Student Choice Research Articles

Understanding Student Beliefs and Choices Related to Cross-Enrollment to Square Practice with Theory

Understanding Student Beliefs and Choices Related to Cross-Enrollment to Square Practice with Theory

Learning from the best: How medical-students construct role models in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influence this process, a qualitative study.

Background Role-modelling has been found to strongly influence speciality choice for medical students either positively or negatively. There is a deficit in recruitment toward general practice, set to exacerbate the shortfall in GP numbers over the coming decade in the face of spiralling demand. In medical school, students acquire knowledge, skills and start to form their professional identity by observation and interaction with medical educators through the process of role-modelling. Given the significance of this process, the present study attempted to explore the “lived experience” of medical students encountering potential role models during their GP placement using a qualitative method. Methods Following a design based upon the principles of Grounded Theory 10 qualitative interviews were conducted with third-year medical student volunteers at Warwick Medical School. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using theoretical axial coding demonstrating data saturation in key themes. Results Analysis of data gave insights regarding student perception of positive and negative role modelling in three corresponding domains: Personal Attributes, Student Relationship and Patient Relationships. Conclusions The findings offer unique insights into the influence and impact of GP role-modelling on medical student’s experiences and perceptions during a time of the Covid-19 pandemic and the immediate post-pandemic period and add to the wider body of literature by exploring the influences GP role-modelling has on medical student training experience. The findings support easily implementable recommendations to strengthen positive role modelling in the GP medical student placement context.

The Influence of STEAM-Based Project-Based Learning on Student Creativity at Pena Surabaya Homeschooling

Humans need to continue to innovate and develop by the progress of the times. Therefore, education is an essential pillar for producing the next generation, which will face challenges in the era of the Industrial Revolution. Their critical thinking skills, creativity, and self-development are very important to protect students from fierce competition. Therefore, the learning model is essential in forming students to produce a reliable generation. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) is the right choice for students to train in creativity. This study aims to determine the creativity abilities of students at Homeschooling Pena Surabaya. The method used is experimental quantitative with 18 students as samples (total sampling)—data collection techniques through questionnaires, documentation, and observation. The statistical results state that a significant influence between STEAM-based Project Based Learning (PBL) learning on creativity, known from the calculated r, is greater than the table r (10.096˃2.131). The maximum post-test score is 100 for one person and is included in the "Very High" category. The maximum post-test score is 70 for four people. The average post-test result is 81.67 and is included in the "Very High" category.

The problem of educational choice in senior secondary education: the ACT as a case study

AbstractHow students select subjects and pathways in senior secondary education and beyond has long been regarded as a significant social justice issue as a result of contention regarding the value of more or less academic and vocational options. This paper examines these issues through a discussion of the notion of educational choice and the history of senior secondary reform in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), an educational system established in the 1970s with the express purpose of enhancing educational equity through supporting student choice and flexibility through school-based curriculum and assessment. The paper highlights the complexity of questions subsumed under the umbrella of educational choice, which encompass not only the reproduction of inequality but also student agency and self-making and intersect with debates about equity and curriculum form. It shows how the intent of the ACT system to ensure equally valued subject choices in schooling has since its inception existed in constant tension with a parallel emphasis on university pathways and that the system has over time evolved from one dedicated to the idea of curriculum diversity and responding to individual and community needs to one in which centralisation and standardisation are beginning to take precedence. This history raises important questions about the equity implications of centralising and decentralising curriculum forms and what they enable and constrain in shaping young people’s futures.

'Everyone is just so furiously typing': supporting student choices around digital notetaking in university lectures

University of Bristol students have indicated that 65% of them take notes digitally. As learning developers, how do we support students to take fit-for-purpose digital notes against a background of changing technology? In this study we posed two questions: What are the ways in which students currently take digital notes in lectures? What difficulties do students encounter in taking digital notes in lectures? Following formal ethical approval, we collected data using a questionnaire (n=123) and four focus groups (n=17), between January and May 2022. Participants in both included undergraduate and postgraduate students representing arts, humanities and STEMM subjects. Participation was voluntary and results were anonymised. We found that students choose a wide variety of digital tools for notetaking, in response to three interrelated aspects of the university learning environment: (1) perceived social pressure, for example the sound of typing, (2) lecture content, delivery and future assessment, and (3) affordances of digital technologies such as the comparative speed of typed notes. These themes have helped us understand the mechanisms of student notetaking choices and therefore allow us to offer relevant support. In this session we further illustrated the three main themes and presented examples of resources developed in response to them, modelling how learning developers can use these insights to support student notetaking practice: Firstly, through an open-access, online self-study resource that shares illustrative data from the research to inform student practice; secondly, a student-led workshop on OneNote, the most cited app in our student survey; and thirdly, a series of student blog posts on approaches to taking digital notes in different subject areas, as the research indicated lecture content affects digital notetaking choices. We also discussed how student notetaking practices may evolve considering emerging technologies such as generative AI tools.

A scheduling perspective on modular educational systems in Europe

In modular educational systems, students are allowed to choose a part of their curriculum themselves. The rationale behind letting students choose their courses themselves is to enhance self-responsibility, improve student motivation, and allow for focus on specific areas of interest. A central instrument for bringing these systems to fruition is the timetable. However, scheduling the timetable in such systems can be an extremely challenging and time-consuming task. In this study, we present a framework for classifying modular educational systems in Europe that reflects different degrees of freedom regarding student choices and explore the consequences from the perspective of scheduling a timetable that satisfies all requirements from the organizational and pedagogical perspectives. For this purpose, we conducted interviews in Austria, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, and applied the framework to these educational systems, finding that among them the Finnish system shows the highest degree of modularity. After analyzing the consequences of modularity from the scheduling perspective, we assess the necessity for automated scheduling methods, which are central to realizing the potential and many benefits of modular education. The framework developed in this paper can be used by educational systems to assess their degree of modularity and consider the right approach to timetabling based on it.

Employment Problems of Graduates of Chinese-foreign Cooperative Education Programs and Policy Suggestions

The purpose of this study is to analyze the causes of the employment status of graduates of Chinese-foreign cooperative universities and give countermeasure suggestions. With the acceleration of the internationalization of higher education, the development of Sino-foreign cooperative education is deepening in China, and it has also won the favor of many middle-class families because of its unique system of schooling that integrates the advantages of domestic and foreign bilateral education and enhances the employment competitiveness of graduates. However, in 2020, the international challenges of anti-globalization, the impact of major emergency health incidents and the slowdown of the domestic economic development and the structural adjustment of the industry have seriously disrupted the pace of employment of graduates of Chinese-foreign cooperative education and increased the difficulty of employment of graduates of Chinese-foreign cooperative education, which has aroused widespread concern and discussion. This study adopts the method of literature review to explore the specific impact of the education policy of Sino-foreign cooperative education on the career choice and employment pace of college students, which helps to deeply understand the role of the policy of Sino-foreign cooperative education in the career development of college students as well as the attitude of college students towards the phenomenon of slow employment and provides policy makers with suggestions on optimizing the policy of Sino-foreign cooperative education to promote the employment of college students, and at the same time provides important references to the higher education managers to cope with the problem of slow employment of graduates of Sino-foreign cooperative education.

Elective placements for medical students in a regional Public Health Department in Ireland

Abstract Exposure to different specialties during medical school influences the subsequent career choice of students. We describe the development of elective student placements in Public Health in a regional Public Health Department (PHD) in Ireland which serves a population of just over one million. In September 2023, a collaboration to oversee the electives was established between our PHD (HSE Dublin and Midlands) and an academic institution (Trinity College Dublin (TCD)). An Elective Working Group (WG) was formed which developed learning objectives and an elective plan. The electives were scheduled for October and November 2023. The key learning objectives were for students to: • Develop an understanding of the role of Public Health across all domains, in our regional PHD and in Ireland; • Develop an understanding of the career pathway in Public Health Medicine in Ireland; • Contribute to a public health project within the PHD. The elective plan included approximately 15 1:1 tutorials across the public health domains, attendance at PHD meetings and a literature review-based project. Between October and November 2023, two students (one per month) were attached to the PHD. At the end of each elective, students presented project findings to the WG for discussion. Debrief sessions gathered feedback from the students, the WG and the TCD partner. Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Feedback suggested taking pairs of students at the same time may increase efficiency and capacity for future electives in our PHD. A collaborative approach to planning and coordinating the electives was crucial to its success. We are building on this experience to expand the electives with an increased number of students being facilitated by our PHD in 2024, providing students with greater opportunity to gain exposure to Public Health Medicine during medical training. Application and evaluation materials were refined which can be shared. Key messages • The success of the Public Health electives in our regional Public Health Department was underpinned by a collaborative academic partnership and a structured, coordinated approach. • Availability of Public Health electives during medical school training can support students to gain exposure to this specialty in a time when they are considering future career choices.

How Dobbs May Influence the Geographic Distribution of Medical Trainees in the United States.

Third- and fourth-year U.S. medical students applying to residency were surveyed between August 6 and October 22, 2022, to assess the impact of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (Dobbs) on medical student residency application location choices. Across all medical specialties, most respondents were unlikely or very unlikely to apply to one or more residency programs located in a state with abortion restrictions (57.9%) and were considering changes in state abortion access when choosing the location of residencies to apply to (77.0%). Respondents in states with no abortion restrictions were less likely to apply to a program in a state with abortion restrictions (2 [1, 3] p < .001). The Dobbs decision significantly impacts residency application decisions for medical students in all specialties. Students are choosing to avoid or target states with restrictive abortion legislation based on their personal views.

Conceptualizing university students’ food choices based on theory of planned behavior

Background Several students use hostel facilities offered by their colleges and universities while pursuing higher education. A crucial change is witnessed in their food habits during their stay at the campus, which is vastly different from their home experience. Method The study employs the theory of planned behavior to conceptualize and understand the food choices of university students while following the qualitative research methodology and the phenomenological approach. The snowball sampling method is applied to select participants for the study. We selected twenty-six undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing programs in technical and health science from a private university at Udupi with residence in the university campus for two to four years. Interviews with candidates were conducted online and audio-recorded with participants’ consent. Results The transcribed interviews were coded and categorized to obtain themes, which were then conceptualized to develop the model based on the theory of planned behaviour. The duration of their stay on campus allowed students to gain a perspective on the food events and the food they consumed at the university dining facility (UDF) guided by factors, such as taste, price, availability of time(during academic activity), accessibility to healthy food, academic stress and lack of knowledge on nutrition. Two factors emerged from the interviews, one, there was no display in the dining facility about the nutritional value of the food served; and, second, students preferred to dine out on unhealthy food rather than at the university because food from outside the campus, even though unhealthy, was easier on the pocket. Conclusion The study provides insights into the role of UDF in serving healthy and nutritional food to students for better health and improved academic performance. This work brings to light the relationship between students’ food choices and their impact on academic performance.

A Study on Veterinary Faculty Students' Opinions on Ethics Education and Career Choices: A Case of Ondokuz Mayıs University.

Veterinary ethics is a multifaceted element of the veterinary profession as it deals with various ethical issues related to medical practice, animal welfare, professional behaviour and societal expectations. By focusing on teaching ethics in veterinary medicine education, it will be possible to guide future veterinarians through the ethical dilemmas and conflicts they may encounter in their careers. To evaluate the opinions of the Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine intern students about ethics education in veterinary medicine. Evaluation and comparison of the perspective on ethics education and career choice. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used to collect data via a questionnaire. Data obtained from 87 out of 119 students in the intern programme were evaluated. Responses were analysed by statistical methods. In the study, it was determined that pet veterinary services (private sector) and government veterinary services (public sector) were the leading career choices of intern veterinary students; female and male students wanted to turn to different fields of work; and the difference in career preferences did not change the views on ethics education. It was observed that students needed applied teaching and measurement-evaluation methods in ethics education and sought role models in developing ethical attitudes and behaviours. In addition to gaining ethical knowledge in veterinary education, it was observed that they attach importance to professional and legal obligations. This study is one of the few studies on veterinary ethics education and career choice in Turkey. The study results provide information to guide the development of veterinary ethics education to prepare future veterinarians for the complex ethical issues they will face in their careers.

Bolman과 Deal의 네 가지 프레임으로 바라본 대학의 학과 통폐합 사례 연구

Objectives This study aims to analyze cases of merging and phasing out of university departments using Bolman and Deal's four-frame model, focusing on structural, human resource, political, and symbolic changes. Methods To conduct a case study on one engineering department at a private university and one arts and physical education department at a national university, a preliminary investigation was conducted through a review of relevant literature and in-depth written interviews. Based on the results of this preliminary research, Focus Group Interviews (FGIs) were carried out with with faculty, current students, teaching assistants, and alumni to supplement the data collected.. Subsequently, changes in merged and phased-out departments were analyzed according to Bolman and Deal's four frames: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic changes. Results In the structural frame, positive changes such as curriculum flexibility, modernization, and student choice were observed. However, issues such as ensuring choice, securing expertise, and alleviating teaching burdens remained unresolved. Additionally, initial administrative and student organization dualities created issues of belonging and highlighted the need for increased support. In the human resource frame, department consolidation expanded career choices and positively impacted new student enrollment, though initial promotional efforts were insufficient, leading to limited short-term effects. Despite increased career diversification and satisfaction through integrated education, the need for enhanced communication regarding department reorganization and feedback collection was identified. The political frame examined stakeholder position differences and resource allocation strategies for successful integration. In the symbolic frame, while the necessity of consolidating departments to address declining student populations and societal demands was emphasized, it was also confirmed that the reasons for actual consolidations are varied. Conclusions The case analysis of merging and phasing out of university departments provides an in-depth understanding of phenomena that may arise within universities during such processes and offers insights. Recommendations are provided on key considerations for universities when deciding on consolidation targets, supporting consolidated departments, and preparing for and responding to consolidations.

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.

Knowledge, attitudes and behavior of Gulf medical students in relation to Food Dome dietary guidelines: a mixed-method research

This mixed-methods research is the first to explore knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in relation to the Food Dome dietary guidelines (FDDG) among Gulf medical students. Quantitative phase included the administration of Food Dome questionnaire among n = 414 students; qualitative phase used focus group discussions. The quantitative findings show that more than half the sample reported that they had heard of the FDDG (55.3%), of which 15.7% followed and 39.6% did not follow the FDDG. An average female knew more about and behaved more in line with the guidelines, Bahrainis and Saudis were more aware than Kuwaitis on average, and those aged 21 or more showed, on average, more behaviour consistency with the FDDG. The qualitative findings show that the food choices of the Gulf medical students largely depend on time, university load, availability, and taste. Suggested recommendations include educational campaigns, FDDG application examples, teaching children from an early age.

HDKD: Hybrid data-efficient knowledge distillation network for medical image classification

Vision Transformers (ViTs) have achieved significant advancement in computer vision tasks due to their powerful modeling capacity. However, their performance notably degrades when trained with insufficient data due to lack of inherent inductive biases. Distilling knowledge and inductive biases from a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) teacher has emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing the generalization of ViTs on limited datasets. Previous approaches to Knowledge Distillation (KD) have pursued two primary paths: some focused solely on distilling the logit distribution from CNN teacher to ViT student, neglecting the rich semantic information present in intermediate features due to the structural differences between them. Others integrated feature distillation along with logit distillation, yet this introduced alignment operations that limits the amount of knowledge transferred due to mismatched architectures and increased the computational overhead. To this end, this paper presents Hybrid Data-efficient Knowledge Distillation (HDKD) paradigm which employs a CNN teacher and a hybrid student. The choice of hybrid student serves two main aspects. First, it leverages the strengths of both convolutions and transformers while sharing the convolutional structure with the teacher model. Second, this shared structure enables the direct application of feature distillation without any information loss or additional computational overhead. Additionally, we propose an efficient light-weight convolutional block named Mobile Channel-Spatial Attention (MBCSA), which serves as the primary convolutional block in both teacher and student models. Extensive experiments on two medical public datasets showcase the superiority of HDKD over other state-of-the-art models and its computational efficiency. Source code at: https://github.com/omarsherif200/HDKD.

Linguistic Characteristics In The Research Background And Problem Statement In The Doctoral Thesis Of Arabic EFL Students In Malaysia

This study explores the linguistic features within the move structures of the research background and problem statement sections in Chapter One of PhD theses written by Arab students in Malaysia. The analysis focuses on four key language elements: verb tense, modality, voice (active and passive), and personal pronouns. A corpus of 30 theses was analyzed to determine common linguistic patterns, revealing significant insights into the language choices of these academic writers. The study employs concordance and hand-tagged analysis to examine verb tense and voice, with manual verification for modality and personal pronouns to ensure accuracy. Eight distinct verb tenses were identified, with the present simple tense being the most frequently used, representing 55.30% of the total instances. This indicates a preference for focusing on current knowledge and ongoing research. In contrast, the past simple and future simple tenses were used to describe past methodologies and future implications, respectively. Modal auxiliaries play a crucial role in conveying sentiments and opinions. The study identified seven modal verbs, with 'can' being the most commonly used, suggesting a focus on possibility over obligation. The analysis of voice patterns revealed a higher occurrence of active voice (79.66%), especially in moves that conveyed up-to-date knowledge. In contrast, passive voice was more common in methodological descriptions, indicating a focus on the actions or subjects rather than the actors. The study also examined the usage of personal pronouns, finding a higher frequency of third-person pronouns, suggesting a more objective narrative style. These findings offer valuable insights into the linguistic choices of Arab EFL students in academic writing, providing a deeper understanding of their communicative intentions and alignment with academic discourse conventions. The results can guide future research on linguistic patterns in academic writing and help educators support EFL students in improving their writing skills.

Penerapan Manajemen Balance Scorecard (BSC): Studi Kasus di MIS Miftahul Ulum Kec. Serpong Utara Kota Tangerang Selatan

The implementation of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) management at MIS Miftahul Ulum, Serpong Utara District, South Tangerang City is still facing some obstacles. The lack of understanding and accurate data, structured systems, resources, and accountability culture are the main barriers. This has resulted in the suboptimal achievement of strategic goals, such as learning, internal process, customer, and financial indicators that are not yet maximized. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which the implementation of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) management at MIS Miftahul Ulum, reviewed from four perspectives, namely: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. This research is qualitative, with data collection methods including interviews, observations, and documentation. Data validity is ensured through triangulation, and data analysis techniques include data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The research shows that the quality of education at MIS Miftahul Ulum, Serpong Utara District, South Tangerang City has improved compared to previously. However, some adjustments need to be made in the implementation of Balanced Scorecard (BSC). Conclusion: MIS Miftahul Ulum focuses on diversifying funding sources, increasing the efficiency of fund management, and increasing income from voluntary donations. Customer satisfaction and making MIS Miftahul Ulum the main school of choice for students and parents. Progress in its internal processes by implementing a quality curriculum, an effective teaching and learning process, and timely completion of teaching and learning tasks, and a quality curriculum provides a strong foundation for students to learn and grow. Effectiveness of the teaching and learning process: An effective teaching and learning process allows students to reach their full learning potential. Timely completion of teaching and learning tasks: Timely completion of teaching and learning tasks ensures that students have enough time to learn and understand the subject matter.

Factors Affecting College Choice of African American Male Undergraduates at Two Private Liberal Arts Colleges in the South

This article examined the factors influencing the college choice of African American male undergraduate students at two private liberal arts colleges in the South. Utilizing Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) College Choice Model as the theoretical framework, the study explored these students' experiences, perceptions, and attitudes toward the college selection process. The research investigated explicitly how predisposition, search, and choice factors impact the decision-making process for African American males at these institutions. Employing a qualitative methodology, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 participants. The findings revealed that family and community influences, financial considerations, campus environment, and diversity significantly shape college choice. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors affecting college choice for African American males at private liberal arts colleges in the South. Additionally, it offers insights that could inform the development of policies and practices to enhance access, diversity, and educational equity within higher education.

Factors affecting student choice of programme of study at a university: A study of School of business students at Kwame Nkrumah University

Factors affecting student choice of programme of study at a university: A study of School of business students at Kwame Nkrumah University

Student voice and choice in the virtual classroom: engagement strategies

The coronavirus pandemic has compelled a transition to distance and online education, requiring instructors and students to adjust swiftly. During this transition period, it became crucial to prioritize comprehending students’ perspectives and decision-making within virtual educational environments. The present study investigates the strategies a GPCOM (Purposive Communication) instructor employs at a premier university to enhance student autonomy and decision-making through student voice and choice in the online learning environment. Data were collected via a survey comprising Likert scale items and open-ended questions from the 335 participants who participated in the study. The study results indicate that educators significantly facilitate student engagement in expressing their thoughts and ideas, promoting self-discovery, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. Student preferences noted that active learning, utilization of technology, and engagement in class discussions were prominent options. Several strategies were employed to promote student engagement, such as fostering cooperation, implementing interactive gamification techniques, establishing real-life linkages, facilitating class debates, and encouraging self-directed learning. This study emphasizes the crucial role of instructor assistance in virtual learning while recognizing and integrating student preferences. Doing so aims to create a well-rounded and captivating virtual learning experience.