Student Workload Research Articles

Psychological-pedagogical problems and prospects of distance learning of students during the Covid-19 pandemics

The article analyses the psychological and pedagogical problems and prospects of the distance learning of students during the pandemic period. Studies have shown that the learning process during the quarantine in the spring of 2020 was stressful for all participants in the educational process. This was caused by the lack of previous experience of distance learning and the response from the government and the number of educational problems. It is proved that the problem of insufficient universal access to the internet and the equipment necessary for training has affected both teachers and students. The current situation shows that some teachers working at higher education institutions replaced remote classes with the form of written works, which led to excessive workload of students. Such methods do not contribute to the quality of material assimilation, but on the contrary, create additional stress. It is proved that computerization affects all spheres of human activity and is an important factor in changing the quality of society life. The authors note that in order to ensure the development of higher distance education, it is necessary to improve the regulatory framework in the field of higher distance education, create a computer infrastructure, prepare software for the introduction of electronic educational platforms, as well as train and retrain teachers for conducting distance education courses. It is noted that during the process remote technologies, teachers use various forms of work with students. In particular, including Zoom classes, Skype classes, web classes, where students independently study an educational resource, perform tasks and the teacher checks it and gives a mandatory review of the completed task. The algorithm for assessing the quality of distance learning systems is justified and the use of an integral indicator with weighting coefficients is proposed, which allows us to quantify the value of local quality indicators and complex quality characteristics of distance learning systems.

Remote introductory pharmacy practice experiences focused on veterans prescribed chronic opioid therapy.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS) uses a dashboard to identify monitoring needs for veterans prescribed chronic opioid therapy (COT). Schools of pharmacy require introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs); however, resources for providing IPPEs at medical facilities are limited. This article describes collaboration by a primary care service and a school of pharmacy to provide services for patients prescribed COT through remote access to the VA electronic health record (EHR) system. Pharmacy students in a required population health IPPE provided clinical services for veterans remotely. Students were supervised by VA clinical pharmacists and granted remote EHR access privileges. Using personally owned laptops and VA cell phones, students performed prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) activities, reviewed urine drug screening (UDS) results, called patients to assess pain, and documented progress notes. Students completed an assessment on the first and final days of the experience; a retrospective analysis was conducted to examine differences in student knowledge of and confidence in providing COT-focused services. The dashboard scorecard and student workload were tracked over a 1-year period. In that year, 143 students wrote 7,001 PDMP notes, reviewed 6,130 UDS results, and documented 202 pain assessments. Statistically significant improvements were reported in students' level of confidence in performing population health activities for patients prescribed COT, including interpreting PDMP and UDS results and talking with patients. The ongoing collaboration provides real-world population management experiences for future pharmacists and supports monitoring requirements for veterans prescribed COT. The program has helped NCHCS accomplish its teaching mission without dedicating clinic workspace or computers and gain an additional team to address quality measures and support population health activities.

Analysis of Undergraduates’ Compulsory Courses in China’s Comprehensive Universities – A Case Study

Drawing on case study evidence, this article explores the development of compulsory courses in a China’s high-level comprehensive university, which has achieved good results in the procedure of Quality Assessment of Undergraduate Education (QAUE) and China Discipline Ranking (CDR) issued by Ministry of Education (MOE). The general undergraduate majors of this university are classified into 5 categories, namely, journalism and communication, economics and management, science and engineering, foreign language and literature, humanities and social science. The research scope is from grade 2007 to 2017, 2007 fall to 2018 spring semester, respectively. According to the requirements of MOE, the compulsory courses are divided into two parts: public and professional. The public part mainly refers to the courses of physical education, ideological and political and elementary computer science, while the professional part is mostly relevant to the courses associate with the major. The laws of two parts are studied by utilizing the features of course name, course ID, credits and appropriate semester. The conditions of characteristic development, the workload of teachers and students and the interdisciplinary platform, which are universal in Chinese Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), are mentioned.

Comparison of workload and academic performances of transfer and native students in an Asian educational context

ABSTRACT Post-secondary admission and community college (CC) transfer are two common routes of entry to baccalaureate study. Previous studies comparing the academic performances of native and transfer students have generated inconsistent findings and, furthermore, they were largely conducted in Western educational contexts. This study compared the workloads, grade point averages (GPA) and attrition rates of native and transfer students in an Asian educational context. Various measures related to GPA, credit load and attrition rate were collected from the institutional dataset of a Hong Kong university in 2019; this dataset contained records of 14,141 native students and 7308 transfer students enrolled between 2012 and 2018. Results show that the transfer students experienced transfer shock and had heavier study loads but lighter non-academic loads than the native students. Despite the transfer shock, they attained a higher award GPA and had a lower attrition rate than their native counterparts. Discussion and implications are presented, in relation to transfer shock and transfer student success. In particular, this article argues that CC education does not necessarily produce academically inferior degree-seeking students and that CC transfer is a viable pathway to baccalaureate study.

PREOPTEREĆENOST UČENIKA ŠKOLSKIM OBAVEZAMA / STUDENTS OVERLOAD WITH SCHOOL DUTIES

School in the modern society should provide an environment for students to feel safe and motivated for learning. There should be an optimal student workload with the schoolwork as well as with the homework. Unfortunately, student overload at all levels of education has been evident. Their overloaded schedule presents a significant challenge and may cause fatigue, exhaustion, distraction, mope, high levels of stress, apathy, superficially and campaign learning, and general lack of motivation. Due to the topicality of the issue, the authors of this paper have tried to offer a review of the sources of the student overload. Different sources, as well as negative consequences of student overload have been determined based on a significant number of empirical works so far. The article also suggests measures to relieve students. Psychologists, in cooperation with the students’ parents and experts from other branches of the education sector, can contribute in finding a way to prevent and reduce consequences of the overload. Empirical studies about sources of student overload are also necessary to determine evidence based guidelines for the education reform.

THE PROSPECTS AND SPECIFICS OF USING THE TASK GENERATOR IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

The requirements of modern society pose to higher educational institutions the task of developing and using new tools, approaches and technologies in the educational process to improve the quality of the educational process. In higher educational institutions, test task generators are part of software systems designed to solve the problem of supporting the educational process. In the presented work, the use of template-based generators is considered. The use of generators changes the workload of both teachers and students. Students can independently check the studied material, repeat it, check knowledge again. The use of the test assignment generator allows you to save teachers’ resources in terms of checking the assimilation, understanding the discipline sections. The use of the test item generator makes it possible to solve a number of problems in the educational process: to partially automate the educational process, remove the routine load from teachers, and receive test results. The paper describes the structure of the test tasks generator. The generator model is shown in object-set representation. Examples of using the generator for various disciplines are presented. It has been said about the advantage of developing and implementing a test case generator using the Django web framework. A bank of templates for test tasks has been developed. Each template contains a description of the generated task in accordance with the subject of the discipline. A mechanism for assigning a student’s assessment of passed tests with the provision of a report on the results to the teacher and the student has been implemented. The testing of the generator of test tasks was carried out, which showed that the web-oriented application performs online testing of students and saves the results.

Resilient Assessment During COVID‐19

Resilient Assessment During COVID‐19

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF MASTERS IN DENTISTRY IN MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES OF UKRAINE AND COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN TERMS OF EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA AND SYLLABI HARMONIZATION

The article analyzes, compares and summarizes the curricula for masters in dentistry used in medical universities of the EU countries and O. Bohomolets National Medical University. A comparative analysis of European and national universities’ curricula revealed that the professional training of masters in dentistry in medical universities of Ukraine and in European countries has significant differences in both content and organizational context. Curricula for professional training of future dentists in European universities differ in the number of disciplines and ECTS credits allocated for their study. Comparing of syllabi in NMU and EU countries allowed to state that the main differences consists in their intensity. It is established that the workload of students of national medical universities is very high on account of the large number of humanities and socio-economic disciplines, while European students have only two socio-economic disciplines in the program. Comparative analysis of curricula of national and European universities made it possible to determine the main tasks of reforming the system of dental education, particularly: improving the quality of medical education, ensuring its conti­nuity and consistency throughout the period of professional activity; reducing the workload on students; providing the optimal ratio of theoretical and practical training with increasing emphasis on clinical and practical training.

Influence of COVID-19 confinement on students' performance in higher education.

This study analyzes the effects of COVID-19 confinement on the autonomous learning performance of students in higher education. Using a field experiment with 458 students from three different subjects at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain), we study the differences in assessments by dividing students into two groups. The first group (control) corresponds to academic years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The second group (experimental) corresponds to students from 2019/2020, which is the group of students that had their face-to-face activities interrupted because of the confinement. The results show that there is a significant positive effect of the COVID-19 confinement on students' performance. This effect is also significant in activities that did not change their format when performed after the confinement. We find that this effect is significant both in subjects that increased the number of assessment activities and subjects that did not change the student workload. Additionally, an analysis of students' learning strategies before confinement shows that students did not study on a continuous basis. Based on these results, we conclude that COVID-19 confinement changed students' learning strategies to a more continuous habit, improving their efficiency. For these reasons, better scores in students' assessment are expected due to COVID-19 confinement that can be explained by an improvement in their learning performance.

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University.

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University.

Оrganizational and content fundamentals of distance learning in Ukraine under conditions of quarantine restrictions

The article finds that under the conditions of quarantine restrictions, the only acceptable form of education was distance learning, which complies with current legislation, as it is included in the list of institutional forms along with full-time, part-time, online, etc.
 Each HEI within the given autonomy has developed and implemented a system of measures on the technological and technical aspect of the implementation of the educational process in quarantine. In this context, the analysis of the official websites of the HEI is carried out to generalize innovative practices and practical experience, which can serve as a methodological basis for research and teaching staff to improve and expand the forms and methods of distance learning.
 Along with the variety of forms of distance education, there are common problems and challenges for free education: the workload of both teachers and students has increased significantly; there was a need for intensive training in the use of distance forms in the educational process; the work was intensified and it became obvious that specialized distance learning centres were functioning based on the HEIs; the issue of social and psychological support of participants in the educational process etc. is left out of the recommendations of the Ministry of Education and Science. In this context, the need for psychological support becomes especially relevant, namely the need for a technological solution, the possibility of its implementation online or remotely, providing communication, interaction and support to students during their studies, especially in conditions of uncertainty. Students with special educational needs both in terms of social and psychological support and support in distance learning need significant attention.
 The recommendations of the world community on the course of the educational process in the conditions of quarantine restrictions are considered. Most international organizations have made statements and made several recommendations for education systems that countries can use to make policy decisions and implement concrete action plans.

Decreasing Nursing Student Workload and Stress: An Innovative Method to Reform Clinical Assignments Across the Curriculum.

This innovative change to clinical written assignments for prelicensure nursing students is intended to decrease student workload and stress. Student stress and mental health issues are becoming more apparent in nursing programs. Guided by change theories and a modified SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, a BSN subcommittee evaluated methods of written assignments and publisher products. An electronic platform will be trialed in one course. This innovative process provides nursing programs a template for change implementation aimed to reduce student workload and stress.

Analisis Beban Kerja Mahasiswa Praktikum Parasitologi Di Program Studi Ilmu Kesehatan Masyarakat Universitas Negeri Manado

Proses belajar mengajar di Program Studi Ilmu Kesehatan Universitas Negeri Manado diharapkan dapat terlaksana dengan baik tidak hanya secara teori melainkan juga saat praktikum. Praktikum yang dilaksanakan salah satunya yaitu praktikum parasitologi. Aktivitas praktikum dilaksanakan selama 4 sampai 5 jam. Pada akhir praktikum mahasiswa sering mengalami gejala pegal, kaku dan lelah dan ketelitian praktikum yang kurang baik. Kondisi ini perlu dilakukan perbaikan terhadap aktivitas selama melaksanakan praktikum, khususnya dilihat dari beban kerja mahasiswa. Oleh sebab itu dilakukan suatu penelitian secara eksperimental deskriptif dengan metode observasional kepada seluruh mahasiswa kelas A semester IV yang terdaftar pada mata kuliah praktikum parasitologi. Jumlah mahasiswa adalah sebanyak 25 mahasiswa. Beban kerja dianalisis dengan pengukuran denyut nadi, kondisi lingkungan kerja, kelelahan subjektif, gangguan muskuloskeletal dan Extra Calorie due to Peripheral Temperature (ECPT) dan Extra Calorie due to Peripheral Metabolism (ECPM). Lingkungan kerja yang diukur adalah suhu kering, suhu basah, kelembaban relatif, intensitas cahaya, dan kebisingan. Hasil penelitian diketahui bahwa beban kerja mahasiswa termasuk kategori sedang yang memerlukan intervensi lebih lanjut, kemudian terjadi peningkatan yang signifikan pada kelelahan subjektif dan keluhan otot skeletal sebelum praktikum dan sesudah praktikum. Oleh karena ECPM lebih besar dari ECPT maka perlu adanya perbaikan kondisi kerja yang berhubungan dengan aktivitas fisik mahasiswa yang mengacu pada kaidah-kaidah ergonomi, perbaikan sikap kerja, pengaturan waktu praktikum dan waktu istirahat, penyesuaian peralatan praktikum sesuai dengan antropometri mahasiswa, serta pengendalian lingkungan kerja.

Analisis Beban Kerja Mental Mahasiswa saat Perkuliahan Online Synchronous dan Asynchronous Menggunakan Metode Rating Scale Mental Effort

In 2020, Indonesia experienced a pandemic known as the Corona Virus or Covid-19. The government-imposed social distancing rules affect Indonesian society for teaching and learning activities at the university. Governments impose rules on online learning systems. The online learning system provides convenience, but on the other hand, there are adverse impacts for some students, one of which has a mental workload. The study aims to measure and analyze student mental workloads using the Rating Scale Mental Effort (RSME) method. The number of respondents was 111 students. The mental workload measured is a quantitative learning system that is quantitative with the delivery of the material directly (Synchronous) and the delivery of the material using the recorded video in advance (Asynchronous). The indicators of mental work effort are workload, work difficulties, job satisfaction, mental effort, anxiety, and work fatigue. The measurement results show that the RSME value of the workload indicator and the work difficulties between the online learning methods are significantly different. Mental workloads, technical difficulties, work mental ventures, work anxieties and work fatigue when online learning is high enough on the learning system using Synchronous, with a value of 93.27; 94.5; 94.27; and 96.54. However, for job satisfaction, students are more satisfied learning by using video recording than Synchronous, i.e., several 79.61. The results show that the recommended online learning method is with video recording.

Проектно-орієнтовані STEM-дисципліни для студентів інженерних спеціальностей

One of the world-recognized practices of modern higher education is the application of problem-based and project-based approaches to teaching STEM-disciplines. In case of integration of problem-based and project-based learning, the educational process is organized around the problem to be solved by students and stimulates them to find optimal strategies for solving, and project activities are chosen as a way of organizing work. The article describes the ongoing experience of implementation of project-based STEM-courses "Hydro- and Gas Dynamics" and "Applied Mechanics and Fundamentals of Design", which is part of training of engineering students of 151 Automation and Computer-integrated technologies speciality at the Bohdan Khmelnytskyy National University of Cherkasy during 2017-2019 academic years. The impact of problem-based and project-based approaches to teaching STEM-disciplines on the formation of professional and general competencies of future engineers had been analyzed. The dynamics of changes of personal and interpersonal skills of junior students during the teamwork on mono- and multidisciplinary projects had been studied. The case study method was chosen as the general research method, which corresponds to the number of research participants and the active role of researchers in the educational process. The results of surveys developed using the 5-point Likert scale, demonstrates that students mostly positively evaluate the projects and teamwork. The possibility of self-grouping, which made possible to form teams based on common interests and promote freer and more natural communication within the team, was the important factor of positive perception of project work. The disadvantages of the implemented approaches include the difficulties that manifested itself at the stage of students' planning of the project process. One of the reasons for this is the lack of previous experience in the realization of students' team projects. The introduction of multidisciplinary projects made it possible to optimize the workload of students working simultaneously on a project in two disciplines and increase the motivation to study the disciplines of the STEM cycle.

Coping with COVID-19: Perspectives of Student Radiographers

Coping with COVID-19: Perspectives of Student Radiographers

Can students spare the time? Estimates of online course workload

BackgroundLiterature on student workload focuses on land-based courses. Online students primarily participate by typing or reading. AimAn online program was assessed for concerns about increased student workload using a qualitative design. MethodsA qualitative case study method was used to assess online course activities to determine workload in five courses. Courses were explored using Barre and Esarey's (2016) estimator. Course faculty were included in assessment discussions and in course revisions. A data collection tool was developed to determine workload expectations for the courses' first week, a heavy week, and a light week. Within each of these weeks, activities included all writing, all reading, discussion posts, and literature searches. Workload assessment rules gauged student time on task, focusing on page density, text difficulty, reading or writing purpose and number of revisions. Authors developed a guideline for student evidence search time. ResultsWorkloads in most courses were over the required institutional credit hours by 6–24 h per week. ConclusionsUsing the Assessment of Student Workload and the data collection tool, faculty were able to review the courses and consider reading rates and out of class hours for activities improving alignment with institutional credit guidelines.

Application of Bologna cycle programme structures and the European credit transfer system to Irish civil engineering programmes

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to assess, through a cross-institutional comparison, whether higher education institutions in the Republic of Ireland have responded to Bologna Declaration first- and second-cycle programme restructuring and applied the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to similarly-accredited civil engineering programmes in a consistent manner. Assessment strategies were also examined. The predominant programme structure was the pre-Bologna ‘4+1’ structure, demonstrating limited national impact of the principles underpinning the Bologna Declaration cycle concept. The first-cycle programmes differed widely in terms of allocated student workload per ECTS credit as well as in the way that educational outcomes were assessed, which was primarily by written examination. There was no ‘best’ (or consensus) practice for applying the two-cycle programme structure or ECTS workload norms. This lack of national consensus reveals issues that may have relevance in other countries, 20 years after the signing of the Bologna Declaration.

Suspending Classes Without Stopping Learning: China’s Education Emergency Management Policy in the COVID-19 Outbreak

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak, an emergency policy initiative called “Suspending Classes Without Stopping Learning” was launched by the Chinese government to continue teaching activities as schools across the country were closed to contain the virus. However, there is ambiguity and disagreement about what to teach, how to teach, the workload of teachers and students, the teaching environment, and the implications for education equity. Possible difficulties that the policy faces include: the weakness of the online teaching infrastructure, the inexperience of teachers (including unequal learning outcomes caused by teachers’ varied experience), the information gap, the complex environment at home, and so forth. To tackle the problems, we suggest that the government needs to further promote the construction of the educational information superhighway, consider equipping teachers and students with standardized home-based teaching/learning equipment, conduct online teacher training, include the development of massive online education in the national strategic plan, and support academic research into online education, especially education to help students with online learning difficulties.

A simple introduction to programming and statistics with decision trees in R

SummaryUniversity students in other disciplines without prior knowledge in statistics and/or programming language are introduced to the statistical method of decision trees in the programming language R during a 45‐minute teaching and practice session. Statistics and programming skills are now frequently required within a wide variety of research fields and private industries. However, students unfamiliar with these subjects may be reluctant to join a full course because of time or student workloads or other commitments or a belief it is not for them. The proposed session is short and can be used as an ice‐breaker to let students have a basic understanding of running statistical models in programming language.