Semester Of College Research Articles

Heightened false alarms of conditioned threat predict longitudinal increases in GAD and SAD symptoms over the first year of college

Lab-based fear-conditioning studies have repeatedly implicated exaggerated threat reactivity to benign (unreinforced) stimuli as concurrent markers of clinical anxiety, but little work has examined the strength of false alarms as a longitudinal predictor of anxiety problems. As such, we tested whether heightened false alarms of conditioned threat assessed in participants’ first semester of college predicted second-semester symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) – two anxiety conditions that are common in college students, have been associated with excessive false alarms, and have yet to be assessed with longitudinal conditioning designs. Here, we focused on the predictive effects of behavioral threat responses (threat expectancy, subjective anxiety, avoidance) given their greater potential for translation to the clinic. Results implicate conditioning-related increases in anxiety to safe stimuli resembling the danger-cue as prospective predictors of GAD. In contrast, SAD was predicted by non-specific elevations in anxiety to a broad set of safe stimuli, as well as by increased threat expectancy toward cues least resembling the conditioned danger cue. These findings suggest that risk for GAD and SAD are captured by distinct, behavioral indicators of false-alarms that may be more feasibly collected in clinical settings compared to alternative experimental anxiety measures like psychophysiological responses.

Perceived Social Support and Stress: a Study of 1st Year Students in Ireland.

Social support is consistently associated with positive outcomes for students, in terms of wellbeing and academic achievement. For first year students, social support offers a way to deal with stressors associated with the challenge of transitioning to university. The current research was conducted with a range of first year students (n = 315) early in their first semester in university. Both male and female students reported moderate levels of social support and perceived stress, while those with higher levels of social support reported lower levels of stress. Gender differences were apparent in both the levels and sources of social support that students perceived as available to them. Female students reported higher levels of social support and stress than males, suggesting that university initiatives for enhancing social support and dealing with stress may require a gender-specific focus. The results are discussed in terms of recommendations for developing students’ social supports during first year, in order to mitigate for the experience of stress and to enhance student experience of their educational journey.

Early and Dynamic Socio-Academic Variables Related to Dropout Intention: A Predictive Model Made during the Pandemic

Social and academic integration variables have been shown to be relevant for the understanding of university dropout. However, there is less evidence regarding the influence of these variables on dropout intention, as well as the predictive models that explain their relationships. Improvements in this topic become relevant considering that dropout intention stands as a useful measure to anticipate and intervene this phenomenon. The objective of the present study was to evaluate a predictive model for university dropout intention that considers the relationships between social and academic variables during the first university semester of 2020. The research was conducted using a cross-sectional associative-predictive design, with a convenience sampling (n = 711) due to the restrictions of the pandemic period. The results showed a good fit of the proposed hypothetical model that explained 38.7% of dropout intention. Both social support and perceived social isolation predicted the sense of belonging and, through it, engagement. Previous academic performance predicted early academic performance and, through it, engagement. The set of variables predicted the intention to quit through engagement. These results are a contribution both to the understanding of the phenomenon and to guide potential interventions in the early stages of the university experience.

Loyalties divided or identities as resources? The role of external relational identification in facilitating socialization

PurposeAlthough research regarding socialization processes recognizes the importance of organizational identification for newcomer adjustment outcomes, it has less frequently considered the impact of newcomer identification with targets external to the organization. This study aims to investigate whether relational identification with identities external to the organization can be beneficial for socialization outcomes, a relationship the authors describe through the conservation of resources theory. At a time when newcomers are expending resources and may not have a support system inside the organization, important identities may foster success through building a resource base of support available to the newcomer.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted with newcomers, both groups responded to multi-wave surveys. The authors conducted an initial study with undergraduate students (n = 45) in their first semester of college and a second study with working individuals employed full time in their first year in a new organization (n = 148).FindingsRelational identification with identities external to the organization is positively related to job engagement through the dual mediation of social support and psychological well-being. The results indicate that these external resources encourage well-being and free newcomers to invest in becoming physically, emotionally and cognitively engaged with their new jobs.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that organizations may wish to take care in helping newcomers maintain strong relational identities outside the organization while becoming connected with their new organization.Originality/valueThe findings suggest that external relational identities are a neglected and important element influencing the socialization process.

EVOLUTION OF ANTHROPOMETRIC AND FUNCTIONAL VARIABLES IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Introduction: The transition from high school to college entails changes in students' habits, which modify the body composition and functionality of the students. Objective: To identify and analyze anthropometric and functional changes in weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and flexibility, as well as abdominal and upper limb strength in university students through different semesters. Material and methods: The study was designed to carry out evaluations in three different moments: first, second and third semester of university, 26 students participated in the first semester, and 16 in the second and third semesters. The anthropometric variables of body weight, height and BMI were determined, and selected variables of abdominal strength, upper limbs and flexibility were also evaluated. Results: The anthropometric variables in men only found a significant difference in age between First vs. Fifth (p=0.01), however, an increase in weight and BMI was observed. In females no significant difference was found in anthropometric variables, however, an increase in weight, and BMI was observed comparing Second vs. Fifth. Conclusions:The students evaluated belong to a degree program whose graduation profile includes the study of the problem of overweight-obesity and have at least one subject that requires them to engage in physical activity; therefore, the data show normal values for BMI as well as a good capacity in the functional tests in both strength and flexibility.

Sleep regularity and body mass index: findings from a prospective study of first-year college students.

Study ObjectivesUsing data from a large, prospective study of sleep in first-year college students, we examined whether students’ sleep regularity is associated with body mass index (BMI) and BMI change (∆BMI) during their first college semester. In a subset of participants, we also tested whether dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) phase and DLMO-bedtime phase angle are associated with BMI and ∆BMI.MethodsAnalyses included data from 581 students (mean age = 18.7 ± 0.5 years; 58% female; 48% non-white) who had their height and weight assessed at the start of classes (T1) and end of 9 weeks. Participants completed online daily sleep diaries from which total sleep time (TST) and the sleep regularity index (SRI) were calculated. Among participants who completed a DLMO protocol (n = 161), circadian phase was quantified by DLMO and circadian alignment by DLMO-bedtime phase angle. Data were analyzed with linear regressions that controlled for sex and average TST.ResultsAverage SRI was 74.1 ± 8.7 (range: 25.7; 91.6). Average BMI at T1 was 22.0 ± 3.5 and participants gained 1.8 ± 2.4 kg (range: −7.2; 11.4); 39% gained 2–5 kg, 8% gained >5 kg. Lower SRI was associated with greater BMI at T1 (B = −0.06 [95% CI: −0.09; −0.02], p = 0.001) but not with ∆BMI (p = 0.062). Average TST was not significantly associated with BMI or ∆BMI, nor were circadian phase and alignment in the subsample (p’s > 0.05).ConclusionsSleep regularity is an understudied but relevant sleep dimension associated with BMI during young adulthood. Our findings warrant future work to examine longer-term associations between sleep regularity and weight gain.

Iranian EFL Teachers’ Challenges and Coping Strategies During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented effects on education. The sudden shift to online classes along with strict physical distancing measures in the pedagogical settings require educators to reconsider all aspects involved in teaching and learning. Teachers as important stakeholders must grapple with the challenges caused by the abrupt transition to remote teaching and learning. Hence, using a qualitative case study, the present study set out to find how two Iranian experienced English language teachers at Persian Gulf University faced with the challenges after COVID-19 came into effect halfway through the university semester. To achieve this goal, the researchers conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with two teachers at different times during the course. Besides, the teachers were asked to provide a descriptive account of how they dealt with the pandemic in their teaching context. The findings showed that after the shift to online teaching, the two teachers initially encountered several pedagogical, technological, institutional and affective challenges; however, as the course proceeded, they could find solutions to cope with the new situation. The teachers recounted problems that remained and negatively affected their practice. Overall, the authors discuss that to continue the education in the new online mode several pedagogical and administrative measures should be taken. Further, the results of the present study provide directions for the teachers who need to adjust their practice in the current time of virtual education.

Effectiveness of structured education through social media to medical students

Background: Various advantages are advocated for Internet-based tools over in-person/print educational materials as these tend to curb certain barriers of communication. Social media can be used productively in improving knowledge of the mass. The present study was carried out with an aim to evaluate the effectiveness of structured educational programs through social media to medical college students. Methods: The present study was carried out as an uncontrolled before-after intervention study among students of fourth and sixth semester of a medical college in New Delhi. The study sample comprised 195 students for whom structured education materials on Disaster management and Pharmacovigilance were shared using social media platforms. Statistical Analysis: Data entry was done using MS Excel 2013 and Data Analysis using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 21.0. McNemar test was used to measure statistical significance between paired proportions and paired t-test was applied to test for difference in means. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 20.75 ± 1.2 years. The proportion of study participants who preferred receiving education material more than once a day increased from 33.5% at the beginning of study to 44.1% after the intervention (P < 0.001). Majority of the students stated Facebook as the most preferred media at the beginning (56.6%), and this increased to 96.3% at the end of intervention. Mean posttest scores of all study participants were found to significantly high as compared to that of pretest score with respect to the intervention subjects (7.9 ± 2.6–15 ± 2.6, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Learning materials in digital formats for medical education when shared through social media platforms positively influence the knowledge of the students. The preferences of students on type of social media platform for such learning activities are varied.

Focus and Interaction in Writing Conferences for EFL Writers

It is widely recognized that writing conferences benefit second or foreign language writers for the immediacy and the potential to address their needs and provide tailored and individualized support. However, limited attention has been given to the foci and interaction between teacher and student in writing conferences longitudinally. To address this need, this study examined writing conferences between five university English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students and their instructor in an argumentative writing course over one semester in a key Chinese university. Multiple sources of data were collected, including conferences, students’ essay drafts and written reflections, and interviews with the students and the instructor. Data analyses show that the conferences covered a large variety of topics such as varied aspects about argumentative writing, learning habits, and expectations about the course, which were related to English proficiency and English writing ability of each student. Second, the instructor took different approaches to communicate with each student in writing conferences considering their difficulties and needs. Finally, the conferences contribute to a deliberative process critical to the process of learning to write argumentation. The students found conversations with the instructor helpful in their subsequent revisions whereas the instructor gained a better understanding of students’ difficulties in writing. This study suggests that more research is needed to examine the role of conferences in EFL writing instruction. This study supports that conferences, as an important aid, will facilitate EFL students in the process of learning to write in English in addition to teacher written feedback and peer review.

Gambaran Aktivitas Fisik Pada Mahasiswa Sebelum Dan Saat Sfh (Study From Home) Di Masa Pandemi Covid-19

Decreased physical activity can affect individual’s health and have an impact on increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the Government to implement a study from home (SFH) policy to suppress the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This affects the physical activities carried out by students. This study aims to describe the level of physical activity and exercise in students before SFH and during SFH during the pandemic. The research methodology used is a quantitative study using an online survey. The research subjects consisted of 73 students of Binawan University semester 1-8. Giving the category of physical activity is done by calculating the average Physical Activity Level (PAL) in 1 day for a week. The results showed that 55 students (75.3%) were classified as light physical activity during SFH, from before SFH only 34 students (46.6%), moderate activity 19.2% from 45.2% and heavy activity only 5, 5% from the previous 8.2%. Only 25 students (34.2%) did sports activities 1-2 times per week during SFH compared to 53 students (72.6%). This study concluded that there was a decrease in physical activity and exercise habits in students during SFH during the pandemic. This is influenced by the implementation of learning from home and restrictions on activities outside the home and public facilities.&#x0D; Keywords: Physical activity; Students; Physical Activity Level (PAL); Study from Home&#x0D;

Students' Attitudes Toward Online Music Education During the COVID 19 Lockdown.

Given the current pandemic context generated by COVID 19, important changes in the way specific subjects to music education are taught emerged, affecting not only the particularities of learning and teaching in individual courses, but also the other courses regarding group learning or theoretical subjects. In this time, emergency remote teaching and learning requires cross-collaboration between instructional, content, and technological teams. Our research examines the students' attitudes toward online education, also presenting proposals for optimization and efficiency. The research was undertaken after an experience of a University semester in a lockdown context, and it aimed at undergraduate and master's degree students from music faculties in Romania. An important result was the mediating role of perceived utility of e-learning methods, perceived utility mediated the associations between compatibility of online methods and satisfaction toward the use of e-learning methods. The perceived compatibility of e-Learning methods with online music education led to a higher perceived utility which, in turn, predicted a higher satisfaction toward e-Learning Although this period accentuated the fear of interaction with others, the anxiety related to the unknown, the intolerance of uncertainty did not predict the satisfaction toward the use of e-learning platforms. In conclusion, more educational initiatives are needed to promote remote teaching methods in music education. In the absence of similar research in our country, we considered that future research on this topic is needed.

PENERAPAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN BLENDED LEARNING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR MENGGUNAKAN APLIKASI MOODLE PADA MATA KULIAH METROLOGI INDUSTRI PROGRAM STUDI D3 TEKNIK MESIN UNIVERSITAS NEGERI JAKARTA

This study aims to improve learning outcomes for Industrial Metrology courses by applying the Blended Learning learning model using the web-based Moodle Application for students of the D3 Mechanical Engineering Study Program, Jakarta State University semester 111 (Odd 2019/2019). The method used in this research is Classroom Action Research (CAR) which is a form of investigation carried out by participants involved in the situation under study. Implementation of actions followed by observation and reflection activities. If necessary, at the next stage, a follow-up plan is drawn up. These efforts are carried out in a cycle to form a cycle. The place of research was conducted at the State University of Jakarta and the research subjects were 29 students of D3 Mechanical Engineering class B. This research was conducted from November 7, 2019 to December 19, 2019. Data on learning outcomes were obtained through a written test and then analyzed to compare the results of the exam in each cycle. The results of this study indicate that there is an increase in student learning outcomes in the Industrial Metrology course by applying a blended learning model using the Moodle application. The increase in learning outcomes can be seen where in the first cycle student learning outcomes with an average of 60, 11 students completed or 37.9% and 18 students have not completed or 62.1%. While in cycle II there was an increase in student learning outcomes, with an average of 77.5, 27 students completed or 93.1% and 2 students did not complete or 6.9% Researchers can conclude that student learning outcomes have increased by applying the Blended Learning learning model using the application Moodle.&#x0D; Keywords: blended learning, moodle, learning outcomes, classroom action research, industrial metrology

Employing e-portfolio based learning in improving self-efficacy of student’s speaking ability

This research aimed at knowing the effectiveness of online learning design with an e-portfolio approach in increasing self-efficacy in speaking ability. Seventy-seven students were involved in this study. They are in the second semester of a vocational college in Business Administration Department in the academic year 2020/2021. This research is experimental research with implementing paired samples t-test as the measurement tool in knowing the effectiveness of e-portfolio based learning by finding the t score and the sig value before and after the implementation of the teaching method. The result of this study showed that e-portfolio based learning had a significant effect on the student's self-efficacy in their speaking ability. It was indicated by the value of the sig and t result from paired samples t-test analysis which was showed 0.000 as the sig value and -20.551 as the t count. The result of sig value which is below 0.05 and the t-count which is above t-table were clear indicators to argue that e-portfolio significantly impacted the student's self-efficacy in speaking ability. In this case, the variables of self-efficacy in speaking ability were improved significantly by the implementation of e-portfolio based learning. Even the implementation of e-portfolio brings many positive impacts on the students, some limitations lie on this method implementation. The limitation of this method lies in the time execution and the number of students who are taught by the lecturer.

The multiplicative effect of stress and sleep on academic cognitions in Latino college students

ABSTRACT Latino students are increasingly represented in higher education within the United States, but remain one of the groups least likely to graduate from a four-year institution. Stress and sleep are factors that have been implicated in students’ academic success. This study examined concurrent and longitudinal interactive effects of stress and sleep on academic cognitions in a sample of 196 Latino students (Mage = 18.95; 64.4% female) in their second and third semester of college. Stress and actigraphy-measured sleep (duration, efficiency, midpoint, midpoint-variability) were measured in the second semester and academic cognitions (engagement, motivation, self-efficacy) were measured in the second and third semesters. Structural equation modeling revealed that higher stress was concurrently related to lower academic cognitions for students with consistently delayed sleep timings (e.g., later average midpoints) and longitudinally related to reduced academic functioning for students with lower sleep efficiency. These findings can inform programs that target stress-reduction and sleep hygiene among incoming college students.

Sensor-Based Prediction of Mental Effort during Learning from Physiological Data: A Longitudinal Case Study

Trackers for activity and physical fitness have become ubiquitous. Although recent work has demonstrated significant relationships between mental effort and physiological data such as skin temperature, heart rate, and electrodermal activity, we have yet to demonstrate their efficacy for the forecasting of mental effort such that a useful mental effort tracker can be developed. Given prior difficulty in extracting relationships between mental effort and physiological responses that are repeatable across individuals, we make the case that fusing self-report measures with physiological data within an internet or smartphone application may provide an effective method for training a useful mental effort tracking system. In this case study, we utilized over 90 h of data from a single participant over the course of a college semester. By fusing the participant’s self-reported mental effort in different activities over the course of the semester with concurrent physiological data collected with the Empatica E4 wearable sensor, we explored questions around how much data were needed to train such a device, and which types of machine-learning algorithms worked best. We concluded that although baseline models such as logistic regression and Markov models provided useful explanatory information on how the student’s physiology changed with mental effort, deep-learning algorithms were able to generate accurate predictions using the first 28 h of data for training. A system that combines long short-term memory and convolutional neural networks is recommended in order to generate smooth predictions while also being able to capture transitions in mental effort when they occur in the individual using the device.

Teacher Written vs. Audio Feedback on Undergraduates’ Written Assignments

Due to the importance of instructor’s feedback on students’ written assignment as part of formative assessment and the relatively new way of delivering audio feedback, this case study aimed to explore instructor’s audio vs. written feedback provided on 15 pairs of undergraduates’ written tasks through Google Docs over an academic semester in a Saudi public university. The data was collected from actual feedback comments in both modes and follow-up interviews with the students. The content analysis of feedback revealed that audio feedback differed from written feedback in terms of quantity and content. Despite the potential of audio feedback revealed through the content analysis, the majority of students (16) preferred written feedback over audio feedback for its clarity, easiness, easy access to feedback and its focus on a certain issue in the assignments, whereas 14 of them preferred audio feedback. Several challenges highlighted by the students, including its length and detailed instruction and the difficulty in accessing it served as good points for several pedagogical implications for instructors in this study.

Day drinking among college students and its association with risky substance use behaviors.

Day drinking, or drinking during the daytime, is a term used colloquially in the media and among college students based on anecdotal evidence. Drinking at tailgate parties, generally thought to be a type of day drinking, tends to be particularly heavy and to achieve levels comparable to drinking on holidays and special occasions. The objective of this study was to assess how many and how often students day drink and whether day drinking days (i.e., days drinking began before 4:00 p.m.) were associated with heavy drinking, legal intoxication, negative alcohol-related consequences, and three risky substance use behaviors. We conducted a longitudinal daily diary study of college students who were followed for their first seven semesters of college. The analytic sample includes 7,633 drinking days nested with 619 student drinkers. We used logistic and Poisson multilevel models to test associations between day drinking days and substance use outcomes and negative consequences. Approximately 50% of drinkers drank durinng the day at least once, and day drinking occurred on 9% of drinking days. Greek organization participants reported significantly more day drinking days than non-participants. Day drinking days were characterized by heavy drinking as evidenced by strong, positive associations between day drinking and drinking to heavy episodic drinking (HED) and high-intensity drinking (HID) thresholds on a given day. In contrast, students were less likely to reach legal intoxication and experienced fewer negative alcohol-related consequences on day drinking days than days on which drinking began in the evening or nighttime. Students who reported day drinking more often throughout the study also reported having more days of drinking at the HED and HID thresholds and playing drinking games and mixed alcohol with energy drinks more frequently. Day drinking was common among this sample of college students. Findings suggest that day drinking days may be characterized by heavy drinking and may be a behavior most typically engaged in by heavy drinkers, including members of Greek organizations.

Arranging university semester date to minimize annual CO2 emission: A UK university case study

SummaryExisting methods of reducing carbon emissions on campus often require substantial investment, and the potential opportunities for carbon dioxide and energy savings in universities with existing infrastructure have not been considered in much detail. This work fills this gap by considering an indirect and soft demand response strategy, i.e., semester arrangement. To identify the optimal operational strategy of a realistic campus-level multi vector energy system (MES) in Scotland based on CO2 emissions, an original tool is presented. Two conclusions can be drawn safely from the case study. Firstly, changing the operational mode of the university could significantly reduce CO2 emissions. Secondly, considering the difference between average emission factor (AEF) and marginal emission factor (MEF) in the power grid, the different operational modes will bring different electricity/heat demands and also affect carbon emissions. The work opens up a new perspective for worldwide university operators who are considering reducing CO2 emissions.

OPTIMIZING THE USE OF YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY DURING ONLINE LEARNING

Technology plays an important role in people’s day-to-day life and can be used effectively for various aspects in education. The YouTube channel is regarded as one online material that can be integrated into traditional English lessons. It is also considered a source of online material that can play a vital role in the teaching and learning process. This study attempts to find the optimizing of YouTube channel to improve students’ speaking ability. A classroom action research was conducted to first semester college students of STIA Satya Negara Palembang. The population of this study was all of students in the first semester and the samples were 35 students in redundant class chosen using purposive sampling. The data were obtained from speaking assessment and interview and later analyzed by using constant comparative method and descriptive statistic. This study showed that YouTube channel as English learning material improved speaking ability of students including fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and content. Therefore, it can be concluded that optimizing of YouTube channel is able to improve the students’ speaking ability during online learning. Further study may concern on the optimizing of YouTube channel to teach other English ability like reading and writing.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: YouTube Channel, Speaking Ability, Online Learning

Tailored vs. Standard Curriculum and General English Achievement: A Study of Teachers’ Views

This study was conducted in two phases. The first one is the preliminary phase aimed at tailoring the standard curriculum based on learners’ needs analysis. The second one is the main phase, intended to evaluate the tailored curriculum based on teachers’ views. The participants in the preliminary phase of the study (tailoring the curriculum) were 346 non-native male and female undergraduate students who received the same Pre-Requisite General English course at their first semester in university. They were studying different majors, including Accounting, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The participants in the main phase (evaluation of the tailored curriculum by teachers) were 10 non-native male (7) and female (3) teachers who taught the Pre-Requisite General English course through the tailored curriculum. The findings of the study supported the hypothesis that the teachers have a positive attitude toward using the tailored curriculum in teaching the Pre-Requisite General English course. It seems that the implementation of this tailored program, which is based on learner-needs-analysis, can enhance the effectiveness of the English for General Purposes (EGP) course, compared to the standard one.