Student Government Research Articles

Voicing Out the Factors That Affect Learning through Photovoice

Learning is always been an essential objective of education. However, there are many factors that could affect learning in and out of the four corners of the classroom. The study explored these factors through utilizing descriptive research and qualitative approaches particularly Photovoice methodology to determine relevant data from the participation of 49 Grade 12 students under the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics strand in a public school located at the Philippines’ capital city. Results revealed that electrical hazard- faulty electrical wiring and open outlets; earthquake hazards; facilities that were left unfixed; filthy, unhygienic and dysfunctional comfort rooms; environmental sanitation; barriers in learning (noisy environment/poor classroom ventilation); and construction hazards are the factors that affects the learning of students. Furthermore, participants perceived that there should be initiated program or policies, coordination with the Supreme Student Government, with the teachers, with the alumni, and with the school administrators to solve the existing problems that could affect students’ learning. Moreover, policy maker became more aware of the problems existing in the school, became more interested in addressing the presented problems by suggesting programs and policies for the betterment of school environment. Based on the gathered data, it can be recommended that feedbacking through the use of photovoice method could be an effective way to improve and enhance the school community to start change in enhancing the learning environment for the students.

Challenges of Students Housing Provision in Malaysia

The world population has been growing tremendously, which surged up the demand and enrolment in educational institutions to unimaginable level globally. Similarly, Malaysia has witnessed tremendous growth in higher education both in the order and establishment of new higher education institutions (HEIs) to match up with the demand. However, there is no commensurate increase in the student housing facilities to match up with the growing enrolment and demand; hence, accommodate a certain proportion of the total students. The paper explored qualitative methodology data from in-depth expert interviews of selected public and private universities in Malaysia; discussed the problems of HEIs student housing provision to four identified themes: student enrolment, government policy, funding and land issues as what exacerbated the issues. Therefore, challenges for student housing provision are enormous; hence HEIs and Government cannot adequately respond and satisfy the demand unless private housing developers actively involved otherwise problems of student housing provision will continue to persist.

WORLD EXPERIENCE OF FORMATION OF SOCIAL ACTIVITY OF STUDENT YOUTH IN LEISURE ACTIVITY

Informatization of all spheres of life leads to the formation of new challenges (Internet addiction, cyberterrorism, consumerism, information suggestions, etc.) facing modern young people, in particular students. Given the leading activities of student youth (educational and leisure), the urgency of the organization of extracurricular environment of universities in order to form a socially active person capable of overcoming these challenges of society. The purpose of the article is to study and analyze the current state of formation of social activity of student youth in leisure activities in Ukraine and abroad. To achieve this goal, the following theoretical research methods were selected and used: analysis of scientific sources on the state of study of the problem; theoretical generalization and comparison of Ukrainian and foreign approaches to the formation of social activity of students by means of leisure activities in the modern information society. The result of comparative analysis of Ukrainian and foreign experience in the formation of social activity of student youth in leisure activities is to determine the appropriateness of incentives (financial, rating) in attracting students to socially useful activities, is a manifestation of the formation of their social activity. The positive influence of the organization of student government and student creative associations is established. Given the foreign experience, it is important to provide Ukrainian universities with modern information and communication technologies to improve the formation of social activity of student youth. The prospect of further research is the organization and implementation of a system of social and pedagogical leisure activities to form the social activity of students, taking into account positive foreign experience, which will contribute to the expansion of the socio-cultural environment and the development of components of social activity of students.

КОМПЕТЕНТНІСНИЙ ПІДХІД ЯК ШЛЯХ ДО ВИРІЕШННЯ ПРОБЛЕМ ПРАЦЕВЛАШТУВАННЯ ВИПУСКНИКІВ ВИЩОЇ ШКОЛИ

The article provides the in-depth analysis of the steps taken to implement competency approach to curriculum development in higher education of Ukraine. The importance of this measure is on the top of the country’s priority list, which is proven by the laws «On education» and «On higher education». The competency approach is contraposed to the conventional knowledge approach to curriculum design, which is considered to have lost its potency under new conditions. The competency approach, on the contrary, is seen as an effective tool to struggle against such problems as labour market mismatch, changing requirement for graduates. The article also puts high value on the importance to attract all stakeholders, namely the Ministry of education, student government, business sector, to the process of reforming, first and foremost, by taking an active part in designing the National Framework of Qualifications. The article reveals that such factors as globalization, digitalization, an increase in the technology complexity and high competition among manufacturers, lead to the optimization of labor resources, the development and the use of new management methodologies, such as Agile, which involves the increasing role of teamwork, interaction with specialists of various fields, the ability to solve complex problems and think critically. This means that it is crucial to pay special attention to the personality of the student, the formation of the ability to act in various problematic situations. This changing context should be taken into account in the process of curriculum redesign, which should place emphasis on the development of interpersonal and systemic competences. The process of the implementation of interpersonal and systemic competences can undergo the following stages: revealing competencies, which are important for graduates’ employability; identifying competences which are being forms within the framework of the disciplines taught; searching for the niches to teach interpersonal and systemic competences / the introduction of new subjects focusing mainly on the development of the competencies in question; reflecting on the experience.

The experience of student self-government in improving the quality of the educational process

The article considers the organization of self-government in higher education. This means voluntary and independent public activities of students to perform the functions of management of higher education, which is determined by its administration. Along with the main tasks of student self-government bodies to ensure and protect the rights and interests of students, it must ensure the performance of duties, influence the discipline and effectiveness of education. Democratic principles of election to these bodies, their effective functioning, and the provision of guarantees are a prerequisite for integration into the Bologna Agreement. The main problems in this are the need to improve the legal framework of the educational process, low financial resources, lack of democratic political culture, the mechanism of interaction with the administration and the passivity of students. Research on the issue shows a lack of awareness of the performance of student government and a low level of trust and authority of its leaders. Instead, the experience of European universities shows in favor of these bodies in solving university-wide cases. Strong material base and financial and legal independence from the administration of the educational institution allow to independently distribute part of the funds for financing grants from student societies and associations at the university. The influence of teachers on the process of formation of future specialists in terms of application of practical experience and modern management technologies is important. Thus there is a formation of the developed personality, stimulation of activity of the future citizen, education of the tolerant interlocutor. The conclusion is made about the importance of student self-government bodies whose activities are aimed at improving the educational process, organizing cooperation with students of higher education institutions and youth organizations, cooperation with managers and executors of projects of various levels, using the practical experience of teachers on the principles of collegiality in order to improve the quality of education.

Social Risk Factors for Interpersonal Violence Victimization among College Students: Findings from a Mixed-Gender Sample

ABSTRACT In this study, we explored social affiliations (participation in athletics, fraternities/sororities, student government, student unions, study abroad programs, faith groups, and other student organizations) as risk factors for interpersonal violence victimization (peer victimization, sexual harassment, sexual assault, reproductive coercion, psychological partner abuse, physical partner abuse, and stalking) among college students. Data were collected in fall 2015 from a stratified random sample of 644 mixed-gender college students, and respondents were asked to report their victimization experiences over the past year using the Campus Attitudes Toward Safety survey. Nearly two-thirds of participants reported at least one form of interpersonal violence victimization in the past year. The most frequently reported types of victimization were sexual harassment, peer victimization, and psychological partner abuse. Results indicated that students affiliated with athletics, fraternities/sororities, student government, and student unions were at increased risk of experiencing some form of violence. These results underscore the importance of tailoring prevention programs to the unique needs of sub-populations as well as training bystanders to recognize signs and symptoms of nonphysical violence (e.g., peer victimization, sexual harassment, and psychological partner abuse) because of their relative frequency.

Web App Voting System in a Philippine State University: An ISO 9241-11 Evaluation

Fourth Industrial REvolution offers various technological innovations that contribute significant advantages to the university. The development of the web app voting system (WAVS) in Eastern Visayas State University - Tanauan Campus transformed the voting experience of university students. The study aimed to determine the extent of usability of the WAVS in the Supreme Student Government election. A total of 203 students (voters) served as the respondents using a convenient sampling technique. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed to present the respondents’ views and opinions. The study revealed the system evaluation to be “Excellent” in all factors of usability components on effectiveness (3.50), efficiency (3.43), and user satisfaction (3.42) with a grand mean of 3.45. The WAVS exceeded the users’ requirements on the context of use principles allowing them to perform their tasks efficiently and effectively. The results of the study present an interesting direction of the system implementation across campuses of the university. Developers should consider the mobility of system connectivity using a secured virtual private network (VPN) of the university. Implement security measures on voter’s identity and network firewall encryption. Finally, developers of the system should always consider the usability principles and user requirements in developing an effective and efficient information system.

Evaluation of a Council Structure and Meeting Format for Pharmacy Student Government in the Co-Curriculum

Objective. To evaluate student perceptions of a transformed pharmacy student government structure and meeting format. Methods. The structure and general assembly meeting format of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Eshelman School of Pharmacy Student Senate (ie, student government) underwent a transformation from that of a forum to that of a council in an effort to address concerns regarding limited information exchange, minimal discussion, and unengaged meeting participants. To evaluate student perceptions of the new senate council format, members who attended at least one council meeting during the academic year were asked to complete a 12-item survey evaluating interorganizational relations, communication, collaboration, and efficiencies. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize students' agreement with 10 survey items. Thematic analysis was employed to identify common themes in students' responses to the two open-ended survey items. Results. The majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that the senate council facilitated interorganizational relations (86%), communication (93%), and collaboration (86%). Ninety-three percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the senate council improved efficiencies, while 96% preferred the new senate council meeting format over the previous senate meeting format. Common qualitative themes included improved engagement during council meetings because of the "no laptop" policy and facilitation of open conversation by having a roundtable format and smaller number of members in attendance. Overall, 93% of students indicated they were satisfied or highly satisfied with the new meeting format. Conclusion. Student perceptions suggest that the new senate council structure and meeting format was effective at improving interorganizational relations, communication, collaboration, and efficiencies within student body government.

Adapting medical education during crisis: Student–Faculty partnerships as an enabler of success

Restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have required medical educators to reimagine almost every aspect of undergraduate medical training, including curriculum delivery and assessments in a short timeline. In this personal view article, executive members of the University of Toronto medical student government and Faculty leads of pre-clerkship and clerkship education highlight five practical ways in which a student–Faculty partnership enabled the rapid and smooth adaptation of curricula during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included involving students as partners in decision making to contribute learner perspectives early, agile and collaborative meeting structures, frequent and consistent communication with the student body, providing learners with Faculty perspectives from the frontlines, and striking a balance in the level of feedback collected from students. These strategies may be of utility to medical administrators, educators, and student leaders in future crises affecting medical learners.

A chilly climate: Experiences of women student government association presidents

The lack of women in elected leadership roles trickles down to student governance at colleges and universities (American Student Government Association, 2016). The researcher sought to understand how women student leaders made meaning of their experiences as a leader and how their understanding influences their actions and motivations. Through the use of narrative inquiry, the researcher explored how participants defined and made meaning of their experiences as women student government association presidents. The data collected through a series of three interviews were then formed into individual narratives focusing on context and meaning-making for each participant. Our work resulted in rich data that was categorized into themes. The prevalent theme of a “chilly climate” was salient for each participant, which is discussed in this article. The article concludes with implications for student government advisors, as well as for future research on women student government association leaders.

University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine

University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine

Students as customers versus as active agents: conceptualising the student role in governance and quality assurance

ABSTRACT An increasing amount of scholarly literature exists that examines the relationship between students and universities, and their role in university governance and quality assurance of their higher education experiences. The traditional mechanisms for involving students in university governance – for example, through representation by student associations – have been challenged and expanded as part of a broader movement towards students as partners and co-creation of their educational experiences. This paper provides a critical review of student engagement in university governance and quality assurance systems, using the Australian system as a grounding example, and with particular focus on student equity and the increasing diversity of the student body, and its implications for quality assessment and assurance. Our critical review of the literature suggests that there is still progress to be made in integrating the complex roles students can assume within universities, but that considerable opportunities exist in meeting the challenges of massification, student diversity and the structural barriers some students face to success in higher education, provided that the full diversity of the student body can meaningfully engage in student governance.

The changing value of higher education as a currency of opportunity

PurposeThe worldwide expansion of higher education participation has destabilised the value of higher education as a currency of opportunity. An increasing number of graduates are experiencing the precarity of unemployment, under-employment and low salaries. This study aimed to investigate how university students in China understand and respond to the changing relationship between higher education and career opportunities.Design/methodology/approachThe research team conducted 100 in-depth interviews with final-year undergraduates at one elite and one lower-tier university in a metropolitan city in Guangdong Province.FindingsThe students were acutely aware of fierce competition in the graduate labour market. When asked “what matters most” for post-graduation career prospects, they identified elite universities and high-status fields of study as “traditional” currencies of opportunity. Nonetheless, to stand out in a competitive environment, they perceived a growing need to supplement higher education credentials through university experiences (internships, student governance, study abroad programmes), party membership, personal connections and (overseas) postgraduate education. Moreover, in a “race to the top”, they discussed how qualitatively distinctive university experiences and elite postgraduate education are “new” currencies of opportunity for high-status professional employment.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates how intensified competition for graduate employment can result in an “opportunity trap”. The students were participating in an “arms race” to accumulate positional advantages for their post-graduation careers. The net impact of such efforts on a systemic level is to create an upward spiral in what students are expected to do in preparation for their post-graduation careers and further destabilise the value of higher education as a currency of opportunity.

Absentee Ballot Day in the library: Empowering students to vote

On September 25, 2018, American University Library held its inaugural Absentee Ballot Day, helping 1,005 students request absentee ballots. The library partnered with student government, the alumni association, and the League of Women Voters of the District of Columbia to empower our students in exercising their fundamental right and responsibility as citizens in a democracy. This article describes the reasoning behind this initiative, the planning process, and the event itself. The hope is that many academic libraries will join in this effort for the 2020 general election. Resources for institutions wishing to hold their own Absentee Ballot Day are included.

Antimicrobial Activity of Extracts from the Leaves of Marrubium vulgare

Natural products have served as powerful therapeutics against pathogenic bacteria since the golden age of antibiotics of the mid‐20th century. In the United States, antibiotics are a key component of modern medicine and are one of the top written prescriptions every year. However, overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to an increasing frequency of antibiotic‐resistant infections. These infections are difficult and expensive to treat, often resulting in increased length of illness, hospital stays, and mortality rates. This clearly demonstrates that new antibiotics are critical for modern medicine. Murrubium vulgare (White Horehound) is a shrub found in the Appalachia region that has been used in herbal medicine to treat many pulmonary aliments as an expectorant, tonic, and emmenagogue. Previous studies of this plant and its commercial products have indicated that it may contain antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The aim of this study is to determine if whole leaf extracts of M. vulgare contain antimicrobial properties. Five different plants were sampled for this project. The leaves were dried and then underwent extract in 95% ethanol in a 1:10 (m/v) ratio. The solvent was removed using a rotavapor at 60°C and hot plate evaporation. The crude product was left in a desiccator until constant weight was achieved. The crude samples were analyzed to characterize the different classes of natural products present. The crude extracts were dissolved in 5% DMSO at different ratios. The disk diffusion method was applied to determine the antimicrobial activity.Support or Funding InformationBellarmine University, Student Government Association.

Evidence and Inhibitor Studies of Involvement of Src and EGFR in Estrogen Receptor Induced ERK1/2 Activation in Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferation Stimulated by Cadmium Chloride.

Cadmium Chloride, Cadmium, a naturally occurring heavy metal, is a toxic industrial and environmental pollutant commonly found in both ground and industrial waste water. Studies have shown that cadmium is also a metalloestrogen that can bind to the human estrogen receptor (ER), stimulate DNA synthesis, and increases cellular proliferation in ovarian cancer cell lines. Furthermore, it has been shown that cadmium stimulates ERK1/2 activity in an ER‐dependent manner. To determine if cadmium stimulates proliferation in ovarian cancer cell lines, OVCAR3 and SKOV3 cells were treated with varying concentrations cadmium chloride, and growth was measured by a cell proliferation assay. The results support that cadmium induces cellular proliferation at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.001–1.0 uM) within 24 hours of treatment. It was also observed that treatment with 1 nM of cadmium for 5 minutes activates ERK1/2 phosphorylation. We are now in the process of performing inhibitor studies to determine if Src and EGFR are also involved in ER dependent cadmium‐stimulated cellular proliferation in ovarian cancer cells.Support or Funding InformationBellarmine University, Student Government Association

Matching anonymous participants in longitudinal research on sensitive topics: Challenges and recommendations

The purpose of this study was to examine the final analytic sample of a longitudinal randomized control trial (RCT) evaluation of a sexual violence prevention program at a university after facing challenges with the implementation of a self-generated identification code. The matched and unmatched samples (e.g., all unique surveys across all time periods) included 10,135 surveys. Eighty-eight percent of these surveys were matched into the final longitudinal dataset. Findings suggest that students with certain characteristics were more likely to be matched over time (i.e., students who participated in student government, Latino/a students, and Asian students). In addition, students who did not comply with RCT protocol were less likely to be matched. Student history of victimization or perpetration of sexual violence was not associated with being matched over time. This study provides recommendations for preventing matching problems in longitudinal studies, a process for rectifying matching issues and a critique of studies that do not address issues of matching-related sample bias in their final analytic sample.

ВПЛИВ СТУДЕНТСЬКОГО САМОВРЯДУВАННЯ НА РОЗВИТОК УНІВЕРСИТЕТСЬКОЇ АВТОНОМІЇ В ПОЛЬЩІ

The article is devoted to the problem of studying the influence of student self – government bodies in Polish universities on the development of university autonomy. Student self-government in Europe is not a new phenomenon, dating back to the first medieval universities. Even then, the most talented students were involved in certain administrative functions, as well as in teaching as assistant professors. No wonder universities are considered a kind of model of civil society and in this regard preceded the modern type of European civilization. The article considers the main competencies of student government in Poland. The Polish experience of leading higher education institutions in the field of activity and functioning of student self-government as one of the social institutions of society, which is extremely interesting and useful for Ukraine, is analyzed. The organizational and legal bases of functioning of public student associations in the academic environment of Poland are analyzed. The role and place of the Polish Student Parliament in the system of state and public administration of higher education are shown. It is noted that the main body of student self-government in Poland is the Student Government Council. The Student Government Council is a body of resolution consisting of nine students selected in a general election. For student activities, this is approximately what the Seimas is for public authorities. The brightest and most significant are the main directions and tasks of student self-government bodies, the system of student selfgovernment activities in higher education institutions in Poland. A feature of student government in Poland is their strong material base and financial and legal independence from the administration of the educational institution. It is determined that the Polish system of student self-government starting from the legislative level and ending with the material side has significant differences from the Ukrainian, which are discussed in detail in the article.

Making a Medical School Class Whole: A Holistic Approach to Student Government.

Student government has a unique role in medical schools, where it can function to strongly nurture the well-being of a class. Student body representatives have a better understanding of the interests of medical students and the adversity they face. Thus, the student government is in a prime position to make positive change in the lives of their classmates with help from the school administration. This article explores these ideas and is written from the perspective of the co-presidents of the student body at a northeast medical school.

University autonomy: a prerequisite for the development of Russian higher education in the context of digitalization

Autonomy as a fundamental guarantee for the implementation of educational activities accompanied the formation of the first universities, subsequently acquiring regional specificity. The education system in Russia objectively operates by a different structure for the interrelation of the subjects and mechanisms in order for educational organizations to implement their activities compared to the era of the first universities. In the article, the authors identify and propose to consider the key nodes of the legal status of universities: organizational and legal form as a legal shell, proprietary rights in property, methods of financing, tax preferences, and forms of control over activities. The study of these features is important for answering the questions of whether they lead to the emergence of a new model of legal regulation of universities and whether there is a correlation with university autonomy. Both answers, as shown in the article, are negative. The decision should not come only “from above”, although the state recognition of the independence of universities should be expressed in the expansion of their powers in property and financial spheres. Educational organizations themselves must realize the value of autonomy, starting with the formulation of their mission, which is presented formally and not meaningfully in the charters of Russian universities. The mission of the article’s authors is seen in the ability to make independent decisions and be responsible for such decisions. The participation of a public entity in the functioning of universities today seems to be excessive: goal setting, state task, and state control should not suppress the autonomy of educational organizations. The use of various public resources may become a Solomon solution: supervisory and board of trustees, student government, internal financial audit, and others. Finally, the latest and far from the last challenges to the education system (digitalization, pandemic) are shifting the area of responsibility to the universities themselves, which will have to make operational decisions based on their vision of the current situation. For this to occur, educational organizations need to understand the degree of their autonomy.