Student Participation Research Articles

First-Year Architectural Design Studio in Action: Insights from the ‘Timberscapes' Design-Build Experience

The "Design-Build" approach in design studios emphasizes hands-on learning and 1:1 scale production in dynamic environments that encourage teamwork, material understanding, bodily awareness, and collaborative decision-making. This study presents a design-build experience titled “Timberscapes” for the final project in the "Design Studies" studio during the Spring semester of the 2021-22 academic year at Bahçeşehir University, Architecture Department. The project explored collaborative design interventions in the campus's limited open spaces. Over five weeks, students identified campus needs through personal experiences and developed spatial proposals in teams. Three projects were selected involving student participation for different campus locations. In the second phase, due to the unavailability of conditions for their implementation, the projects were further developed with new divisions of labor and expert consultations. The studio problem emphasized dialogue and negotiation in team-based processes, structured in two stages with changing teams and responsibilities for students. This paper presents the experimental studio process and student outputs, and investigates its contributions for the students. The method involves a literature review of past experiences with design-build method, the pedagogy of teamwork in the design studio, potentials of timber as a sustainable material to be flexibly used in architectural education and presents the current experience as a staged case study. The paper discusses the case study’s gains in creating a dynamic negotiation environment in the first-year architectural design studio, and highlights the practical limitations and future implications of the applied process.

Faculty Community-Engaged Scholars Choosing to Come and Stay: Alignment Between Individual and Institutional Identities and Values

As institutions seek to recruit and retain community-engaged scholars, it is important to understand the experiences of faculty who arrive at their new institution and whether those experiences align with their initial perceptions about institutional commitments to and support for community-engaged scholarly work. Do institutional signals that express support for community-engaged scholarship influence faculty members’ choice to work at an institution? Once recruited, how do faculty experiences align with their initial expectations for community-engaged scholarship? This study examines 21 faculty member’s experiences at a single minority-serving university to understand their sense of alignment and the intersections between individual faculty and institutional commitments to equity-centered community engagement. Institutions that highly regard and reward faculty community engaged scholars provide conditions that foster full participation of faculty, students, and communities allowing them to flourish.

PERAN LITERASI DALAM MENINGKATKAN MINAT BACA SISWA KELAS VI DI SDN TALANG II

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of literacy activities, obstacles and efforts made by the school in increasing elementary school students' interest in reading. This research is a qualitative research. The research subjects were the principal, teachers and students of grade VI of Talang II State Elementary School. Data collection techniques through interviews, observation and documentation. Based on the results of the research, it can be seen that 1) literacy activities play a role in increasing students' interest in reading, 2) obstacles in implementing literacy activities at school include the lack of infrastructure, the methods applied are less varied and the low discipline of students in the process of habituation of literacy activities, and 3) efforts made by the school in overcoming these obstacles are by providing socialization about literacy activities, adding facilities and holding competition activities as a means of active participation of students.

Communication Skills Challenges Experienced by First-year University Students: A Systematic Review

This article isbased on a comprehensive analysis of 20 peer-reviewed research papers published between 2013 and 2023. The study offers a thorough summary of typical communication obstacles faced by first-year students. The purpose of this systematic review paper is to highlight the vital role that communication plays in academic performance and social integration among university students. The review synthesizes findings of research carried out on the communication difficulties particularly experienced by first-year university students. Some scholars contend that effective communication skills are essential in order for university students to successfully complete challenging academic assignments, form bonds with others, and participate actively in their academic and social activities. Among the main obstacles noted are nervousness related to public speaking, problems with academic writing, difficulties taking notes and actively listening, and difficulties participating in group projects. These obstacles have been demonstrated to seriously impair students' social integration, academic performance, and participation in class activities, all of which can have a negative impact on their retention and general well-being. It has further been observed that students who struggle with academic writing and public speaking anxiety are less able to participate fully in class discussions and create high-quality written work, both of which are fundamental for academic exploits. Additionally, difficulties in taking notes and actively listening hinder students' ability to fully comprehend lectures. This systematic review also indicates a number of variables that contribute to these difficulties, including a lack of exposure to academic communication skills at the university level, cultural and linguistic barriers, and poor high school preparation. In addition, the paper emphasizes the need for early intervention and assistance to, first-year students, in order to help them overcome the perceived communication obstacles. The article concludes by providing helpful suggestions to improve communication skills, such as include seminars on communication skills in the curriculum, peer mentorship programs, and extra support services like writing centers and academic advice. The review's conclusions highlight how important it is for universities to emphasize communication skills in their first-year experience programs in order to foster social integration, student engagement, and academic achievement.

Enhancing Intergenerational Connections: Exploring the Benefits for Older Adults and College Students in a Telephonic Reassurance Program

Loneliness is well documented as a major, yet preventable, risk factor for well-being among older adults that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half of some countries’ older population experience loneliness, which significantly increases risks for dementia, heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, hospitalization, and even hastened death. Utilizing socioemotional selectivity theory, the current study addresses. the inverse relationship between aging and social outlet availability by providing empirical data on the benefits of intergenerational programming. Data from adult–college student dyads who participated in a telephone reassurance program focused on reminiscence guiding were analyzed to determine outcomes of participation. Qualitative analyses revealed the emergence of themes surrounding familial/friendship bonds and self-discovery among adult participants and a rejuvenated appreciation for the little things in life as well as a sense of purpose from meaningful contributions among college student participants. Results are discussed in terms of continued growth and development during late adulthood and professional and personal growth among students. The psychologically and emotionally meaningful nature of quality intergenerational programs provides a platform for the formation of unique relationships to offset fractured social outlets during later life, providing protections against loneliness and work to establish unique relationships between disparate groups who otherwise may never have crossed paths.

Promoting gender equality through experiments with water rockets in distance physics class between the Technological University of Jalisco, Mexico and the Technological University of Bolívar, Colombia

This article presents a study on the promotion of gender equality in distance learning physics, using experiments with water rockets as a pedagogical tool. A collaboration was carried out between the Technological University of Jalisco in Mexico and the Technological University of Bolívar in Colombia. Through this research, we seek to identify how the implementation of practical activities can influence the participation and interest of students of different genders in the field of physics. The results of the applied methodology are presented, as well as the implications of these findings for future educational practices.

Effectiveness of Utilizing Gamified Learning in Improving Creative Reading Skills among Primary School Students

Gamification, in education is a method that boosts pupil participation and drive by encouraging the growth of analytical and creative thinking abilities through the integration of gaming components into the learning process. The impact of gamification on enhancing reading skills in second grade students was investigated in this research study as this phase is pivotal for language and cognitive growth. A selective group of 104 students was split into two groups, for the study – one receiving instruction while the other followed conventional teaching approaches. A comprehensive test measuring creative reading skills—covering fluency, originality, and flexibility—was administered to both groups before and after the intervention, ensuring its validity and reliability. The results demonstrated that students exposed to gamified learning showed significant improvements in creative reading skills compared to those in the traditional group, particularly in fluency, originality, and flexibility. However, no statistically significant differences in skills acquisition were found based on school type, suggesting that gamified learning is effective across diverse learning settings. The research highlights the significance of incorporating gamification, in curricula to boost student participation and innovation. It suggests teacher education to apply these methods. Through learning that creates an engaging atmosphere it not only improves students’ imaginative reading skills but also encourages analytical thinking. They provide a fun learning environment that aligns with learning objectives.

Teachers’ enactment of Freirean democratic pedagogies in primary school physical education

ABSTRACT Background Despite its ubiquity in education discourses, social justice is a highly contested concept that can be framed in different ways [Dowling, F., H. Fitzgerald, and A. Flintoff. 2012. Equity and Difference in Physical Education, Youth Sport and Health: A Narrative Approach. Routledge]. The ‘social’ element of social justice is always framed by broader cultural and socio-political contexts. Therefore teaching for social justice cannot be conceptualised as a single pedagogy that can be enacted without regard for the learning content and the learning context. Purpose The rationale for this research is to bridge the gap between advocacy for pedagogies for social justice and practices done in the name. The specific aim of this paper was to explore how specialist primary school physical education teachers in Spain enact democratic practices that promote social justice by engaging students in decision making in ways that ensure their voices are heard and considered. Method The research was informed by Critical Incident Technique (CIT) methodology. Data were generated through six classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews with three Spanish primary PE teachers. Data analysis was informed by Paulo Freire’s [1970. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Seabury Press] democratic pedagogy and associated concepts of dialogue, problem posing and critical consciousness. Findings The findings demonstrate how the teachers’ PE teachers’ practices have strong roots in democratic principles that are consistent with the scholarship of Freire. The two themes; (1) ‘Student-led dialogical encounters’ and (2) ‘Pedagogy of questioning and exploration’ provide insight into how the Spanish primary school PE specialists in this study teach for and about social justice in contextually relevant ways. Discussion These findings remind us that PE provides a fertile educational context for implementing democratic pedagogies due to its interactive activity-based context and curricular focus on holistic development. The findings provide insight into both how democratic pedagogies in PE are possible even with very young students. Conclusion We argue that democratic pedagogies are essential to social justice outcomes in school PE. They can enhance student participation, foster relationships, and empower individuals to become active agents of change. Democratic pedagogies in primary schools provide a sound foundation for scaffolding a critical consciousness in secondary school PE contexts.

Care of the Transgender Surgical Client: A Video Simulation for Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

Nursing curriculum lacks content addressing care of transgender (trans) individuals. Gender diversity in health care education must be enhanced to prevent discrimination and systemic biases. A shared session between pediatric and medical-surgical courses using an interactive video simulation facilitated student preparation to provide inclusive care for trans surgical clients. Considerations for recruiting a cisgender person vs. a trans person to portray the female-to-male trans client are discussed. Script development and filming of the three videos, including the expected student preparation and the interactive classroom session, is examined. The observed experiences of the student participants and their reactions to the session are described. Discrimination and systemic biases can be minimized when nursing students are exposed to curricula that address the needs of marginalized populations. Use of video simulation in the classroom setting should be considered a valid teaching strategy for more topics in nursing and general health care curriculum. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Arabic Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Early Childhood: A Case Study at an Integrated Islamic Elementary School

This study explores the strategies and methods for teaching Arabic vocabulary to young children at an Integrated Islamic Primary School (SDIT). The research analyzes how different teaching approaches affect vocabulary acquisition in early childhood education. A qualitative descriptive method was used, with data collected through classroom observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The main strategies identified include visual and audio media, thematic approaches, repetition, and interactive games. The results highlighted that multisensory and Total Physical Response (TPR) methods significantly improved vocabulary retention and student participation. The communicative approach also proved effective in helping students use new vocabulary in practical contexts. The findings suggest combining visual, physical, and verbal techniques is the most effective way to improve vocabulary acquisition. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on language learning by providing insights into effective vocabulary teaching strategies in an Islamic educational setting, with implications for curriculum development and teacher training.

Design of BIPA Teaching Materials in the Riau Islands Context for Darmasiswa Students

Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) is Indonesian for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) is a learning program to help foreign students learn Indonesian and familiarize themselves with its culture. This study aims to design an Indonesian language learning book for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) by highlighting the culture of the Riau Islands at a university in Batam using audio-visual aids, especially for Darmasiswa Republic of Indonesia students. The aim of this research is to design Indonesian language teaching materials for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) that focus on the cultural context and local wisdom of the Riau Islands, especially for Darmasiswa program students. This research found that it is critical to include interactive and culturally relevant resources in BIPA training, using research and development (RnD) methodology using interviews as the instrument. There were 6 Darmasiswa students who were interested in learning Indonesian who were the subjects of the research. In collecting the data, interviews were conducted and to analyze the data the researchers transcribed the data that had been obtained. The results of this research shed new light on the process used to create BIPA teaching material books that can be used for learning for foreign students at the Riau Islands level. This shows that making BIPA textbooks interactive with audiovisual components and adding interactive sections can increase student interest and participation. BIPA learning can be brought closer to the goals and ability levels of students by practicing efficient strategies to overcome discovered deficiencies and redesigning learning materials to increase interaction, diversity and cultural relevance. The implication of this research is that providing BIPA teaching materials designed with the context of the Riau Islands can provide significant benefits for the learning of Indonesian language and culture by Darmasiswa students.

College student engagement and success through inclusive learning environment and experiential learning in courses about Israel and Palestine

IntroductionThis study examines the impact of pedagogical redesign on two courses about Israel and Palestine, focusing on fostering an inclusive learning environment. The project aimed to address challenges such as student retention, attendance, participation, and academic performance by implementing innovative teaching strategies tailored to diverse student backgrounds.MethodsThe redesign incorporated several key interventions: an experiential learning-based final assignment, scaffolded into multiple steps with opportunities for feedback; group discussions to promote active learning and cooperation; and the integration of optional multimedia resources, such as YouTube videos and podcasts, to enhance engagement and time on task. Additionally, students were involved in the evaluation process by providing feedback and were offered the opportunity to publish their final projects on a public website, further incentivizing their work. To examine the effectiveness of these changes, the study employed a mixed-methods approach. This approach involved the collection and analysis of both quantitative data (such as surveys and performance metrics) and qualitative data (such as student feedback and one-way ANOVA analysis) across six undergraduate course offerings between 2019 and 2024.ResultsThe interventions were tested with students from varied backgrounds engaging in complex discussions. The initial findings revealed significant improvements in critical metrics, including reduced drop/fail/withdraw rates, increased time on task, and higher grades. Students demonstrated enhanced engagement and a more positive overall learning experience, indicating the potential for further positive outcomes.DiscussionThe preliminary results suggest that the implemented pedagogical changes effectively created a more inclusive and engaging learning environment. By integrating experiential learning, providing timely feedback, and utilizing diverse resources, the project demonstrated the potential for scalable improvements in student outcomes.

Critically Engaged Language and Literacy Workshops as a Disruptive Pedagogy in Plurilingual Classrooms

AbstractThis study explored racialized newcomer student participants' experiences in a rural high school in Western Canada, and utilized critically engaged language and literacy workshops (CELLWs) as a means to authentically represent participants' interrelationships with and relatability to their school and community spaces. CELLWs are an important avenue for self‐reflection that fosters socially just, diverse, and equitable educational practices. Understanding the nuanced lived experiences of newcomers, and how these inform educational practices today, represents a pivotal need in the development of educational pedagogies that encompass past and present experiences reinforced within different places and spaces. The study was guided by the following question: To what extent can CELLWs afford multicultural and plurilingual identities to establish a disruptive pedagogy and re‐imagine classroom spaces? The researchers centered arts and walking methodologies within four CELLWs sessions to open up subjective practices and analyses that intersect equitable, inclusive, and diverse theories and participants' life experiences. Data was drawn from a qualitative and thematic analysis that was obtained from participants' artwork, written reflections, and individual/group interviews. The study revealed the importance of CELLWs in research and in‐classroom practices as practitioners and scholars become accountable when appropriating such activities to create spaces for meaning‐making processes that consider relevant personal experiences and feelings within schools and communities.

Study of the dimensions of and countermeasures for improving the administrative efficiency of primary and secondary schools in western China: Taking MX Middle School as an example

With the deepening of education reform, improving the administrative efficiency of primary and secondary schools in Western China has become the key to promoting the balanced development of education. Taking MX Middle School as the research object, this paper analyzes the difficulties of administrative men in primary and secondary schools in western China in depth, including rigid management systems, uneven resource distributions, low information levels, insufficient incentive mechanisms and low participation of teachers and students. In view of these problems, this paper proposes a series of targeted counts and suggestions, such as optimizing the organizational structure, establishing a fair and transparent resource allocation mechanism, increasing the information input, improving the performance appraisal system and establishing a participation mechanism for teachers and students. th Improving the administrative efficiency of primary and secondary schools in Western China to promote educational equity, improve educational quality and promote the balanced development of regional education.

Development of Entrepreneurship Textbooks Using Project-Based Learning for Economic Education Graduate Students

The S2 Economics Education Study Program produces graduates who can have a career as educators in the field of Economic Education and can have a career as Entrepreneurs and Practitioners in the field of Economics. The Entrepreneurship Studies course provides insight to students about the basic concepts of the economy, merketing, and interaction between economic actors so that students are able to understand the issues that occur and are able to solve the entrepreneurial problems they are facing. Entrepreneurship Studies lecture activities so far still tend to lecture activities by lecturers. This causes student participation in discussion activities to be limited. The purpose of the research is to develop a 4-D learning model in the Entrepreneurship Studies course to develop learning tools supported by project-based learning modules to improve the quality of learning so as to produce graduates with high economic insight and problem-solving skills. This study uses a 4-D instructional design development model which includes the stages of define, design, develop, disseminate. Data collection uses validation techniques and questionnaires with instruments including graph validation sheets, material validation sheets and student response questionnaires

Pengaruh Gaya Belajar Siswa terhadap Keaktifan Belajar Siswa pada Mata Pelajar IPS di SMP Negeri 9 Kubung

This research is motivated by the low active learning participation of students in Social Studies at SMP Negeri 9 Kubung. It is suspected that this is due to the students' lack of understanding of their learning styles, making it difficult for them to grasp and comprehend the lessons effectively. The aim of this study is to determine how much influence students' learning styles have on their active learning in Social Studies at SMP Negeri 9 Kubung. In this research, the researcher used a quantitative approach. The population of the study consisted of all students enrolled in SMP Negeri 9 Kubung in the 2024/2025 academic year, totaling 40 students. The sample was taken using the total sampling technique, as the sample included all elements of the population. The analysis technique used was simple linear regression analysis. The results of the study showed that the students' learning style (X) had a significance level of 0.000 < 0.05 and a t-value of 7.558 > t-table value of 2.024, indicating that the alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted and the null hypothesis (H0) is rejected. Based on the results, it can be concluded that there is a positive and significant influence of students' learning styles on their active learning in Social Studies at SMP Negeri 9 Kubung. The influence of the learning style variable (X) on tactive learning variable (Y) is 60.1%.

Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension through Storytelling Frame

Reading is a basic skill that students must master and enjoy. Through reading, students can increase and improve their knowledge. However, reading is a challenging activity. Based on the observation, the author found that Elementary students in SDN 012 had low abilities in reading activities. This low reading ability has an impact on limited student participation in reading activities. Therefore, the author creates a story telling frame and stages of reading activities that can increase student participation in reading activities and improve students' reading skills. There were some stages done by the author. The first was designing a story telling frame, implementing reading activities with students, the second was using a story telling frame with students and teachers and the last was evaluating the story telling frame. The design of storytelling frame used square and round shape stainless in gold color. They were decorated with artificial flowers, dolls and cloth. The story telling frame was designed based on the theme of the story, which is “where is bear?”. There were 20 students who joined the story telling activity using the story telling frame. The pre-test and post-test on students’ reading comprehension revealed that students have better understanding on reading the text by using story telling frame.

Quality Teaching in Ekiti State Secondary Schools: An Application of Ordinal Logistic Regression

This study investigates the quality of teaching in secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria, using ordinal logistic regression to examine the impact of teacher demographics and teaching practices on student performance. The research focuses on teachers from six selected secondary schools within Ado-Ekiti, comprising a sample of 295 educators. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms and shared on WhatsApp platforms of the respondents. The study analyzes factors such as age, gender, educational background, teaching experience, lesson planning, technology integration, teaching methods, assessment practices, feedback provision, and professional development. Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression were employed to assess the significance of these variables on student performance outcomes. Results indicate that older teachers and female educators positively influence student performance, while frequent integration of technology and rigid lesson planning negatively impact outcomes. The study also finds that regular feedback and active student participation significantly enhance performance. However, attending professional development workshops and the availability of teaching resources showed unexpected negative associations with student performance, suggesting potential issues with the applicability or effectiveness of these resources and training. The study highlights the importance of adaptive teaching methods, supportive administrative practices, and active student engagement in improving educational quality. These findings provide valuable insights for policy makers and educators aiming to enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning in secondary schools in Ekiti State.

The roots of the Institut Pasteur's "Grand Cours".

The article presents an analysis of the history of the microbiology course delivered during the inaugural operational year of the Institut Pasteur in Paris. The year 1889 is examined through the lens of three hitherto unknown volumes that bring together the microbiology lectures delivered at the end of the 19th century. The course was entirely independent from the teaching provided by the universities or faculties of medicine and rapidly gained international recognition. Indeed, the course provided the students with the theoretical knowledge of Pasteurian theories regarding the completely new discipline of microbiology and the specific techniques used to cultivate, conserve, and observe microbes. The steady increase in the number of lectures between 1889 and 1914 reflects the expansion of microbiological knowledge during this period. The contributions of researchers such as Émile Roux (1853-1933), Élie Metchnikoff (1845-1916), and Amédée Borrel (1867-1936) illuminated the collaboration and the growing diversification of expertise at the heart of the Institut Pasteur (IP). Furthermore, this study highlights the international influence of the course, as evidenced by the participation of foreign students. It examines the history of the course as a powerful tool for disseminating knowledge of new microbiological techniques and the results of research carried out in Pasteur's laboratories. It also examines how the course served as a political instrument, asserting the authority of the Institut Pasteur in the field of microbiology in France and extending its influence worldwide.

Differentiated teaching practice in junior high school physical education teaching

This article explores the application and effectiveness of differentiated teaching in junior high school physical education. Through the case analysis of Boya Experimental School in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, the study found that differentiated teaching can effectively address individual differences among students, enhance their interest in physical education learning and sports skills. Specific implementation strategies include designing personalized teaching plans, innovating teaching content and methods, and diversifying evaluation systems. Case studies have shown that differentiated teaching significantly improves students' physical fitness, participation, and satisfaction. Teachers face issues of increased workload and uneven resource allocation during the implementation process. Future research should expand the sample size and explore how to use technological means to further improve the efficiency and quality of differentiated teaching.