Student Body Research Articles

Getting across the finish line: how to boost completion rates for underrepresented student groups

ABSTRACT There remains a gap in college completion rates for Black and Hispanic students. Universities have focused on creating a diverse student body (peer effects), a diverse faculty (role model effects) and on providing resources to boost completion rates. This paper tests these effects in a panel data set of 9800 observations from 1493 universities over 2011–2018. Regression results show peer effects disappear when role model effects are included suggesting that previous literature testing only peer effects could be suffering from omitted variable bias. Faculty salaries and the percentage of full-time faculty are also highly significant in helping close the gap.

‘It’s such a wonderful space and I just love being part of it so much.’ LGBTQIA+ student experiences of attending a psychology department led online Pride group during the Covid-19 pandemic

It is crucial that academic institutions offer support to their increasingly diverse student bodies. LGBTQIA+ students often report negative experiences in relation to campus climate and treatment. The aim of this qualitative research was to explore the experiences of LGBTQIA+ students who attend(ed) a collaborative (staff and student), departmentally located (psychology) virtual (synchronous and asynchronous online) Pride group. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four LGBTQIA+ students who had attended one or more virtual group meetings. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006; 2019; 2022) reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were constructed: being and becoming authentic; safe and restorative spaces; community, and connections. Together these four themes relate to an overarching theme of belonging. Although the cohort was small, the emphatic and consistent findings point to the importance of visible representation of LGBTQIA+ academic staff and the need to provide joint Pride group spaces in academic settings.

A Case Study of the Teaching Experience of Filipino and Chinese Teachers in a Chinese Elementary School

This study examined teachers' teaching experiences in an elementary school in China who engaged Chinese and Filipino students in English classes. A qualitative multiple-case study design was employed to explore teachers' experiences handling learners. Using a purposive sampling technique, data was collected from 10 teachers with experience working with students in Lam-an, Ozamiz City, Philippines. The data collection involved in-depth interviews with teachers categorized into two groups: Case 1, consisting of Filipino teachers, and Case 2, comprising Chinese teachers. The data encompassed four main categories: methods of class management in Chinese schools, student responses to classroom management, challenges faced by teachers in student management, and strategies employed by teachers to overcome these challenges. The findings revealed that teachers utilized diverse strategies to effectively instruct Chinese students, encountering challenges such as language barriers and managing a varied student body. Additionally, the teachers made efforts to understand their students better, provide necessary reinforcement to spark student interest and implement teaching strategies tailored to the needs of their students. The study concluded that while managing students in a Chinese school is challenging, witnessing students learn and grow despite these difficulties is ultimately rewarding for the teachers.

The Impact of Financial Literacy, Investment Knowledge, and Investment Motivation on Investment Decisions

This study investigates the relationship between management students' investment decisions and their financial literacy, knowledge, and motivation at Dr. Soetomo University in Surabaya. A total of 308 students from this academic program were chosen for the study using purposive sampling techniques, guaranteeing that the study's population is representative of the student body. We distributed carefully crafted questionnaires for data collection through Google Forms as part of the methodology used in this study. Purposive sampling methods are used to ensure the student body is well represented. We meticulously examined the gathered data using a variety of statistical methods. Among these were evaluations of reliability and validity, analyses of multiple linear regression, tests of classical assumptions, evaluations of correlation coefficients, and F and t-tests. This study uncovered insightful relationships between students' financial literacy, investment knowledge, motivation, and investment decisions. The study found no statistically significant impact of financial literacy on investment decisions, contrary to expectations. The results of the study, however, highlighted the importance of respondents' unique investment knowledge and motivation in molding their investment choices. Students' level of financial literacy, investment knowledge, and investment motivation significantly impacted their investment decisions as a whole. By considering these factors in context, we can better understand the complex dynamics at work when management students at Dr. Soetomo University make investment decisions.

Some Solutions to Enhance Environmental Awareness among Students at Tan Trao University

Enhancing environmental consciousness among students holds significant importance, not only for the comprehensive education of the new generation but also for disseminating educational values throughout society, contributing to the sustainable development of the nation. Students constitute a substantial force for advocacy and participation in environmental protection; they represent a generation with dreams and aspirations, possessing abundant capabilities and creative potential. Tan Trao University is actively prioritizing and implementing initiatives to enhance environmental awareness among its student body, aiming to elevate their consciousness and preserve a green, clean living and learning environment. This article investigates the current status and proposes solutions to enhance environmental awareness among students at Tan Trao University.

LEGAL REGULATION OF STUDENT SELF-GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF THE MARITAL STATE

The scientific article is devoted to the peculiarities of the legal regulation of student self-government in higher education institutions of Ukraine under martial law. The relevance of the selected issues is related to the need to take into account the new operating conditions of higher education institutions under martial law during the development of legislative and by-laws that will regulate educational activities. The legislative and by-laws, which establish the conditions of activity of student self-government bodies, have been studied. The scientific novelty of the study consists of determining recommendations for improving the legal regulation of the work of student self-government bodies under martial law.Peculiarities of the legal regulation of the activity of student parliaments in the conditions of martial law are the remote holding of elections to student self-government bodies and remote meetings of elected student councils. Interaction between the administration of the institution of higher education and the leadership of the student council should also take place remotely.To improve the legal regulation of the activities of student self-government bodies, it is proposed to provide the following norms in the local provisions on student self-government of each institution of higher education. Establish that elections of student self-government bodies and meetings of student parliaments in martial law conditions are conducted using remote communication. To establish that the activity of student councils of individual dormitories is suspended until the time of resumption of full-time education. Provide for the publication of decisions of student councils on the website of the institution of higher education on a specially created electronic page. Among the tasks of student self-government, assistance to higher education seekers from internally displaced persons or involvement of students in volunteer activities may be introduced.

Academic literacy in enabling education programs in Australian universities: a shared pedagogy

AbstractWidening participation in higher education has led to the global expansion of universities, increased student and program diversity, and greater provision of flexible pathways into university. Critical to supporting a growing student body is helping all students develop their ability to communicate confidently and effectively in their academic communities. This research employs a collaborative benchmarking framework to explore academic literacy instruction in pathway or ‘enabling’ programs across nine Australian universities. While prevailing assumptions hold that such programs are overly diverse, the findings demonstrate that these programs have developed remarkably similar approaches; in particular, the investigation found that the programs all drew on established academic literacy models and reflected an emerging disciplinary coherence across the enabling education sector, despite the lack of a formal curriculum and standards framework.Kindly check and confirm the processed Article title is correct.This is correct

Exploring Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices in English Language Teaching at High Schools in Banten Province: Perceptions, Strategies, Challenges, and Opportunities

This study explores the practice of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) in English Language Teaching (ELT) within Banten's unique cultural context, Indonesia. The research is guided by three main questions: teacher perceptions, employed strategies, and challenges in implementing CRT. Employing a qualitative ethnopedagogical approach, the study utilizes semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings reveal a nuanced landscape of CRT implementation. While some teachers actively integrate student cultures others face challenges due to limited resources and a standardized testing focus. Document analysis exposed a discrepancy between the stated goal of cultural responsiveness and the resources available. Lesson plans and instructional materials were found to be predominantly national or even Western-centric, limiting opportunities to integrate the rich cultural tapestry of Banten. This research underscores the potential of CRT to create inclusive and engaging ELT practices for Banten's diverse student body. It identifies areas for improvement, such as curriculum development incorporating local contexts and providing teachers with readily available, culturally relevant resources. By embracing CRT principles and addressing the current resource gap, ELT classrooms can be transformed to serve student needs better, fostering a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

Applying Social Network Theory to Vaping in High School: Implications for Person-Centered Intervention

Background: Peer influence on risky behavior is particularly potent in adolescence and varies by gender. Smoking prevention programs focused on peer-group leaders have shown great promise, and a social influence model has proven effective in understanding adult smoking networks but has not been applied to adolescent vaping until 2023. This work aims to apply a social influence model to analyze vaping by gender in a high school network. Methods: A high school’s student body was emailed an online survey asking for gender, age, grade level, vape status, and the names of three friends. Custom Java and MATLAB scripts were written to create a directed graph, compute centrality measures, and perform Fisher’s exact tests to compare centrality measures by demographic variables and vape status. Results: Of 192 students in the school, 102 students responded. Students who vape were in closer-knit friend groups than students who do not vape (p < .05). Compared to males who vape, females who vape had more social ties to other students who vape, exhibiting greater homophily (p < .01). Compared to females who do not vape, females who vape were in closer-knit friend groups (p < .05) and had more ties to other students who vape (p < .01). Conclusion: Differences in vaping by social connectedness and gender necessitate school and state policies incorporating the social aspect of vaping in public health initiatives. Large-scale research should determine if trends can be generalized across student bodies, and more granular studies should investigate differences in motivations and social influence by demographic variables to individualize cessation strategies.

Leveraging data analytics and IoT technologies for enhancing oral health programs in schools

This paper explores the potential of leveraging data analytics and IoT technologies to enhance oral health programs in schools. By analyzing data generated from IoT devices such as smart toothbrushes and oral health trackers, schools can implement targeted interventions, promote better oral hygiene practices, and prevent dental issues among students. This comprehensive approach not only improves oral health outcomes but also contributes to overall student health and academic success. In recent years, the integration of data analytics and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has brought about significant transformations across multiple industries, with healthcare being a prominent example. Oral health, a fundamental aspect of overall well-being, stands to benefit greatly from these advancements. This paper delves into the potential of harnessing data analytics and IoT technologies to elevate oral health programs within educational institutions, particularly schools. By tapping into the wealth of data generated by IoT devices such as smart toothbrushes and oral health trackers, schools can devise targeted interventions, foster improved oral hygiene practices, and preemptively address dental issues among their students. This comprehensive approach not only yields tangible improvements in oral health outcomes but also holds the promise of enhancing overall student health and bolstering academic success. In recent years, the integration of data analytics and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has not only revolutionized various sectors but has also become a driving force in reshaping healthcare practices. Amidst these advancements, oral health, often overlooked yet crucial to overall well-being, emerges as a domain ripe for transformation. This paper embarks on an exploration of how the amalgamation of data analytics and IoT can invigorate oral health programs within educational settings, particularly schools. By delving into the vast pool of data generated by IoT devices such as smart toothbrushes and oral health trackers, schools can strategically design interventions tailored to individual needs, foster the adoption of superior oral hygiene practices, and proactively mitigate dental issues among their student body. Keywords: Data Analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), Oral Health, Schools, Dental Hygiene, Student Health, Preventive Care.

“This Wall Does More for Mental Health than the Uni Does”: Theorising Toilet Graffiti as Safe House for Students

AbstractDespite sometimes being considered unworthy of scholarly attention, the study of toilet graffiti, also known as latrinalia, has nevertheless garnered increasing interest among researchers. Graffiti writing still suffers from the stigma of being associated with transgression, vandalism, and a deviant subculture. However, findings from this study show that writing on the restroom wall can facilitate a unique form of communication among the writers. Drawing from semiotic linguistic landscaping and serendipity as methodological inspiration, this research explores data collected from a women's restroom at a UK university over a ten-month period. It examines how restroom users utilized the graffiti-covered wall as a safe house and a repository for their anxieties and concerns. The findings illustrate a palpable emotional connection to this specific wall, where writers seek and offer advice, share personal struggles, and provide mutual support to the extent that they see it as contributing more to their mental health than the university does. Through an analysis of the conversational threads present in the graffiti, this study underscores the potential for examining latrinalia within educational institutions to gain valuable and meaningful insights into the student body. The main implication is for educators to consider innovative, non-traditional ways of reaching out to students outside of the formal spaces of learning such as classrooms and libraries. This study, therefore, encourages us to reconsider toilet graffiti as potentially offering an additional or supplementary communication platform for individuals who might otherwise lack the confidence to express themselves openly through traditional means of soliciting feedback.

In/visible hurdles: US collegiate esports participants’ perceived barriers to play and involvement

Gaming and esports communities possess cultural barriers that exclude potential participants, limiting their access to social, cultural, and economic opportunities. In the United States, for instance, varsity esports players are increasingly supported by scholarships and tournament prizes, but persistent challenges make these benefits accessible to only a limited portion of the student body. Using a grounded theory analysis of 31 in-depth interviews with collegiate esports players, administrators, and student workers, this study examines perceived barriers and their (in)visibility to different participants. We find that gender and race are readily acknowledged, while other identities (age, physical ability, etc.) are overlooked. Moreover, visibility did not necessarily correlate with meaningful strategies for inclusion. While collegiate esports could be a welcoming and equitable environment, these findings suggest it will not be so until all hurdles are (1) made visible and (2) addressed relative to a university’s own student body composition.

The Lived Experiences of Asian International Students in the U.S. Higher Education

Asian international students have long constituted the largest portion of the international student body in the United States (U.S.), a trend that persists despite the hurdles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. These students play an essential role in stimulating the U.S. economy, facilitating cross-cultural exchange, and nurturing international collaboration and understanding. During the 2022-2023 academic year, Asian international students comprised 70.3% of the total international student population in the U.S. higher education. The number of Asian international students in the U.S. higher education institutions is so considerable that their lived experiences within the U.S. higher education system deserves a thorough examination. Existing empirical research demonstrates that plenty of Asian international students are underserved, mainly facing culture shock, linguistic barriers, racial discrimination, and mental health issues. This systematic literature review aims to: 1. Investigate whether Asian international students face any challenges in the U.S. higher education; 2. Classify the challenges (if any) encountered by Asian international students in the U.S. higher education; 3. Offer valuable insights to key stakeholders in international education, empowering them to refine current administrative policies and teaching pedagogies to best support the well-being and success of Asian international students in the U.S. higher education.

Online collaborative problem-solving as a tangible outcome of digital skills in technical and vocational higher education

In today's world, specific skills are essential for success in work and life. Educators, governments, and industry leaders recognize collaborative problem-solving (CPS) and digital skills as necessary for the 21st century. However, our current understanding of these skills' interconnection and development within technical and vocational higher education remains limited. This study aims to achieve two main objectives. First, we want to examine the level of digital skills among technical and vocational higher education students in Chile and how it relates to their socioeconomic background. Second, we aim to investigate how students' different levels of digital skills influence their satisfaction with online collaboration and their assessment of group processes after completing an online CPS task. The study identified three distinct groups of students based on their digital skills: high-skilled, medium-skilled, and low-skilled. The low-skilled group faced more socioeconomic disadvantages compared to the other two groups. Moreover, students with low digital skills reported lower satisfaction with online group work and a poorer self-evaluation of the group processes involved in the collaborative online task. Insights for technical and vocational higher education institutions to foster targeted support of digital skills development for their student body are discussed.

L1 Education in Times of Globalization, Digitalization and Super-Diversity

This introduction first briefly sketches the (history of the) International Mother Tongue Education Network (IMEN). IMEN was founded in 1981 as an information and research network that over the years initiated an empirical-interpretive research program focusing on comparative analyses of the rhetoric and practices of L1 education across a dozen of European countries. Main elements of IMEN’s methodology that will be discussed below were the development of different types of research collaboration, a theoretical framework for comparative analysis, and a method for international triangulation. It then describes how, at the turn of the century, IMEN’s way of doing slow science became increasingly threatened by the requirements of publish or perish mainstream research, and how its research program was confronted with the challenges posed to L1 education by processes of globalization, digitalization, and super-diversity, becoming manifest in the superdiverse nature of student bodies, their sociolinguistic and ethnocultural doings, and the increasingly digitalized modes of teaching and learning they are exposed to. All these elements, in one way or another, also have an impact on the teaching-learning practices in mainstream L1 education and consequently must be addressed by IMEN-like studies. Finally this contribution briefly introduces the contributions to this special issue and suggests that they are a strong argument for a renewed interest in international comparative discussion on and around L1 education and a plea to further collaborative research from an empirical interpretive ethnographic perspective on teachers’ professional practical knowledge and classroom practices that can guide our understanding of the ubiquitous school subject L1 education that aims at preparing students for a global, digital, and super-diverse society.

Personalized Feedback in Massive Open Online Courses: Harnessing the Power of LangChain and OpenAI API

Studies show that feedback greatly improves student learning outcomes, but achieving this level of personalization at scale is a complex task, especially in the diverse and open environment of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). This research provides a novel method for using cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to enhance the feedback mechanism in MOOCs. The main goal of this research is to leverage AI’s capabilities to automate and refine the MOOC feedback process, with special emphasis on courses that allow students to learn at their own pace. The combination of LangChain—a cutting-edge framework specifically designed for applications that use language models—with the OpenAI API forms the basis of this work. This integration creates dynamic, scalable, and intelligent environments that can provide students with individualized, insightful feedback. A well-organized assessment rubric directs the feedback system, ensuring that the responses are both tailored to each learner’s unique path and aligned with academic standards and objectives. This initiative uses Generative AI to enhance MOOCs, making them more engaging, responsive, and successful for a diverse, international student body. Beyond mere automation, this technology has the potential to transform fundamentally how learning is supported in digital environments and how feedback is delivered. The initial results demonstrate increased learner satisfaction and progress, thereby validating the effectiveness of personalized feedback powered by AI.

Metamorfoses de uma universidade: os estudantes da USP entre 2000 e 2020

Following the end of the authoritarian regime and the increase in elementary and secondaryeducation in the 1990s, there was a rise in demands for broader access to higher education and for public universities to become more inclusive to historically underrepresented groups. This article explores how USP responded to them by discussing the expansion of recruitment and the adoption of affirmative actions and retention policies. Furthermore, we examine the changes in the composition of the student body. Our analysis highlights the gains, contradictions, and asymmetries that have emerged during this university’s recent democratization process.

College Career Courses and Growth Toward Vocational Identity Achievement Status

This study used a longitudinal quasi-experimental design to explore the intersection of self-regulated learning and career development, while validating a manualized college career course as an effective career intervention. A group of undergraduate students enrolled in a for-credit college career course was compared to students in the general student body on measures of career exploration, career commitment, and commitment resistance to observe whether participation in the career course was associated with growth toward vocational identity achievement as observed by significant increases in both career exploration and career commitment and significant decreases in commitment resistance. Multilevel modeling revealed that the treatment group experienced significantly more growth toward vocational identity achievement compared to the control group. Additionally, career metacognitions were observed to differentially impact the effects of the career course on career exploration, career commitment, and commitment resistance.

Exploring Hybrid Learning Formats in a Nordic Master’s Programme in Visual Studies and Art Education

This paper reports from a project in progress that aims to develop a hybrid learning format that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate collaborative situations between students and teachers on two campuses and in collaborative situations off-campus. The project explores a current co-teaching opportunity that AAU and Aalto University are facing due to the start-up of the new Nordic joint degree master's program Visual Studies and Art Education (NM NoVA). A new physical space has been established at the AAU Copenhagen campus, that digitally facilitates a video-mediated, synchronous learning environment and a similar facilitation is accessible at Aalto University. Teachers and researchers join into a collaboration and conduct the project drawing theoretical knowledge generated in the field of synchronous learning formats and from research in the particular subject related field of digital technology and visual arts education. Furthermore, the project uses the participants’ practical experience from engaging in different synchronous learning formats shared and informed by discussions with peers. Inspired by Design-Based Research (DBR), researchers actively engage in the problem analysis, design, implementation, and analysis of the hybrid learning format. Rich descriptions of the program's evolution are obtained through participant observations, interviews, and a "photo-safari" capturing interactions among students, teachers, and technology.Analytically, the study explores the hybrid format as an enactment of space beyond geographical constraints, drawing inspiration from the concept of "apparatus" within new materialism. Three analytical themes emerge: knowledge-building practices, community-building practices, and longitudinal aspects, providing insights into how the hybrid format impacts collaboration, engagement, and the evolution of educational spaces. Preliminary findings reveal the diverse orientations and pedagogical discussions that emerge within these hybrid spaces, challenging the traditional notion of a "third space" and paving the way for new conceptualisations. The project anticipates further exploration of interdependencies within third spaces and the dynamics of student and teacher bodies within this evolving educational landscape.

Cognitive, social, and mental health functions of refugee children – screening and supportive actions at school: a study protocol

BackgroundDespite a world-leading educational system, an achievement gap in educational outcomes exists between children of refugee background and native-born peers in Finland. To offer targeted support for children at schools, we need to be able to reliably assess and understand the interplay of the aspects of children’s cognitive, social, and mental health functions that may explain the underachievement of refugee children.This study tests a novel research-based, universally applicable screening battery for evaluating cognitive, social, and mental health functioning of children at schools and planning supportive actions. It aims to answer research questions about a) the cognitive, social, and mental health functioning of refugee children compared with non-refugee immigrant and native-born children, b) the interplay of these different functions among refugee and other children, c) whether implementing a screening battery can inform schools in planning supportive actions for (refugee) children, and d) whether such supportive actions result in improvements in cognitive, social, and mental health functioning.MethodsFour hundred fifty children aged 10–12 will be recruited from primary schools, including 150 children of refugee background, 150 of non-refugee immigrant background, and 150 native-born Finnish children. A screening battery including tasks and questionnaires on different aspects of cognitive, social, and mental health functioning will be used to assess the children in their classrooms at the start and end of a school year. Supporting information will also be collected from parents and teachers. The information gathered will be collated into class-level feedback reports for teachers and, with parental permission, individualized reports for multiprofessional student welfare bodies, for informing supportive actions. Correlational and latent profile analyses, ANOVAs, and linear regression will be used to answer the research questions.DiscussionThis study will help clarify how the interplay of cognitive, social, and mental health factors may explain underachievement at school among refugee children. It will provide evidence about the extent to which a standardized screening battery could be helpful in informing and planning supportive actions for children at schools, and whether such supportive actions can lead to positive cognitive, social, or mental health outcomes.Trial registrationThe study will be preregistered on the Open Science Framework.