of leading scientists in the subject area, and methodological materials of practicing teachers. The purpose of the article is to identify the theoretical foundations of the interpretation of the concept of «key competencies of future specialists» in the educational and professional contexts of training in institutions of pre-university and higher education by means of generalization, comparison and synthesis of leading scientific positions. The article analyzes the interrelationships and dependencies of the concepts of «competence approach», «competence», «key competence»; the scientific approaches of domestic and foreign scientists to the systematic classification of groups of personal competencies (key – over subject, inter-subject; subject – acquired in the course of studying a particular discipline). The conclusions are drawn that competencies are a dynamic combination of knowledge, understanding, skills, abilities and abilities. The development of competencies is the goal of educational programs. Competencies are formed in different academic disciplines and assessed at different stages. Scientists argue that the competency-based approach, along with specific knowledge and skills, includes abilities, readiness to learn, readiness for professional activity, social skills, etc.; all these qualities are formed in the process of professional training. Modern employers are increasingly prioritizing the requirements for graduates of higher and higher education institutions to have systemic, intellectual, and communication skills, the ability to self-organize and organize the activities of employees, and the ability to reflect on their own activities, so society's requirements for the educational activities of vocational schools are constantly growing. The main features of the key competencies of future specialists are: multifunctionality (allowing to solve various problems of everyday professional or social life); supersubjectivity and interdisciplinarity (can be applied not only in the process of education, but also at work, in the family, in the political sphere); multidimensionality (including thought processes, intellectual skills, creative discoveries); determining the need for intellectual development of the individual (abstract thinking, critical thinking, self-reflection, recognition of one's own position).

California’s AB 101

In 2021, California governor Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 101, which requires that all students graduating high school by 2029–2030 must take an ethnic studies course. California is the only state in the nation with this graduation requirement. This article explores the historical and contemporary factors that pushed California to legislate and implement AB 101. We utilize a historical case study approach focusing on different student-led movements that embraced ethnic studies to combat educational inequalities. To do so, we pinpoint three historical phases in which ethnic studies became implemented throughout the state. In the first phase, influential scholars in the early and mid-twentieth century produced scholarship about historically marginalized people of color, which became foundational for the study of Black, Chicana/o, Asian American, and Indigenous people. The second phase involved students of color fighting for a culturally relevant curriculum, as demonstrated by the 1968 Third World Liberation Front, the 1968 East Los Angeles Chicano walkouts, El Plan de Santa Bárbara, and Chicanx/Latinx student hunger strikes in the 1990s. Lastly, the third phase consists of contemporary students, parents, educators, and activists successfully petitioning their local school districts to mandate ethnic studies as a high school graduation requirement. Despite these gains, far-right organizations in cities like Santa Barbara have mobilized to push back against both the ethnic studies requirement and progressive social justice groups like Just Communities Central Coast. This resistance initially derailed AB 331, an earlier ethnic studies bill that Governor Newsom vetoed based on accusations that it was “anti-Semitic.” A revised version, AB 101, was then introduced and passed. While momentous, we contend, AB 101 is still limited; reaching its full potential would require greater teacher credentialing and the expansion of ethnic studies to K–8 students.

Does Math Anxiety Influence Students’ Self-Regulated Learning? A Predictive Relationship Study at Two Vocational Schools at Bandung Regency

While mathematics is immensely imperative and regarded as a fundamental subject serving as one of the graduation requirements at every level of education in Indonesia, including vocational schools, adverse perceptions associated with it as a challenging subject are deeply ingrained in society, particularly among students. Despite there is a wealth of research exploring math anxiety and elf-regulated learning, a discernible gap exists in the literature, specifically within the Indonesian context, particularly among Vocational Students in the Bandung area. This research aims to explore the predictive relationship between math anxiety and students' self-regulated learning within the context of vocational education. Employing linear regression statistical analysis, and survey data collection method, this quantitative study involved 99 participants from two vocational schools in Bandung Regency. The results indicate a statistically significant impact of math anxiety on students' self-regulated learning. However, it's noteworthy that the degree of correlation is considered low. Furthermore, no significant differences were identified concerning variables such as age, sex, streaming, and class level. These findings contribute to the understanding of the dynamics between math anxiety and self-regulated learning, particularly within the context of vocational education in the Bandung region, and can serve as a valuable insight for future research in similar topics.

The European Profiling Grid (EPG) Pre-service Teachers’ Level in Lesson and Course Planning Competence

The quality of teachers significantly influences student performance, making it crucial for educators to possess the necessary competencies to be effective. This study assesses the competencies of prospective teachers from the English Department at Media Nusantara Citra University using The European Profiling Grid (EPG), which mandates that graduates achieve at least the beginner teacher level. The research aims to evaluate these prospective teachers' abilities in lesson planning and teaching according to EPG standards. Using a qualitative descriptive method, the study involved 17 students undergoing Field Practice (PKL), with data collected from their lesson plans and interviews. Results reveal that 13 prospective teachers were at the beginner level, while 4 reached the experienced teacher level. The findings indicate that all participants met the minimum graduation requirements based on EPG, specifically in lesson planning and teaching competencies.

Theoretical Research on the Construction of “Six-dimensional” Curriculum System for Physical Education Specialty under the Background of Teacher Certification

The major of physical education bears the responsibility and mission of the training of physical education teachers. The perfect curriculum system is the key element of the training of professional teachers in all kinds of physical education colleges at all levels, which directly affects the training direction, training specifications and training quality of physical education teachers. According to the graduation requirements of teacher professional certification for personnel training, this study puts forward the training ideas of physical education professionals from six dimensions, such as “ideological morality, basic quality, disciplinary quality, professional knowledge, professional skills, and innovation ability”, as well as the theoretical conception of curriculum system construction, in order to provide theoretical reference for the reform of physical education curriculum system.

The Insights and Influence of the Sydney Accord on the Teaching Reform of Vocational Education in China: A Case Study of Professional Curriculum Achievement Evaluation

Scientific curriculum evaluation methods are critical for achieving talent training objectives. The Sydney Accord, one of the three major engineering education certification agreements, focuses on the training of “engineering technologists.” Its logical system and three core principles align well with the connotation development of professional construction in China’s higher vocational colleges, offering significant insights for promoting reform and development in engineering education in Chinese colleges and universities. By incorporating the core principles, elements, and graduate quality defined in the Sydney Accord and focusing on the evaluation of curriculum achievement against “graduation requirements,” the quality of vocational education can be enhanced, making it an important direction for future teaching reforms in vocational education.

Sistem Informasi Bimbingan Tugas Akhir Mahasiswa menggunakan Model SDLC Berbasis Iconix Process

The final thesis assignment plays a crucial role in enabling students to meet the graduation requirements from college. However, the process of scheduling guidance for the final assignment between students and lecturers still relies on several common applications such as WhatsApp or email, which are not specifically designed for this purpose. The accumulation of incoming messages and various types of message information poses a challenge in the guidance process, leading to missed messages between students and lecturers and a lack of recorded information regarding the history of the process and guidance materials. These are some of the current issues. This paper aims to evaluate the functionality, quality, and reliability of the system by conducting black box testing on the application developed for the student final project guidance information system. This application uses the Iconix process-based SDLC (system development life cycle) model, covering student and lecturer profile information, guidance information, proposal submission, progress of the final thesis assignment, meeting schedule, guidance material, discussion forum, survey evaluation, and contact information. The SDLC model is employed in this research because it can effectively and efficiently achieve project targets, enhance software quality standards, and assist in better risk management and adaptation to change. The model comprises planning, needs analysis, design using the Iconix process, implementation, system testing, and maintenance. The Iconix process is utilized for system design modeling and analysis. Black box testing is performed on the system to verify that the system’s functional requirements are operating correctly. The findings of this research can serve as a control for management in the service and administration of final assignment guidance in higher education.

Exit Exams in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review aimed to synthesize the literature on exit exams in higher education. To this end, an attempt was made to look into the purpose of exit exams in higher education, the design and preparation of exit exams in higher education, the strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of exit exams in higher education, and the effects of exit exams on students, instructors, programs, and higher education institutions. In the literature search, the researcher used different electronic databases. The databases used were ERIC, JSTOR, Wiley, Google Scholar, and Tylor and Francis. Search terms were formulated and applied to the online databases. A total of 77 study articles were identified, and 11 studies were included in the study after applying inclusion, exclusion, and quality assessment criteria. The review process was guided by research questions. PICO (Problem Intervention Comparison Outcome) was used to formulate the research questions. The paper was prepared using the planning, protocol, extraction, analysis, and reporting stages. This systematic review followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria. Zotero was used for reference management. The study revealed that exit exams are requirements for graduation in higher education. The principal purpose of the exit exams is to assess students’ educational achievement. Exist exams positively affect students, instructors, and intuitions in the higher education context. Exit exams in higher education are used to measure the attitude, knowledge, and skill of graduates in terms of competencies. Exit exams cover the fundamentals of the relevant fields of study. A variety of measurement instruments are used in exit exams. Exit exams are also criticized on different issues. For effective and efficient utilization of exit exams in higher education it requires a higher education system pre-exit, during, and post-exit exam test administration activities. Concerning the future of exit exams in higher education alternative methods of assessment are proposed by scholars.

Developing a BOPPPS (Bridge-in, Objectives, Pre-assessment, Participatory Learning, Post-assessment and Summary) model combined with the OBE (Outcome Based Education) concept to improve the teaching outcomes of higher education

The teaching objectives of traditional approaches in higher education emphasize mostly students’ mastery of knowledge and have insufficient directionality to social needs. In this study, we developed a BOPPPS (Bridge-in, Objectives, Pre-assessment, Participatory Learning, Post-assessment and Summary) teaching model combined with the OBE (Outcome Based Education) concept to enhance the teaching outcomes. Firstly, based on the graduation requirements and professional training objectives of students, we divided the course objectives into three dimensions (knowledge, ability and quality), and further specified into index points. Then, the teaching content of each chapter was set to correspond with the index points. Finally, the BOPPPS teaching model was used to meet each requirement. Clinical biochemistry testing course was used as a model to assess the effects of the teaching reform. After the class, the teaching effect was analyzed based on the questionnaire surveys from the students and their scores of both the chapter and final examinations. The results showed that compared with the traditional approach, the BOPPPS teaching model combined with the OBE concept has demonstrated a notable enhancement in student engagement, and significant improvement of their mastery of knowledge, application skills, and problem-solving abilities. The examination scores of the BOPPPS group were markedly higher than those of the traditional group. Moreover, the difference between the two groups diverse assessment scores was much bigger than that between the two group examination scores. Our study indicates that the BOPPPS teaching model combined with the OBE concept is a highly effective teaching model for enhancing the learning effectiveness of students.

Analysis of human resources governance system in the framework of increasing the business of PT. Rumah Sakit Mata Pekanbaru

The Pekanbaru Eye Hospital Eye Center (PBEC) is one of the Eye Hospitals that is quite famous in the city of PekanBaru in particular and in Riau Province in general. It is a tertiary hospital located in the northern part of Indonesia. The eye hospital industry has a great impact on the quality of eye health services. This study aims to investigate how HR at PBEC Eye Hospital is managed to achieve high productivity and positive outcomes, such as consumer satisfaction and hospital business performance, positing that effective HR governance leads to better results, while poor governance has negative impacts. This research has two primary objectives: to fulfill a graduation requirement at Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, and to offer insights to eye hospital managers on the role of Human Resource Governance in hospital development, particularly at the eye hospital. The findings of this study will provide an in-depth understanding of how HR governance can support the progress of the hospital's business, as well as strategic steps to improve HR governance that have the potential to improve hospital performance. The suggestions submitted include improving the process and quality of HR governance through improving SOPs, training, consulting, and technology.

Does policy that provides choice in athletic footwear affect musculoskeletal injury risk in US Coast Guard recruits?

IntroductionMusculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are ubiquitous during initial entry military training, with overuse injuries the most common. A common injury mechanism is running, an activity that is integral to US Coast...

Examining Anxiety and Insomnia in Internship Students and Their Association with Internet Gaming Disorder.

Background: Internships are a mandatory graduation requirement to help medical students transition to the work environment. Some individuals are prone to anxiety in an unfamiliar environment, which is a public concern among young adults. Here, we investigated the mechanism between internet gaming disorder and anxiety and insomnia among internship students. Methods: A convenient sample of 267 internship students was collected in a cross-sectional study module between 17 July and 27 December 2022. The survey contained a 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF). The association was estimated using Pearson's correlations, and network analysis was performed to characterize these associations. Results: Our results indicate that about 60% of participants exhibited mild to severe anxiety and insomnia, while 2.28% showed symptoms of internet gaming disorder. Also, we found a moderate association between anxiety and insomnia. An item-level analysis indicated that GAD_1 "feeling anxious" and GAD_5 "unable to sit still" are essential for gaming, and that GAD_2 "uncontrollable worrying" is crucial for insomnia. This indicated an interplay between these items, supported by our centrality analysis, where we found that GAD_1 and GAD_2 depicted high centrality. Conclusions: We found high rates of anxiety and insomnia in internship students and the association between selected symptoms of anxiety and insomnia. At the same time, low rates of internet gaming disorder could be attributed to a lack of time for entertainment and an increased awareness of its risks. Given these findings, an awareness of anxiety and insomnia risk should be emphasized.

The Study of the English Preparation Course to Enhance Students’ English Proficiency for the Standardized Test “Your Score is High; my Score is Low. How to Make it Higher?”

“Your score is high; my score is low. How can I make it higher?” The author heard this in students’ conversations after they received their pre-test scores in the TOEIC training course. This is the major reason the author decided to conduct this study. Using the TOEIC score as part of the graduation requirements, the university designed and provided an English preparation course, namely EG1001: English for Proficiency Preparation, for students before taking the test. This small-scale research aims to investigate the effectiveness of the test preparation course in enhancing students’ English language proficiency and to explore which specific skills non-English major students need to improve for the TOEIC test. The study used pre-and post-tests to collect the language proficiency outputs of 57 higher education students in this course. Additionally, the study used their mini-test scores from each unit of the learning material to track their progress. The findings revealed that the post-test mean score (48.96) was higher than the pre-test mean score (40.58), indicating that after participating in this course, the participants improved their English proficiency. The results also suggested that students needed to practice more on the listening part of the TOEIC test.

중국 고교학점제 졸업제도 탐색

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to examine the credit system and the corresponding graduation requirements of general high schools in China, and to present the associated issues and challenges. [Methods] The previous research related to the high school credit system and graduation requirements was analyzed, focusing on the literature. [Results] The analytical framework for this study is divided into graduation requirements, duration of study, grade promotion, and other related aspects. The findings based on this framework are as follows. First, to graduate, students must complete a minimum of 144 credits, which are categorized into mandatory courses, selective mandatory courses, and elective courses. The graduation exam can be taken from the second year of high school onwards, after meeting the minimum credit requirements set by the Ministry of Education's curriculum. The exam subjects vary monthly, and the results are classified into five grades. Courses are offered according to the national curriculum and the school's own curriculum.Second, high school education in China lasts for three years, and early graduation is generally not allowed.Third, the credit system is implemented alongside the grade-level system, so grade promotion is based on the grade-level system. Fourth, the comprehensive competency evaluation is conducted to observe, record, and analyze students' overall growth for character education purposes. For college entrance, there are two options: the 3+3 model and the 3+2+1 model. [Conclusion] FFirst, the graduation requirements include meeting the course completion standards and passing the graduation exam. Second, since the credit system aims to provide education tailored to individual aptitudes and talents, cases such as early graduation should be approached with caution. Third, as the credit system is currently implemented alongside the grade-level system, efforts are needed to fully realize the comprehensive implementation of the credit system. Fourth, it is necessary to enhance the comprehensive evaluation for the overall development of students, and continuously improve the college entrance evaluation system towards self-assessment and self-formation

“A Whole Cycle All Over Again”: The Graduate School Considerations and Plans of First-Generation Bachelor’s Students

ABSTRACT Drawing from the Model of College-Going Decisions and Trajectories, this qualitative study explores how time, opportunity, and information shaped 17 first-generation college students’ (FGCSs) prospective plans for participating graduate school. Findings illustrate the bidirectional relationship of career aspirations and graduate school plans, with lengthy graduate requirements deterring career interest. In planning for graduate school, FGCS participants enacted multiple strategies to reduce overall postsecondary costs and maintain academic eligibility, despite structural barriers. Finally, participants experienced delays — both anticipated and unanticipated — in their prospective timelines for attending graduate school. Findings reveal systems that may disproportionately inhibit FGCSs’ graduate school interest and eligibility, with implications for career opportunity.

Exploration of Integrating Marxist Practice Concept into Graduation Theses of Business English Majors

Integrating ideological and political education into the guidance of graduation thesis is not only an inevitable need for universities to cultivate moral character, but also an inherent need to solve the problems in graduation thesis. Through research, the author has found that there are many problems in the graduation thesis of Business English major, such as topic selection, attitude, insufficient critical thinking ability and academic misconduct. Research the training objectives of the new national standard for Business English majors and the requirements for graduation theses, and confirm that Marxist practical views must be integrated into the graduation theses of Business English majors. And corresponding measures are proposed, including reforms to the course of "Thesis Writing", hiring relevant industry and enterprise experts for guidance, participating in the review and defense, and integrating value shaping, knowledge transmission, and ability cultivation into the graduation thesis writing. Through the inspection of graduation thesis work, it is found that significant results have been achieved, such as enhancing academic integrity and cultural confidence, enhancing innovation awareness, and selecting practical topics.

Incorporating ecological economics into engineering education

Engineering students require an education which facilitates the development not just of functional design of technological artefacts and processes, but they also need to be equipped to understand and engage with their wider implications and context. Consequently, as part of the formation of sustainability informed engineers, there is a clear necessity to integrate the socio-economic aspects of sustainability in order to posit technology in appropriate contextualised settings. The chemical engineering degree programme at University College Cork incorporates a strong emphasis on integrating the socio-economic dimension of sustainability within the programme. This paper focuses on ecological economics, and how it can connect with engineering and why it is important that engineering students receive a grounding in ecological economics. It outlines the content of a five-lecture series on ecological economics given to fifth-year chemical engineering students. This includes environmental aspects, such ecological limits analysis and the use of strategies, including economic, to move unsustainable natural resource use and emissions discharges to within their ecological limits. It explores social aspects and the critical barriers to transitioning to a sustainable economy, as well as the impact of ecological economics on engineering. Finally, three consecutive final year classes were surveyed to elicit their feedback on being taught ecological economics and to test the hypothesis that the inclusion of ecological economics appreciably enhances students’ ability to engage productively with sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); a key accreditation and professional requirement for contemporary engineering graduates. Overall, most students enjoyed the material, stating that is of value to engineering students, and they provided a useful qualitative assessment of the content.