Future Students Research Articles

Roots or Branches: The Climate Crisis and Other Injustices

ABSTRACT This study explores the translation of the concept of climate justice into tangible action and messaging by young climate activists within Fridays for Future (FFF). In this process, activists navigate the interplay between capitalism, colonialism, and the climate crisis within their organizing strategies. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted with a local Swedish FFF chapter and employing the framework of cognitive praxis, the analysis reveals how divergent activist cosmologies shape understandings of climate justice. Specifically, the metaphorical depiction of a tree serves as a lens through which two different conceptions of climate justice emerge: one emphasizing the climate crisis as the root cause of broader social injustices, and the other viewing it as a branch of a system producing multiple injustices. These cosmological differences engender organizational dilemmas, leading activists to negotiate cosmological and organizational compromises. By elucidating these dynamics, the study contributes to understanding the challenges and possibilities inherent in translating climate justice ideals into praxis, ultimately shedding light on pathways toward meaningful eco-socialist politics.

AI literacy in Teacher Education in the Czech Republic

The development of artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming education systems worldwide, including those in the Czech Republic. This paper assesses the level of AI literacy among teachers and its integration into the Czech education system. The aim is to determine how well teachers are equipped with knowledge, skills, and understanding of AI, and how effectively they can integrate AI and AI awareness into their teaching. The methodology entails gathering data via a questionnaire survey distributed to teachers across various educational levels. The survey comprises questions that concentrate on AI literacy aspects, such as basic AI principles, the capacity to apply AI to teaching, discussing ethical issues related to AI use in the school environment, and critical thinking abilities. The questionnaire analyses the current state and challenges teachers face when integrating AI into teaching and learning practices. The results will be evaluated to identify areas where teachers' AI literacy needs strengthening and to propose strategies and recommendations for improving teacher training programmes and support. These strategies comprise teacher training, the provision of resources and support for integrating AI into the classroom, and reflection on the ethical and societal aspects of AI. It is equally important to invest in the long-term development of AI literacy among teachers as a fundamental step towards effectively harnessing the potential of AI in education and preparing students for the digital future. This article presents strategies and recommendations for the further development of AI literacy among teachers in the Czech Republic. The objective is to enhance their capacity and facilitate the more effective utilisation of AI in education.

IMPLEMENTASI PEMBELAJARAN AKIDAH AKHLAK DALAM MEMBENTUK KARAKTER SISWA KELAS VIII DI MTS NEGERI 2 SUKOHARJO

Learning moral aqidah is one of the curricula taught at secondary education level which has a big influence on students' behavior, both in school life and outside of school. This research aims to find out how moral learning is implemented in shaping the character of Class VIII students at MTs Negeri 2 Sukoharjo. The approach in this research is a qualitative approach, using descriptive case study research. This research was conducted at MTs Negeri 2 Sukoharjo using data collection techniques in the form of observation and interviews. Aqidah Akhlak learning is used as a media for the process of forming polite character in students. This is supported by the role of Aqidah Akhlak teachers in directing and cultivating good moral character so that in the future students become good individuals in society. The culture of shaking hands before entering class at MTs Negeri 2 Sukoharjo is an inspiration for the polite character of students who need to be emulated in the millennial era.

Engaging students as partners (SaP) in a collaborative inquiry to develop a course

Aiming to develop a course with students as partners and to explore the process, two faculty initiated a curriculum development partnership with graduate students to design a new field study course. Applying a collaborative inquiry approach, we engaged in a research collaboration with graduate students online. The data collection was organised and facilitated using MURAL, a digital whiteboard that enabled synchronous and asynchronous visual collaboration with pictures, text, links, emojis, diagrams, and drawings. The study concluded with an exploration of the students’ experiences in the project. The co-created course design and pedagogy informed the development of a new field study course which was subsequently approved through the university curriculum approval process. Students shared that they appreciated reflecting, sharing, and contributing together as a group; they felt important and valued; and that it was meaningful to them to contribute to the learning of future students entering the program.

Implementation of an ePortfolio to promote professional pathways: A case study of international students in Australian higher education

Given the current status of ‘English as a global language’, master’s and postgraduate programs in Applied Linguistics and TESOL are becoming an increasingly popular choice for international students in Australia and elsewhere. However, international students enrolled in such programs often lack practical experience and a potential employment pathway. In this respect, an ePortfolio as an assessment tool has been found to assist students to become independent thinkers as they develop self-regulated, purpose-driven behaviours during construction of their ePortfolio. However, building an ePortfolio is a new concept for many of the international students in Australian higher education. The aim of this case study research was thus to identify the support international students require in completion of their ePortfolios. Research data in this mixed method study was collected through two survey questionnaires applied to international students within a course requiring an ePortfolio as a major assessment item. Results indicate the need for more focused training for these students not only in how to structure their ePortfolios, but also more broadly in the employability skills needed in the Australian workplace. This research will help to improve the design of similar courses, and consequently to improve the learning experience for future international students undertaking such courses.

Understanding Success: An Initial Investigation Considering the Alignment of University Branding with the Expectations of Future Students

This research investigates how university students define and perceive success, an area that is increasingly important to ensuring that a university’s brand remains aligned to the expectations of future students. Over the next decade, university students will comprise members of Generation Z (Gen Z), and by recognizing this group of students’ preferences and aspirations, universities can tailor their branding, educational portfolio, and overall campus experiences to ensure that together they resonate and satisfy evolving needs and demands. Using data based on a sample of Gen Z undergraduate students undertaking their degrees at three case study UK post-1992 universities, this research adopted an exploratory, interpretivist methodology. Data collected from semi-structured interviews were analyzed using recursive abstraction to identify underlying patterns and trends within the data. The research identified five key themes that Gen Z are using to define success, and these are the following: (1) being objective and task-driven; (2) embracing fluidity and subjectivity; (3) being ethically and morally responsible; (4) having resilience; and (5) accepting and learning from failure. Recommendations were made for actions that universities should start to take to enable them to work toward achieving this.

Focused gluteal region dissection on the human sciatic nerve

Dissection provides an understanding of human anatomy that is difficult to achieve solely with the use of textbooks. The knowledge obtained from anatomical dissection has allowed medical practitioners the ability to understand the anatomy that forms that basis of a particular clinical presentation, and more effectively treat the condition. These conditions include piriformis syndrome and sciatica. Clinical conditions may also arise due to anatomical variations which are rare presentations, absences, or arrangements of structures. The ultimate goal of the dissection in this report was to discern the pathway of the sciatic nerve and its divisions. In this report, the dissection of the gluteal region of a left leg from a female cadaver is detailed. The findings reveal two anatomical variations, a high division of the sciatic nerve and a muscular slip lateral to the long head of the biceps femoris. Additional research is needed to determine the implications of these anatomical variations in the clinical context. This prosection will be an important educational resource for future students, and could not have been possible without the generous donors.

Exploring digital competencies in higher education: design and validation of instruments for the era of Industry 5.0

IntroductionIndustry 5.0 is the next phase of industrial work that integrates robots and artificial intelligence to boost productivity and economic growth. It emphasizes a balance between human creativity and technological precision, built on three pillars: human centrality, sustainability, and resilience. Corporations and educational institutions must adopt an integrated approach to training their future workforce, emphasizing digital and key competencies such as creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Higher education institutions must measure digital competencies and other key Industry 5.0 competencies to prepare students for a sustainable future. However, there is a need to identify appropriate scientific instruments that can comprehensively evaluate these competencies.MethodsThis study conducted a Systematic Literature Review to analyze the existing digital competency assessment instruments in higher education from 2013-2023. The focus was on instruments that measure digital competencies and core competencies for Industry 5.0, such as creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. The search process began with a strategy applied across various databases, including ERIC, Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science, to cover a broad range of literature on the design and validation of digital competency assessment tools.ResultsThis search generated a total of 9,563 academic papers. Inclusion, exclusion, and quality filters were applied to select 112 articles for detailed analysis. Among these 112 articles, 46 focused on designing and validating digital competency assessment instruments in higher education. Within the reviewed literature, surveys and questionnaires emerged as the predominant methods utilized for this purpose. This study found a direct relationship between digital competencies and essential skills like communication and critical thinking.DiscussionThe study concludes that assessment tools should integrate a wide range of competencies, and students and educators should be actively involved in developing these skills. Future research should focus on designing tools that effectively evaluate these competencies in dynamic work contexts. Assessment instruments should cover a broader range of competencies, including creativity and collaboration, to meet the demands of Industry 5.0. Reliable assessments of digital competencies and soft skills are crucial, with a need for appropriate reliability tests that do not impact students’ preparedness for labor market challenges.

Academic success centers at us universities as an effective factor in ensuring the quality of higher education

The aim of the work is theoretical analysis of the peculiarities of the activity of the Academic Success Centers in the U.S. universities. The methodological basis of the study are official websites of Academic Success Centers, scientific articles by Ukrainian and American researches and analytical reports. Results. The article is devoted to a review of the activities of Academic Success Centers in U.S. universities. It is found that there is no single definition of «Academic Success Center» due to the variety of services offered. It is determined that Academic Success Center is a structural institution that provides academic and social-psychological support to students, helps to reveal their potential and prepare them for a career. The author emphasizes the technologies of support for students of higher education institutions. The main support technologies are tutoring, mentoring, academic coaching and Supplemental Instruction. It is proven that these technologies contribute to the improvement of the academic achievements of students and increase students’ retention rate of the educational institution. Special emphasis is placed on the interaction of the Center with freshmen, who most often face a number of problems in a new academic environment for them. The Centers provide academic advising for students on choosing courses. Academic advising lasts from admission to graduation at the university. Moreover, Academic Success Centers provide an opportunity not only to learn, but also to teach. Seniors have the opportunity to become tutors, mentors and academic coaches. A special feature of Centers is career guidance work with applicants. Universities organize meetings of future first-year students with students, graduates, teachers and administration of the institution to provide complete information about admission, studies and further employment prospects. Conclusions. The conducted study proved the need for further thorough research of the basic principles and areas of activity of centers of academic success in US universities in order to introduce better experience into educational practice.

Discussing discarded models: an integrative teaching resource

This study proposes a kind of teaching resource adaptable to different levels of teaching and training objectives that allows the introduction of contextual issues and concepts of history and the nature of science while providing tools for learning modeling and integrating different kinds of knowledge. A controversial case from science history was sought to develop an integrating teaching activity. The case to find must be one that confront at least two different models to solve a scientific problem or a technological one. Torricelli’s theory vs. horror vacui theory as it was modified by Galileo result a useful case to take as content for the teaching activity. Groups of students must argument in favor and against each of theories or models. The proposed activity introduces future teachers in the student’s role, considering that they will play the teacher’s role when they use similar activities with their future students. Moreover, it trains future physics teachers to integrate modeling, history and nature of science.

Integration and Promotion: Integrating Sustainability Research into Computer Science Teaching through Serious Games Assignments

“Serious Games” is a final-year 20 credit point module, undertaken as the default optional module for students on Undergraduate courses entitled BSc Computing and BSc Computer Science (Games Technology) at Nottingham Trent University, UK. The module focuses on developing students’ critical evaluation skills, enhancing their ability to design and implement solutions for a real-world design brief, working with clients and making final products accessible to a broad target audience. Historically this was achieved through engagement with a single client, often via a wider research project or local educational establishment of some sort. More recently, the module has retained two client project briefs, which the students are then empowered to choose between. With each client brief the module team has sought to add extra value for the students. For the previous two academic years, the module team has partnered with Green Academy, a strategic team within the University whose priorities include stimulating pedagogical innovation and practice sharing within the area of sustainability and pioneering a shared understanding of sustainability education. The resulting partnership has introduced a brief for students which combines vital industry skills with sustainability literacy. Working with and alongside the students who are undertaking the module, the module has developed Serious Games on a diverse range of local and global sustainability issues and has exposed students to university research culture and our sustainability research specialisms. It has also necessitated that students engage with and contextualise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the UNESCO ESD competencies which they are tasked with integrating into their design solutions. The long-term intent of this partnership is for these design decisions to be utilised in the Green Academy’s ongoing strategy to further enhance the University’s pedagogical framework and sustainability education offer, and to improve the provision of Serious Games for use by clients outside the University. This report is a synoptic overview of the module design and insights from the two-year partnership as well as how these observations have been leveraged to improve the design and delivery of the module for future clients and students.

Investigating fraction computation problem-solving among pre-service primary school teachers

The ability to solve problems involving fractions is a fundamental aspect of mathematics education. This study explores how Pre-Service Primary School Teachers approach problem-solving in fractional computations. A workbook is designed to support pre-service primary school teachers ' computational thinking in fraction-context challenges. The study employs a qualitative descriptive method encompassing interviews, study documentation, and observation to assess fraction computation problem-solving abilities. Twenty-seven participants were involved in this study. They were first-year students enrolled in the Primary School Teacher Education Department at one of the private universities in Jakarta, Indonesia. The findings reveal a notable outcome in pre-service primary school teachers ' understanding of fraction computation problem-solving, marked by recognizable strategies in their problem-solving approach. This research suggests that designing a series of workbooks containing various strategies in computational fractions and building a strong fractional number sense can help pre-service teachers reduce misconceptions and better understand fraction operations. These findings offer guidance for mathematics teacher education on how to effectively teach and embed the concept of fraction calculations to their future students so that they can only teach procedurally if they understand the meaning of fraction operations.

INFORMAL DIGITAL LEARNING OF ENGLISH TO SUPPORT A FORMAL SPEAKING COURSE: EFL PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS

This study aimed at exploring how English as a foreign language (hereafter, EFL) preservice teacher (hereafter, PSTs) who had no teaching experience perceived Informal Digital Learning of English (hereafter, IDLE) and their IDLE implementation ideas for their future students’ out-of-class activities to support formal classroom instruction. The researchers employed a basic qualitative design to understand the participants’ perceptions and implementation ideas. The data were gathered through interviews and document analysis, and subsequently, 14 EFL PSTs with no prior teaching experience were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings give new insights that the participants had positive perceptions towards IDLE and had various implementation ideas of IDLE for their future students, mostly through disrupting Web 2.0 technology tools, even though they had no teaching experience using technology. Two implications for English educators and teacher education programs are highlighted in this article: changing teachers’ mindsets towards EFL learning and the insertion of IDLE as a topic into pedagogy courses.

Evolving K-12 Digital Education: Enhancing Flexibility and Access through Online Learning and Virtual Programs

Background and Aims: Evolving K-12 digital education is critical because it increases flexibility, accessibility, and personalization, addressing diverse student needs and broadening learning opportunities. This evolution is critical for responding to technological advancements and preparing students for a digital future. This paper investigates the Evolving K-12 Digital Education: Enhancing Flexibility and Access through Online Learning and Virtual Programs. Methodology: The methodology for this review article is a systematic synthesis of existing literature on K-12 digital education, with a focus on online learning and virtual programs. It entails selecting and analyzing relevant studies to evaluate trends, benefits, and challenges, resulting in a comprehensive overview of how digital education improves flexibility, accessibility, and personalization. This approach is intended to provide valuable insights into the current state and future directions of digital learning. Results: the finding found that the incorporation of digital technology into K-12 education has significantly increased flexibility, accessibility, and personalized learning, it has also introduced new challenges such as the digital divide and difficulties in adapting to virtual settings. To fully reap the benefits of digital education, ongoing efforts must be made to address these challenges through equitable access, robust support systems, and comprehensive professional development for educators. The ongoing evolution of digital education promises to further transform learning experiences, assuming that these issues are effectively addressed. Conclusion: The incorporation of digital technology into K-12 education has greatly improved flexibility, accessibility, and personalization while also introducing new challenges such as the digital divide and adaptation difficulties. To fully realize these benefits, ongoing efforts are required to ensure equitable access, strong support systems, and comprehensive professional development for educators, paving the way for future advancements in digital learning.

Developing Future Teachers’ Design Thinking Skills through Constructive Teaching

In this article, the authors draw attention to the problem of developing design thinking skills in students, in particular creativity and innovation, through constructive learning. At present, the accelerated development of science and technology is increasing the demands on humanity, as a result of which there is a need to form an intellectual, constructive personality who has developed a thinking design, that is, the mechanisms necessary to establish dialogic relationships with people must be formed, culture, civilization, capable of self-improvement, self-regulation, self-realization and the formation of one’s image. During the period of rapid development of innovations and technologies in our country, one of the most important areas is the training of future teachers in higher education institutions, and design thinking is a necessary skill for both future teachers and their future students. However, the skill of design thinking is one of the new skills that has not yet been fully explored and developed in our country. Constructive learning has been widely studied and is being studied in pedagogy. The purpose of the presented article is to analyze and discuss constructive pedagogical methods for the formation of design thinking skills among future teachers. The article identifies the research issues of the topic, conducts an extensive analysis of sources of foreign and domestic literature, and also reflects the results of a survey conducted among students and teachers in order to determine the meaning of the concepts of “design thinking” and “constructive learning”. The article also states that in the 2022-2023 academic year, an experimental course “Effective constructive approaches in the educational process” was tested, aimed at developing design thinking skills among students of the educational program 6B01 – “Pedagogical Sciences”, and the results obtained on the basis of quantitative methods were proposed. The course, implemented using constructive teaching methods, gave positive results, the possibility of forming design thinking skills in future teachers through constructive learning was revealed.

Reinvigorating Integrative Learning Experiences: Translating Graduate Program Skills to Careers

For the spring semester of 2021, two University at Buffalo faculty collaborated and built a course to address Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) competencies and support student career readiness. This new course builds on the existing Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) to enhance its transmissibility for future employers and help students articulate their ILE as evidence of the strengths gained during their MPH program. Throughout the course, students focus their ILE on one public health topic as a set of high quality, written materials that promote synthesis, including a literature review, executive summary, and gap analysis. These assignments must demonstrate synthesis of foundational and concentration-specific competencies students gained from their coursework, including at least one competency related to equity, structural racism, or cultural competence. To supplement the ILE process, students develop additional components allowing them to translate skills and knowledge from the MPH program into career-ready materials such as a revised resume, a cover letter, and mock interviews. The goal for these supplemental components is to allow students to demonstrate their abilities with prospective employers. All students in the initial spring 2021 cohort and subsequent cohorts are currently working in public health-related jobs.

Kegiatan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat ini berupa pelatihan public speaking pada mahasiswa Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra Indonesia Universitas Musamus. Pelatihan public speaking ini berguna untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berbicara mahasiswa di depan umum dan dapat meningkatkan nilai akademik mahasiswa. Kegiatan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat ini dilakukan di Universitas Musamus yang terletak di Kota Merauke. Kegiatan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat ini menggunakan metode ceramah

This community service activity was conducted in the form of a public lecture on introducing principles of critical media literacies to learners studying at the English Language Education Study Programme of Universitas Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa (UST), Yogyakarta. The public lecture was conducted at the Faculty of Teachers' Training and Education and was attended by as many as 37 learner participants from different semesters. Among the key contents of the session, the facilitator raised the participants' awareness that texts are never neutral. They are made by someone, somewhere, for some reason. They are created from a particular perspective to tell particular messages. The participants were also facilitated to realise that various media around them such as movies, TV series, news, and advertisements are also ‘texts’ that are not free from the influences of the authors behind them. By the end of the lecture, as seen from the question-and-answer session, it can be seen that the participants have been successfully facilitated to have a certain degree of critical media literacies. Despite the possible limitations, this community service activity could pave the way for more endeavours to facilitate prospective teachers to be critically literate, and able to facilitate their future students to be able to do so as well in the future.

Activating Ecocentrism: How Young Women Environmental Activists Produce Identity on Instagram

ABSTRACT The fresh face of much of today’s environmental activism is young and female, particularly visible through movements such as School Strike for Climate (SS4C). Given the pressing need for embracing and broadcasting ecocentric ways of communicating, identifying, and behaving in these times – when impacts of anthropogenic climate and environmental crises are increasingly apparent – the ecocultural discourses such activists produce for public audiences are of utmost importance. The present study illuminates ways leading young women activists produce ecocentric identities within their principal online channel of public communication, the social media platform Instagram. We identify six predominant values central to these activists’ ecocentric identities: collective over individual action, intersectionality, climate optimism, corporate and political responsibility, ethics of care, and more-than-human connection. We also illustrate ways activists operationalize these values via three main material-symbolic identity activations: holding governments and industries accountable and responsible for their role in the climate crisis; creating inclusive, diverse communities; and fostering emotional responses to the more-than-human world. While activists under study also produce their ecocentric identities in the physical world – for instance, through on-the-ground protest leadership – their online identity production communicates shared values and actions in intimate, powerful, and potentially transformative ways to mass global audiences.

Green momentum? An age-period-cohort analysis of support for the environmental movement in 24 countries

Over the past decade, the climate movement and especially action groups like Fridays for Future have been effective in raising awareness of environmental issues and mobilizing protesters, especially among younger age groups. However, it remains unclear whether this recent surge in activism reflects a broader societal shift or if this trend is primarily driven by younger generations. Using data from 24 countries that participated in waves three and four of the International Social Survey Programme Environment Module, this study employs, for the first time, an Age-Period-Cohort (APC) analysis of environmental Public-Sphere Behavior in an international comparative context. Based on Bayesian negative binominal multilevel models, the results provide empirical evidence for a period effect: PSB have indeed increased across generational cohorts and age groups.

Thriving and surviving as women of color in the academy: a duoethnographic journey of resilience and resistance

This project explores the experiences of two Black women on the tenure track at a predominantly white university in California. Inspired by Lorgia García Peña’s Community as Rebellion: A Syllabus for Surviving Academia as a Woman of Color, the authors engage in a duoethnographic journey, reflecting on their resilience and resistance in academia. Using García Peña’s book as a catalyst, they share challenges and successes, discussing survival strategies and resisting pressures towards complicity with whiteness. The authors examine the prickliness of establishing trust with their colleagues, with students, and in the broader institutional context. They explore the metaphorical notion of standing in the gap as a symbol of advocating for future students and creating a trusting learning environment. The project is a testament to the importance of cultivating friendship, fostering community, and challenging institutional norms for Black women and women of color faculty.