Student Conceptions Research Articles

British supervisors’ conceptions of ideal and successful PhD attributes and their implications for equity in doctoral candidate selection

Purpose This study aims to explore supervisors’ conceptions of successful and ideal doctoral students’ attributes and their implications for integrating equity and diversity considerations into the doctoral selection process. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative approach and analyses data from extensive interviews with senior academics and a member of the professional staff in England on their perspectives of the attributes of ideal and successful doctoral candidates. The study is conceptually framed by the Research Development Framework (RDF) and an adapted ecosystem model of the factors influencing PhD completion (Lovitts, 2005). Findings The findings reveal that supervisors value both cognitive and non-cognitive attributes, with the majority of the non-cognitive attributes categorised in the RDF sub-domains of personal qualities, self-management, working with others and communication and dissemination. Non-cognitive attributes were, moreover, valued not just for their contribution to doctoral success but also to the doctoral experience. Practical implications In contrast to the typically narrow criteria emphasised in UK doctoral selection, the authors argue that a wider, more holistic, range of attributes better represents what supervisors actually value, while offering greater opportunities for equitable selection of diverse doctoral cohorts. Two key macroenvironmental challenges are discussed: the difficulty of selecting for highly valued non-cognitive attributes and the importance of institutional support for the creation and sustainability of more equitable selection processes. Originality/value This paper deepens the literature on supervisors’ perceptions of the qualities or attributes of doctoral success and links this to the use of criteria that avoid reinforcing structural racial inequities in higher education.

Guided Inquiry: Science Learning Techniques in Improving Elementary School Students' Process Skills and Concept Mastery

This study aims to improve the science process skills and scientific attitudes of grade 3 elementary school students in Nurul Ilmi Jambi. The approach used in this study is quantitative with a quasi-experimental design. The population used in the study was grade 3 students of Nurul Ilmi Integrated Islamic Elementary School, with a total of 203 people from seven locations. The samples used were from two locations taken randomly, with a total sample of 58 people. Data were collected using test techniques for both process skill variables and concept mastery, namely using multiple choice questions of 25 questions each. Data analysis was carried out using N-gain and T-test on pretest and posttest scores. The results of the study showed that guided inquiry had a positive impact on the development of students' science process skills and concept mastery. Based on the N-gain test, SPS and concept mastery increased on average with the "moderate" category. Based on the T-test, it is known that each variable has a significant mean difference between the pretest and posttest tests. Therefore, at the end of this study, Guided Inquiry could be an alternative for teachers in an effort to Improve Elementary School Students' Process Skills and Concept Mastery in science subjects.

General and Language Self-concept among University Foreign Language Learners

Self- concept studies are mostly Psychology- based studies. However, limited work is done in the area of language which focuses on self- concept as an affective factor. The present study explores the general self- concept and English self- concept of students who are studying English as a major and who are studying it as a part of their degree program. Students’ self- concepts are determined at the group as well as gender level. In order to determine the general self- concept, Shevelson’s SDQ111 questionnaire (social, emotional, academic, self-esteem only) was used and to find the general English self- concept, a questionnaire was designed on the pattern of SDQ111, which contained the parts covering four language skills, grammar and phonology. Simple mean values of their scores were taken. The findings of the study revealed that students of non- major group excelled the students of major in all self- concepts except for girls’ English self- concept. Gender differences were quite interesting. In both groups (major & non- major) girls showed higher level of self- concepts than boys. Important implications for future studies are discussed in the end.

Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Discovery Learning dan Keterampilan Berpikir Kreatif Terhadap Pemahaman Konsep Biologi Siswa SMA Bunda Hati Kudus

In the era of globalization marked by the presence of Society 5.0, education faces new challenges. One of the essential skills that students need to have is critical thinking. The discovery learning learning model is considered effective in fostering students' critical thinking skills, so that it can improve their understanding of concepts. This study aims to determine the influence of the discovery learning model and creative thinking skills on the understanding of biology concepts of SMA Bunda Hati Kudus students. The research method used is a quantitative method. The population of this study used 160 students in class XI science of Bunda Hati Kudus High School for the 2022/2023 school year. The sample used was 64 people. Hypothesis testing using MANOVA and ANOVA techniques with a significance level of 0.05. The results of the study show that the application of the discovery learning learning model significantly improves the understanding of concepts, critical thinking skills, and creative thinking skills of SMA Bunda Hati Kudus students. Statistical analysis with the F test showed a very significant difference (p < 0.05) between the group of students who used the discovery learning model and the group that used the direct learning model. These findings indicate that the discovery learning model can be an effective alternative to improve the quality of student learning

Curriculum reform and practice of Experimental Acupuncture and Moxibustion under the background of "emerging medicine discipline"

Experimental Acupuncture and Moxibustion, as an interdisciplinary course, integrates traditional acupuncture and moxibustion with modern science. It is an important way for cultivating students' scientific thinking and innovation. The teaching group of Experimental Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Shandong university of TCM developed the content of courses under the guidance of talent construction of "emerging medicine discipline", aiming to cultivate the talents for the upright and innovation of acupuncture and moxibustion, and being abide to the advanced teaching concepts of students' cognitive law and outcome based education. Base on teaching design, teaching mode, curriculum ideological and political development, and teaching evaluation, a series of new measures have been implemented, e.g. "two-line, three-stage and eight-step measures", "six dimensions and five combinations" and "five combinations and three measure gauges". Through practice and exploration, the students' satisfaction, the innovation and creativity, and teaching ability of teachers have been enhanced. These reforms could provide the new approach to the development of the first-class courses related to traditional Chinese medicine.

The new Norwegian Education Act as arrangements for inclusive education practices for students with SEN: the vanishing concept of the Nordic model?

ABSTRACT Despite commitment to the values of one school for all in Norway, there has been an increasing number of segregated units for students with special educational needs (SEN) over the years, highlighting a discrepancy between legislative intentions and the practical implementation of inclusive education. Barriers to inclusion can emerge in any setting, especially when there is a lack of a shared understanding of inclusion and inclusive education within legislative frameworks. This study investigates how the new Norwegian Education Act (EA) could constrain and facilitate inclusive education practices for students with SEN by analysing the EA and its preparatory documents through the lens of Theory of Practice Architectures (TPA). The findings indicate that the EA promotes a discourse consistent with a broad definition of inclusion. The enhanced focus on students’ democratic rights to be involved in decision-making aligns with the values of the Nordic model of education. However, the broad definition of inclusion, the ambiguous concept of students with SEN, the reduced emphasis on SEN in legislation and the endorsement of alternative educational settings in preparatory work could exacerbate the segregation of students with SEN, thus undermining the fundamental values of the Nordic educational model.

Probing visual literacy skills reveals unexpected student conceptions of chromosomes.

Molecular biology can be challenging for undergraduate students because it requires visual literacy skills to interpret abstract representations of submicroscopic concepts, structures and processes. The Conceptual-Reasoning-Mode framework suggests that visual literacy relies on applying conceptual knowledge to appropriately reason with the different ways of representing concepts in molecular biology. We used this framework to specifically explore visual literacy related to chromosomes. We conducted 35 semi-structured interviews with students who had taken at least a year of college-level biology courses, and we asked them to sketch chromosomes, interpret an abstract representation of chromosomes, and use the abstract representation to answer a multiple-choice question about meiosis. While many participants used the correct vocabulary to describe chromosome structure and function, probing their visual literacy skills revealed gaps in their understanding. Notably, 97% of participants (34 of 35) held conceptual errors related to chromosome structure and function, which were often only revealed in their sketches or explanations of their sketches. Our findings highlight the importance of scaffolding visual literacy skills into instruction by teaching with a variety of visual models and engaging students in using and interpreting the conventions of abstract representations of chromosomes.

Breaking Down the Concept of Students' Thinking and Reasoning Skills for Implementation in the Classroom.

Various skills related to critical thinking, reasoning, and scientific reasoning are defined as essential for students in policy documents and curricula around the world as essential both in school and in everyday life. However, these concepts are often too vaguely defined and explained for a clear implementation in the classroom. In this conceptual article, the authors propose the following questions: (1) How are the concepts of thinking and reasoning as defined in policy documents reflected in curriculum descriptions across different disciplines? (2) To what extent do reasoning activities and processes overlap across different disciplines? (3) How can reasoning skills (particularly: analysis, evaluation, and creation) be described based on reasoning activities or processes and the outputs or products? Based on the literature review, it is concluded that researchers in various science disciplines have defined the aspects of reasoning that are typical for their respective disciplines, considering content, procedural knowledge, and epistemic knowledge. Meanwhile, looking from the perspective of cognitive psychology, it is concluded that reasoning processes (deductive, inductive, and analogical reasoning) are activated in the mind while students engage in reasoning activities (such as analysis, evaluation, and synthesis). Thus, similar cognitive processes occur in the mind, despite a student working in different disciplines. A conceptual framework is offered in this article showing (1) how reasoning processes and activities manifest themselves in different study domains both from a theoretical perspective and in everyday classroom work; and (2) what kind of outputs could be expected from students based on various reasoning activities. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration is justified so that students develop their reasoning skills holistically, not fragmentarily.

Why students use or not use generative AI: Student conceptions, concerns, and implications for engineering education

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies is believed to transform engineering education. However, it remains underexamined how engineering students choose to use GenAI or not, along with the reasons behind their choices. To fill in this research gap, this study presents a natural experiment that examines student use or non-use of GenAI tools in engineering design tasks in an undergraduate course. In this experiment, the participants (n=403) were provided with an unconstrained access to an GPT 4.0-empowered chatbot and were allowed to use it for their design projects voluntarily. Overall, 59.80% of the students had reported substantial use of GenAI in their design projects, and 40.20% showed limited or no use. Those adopters used GenAI to aid idea generation and brainstorming, to mediate discussions with instructors/TA, to overcome non-technical expertise gaps, and to optimize the solution. Conversely, non-adopters attributed their reluctance and rejection to inherent limitations in GenAI outputs, misalignment between GenAI functionalities and project needs, a lack of adaptation and prompt skills, and unclear benefits of GenAI use for personal development. This study has challenged the popular assumption of naturally active GenAI adoption by uncovering the complexity and multiplicities in student behaviors. The findings highlight the necessity of establish a consensus on the role and value of GenAI across various stakeholders, while suggesting a need for adaptation in engineering education research and practices.

Self-regulatory and metacognitive instruction regarding student conceptions: influence on students' self-efficacy and cognitive load.

Self-regulatory and metacognitive instruction regarding student conceptions can help students become metacognitively (or more specifically, metaconceptually) aware of their conceptions and self-regulate their intuitive conceptions in scientific contexts when they are not appropriate. Two approaches have been found effective in enhancing conceptual knowledge: (a) self-assessing one's conceptions and (b) acquiring conditional metaconceptual knowledge about why and in which contexts specific conceptions are appropriate or not. However, it is unclear how these approaches influence other cognitive and affective variables, such as self-efficacy and cognitive load. Nevertheless, it is essential to investigate whether making students aware of their intuitive conceptions affects their self-efficacy and to what extent reflecting on one's conceptions requires additional (meta-)cognitive resources. Thus, we conducted an experimental intervention study using a 2×2 factorial design with N = 602 upper secondary biology students. Becoming metaconceptually aware of one's (intuitive) conceptions did not lower students' self-efficacy but enabled more accurate beliefs about their abilities. However, the self-assessment increased mental load, which partly suppressed the beneficial effect of the self-assessment on conceptual knowledge. In contrast, the instruction on conditional metaconceptual knowledge did not result in higher mental load and, thus, aligned more with students' cognitive capacities. Furthermore, students with more pronounced general metaconceptual thinking reported lower mental load, implying that regular instruction focusing on metaconceptual thinking may reduce load. Thus, it is suggested to continuously promote students' metaconceptual thinking and to embed metaconceptual activities (e.g., self-assessments) repeatedly across longer instructional units.

The Concept of Islamic Education in the Perspective of Imam Al Ghazali and Its Relevance in the Contemporary Era

The purpose of this research in general is to find out the concept of Islamic education from the perspective of Imam Al-Ghazali and its relevance to contemporary Islamic education (today). Islamic education today is faced with various developments and challenges that certainly need to make changes and improvements to be able to make adjustments to these changes. The research that the author uses in terms of sources is library research which aims to reveal educational thoughts, especially regarding the concept of Islamic education from the perspective of Imam Al-Ghazali by using a content analysis approach. The results of this study indicate that the concept of Islamic education from the perspective of Imam Al-Ghazali is relevant to contemporary education (today). This can be seen in terms of educational goals, the concept of educators and students, learning methods, and learning curriculum which in its application prioritizes aspects of intellectual, moral, and spiritual development and educational evaluation. With this, educational institutions are expected to be able to adopt Al-Ghazali's concept of education to develop the potential of students to become human beings who believe and fear God Almighty, have a noble character, are healthy, knowledgeable, capable, creative, independent, and become democratic and responsible citizens

The student-teacher experience as a model for students as partners (SaP) and for enhancing student engagement among Japanese students

Education in Japan and other Asian countries advocates the traditional passive style of learning where students learn through rote memorization in a teacher-centered environment. However, this is now changing due to globalization with Japan’s Ministry of Education promoting learning strategies to involve students in the learning process actively. Many studies involving students as partners have stated that students feel more at ease when they learn with and from their peers and that working in groups makes them learn significantly better and allows them to put into practice what they have taught to others or learned from others. This case study on the Student-Teacher Experience activity aims to present the concept of students as partners to enhance active learning in Japan and its possible application in other countries and fields of study with a similar learning environment as Japan. The activity allowed students to actively engage in class and enhanced learning.

The lexico-semantic field of the STUDENT concept in the pedagogical discourse of F. A. Vigdorova (based on the prose from the 1950s-1960s)

The lexico-semantic field of the STUDENT concept in the pedagogical discourse of F. A. Vigdorova (based on the prose from the 1950s-1960s)

Mulțimea valorilor unei funcții: aspecte metodice și de calcul

The study of elementary functions is one of the main thematic lines of the pre-university mathematics course. At the same time, the concept of function and related concepts (domain, set of values, graph) represent the most difficult concepts for students. The paper presents the analysis of the formation for the concept of the set of function values and synthesizes its determination methods for different functions. Examples of the use for the set of function values will be useful both for understanding and expanding the concept, and for developing the mathematical capabilities of gifted students.

Students as partners of research projects in Russian universities: opportunities and barriers

The article shows the potential and barriers to the realization of the conception, treating students as partners in research projects of universities. The foreign experience of implementing this conception in various spheres of academic life is presented. The positive effects and limitations of the conception of students as partners in research are summarized. Based on the results of the empirical study «Scientific mentoring in Russian universities: institutional models, professional roles, everyday practices», the prerequisites and barriers to the implementation of this concept in Russian universities are identified. The administrative, economic and social barriers caused by both the institutional and organizational conditions for the implementation of university science and the peculiarities of the established model of relationships in the academic environment between different generations of researchers are revealed. The positive impact of student involvement in grant projects is shown. It is proved that this form of interaction between “adults” and young researchers creates prerequisites for the implementation of the principles of the concept of students as university partners.

Integration of interactive computer simulations in teaching and learning chemical reaction: Students’ performance and concept retention

This current study presented the effects of interactive computer simulations on students' performance and concept retention in the unit of chemical reactions. Purposive sampling was used to select four schools with 320 students, in Kayonza district Rwanda. The Achievement test on chemical reactions was developed, validated, and checked for reliability. The participating students were in grade 8. The collected data was analyzed in MS Excel and SPSS. The independent sample t-tests were computed to compare the groups and reveal the effectiveness of interactive computer simulations. After the intervention, the experimental groups’ post-test means achievement scores of (8.67) were higher than that of the control groups (6.69). The difference between the two mean scores was statistically significant: t (318) = 6.3, p= .000. The experimental group also had higher mean post-retention-test scores of (M = 8.07, α = .29) than that of the control group (M =5.58, α = .19) which was statistically significant at t (318) = 7.28, p = .000. Therefore, it is concluded that interactive computer simulations enhance students’ performance and improve their concept retention. The study recommends that simulations should be used to supplement the teaching and learning of chemistry and other science subjects in general.

Journalism’s Ethos and the Future of the Field: Student Motivations and Role Conceptions

Investigating the degree motivations and role conceptions of journalism students may shed light on the industry’s trajectory. This study analyzes the motivations and perceptions of journalism students from two U.S. universities. Results show that students were motivated to pursue journalism for a mix of reasons, including civic engagement, a prestigious career, creativity in multimedia and writing, and an independent and nonroutine lifestyle. Respondents suggest that students view journalism’s role as providing political accountability, delivering content that connects with audiences, telling stories, and setting the political agenda.

Linking Traditional Teaching to Innovative Approaches: Student Conceptions in Kinematics

This study delves into the problem-solving approaches of students who attend classes with traditional teaching methods in university physics education with innovative curriculum materials. This research, conducted with university physics and engineering students, focused on applying research-based curriculum materials in solving kinematic problems. The study analyzes the impact of student knowledge and the distinction between rote learning and scientific practices on conceptual understanding. Student responses are categorized based on the depth of knowledge demonstrated, the skill type utilized, and the degree to which responses indicate a logical progression. These, together with demographic data, are analyzed to determine any patterns. Findings reveal that students use intuitive and mathematical skills to solve a graphical question. However, students employ qualitative and mathematical skill types when they are required to design an experiment. Notably, gender disparity appears to influence the approach to graphical questions, but the design-based question shows no significant relationship between males and females. Gender was likely to contribute to knowledge and logical progression levels, but grades might not show a positive relationship with knowledge level. This study aims to contribute to developing physics education at the university level by highlighting the gap between innovative course materials and their enactment.

The Influence of Health Promotion Interventions Counseling and Peer Education Groups on Clean and Healthy Living Behaviors of Students in Islamic Boarding Schools

Background: The concept of healthy students is related to clean and healthy living behavior (PHBS) in the Islamic boarding school environment, which combines clean and healthy living behavior (PHBS) in educational institutions and the home environment. Aims: To determine the effect of counseling and peer education groups on the clean and healthy living behavior of students at the Irsyadul Ibad Islamic boarding school. Method: This research is an experimental study using a factorial design with two variables, counseling and peer education. The research sample was 84 students divided into 4 different groups, namely the combination group (counseling and peer education), the counseling group, the peer education group, and the control group. Each group lives in a different dormitory. The health promotion intervention was carried out for 15 days with 10 meetings to discuss clean and healthy living behavior. The statistical tests used were paired t-test and Wilcoxon to determine the differences in values before and after treatment. Kruskall Wallis and Mann Whitney were used to determine the differences in the scores of each group. Results: There are significant differences in knowledge and attitude values before and after treatment, namely: combination group (counseling and peer education), Knowledge p= 0.003, attitude p= 0.009, Knowledge counseling group p= 0.001, attitude p= 0.030 peer group education knowledge p= 0.000, attitude p= 0.001 and control group knowledge p= 0.067, attitude p= 0.053. There are differences in knowledge and attitudes in each group, namely the combination group (counseling and peer education), with the control group, knowledge p = 0.000, attitude = 0.000, counseling group with the control group, knowledge p = 0.000, attitude p = 0.000 peer education group with the control group knowledge p=0.000 attitude p= 0.000. Combination group (counseling and peer education), with knowledge counseling group p=0.063 attitude p= 0.134 combination group (counseling and peer education), with peer education knowledge p=0.079, attitude p=0.095. Counseling group with peer education group knowledge p= 0.332, attitude p=0.424. Conclusion: Combination groups (counseling and peer education), counseling groups, and peer education groups influence clean and healthy living behavior among students at the Irsyadul Ibad Islamic Boarding School.

Initial Study of Students' Critical Thinking Ability Level and Concept Mastery on Earth Structure Material

Critical thinking and concept mastery is an important ability for every student to have. So, educators need to get information about the level of skills possessed by student. This study aims to describe the initial level of critical thinking skills and mastery of students' concepts, as well as the relationship between critical thinking skills and mastery of students' concepts on earth structure material in class VIII at SMP Negeri 2 Namang. The methodology used in the research is descriptive quantitative, using a critical thinking ability test and concept mastery test, and qualitative, using interviews. Students' critical thinking and concept mastery tests showed an average score of 43.78 and 55.94, with a fairly low category. The average value of the inference indicator was 25.97, and the indicator of making further explanations was 37.01. Both are the lowest indicators that still need to be improved. In contrast, the average value of the strategy and tactics indicator is 73.95, which is in the high category. The significance value obtained is <0.001, which indicates that there is a strong, significant, and directly proportional relationship between critical thinking skills and concept mastery, with a correlation coefficient value of 0.803. The results of the interview show the low enthusiasm of students in learning the structure of the earth due to the lack of a variety of media used and test questions that are not used to being done.