Student Participation Research Articles

Situational simulation teaching effectively improves dental students’ non-operational clinical competency and objective structured clinical examination performance

BackgroundAppropriate communication with dental patients enhances treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. Implementing simulated patient interviews courses can improve patient-centered care and reduce conflict during clerkship training. Therefore, this study explored the relationship among student participation in a situational simulation course (SSC), academic performance, clerkship performance, and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance.MethodsThis study was conducted with a sample of fifth-year dental students undergoing clerkship training. After implementing a situational simulation course to investigate the relationship among participation in SSC, academic performance, clerkship performance, and OSCE performance, a path analysis model was developed and tested.ResultsEighty-seven fifth-year dental students were eligible for the SSC, and most (n = 70, 80.46%) volunteered to participate. The path analysis model revealed that academic performance had a direct effect on OSCE performance (β = 0.281, P = 0.003) and clerkship performance (β = 0.441, P < 0.001). In addition, SSC teaching had a direct effect on OSCE performance (β = 0.356, P < 0.001).ConclusionsSSCs can enhance dental students’ non-operational clinical competency and OSCE performance effectively. Simulated patient encounters with feedback, incorporated into the dental curricula, have led to improved communication. Based on our findings, we suggest implementing SSC teaching before the OSCE to improve communication and cognitive skills.

The mathematics pipeline in England: inclusion and the excellence stream

Abstract In England, there is currently heightened political interest in increasing mathematics attainment and maximizing post-16 participation. The latter is not merely an issue for upper secondary but requires a long-view of students’ mathematical progress. This paper reports such a system-level overview of the mathematics education pipeline in England based on analysis of linked data from the National Pupil Database (NPD) and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). A sequence of mixed-effect logistic regression models at each phase of the education pipeline are developed to predict attainment in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), A level and undergraduate mathematics and participation in post-16 and university mathematics. In particular, we focus on the impact of prior attainment and student demographics: gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status. The analysis identifies four important findings. Firstly, female participation and attainment in A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics is lower than that of male students, which impacts their representation in undergraduate mathematics, despite them marginally outperforming male students at both GCSE and degree level. Secondly, the attainment and participation of students of Asian ethnicity in GCSE and A level Mathematics is striking in its positive divergence from the trends of other ethnic groups, whereas White students have higher attainment than other ethnic groups at university. Thirdly, many students from poorer backgrounds fall behind their peers during years 7 to 11, and their participation and attainment in A level Mathematics is also reduced compared to their more affluent peers. Lastly, students who study A level Further Mathematics are more likely to study undergraduate mathematics, but they are no more likely to achieve a first-class degree, compared to those who haven’t studied Further Mathematics. The findings should be informative to policymakers and other stakeholders who can put in place enhancements and interventions to improve the outcomes for underrepresented groups.

Midday Meal Programs in Institutional and Community Schools of Nepal: A Comparative Analysis of Students’ Meal Choices

Midday meals play a crucial role in satisfying and motivating students during teaching-learning activities, ensuring that they receive their basic education rights. As food and nutrition are fundamental for every living being, and since students spend a significant portion of their day in school, they require snacks to sustain their energy levels. The study aimed to recognize modalities related to parents' education and evaluate school physical facilities associated with midday meals in institutional and community schools. The research, conducted with the participation of school principals and fifth-grade students, revealed significant disparities in providing midday meals and the quality of school facilities. The study employed an explanatory sequential design. Ten headteachers and 240 students were the samples for this research. The interview schedule and observing rating scale were used as data collection tools. The study explored how parents' education levels influence their choices regarding where to enroll their children. It also discovered that parents with lower qualifications prefer community schools, while those with graduate qualifications lean towards institutional schools. Additionally, snack consumption habits differ between institutional and community schools, reflecting potential socio-economic influences. It was found that over half of students in institutional schools brought homemade lunches, while community schools offered meals in canteens. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to enhance school facilities, particularly addressing identified shortcomings to ensure the well-being and safety of students participating in the midday meal program.

Exploring perceptions of pre-clerkship students about workplace learning in the clinical learning environment at Gulf Medical University, UAE

BackgroundMedical students view clinical workplace placements as an inspiring and motivating learning environment where active student participation is pivotal to development of students’ identity. The progress from pre-clerkship to clerkship education harbors many challenges which consist of experiential learning, adjusting to the clinical environment, and understanding roles & responsibilities. Workplace learning is underpinned by various adult learning theories including social theories,constructivism, supported participation and legitimate peripheral participation. Workplace learning course was recently initiated for pre-clerkship students at a medical university in UAE, which will enable their smooth entry into the clerkship phase of the curriculum.ObjectivesThe research aims to explore students’ perceptions of various domains of their clinical learning environment (CLE), highlight the challenges they face, and extract valuable feedback to improve their environment.MethodsThis study was conducted qualitatively by using focus groups method in order to explore students’ perceptions of the clinical learning environment. Two focus group discussions were conducted (n = 8 +/-10) to determine the common challenges of workplace learning and its potential solutions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The approach used to carry out this study was phenomenology, as it helps to understand the learning and behavior of these students who are undergoing this pre-clerkship training in order to transition smoothly to the clerkship phase.ResultThe focus groups helped to deeply explore the perceptions of students about their clinical learning environment. It helped to reveal the challenges encountered by the students including the significance of proper orientation of staff and students, language barrier, availability of learning opportunities, and supervision quality. The focus groups provided worthwhile suggestions to improve the learning opportunities in the clinical learning environment which include orientation of the staff and students what to expect, improved supervision, mentoring and providing learning opportunities to encourage participation.ConclusionThis study attempted to identify the pre-clerkship students’ perception of their clinical learning environment and the challenges they face over there. Possible suggestions by the students included a formal orientation for the staff and students to be carried out at the beginning. Efforts should be made by clerkship directors to provide students with learning opportunities by increasing patient exposure, encouraging participation, and providing high-quality supervision.

The power of Us:

The power of community – of Us – has long been assumed to be important in adult learning. Student interactions on discussion forums are encouraged, and it has been claimed that they foster a learning community which makes a difference to student outcomes through collaboration and joint construction of knowledge. This paper reports on interim results of a research project to establish, firstly, if there is a correlation between student participation in forums and their overall course outcomes, and secondly, shares a matrix designed to code both social and cognitive forum activity, to support an investigation into the existence of a learning community in student forum conversations – the power of Us.

Peran dan Tantangan Tenaga Pendidik dalam Menghadapi Kurikulum Merdeka di SMP Negeri 2 Sipoholon

The role and challenges faced by teaching staff in implementing the independent curriculum at Sipoholon State Middle School. In the learning process using the independent curriculum, teaching staff at SMP Negeri 2 Sipoholon have challenges, including: making clear and flexible schedules for teachers, holding regular training and workshops, forming teams or working groups of teachers, and encouraging active participation of students in the learning process. Solutions to face these challenges include increasing supervision and support from schools, regular training and workshops, as well as providing ongoing professional training and development. In this way, educators are expected to be able to overcome these challenges and improve student performance significantly. This research was conducted using qualitative methods, namely field observations and interviews. The results of the research show that the implementation of the independent curriculum at SMP Negeri 2 Sipoholon. The results of the research show that the implementation of the independent curriculum is less effective at SMP Negeri 2 Sipoholon because it causes many problems. The aim of this research is to identify the roles and challenges faced by teaching staff in implementing the independent curriculum at SMP Negeri 2 Sipoholon and to develop effective solutions to overcome these challenges. This research aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the important role of teaching staff in designing and implementing an independent curriculum, as well as to identify concrete obstacles that may hinder effective implementation.

Error logs in the second language classroom: Exploring the relationship between learner engagement with written corrective feedback and improvements in writing accuracy

This classroom-based study investigates how engagement with written corrective feedback (WCF) through the completion of error logs is related to improvements in linguistic accuracy in new pieces of writing. Conducted over eight weeks in a Hong Kong secondary school English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom with 20 student participants, the study involved learners completing error logs after receiving metalinguistic WCF on their written texts. The error logs required learners to record each error and type, their corrections, and explanations for each correction. Using a pre-test, post-test design, the study compared learners' linguistic accuracy before and after the error log intervention, and explored the relationship between accuracy gains and successful error log completion. Learners' attitudes towards using error logs were also assessed through questionnaires and interviews. The findings indicated that linguistic accuracy significantly improved from pre-test to post-test, there was a significant positive correlation between accuracy gains and level of success in explaining corrections, and that learners generally held positive attitudes towards using error logs. The positive perceptions stemmed mainly from learners’ recognition that the error logs raised their awareness of common errors and fostered their linguistic development.

Penerapan Pendekatan Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Sejarah Peserta Didik

This research aims to find out how the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach is implemented as a strategy to improve learning outcomes. TaRL adapts learning to students' level of understanding and encourages problem-based learning. Classroom Action Research (CAR) was conducted at SMAN 14 Medan by applying TaRL. The research method used the Kemmis &amp; McTaggart cycle model consisting of planning, action, observation, and reflection. The research population was students of SMAN 14 Medan, with a sample of grade X-4 students. In cycle I, although there was an increase, the learning outcomes were still not complete. However, in cycle II, there was a significant improvement with 83.33% of students reaching the minimum completion criteria. These results show that the TaRL approach can improve students' understanding of historical material. In addition, the utilization of technology also helps in increasing student participation and expanding the learning resources that students can access. These findings can help education practitioners develop more effective learning strategies that suit students' needs in understanding historical materials.

Gamification as a Didactic Motivator in Low-Resource Public English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Classrooms in Ecuador

The present article explores the feasibility and impacts of Gamification as a motivational tool in classrooms within low-resource public institutions in Ecuador, particularly in teaching English as a Foreign Language. By integrating game design elements into the educational process, teachers tend to enhance student motivation, thus creating a more effective environment for language learning. Traditionally, educators in Ecuadorian public institutions face challenges in engaging students in their classes, often due to outdated teaching methodologies and limited access to educational and technological resources. This study focuses on how gamification can increase student motivation and foster a more stimulating and enjoyable learning environment in low-resource settings concerning English as a Foreign Language instruction. Through the incorporation of gaming elements, teachers can improve language acquisition, student engagement, and encourage collaborative learning, as evidenced by previous studies. The utilization of a qualitative-deductive approach allowed for data collection through an extensive literature review across various educational contexts. Results suggest that Gamification offers a promising perspective for overcoming challenges in traditional education, promoting active student participation. Additionally, the findings highlight the potential of Gamification to revolutionize teaching practice and enrich the entire educational experience.

Looking back to move forward: comparison of instructors’ and undergraduates’ retrospection on the effectiveness of online learning using the nine-outcome influencing factors

This study delves into the retrospections of undergraduate students concerning their online learning experiences after the COVID-19 pandemic, using the nine key influencing factors: behavioral intention, instruction, engagement, interaction, motivation, self-efficacy, performance, satisfaction, and self-regulation. 46 Year 1 students from a comprehensive university in China were asked to maintain reflective diaries throughout an academic semester, providing first-person perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of online learning. Meanwhile, 18 college teachers were interviewed with the same questions as the students. Using thematic analysis, the research identified 9 factors. The research revealed that instruction ranked highest among the 9 factors, followed by engagement, self-regulation, interaction, motivation, and others. Moreover, teachers and students had different attitudes toward instruction. Thirdly, teacher participants were different from student participants given self-efficacy and self-regulation due to their variant roles in online instruction. Lastly, the study reflected students were not independent learners, which explained why instruction ranked highest in their point of view. Findings offer valuable insights for educators, administrators, and policy-makers involved in higher education. Recommendations for future research include incorporating a more diverse sample, exploring relationships between the nine factors, and focusing on equipping students with skills for optimal online learning experiences.

The development and evaluation of an online journal club: perspectives from student participants and practitioners

ABSTRACT The coronavirus pandemic which began during the 2019/2020 academic calendar has had a significant impact on many educational providers. The Open University, UK, the largest distance tertiary provider in Europe, is ideally placed to share its experience in online and distance education. This paper outlines the use of the Online Journal Club (OJC) as a mechanism for increasing student ownership of learning within the context of an online academic community. OJCs provide an informal, low-risk environment for students to share topics of interest with fellow students, whilst practitioners step back from their traditional roles. Our findings indicate that OJCs provide an enriching and authentic experience for distance learning students, developing academic and employability skills, including digital and information literacy and communication skills. Furthermore, OJCs can act as a potentially transformative experience for practitioners.

Incidence of teacher reflection on the teacher's understanding of diversity and its role in the transition to inclusive education

AbstractThis research focuses on including people with disabilities in higher education. It proposes that reflective teaching is a tool to move from an integrative to an inclusive approach. Using a qualitative methodology, it analyzes teachers' positions on integration and inclusion, using focus groups to collect information. The results show that most teachers are close to the integration approach, although they recognize difficulties in implementing inclusion. Academics highlight the importance of curricular adaptation, flexible methodology and universal learning design to enable the participation of students with disabilities in higher education. The analyses also highlight the constant need for teachers to adapt, which generates additional pressure, especially for those who adhere to an inclusive approach. Teachers should base their reflection on the emotional and rational components of teaching, which play a crucial role in balancing the individual and objective freedoms of teachers and students, thus ensuring a fair and equitable educational environment for all.

Wearable Technology Insights: Unveiling Physiological Responses During Three Different Socially Anxious Activities

Wearable technology holds promise for monitoring and managing Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), yet the absence of clear biomarkers specific to SAD hampers its effectiveness. This paper explores this issue by presenting a study investigating variances in heart rate, heart rate variability, and skin conductance between socially anxious and non-anxious individuals. One hundred eleven non-clinical student participants participated in groups of three in three anxiety-provoking activities (i.e., speech, group discussion, and interview) in a controlled lab-based study. During the study, electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) signals were captured via on-body electrodes. During data analysis, participants were divided into four groups based on their self-reported anxiety level (“None”, “mild”, “moderate”, and “severe”). Between-group analysis shows that discriminating ECG features (i.e., HR and MeanNN) could identify anxious individuals during anxiety-provoking activities, while EDA could not. Moreover, the discriminating ECG features improved the classification accuracy of anxious and non-anxious individuals in different machine-learning techniques. The findings need to be further scrutinized in real-world settings for the generalizability of the results.

Analyzing the Deep Learning-Based Mobile Environment in Educational Institutions

More efficient instructional models that encourage students to engage more actively in their education are essential in today’s world. How information can be found and exchanged, as well as how explanations are delivered, have been shaped by technology. The outcomes demonstrate that mobile learning (m-learning) has enhanced collaboration among instructors and learners, provided immediate feedback, increased student participation and engagement, allowed for authentic learning and evaluation, and supported learning communities in higher education institutions. There was also a change in the teachers’ instructional methods. Students will benefit from simple learning activities, convenient communication, and coaching provided through mobile devices. This study recommends using a learning-based convolutional neural network (CNN) technique to improve students’ English-speaking fluency. In addition, communication between teachers and children in remote areas becomes easier through an interactive system, making both sides more accessible. As a result, it is advisable that educational institutions continually develop innovative teaching techniques that bridge face-to-face and formal-informal learning in the educational setting. The article discusses the background of mobile learning and how it might enhance e-learning as a whole. The m-learning approach is described in this paper as a future version of e-learning. In comparison to the next generation of educational systems, it will be extensively offered and simple to operate for any individual interested in learning. The article also discusses the benefits and potential drawbacks of mobile learning in current educational institutions.

Development and Assessment of Learners’ Experiences with a Virtual Reality Learning Platform: Constructivist and Experiential Learning Pedagogies in Master of Physical Therapy Curriculum

Teaching competencies for psychomotor skill development for manual handling techniques in the cervical regions is necessary for safe practice in physiotherapy. However, grasping anatomy and palpation can be challenging for students, and practice in the lab can lead to discomfort for students. To facilitate teaching and learning of this complex skill, we worked in partnership with a virtual reality (VR) industry partner who developed a customized VR application focusing on transverse ligament stress testing for manual therapy skills for Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) students. In this scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) project, eight MPT students participated in the evaluation of an innovative VR learning experience for manual therapy in the cervical spine. Students’ learning experiences with the custom virtual reality learning application were assessed using an observational study design with semi-structured interviews. Interview questions aligned with constructs that are recommended to assess learners’ attitudes toward VR environments. Student participants appreciated the usefulness of the application for studying and practicing the transverse ligament stress test and provided recommendations for enhancing the learning experience.

Responding to the real problem of sustainable resuscitation skills with real assessment. Mixed-methods evaluation of an authentic assessment programme.

The retention of resuscitation skills is a widespread concern, with a rapid decay in competence frequently following training. Meanwhile, training programmes continue to be disconnected with real-world expectations and assessment designs remain in conflict with the evidence for sustainable learning. This study aimed to evaluate a programmatic assessment pedagogy which employed entrustment decision and the principles of authentic and sustainable assessment (SA). We conducted a prospective sequential explanatory mixed methods study to understand and address the sustainable learning challenges faced by final-year undergraduate paramedic students. We introduced a programme of five authentic assessments based on actual resuscitation cases, each integrating contextual elements that featured in these real-life events. The student-tutor consensus assessment (STCA) tool was configured to accommodate an entrustment scale framework. Each test produced dual student led and assessor scores. Students and assessors were surveyed about their experiences with the assessment methodologies and asked to evaluate the programme using the Ottawa Good Assessment Criteria. Eighty-four students participated in five assessments, generating dual assessor-only and student-led results. There was a reported mean score increase of 9% across the five tests and an 18% reduction in borderline or below scores. No statistical significance was observed among the scores from eight assessors across 420 unique tests. The mean student consensus remained above 91% in all 420 tests. Both student and assessor participant groups expressed broad agreement that the Ottawa criteria were well-represented in the design, and they shared their preference for the authentic methodology over traditional approaches. In addition to confirming local sustainability issues, this study has highlighted the validity concerns that exist with conventional resuscitation training designs. We have successfully demonstrated an alternative pedagogy which responds to these concerns, and which embodies the principles of SA, quality in assessment practice, and the real-world expectations of professionals.

Implementation of Archery Class Management at the Pre-Extracurricular Program Stage To Increase Elementary School Students' Interest

One of the non-academic extracurricular activities that can be developed in elementary schools is archery, because it has many benefits at the stage of student growth and development. This research is quantitative with a one group pretest-posttest pre-experimental design. The research was carried out at SD Muhammadiyah Jogokaryan with subjects aged 10-12 years. The sample was taken using a simple random sampling method in classes IV - VI totaling 15 students. The interest data collection technique is by giving a questionnaire before and after the implementation of the archery extracurricular pre-program. The implementation of the extracurricular archery pre-program is carried out by students practicing archery at a distance of 4-8 meters by shooting 6 arrows in each session and carried out in 12 sessions. The results of the Wilcoxon test on the output ranks have a negative rank value between the pre-test and post-test at a value (n) of 2, a mean rank of 3.50 and a sum rank of 7.00, meaning there is no decrease from the pre-test value to the post-test value. The positive rank value between the pre-test and post-test is a value (n) of 13, meaning that 13 students experienced an increase in interest scores from the pre-test score to the post-test score. The mean rank increase in value is 8.69 and the sum of ranks is 113.00. Meanwhile, the tie value is 0, meaning that there are no pairs of data that remain the same between the pre-test and post-test. Apart from that, it is known that the significance value is 0.003 &lt;0.05, meaning that there is a significant increase in the results of student interest scores between the pretest and posttest. Furthermore, based on the results of the n-gain score test, the average value is 0.58, so it is considered moderate effectiveness. The conclusion is that the implementation of archery class management at the pre-extracurricular program stage has a significant effect on increasing students' interest in participating in archery extracurriculars. However, the effectiveness of implementing archery training at the pre-extracurricular program stage in increasing interest is included in the moderate effectiveness category which is allegedly due to limited socialization and facilities and infrastructure for archery sports. The factors that influence archery performance include practice management, teaching methods, class management, and student interest. Meanwhile, teacher professionalism in classroom management also contributes significantly to the effectiveness of learning and increasing student interest. External support such as the school environment and parents also have a significant influence on student participation in extracurricular activities. Keywords: Class management, Pre-extracurricular program, Interest in archery, students.

Enhancing complex bioprocess learning through simulation technology and hybrid teaching: A case study in university education.

The utilization of computer simulators in university education is progressively being embraced to offer students a practical exposure to industrial bioprocesses. Bioreactor computer simulators hold various advantages over conventional laboratory experiments, such as cost-effectiveness and enhanced safety. The research objective is to assess the effectiveness of integrating bioreactor computer simulators into hybrid teaching to promote active and collaborative learning experiences and evaluate their impact on student participation and understanding. A hybrid strategy combining synchronous, face-to-face, and online teaching has been implemented to enhance the teaching-learning processes in the Industrial Bioprocesses course for Biochemistry students. The simulation software BIOSTAT®T Yeast was used. This software models the production of ethanol with Saccharomyces cerevisiae through batch cultivation and the determination of the kLa value of a bioreactor. In the first simulation activity, students analyzed the software response based on parameter values input by the instructor, while in the second simulation activity, students autonomously used the computer simulator under the primary oversight of the instructor. The survey results indicate that the pedagogical innovation was positively received and significantly motivating for the students. Comparing student satisfaction surveys between the two simulation activities suggests that fostering student autonomy and engagement through simulation technology can improve satisfaction and learning outcomes in bioprocess education.

Doing registering, gearing up, and launching: Understanding student multimodality and the process of class participation

Doing registering, gearing up, and launching: Understanding student multimodality and the process of class participation

I-Spring Assisted Development of a Basketball Shooting Technique Program

This study aims to rectify the inadequacy in basketball shooting skills by devising a specialised training programme for the basketball extracurricular activities at SMA Negeri 1 Sampang. Utilizing Sugiono's Research and Development (R&amp;D) framework, the study involved 23 participants from the basketball program at SMA Negeri 1 Sampang. Data collection methods included observation of activities, interviews, and questionnaires, focusing on gathering and analyzing pertinent data. The research incorporated a three-tier expert validation process, comprising assessments from basketball coaching experts (average score 80.75%), basketball theory experts (average score 84.89%), and media specialists (score 100%). The evaluation of the developed training model involved trials with the 23 student participants, divided into a smaller group of 6 and a larger group of 17. The trials yielded success rates of 96.15% and 96.43% for the small and large groups, respectively. These results indicate that the basketball shooting training model for Sampang Regency's extracurricular activities is of high validity, suggesting its suitability for implementation without the need for further modifications. Key Words: learning media; extracurricular; basketball, High School degree, Shooting technique.