Science Students Research Articles

Perceptions of the Teaching Profession and Motivation to Teach among Slovenian University Students

This study examined the perception of the teaching profession among students of social sciences and languages who were finishing their undergraduate studies and intended to continue their studies with a master’s degree. A subgroup of students planning to study for a master’s degree in teaching reported on their motivation to teach and their satisfaction with their career choice, while a subgroup of students who planned to pursue a master’s degree programme without a teaching degree responded to an open-ended question about why they did not want to become teachers. Participants answered the FIT-Choice Scale, which measures twelve motivational factors and six perceptions about the teaching profession. Students recognised teachers’ expertise; however, social status and salary were rated lower, indicating an imbalance between demands and rewards in the teaching profession. Altruistic and intrinsic motives were the main reasons for choosing the teaching profession. Students who will study teaching also rated their ability to become a teacher highly. Extrinsic factors (job transferability, teaching as a fallback career and time for family) were less important. Qualitative thematic analysis of the responses of students who will not study to become a teacher revealed that low intrinsic value (e.g., disinterest in teaching) and low personal utility value (e.g., better professional development elsewhere) were the most common themes. The high job demands due to demanding interactions with children and parents were also mentioned, while the teacher education programme was perceived as excessively extensive. The implications of the study highlight important considerations for policymakers and teacher education programmes.

Students online learning experience during emergency remote teaching in higher education

For actionable insight, this study explored computer science and information technology students’ online learning experience in an emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic in a public technical university in Ghana. A mixed method research of both quantitative and qualitative design was used to expand the evidence base. The inherent set of factors of the learning experience were determined by an exploratory factor analysis and confirmed with a multiple regression. Six factors comprising sense of concern, institutional support, effective communication, connectedness, mediated technologies, and stress levels explained 66.5% of the variance in the patterns of relationship. All factors had positive regression weights and added significantly to the prediction. Potentials identified comprised positive reactions to institutional support, improved lecturer-student interaction, active participation, accessible course contents, and moderately high future online learning expectations. The challenges included unpreparedness, unreliable Internet, high cost of data, and incidental learning design and pedagogy. Evidently, the higher education landscape shifted during the pandemic in obvious ways to merit further studies and reflective online learning administration to inform robust technology-oriented post-pandemic practices.

Effect of Verbal Encouragement on Performance and Affective Responses in Male Sport Science Students during Sprint Modalities

This investigation aimed to examine the effect of verbal encouragement teacher to student (VETS) versus verbal encouragement student to student (VESS) on physical performance and affective responses during different modalities of sprint tests in active male students. In a randomized crossover design, twenty-two male sport science students (age: 21 ± 1.2 years, body height: 1.77 ± 0.3 m, body mass: 76.6 ± 2.1 kg, BMI: 22.9 ± 1.3 kg·m−2) performed linear and change-of-direction sprint tests under one of three conditions: (1) VETS; (2) VETS; (3) no verbal encouragement. In each condition, participants performed the 20 m sprint test, the 10 × 2 sprint test, and the L sprint test. The assessed parameters comprised physical performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and a feeling scale. Post hoc test analysis indicates a significant increase in physical performance during VETS and VESS conditions compared to the control condition due to a decrease in sprint in line 20 m (VETS: p < 0.001, d = 0.55; VESS: p = 0.016, d = 0.41), sprint 10*2 (VETS: p < 0.001, d = 0.64; VESS: p = 0.05, d = 0.36), and sprint L (VETS: p = 0.001, d = 1.19) times compared to the control condition. Moreover, the feeling score was greater after VETS compared to other conditions (p = [<0.001–0.001], d = [0.77–1.18]). In addition, the RPE had no effect on sprint performance between the different conditions. It is indicated that VETS, rather than VESS, is a more significant and effective way to increase effort intensity and positive feelings during sprinting modalities.

Developing tomorrow's leaders: Self‐esteem and teamwork go hand in hand

A new study published in a special issue of Education Sciences by Elena De Prada, Mercedes Mareque, and Margarita Pino‐Juste finds that there is a “relationship between teamwork skills and the successful development of self‐esteem.” Researchers determined that leadership skills aren’t necessarily innate and can be taught, especially when group work is closely managed. The study's subjects were social science students.

The Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety and Its Association with Sleep Quality in the First-Year Medical Science Students

Background and Aim. As an integral matter at the global level, sleep quality can be pertinent to some factors, namely, depression and anxiety. Considering this critical issue and its effects and consequences, the current cross-sectional study has centralized its aim on assessing the association between depression and anxiety with sleep quality in freshmen students in the context of Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences (NUMS). Methods. A total number of 471 freshmen students (NUMS) participated in the study, pinpointing that the data are collected in 2019 and 2020. In line with measuring depression, anxiety, and sleep quality, the Persian Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were employed. The associations between depression and anxiety with sleep quality were assessed by using the multiple logistic regression model. All statistical analyses were conducted in STATA14, and the significant level was set at P<0.05. Results. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and poor sleep quality in the study population was 21.4%, 31.9%, and 28%, respectively. Analytical analyses indicated that after adjusting for studied covariates, the odds of poor sleep quality in individuals with depression were 3.5 times higher compared to the counter group (P<0.001). Moreover, the odds of poor sleep quality in individuals with anxiety were 2.1 times higher compared to the counter group (P<0.001). Conclusion. Noticeable proportion of freshmen students suffer from depression and anxiety; in line with such a critical issue, our study found that depression and anxiety had a statistical association with sleep quality in study population. From this respect, it seems that providing essential interventions and psychological counseling services could be constructive for the freshmen medical students.

Impact of activation through bodyweight vs elastic band exercises on jump capacity and dynamic strength

The aim was to analyze the effect of two activation protocols based on exercises with bodyweight and elastic bands on the improvement of muscle power. Ten male university students of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (age: 23.1±1.5 years) randomly completed with 48 hours of recovery between sessions, a control situation without warm-up (CON) and a warm-up protocol based in bodyweight (ACA) and elastic band (ACE) exercises. After each protocol, power tests were performed in the squat  and bench press with submaximal load (i.e.,  ~1,00m/s and ~0,79m/s, respectively) and vertical jumps without (SJ) and with countermovement (CMJ), together with a horizontal jump (SHB). Compared to CON, no improvements in strength were observed following ACA and ACE. However, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were obtained in SJ, CMJ, and SHB after ACE, while ACA only improved (p < 0.05) SJ and CMJ. Protocols that use exercises with bodyweight or elastic bands can improve performance in actions without load, but do not improve power at submaximal loads.

Strategie uczenia się słownictwa specjalistycznego

CLIL (Content Language Integrated Learning) is defined as the integration of specific content with language learning objectives. In higher education, it refers to the simultaneously teaching academic content and language skills in a given language. The core concept revolves around the use of a second/foreign language to acquire knowledge, while while concurrently enhancing language skills and vocabulary, including the acquisition of new specialist terms. Developing the lexical subsystem as a an integral component of linguistic competence is particularly important in the process of linguistic reception and production. Vocabulary learning strategies prove invaluable in this context. The discussion on the strategy of learning lexis in a foreign language appeared in the academic literature at the end of the last century. Previously, this matter was addressed in research on learning strategies and communication strategies. In academia, knowledge of professional vocabulary and terminology is indispensable for mastering specialist content taught in a second language. Learners must not only grasp the meaning of concepts, but also employ them with precision. So how do students learn new specialist vocabulary, and which lexis learning strategies do they use?  This article aims  to present the results of my own research on the application of specialized vocabulary learning strategies by students of economic sciences. 

Using practical programming tasks to enhance combinatorial understanding

AbstractProbability theory has extensive applications across various domains, such as statistics, computer science, and finance. In probability education, students are introduced to fundamental principles which may include mathematical topics such as combinatorics and symmetric sample spaces. Students pursuing degrees in computer science possess a robust foundation in programming, software engineering, and algorithmic thinking. Despite entering probability courses with a unique perspective and learning potential, these students encounter challenges in grasping combinatorial concepts. In this experiment, we challenged first‐year postsecondary computer science students to program a simulation of a practical combinatorics problem. Students commented on whether and how this task helped them internalize the basic concepts of combinatorics. We aim to show how utilizing programming tasks may empower students with a deeper grasp of combinatorics.

FEAR OF INFECTIOUS CONTAGION/TRANSMISSION AMONG HEALTH SCIENCES STUDENTS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD THE COVID-19 VACCINE

Objective: As part of their educational program, health sciences students participate in clinical practice in healthcare institutions. Thus, this group, which is at the center of the risk of infection, is highly likely to encounter infectious diseases. This study aims to investigate the fear of infection contagion/transmission and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine in health sciences students and examine the relationship between them. 
 Methods: Data were collected using the “Data Collection Form”, “Fear of Contagion/Transmission Scale”, and “Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine (ATV-COVID-19) Scale”.
 Results: A total of 303 health sciences students (nursing, nutrition and dietetics, physical therapy and rehabilitation) participated in the study. It was observed that 72.2% of the students lived with their families, and 42.6% had a family member with a chronic disease. In addition, 91.1% reported COVID-19 vaccination, and 48.2% reported COVID-19 infection. The mean score of participants’ fear of contagion/transmission was 89.38±14.58, and the sub-dimension “fear of social transmission” received the highest score. A weakly significant negative relationship existed between fear of contagion/transmission and positive attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine.
 Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was found that fear of infection contagion/transmission among students was associated with a positive attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fear and Loathing: ChatGPT in the Political Science Classroom

ABSTRACT ChatGPT has captured the attention of the academic world with its remarkable ability to write, summarize, and even pass rigorous exams. This article summarizes the primary concerns that political science faculty have about ChatGPT and similar AI software with regard to academia. We discuss results of a national survey of political scientists that we conducted in March 2023 to assess faculty attitudes toward ChatGPT and their strategies for effectively engaging with it in the classroom. We present several assignment ideas that limit the potential for cheating with ChatGPT—a primary concern of faculty—and describe ways to incorporate ChatGPT into faculty teaching. Several suggestions for syllabi that address political science students’ use of ChatGPT also are provided.

Latinx Science Students’ Sense of Belonging in Rural Wisconsin

This study explores the sense of belonging of rural middle and high school Latinx science students in Wisconsin. Between 2000 and 2015, the Latinx population was the fastest growing ethnic group in Wisconsin and increased by 95%. Yet, little is known about the experiences of these students in rural schools or their engagement in science learning. Our research contributes to addressing this knowledge gap and provides insights into Latinx student experiences relative to the science classroom and community. Our findings indicate that a primary determinant of Latinx science students’ positive sense of belonging is a positive relationship with their teachers.

Sociocultural adjustment and social support as predictors for international medical sciences students’ anxiety during COVID-19

BackgroundThe prevalence of anxiety is high among international medical sciences students and it increased even more during the COVID-19 pandemic due to different restrictions and social isolation. Successful sociocultural adjustment and social support could be important factors in overcoming those challenges, however, there is a lack of studies which would investigate the role of those factors among inter- national medical students. This study aimed to assess the role of sociocultural adjustment and social support as predictors for international medical students’ anxiety during COVID-19.MethodsTwo measurements were conducted via self-reported questionnaires which consisted of three scales - SCAS, MSPSS and GAD-7. In total, 82 international medical students participated in both measurements in this longitudinal study.ResultsThe findings indicated that 37% of international students had symptoms of moderate or severe anxiety during their first year of studies at university. In the second year, during the COVID-19 pandemic and an official lockdown, 35% of international students had symptoms of moderate or severe anxiety. In addition, this study showed that gender and sociocultural adjustment did not play a role as predictors of students’ anxiety during the second year of studies. However, this study revealed that social support provided by family during the first year of studies, as well as having friends or family members who had been ill with COVID-19 predicted higher levels of anxiety at second measurement, while sociocultural adjustment was an even stronger predictor of anxiety in the second year of studies of international medical students.ConclusionsThis knowledge can help to better understand how international medical students felt during the COVID-19 pandemic and what role the above- mentioned factors played in the students’ anxiety. As the anxiety level is quite high among international medical students, universities and mental health service providers should take it into consideration and help them to overcome those challenges.

Patient-based interdisciplinary e-learning with reflection: An experience of biomedical science, allied health and complementary medicine students

E-learning modules were developed to enhance student engagement, reflection and interdisciplinary learning in Pathology courses undertaken by students from the Biomedical Science, Allied Health, and Complementary Medicine disciplines. The modules focused on generating multi-disciplinary and team-based solutions to diagnosis, prognosis and treatment/management of patients. At pre- and post-intervention, we analysed the students’ experience of three themes: E-learning, reflection, and interdisciplinary learning. Flexibility and ability to reinforce understanding of course content were identified as main advantages of e-learning but a lack of direct support was a common concern. Visual aids and interactive assessments were suggested to improve online experiences. While all students had a positive pre-conception of all themes prior to intervention, the delivery of the modules significantly improved students’ perception on how e-learning deepened their understanding of course materials via reflection and interdisciplinary learning, with both aspects serving to create a holistic learning experience.

State of Knowledge on Sexually Transmitted Infections among Health Professionals and Health Sciences Students in France

The burden of morbidity and mortality caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has serious consequences on the quality of life of populations. Nowadays, despite numerous prevention campaigns, sexually transmitted infections have been on the rise in France for several years. It remains important to transmit the right information in order to better educate and support patients. Where then remains the problem, and how can we improve the involvement and awareness of the general population regarding the risks of these STIs? It is imperative to work upstream on the training of health professionals and students because they are the first interlocutors and the only ones to transmit the knowledge acquired during their initial training to the individuals concerned. The objective of this work is to identify the areas where health professionals and students do not yet have all the notions acquired via a multiple-choice questionnaire on the different STIs and their major characteristics. These results will contribute to the implementation of additional training at the Health Centers in France.

Social Interaction Skills in English Communication

Aims: The researchers wanted to determine the relationship between social interaction skills in English communication as the researchers noticed that social interaction using the English language is what professionals usually used. They wanted to discover if the HUMSS students are prepared to move up to the next step, which is going to higher education.
 Study Design: The design used in this study is Descriptive research.
 Place and Duration of Study: Laguna University Senior High School Department.
 Methodology: Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences students of Laguna University - Senior High School Department consisting forty-two (42) students were the chosen respondents of the researchers.
 Results: There is a significant relationship between the students’ English proficiency and social interaction skills as the results showed that most of the respondents fall under upper intermediate on the English proficiency test. In addition to that, English language in social communication is essential as it helps them to socialize with other people resulting in a very satisfactory skill.
 Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between the students’ English proficiency and social interaction skills.

Health sciences students' perspectives on online teaching and learning: Extending the implications beyond the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractDigital transformation in education and relevant calls for action are recognised global priorities aimed to support education and training in the digital age. The experiences from the emergency remote teaching during the COVID‐19 pandemic and recent research findings reveal relevant advantages, challenges, as well as different students and teaching staff perspectives which should be carefully considered and integrated into institutional strategies and policies to improve and enrich students’ learning experience. The present study aimed to explore health sciences students' perspectives on online teaching and learning (T&L) in four domains—Satisfaction, Motivation, Interaction and Challenges, and to identify the preferred T&L models or tools. A total of 1,041 responses were collected, including 476 dental medicine (45.7%), 399 pharmacy (38.3%), and 166 medical students (15.9%). Overall Satisfaction was quite high (4.0 ± 1.2; out of 5), followed by satisfactory Interaction (3.4 ± 1.4), whereas Motivation was quite low on average (3.0 ± 1.5). Challenges in online T&L were not markedly expressed (3.0 ± 1.6). The majority of students (46.6%) opted for the blended model as the preferred T&L model. Moodle lessons were perceived as the most useful online T&L tool (45.5% of students), followed by video materials (32.2%). Other T&L tools which require more active student's role, such as short test/quiz, and group or team assignment were declared as less favourable. The findings from the current study may contribute to raising the awareness of academic staff and higher institutions management about the student attitudes and needs related to online T&L and inform institutional planning, decision‐making and policy development.

Unveiling blood donation knowledge, attitude, and practices among 12,606 university students: a cross-sectional study across 16 countries

We assessed university students’ knowledge, attitude, and practice toward blood donation and identified the factors that promote or hinder their willingness to donate. We employed a multicenter cross-sectional design, collecting data from August to October 2022 through self-administered questionnaires available in Arabic and English. Both online (Google Forms) and paper surveys were utilized. Data were analyzed using R Statistical Software (v4.1.3; R Core Team 2022). A total of 12,606 university students (7966 females and 4640 males) from 16 countries completed the questionnaire; of them, 28.5% had a good knowledge level regarding blood donation, and 22.7% had donated blood at least once. Students in health science colleges had significantly more awareness of blood donation (p-value < 0.001), but there were no significant differences in practice (p-value = 0.8). Barriers to donation included not being asked (37%), medical ineligibility (33%), fear of pain or infection (18%), concerns about negative health effects (18%), difficulty accessing donation centers (15%), and medical mistrust (14%). Individuals aged > 20 years had significantly higher odds of possessing a high knowledge level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.77, p < 0.001). Private and international university enrollment was associated with increased knowledge (aOR 1.19, p-value < 0.001 and aOR 1.44, p-value = 0.003), while non-health science college students had lower odds (aOR 0.36, p < 0.001). Regarding blood donation status, participants > 20 years old were more likely to donate (aOR 2.21, p < 0.001). Conversely, being female, having congenital or chronic diseases, and possessing low knowledge levels were associated with decreased odds of blood donation (all p < 0.05). University students show insufficient knowledge about blood donation, with health science students displaying higher awareness levels. Despite their positive attitudes, blood donation rates remain low across all disciplines. It is imperative to enhance education and accessibility to foster a culture of blood donation among students.

To Access the Knowledge of Community Science: A Fresh Perspective on B.Sc. Community Science Grade

Community Science formerly Known as Home Science is a profession and area of study that deals with the management and economics of the home and community. It is also referred to as family and consumer sciences, human ecology, and home economics. The present study was conducted during 2022-23 to measure the knowledge level of the B.Sc. Community Science graduates. To construct and standardize Knowledge scale the researcher outlined a scale and after that analyzing the content framed 600 items related to the course. After seeking the opinion of the experts some of the items were reframed. Finally, 450 items were considered to form initial stage for developing a standardized knowledge test. These items were subjected to item analysis. After which, a total 300 items were remained for the final study. The selected items sent to 15 State or central Agricultural Universities, 150 M.Sc. Community Science Students as respondents through Online google forms for the data collection. The result of the study revealed that there are 14% of the respondents had low level of Knowledge, majority of the respondents, 74% fall into the medium level of knowledge and 12% of the respondents had demonstrate a higher level of knowledge.

The learning styles of Australian exercise science and clinical exercise physiology students

The learning styles of Australian exercise science and clinical exercise physiology students

Development of a transdisciplinary education concept to prepare textile technology students for dealing with AI

A basic understanding of the mechanisms and implications of the use of Artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial to effectively implement AI in business and society. To achieve this goal, the research project described here aims to provide students from different disciplines with practical AI knowledge. Instead of focusing on traditional teaching approaches, students work together on transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary projects. The basis here is provided by department-specific application scenarios. Supported by learning nuggets, expert lectures and an accessible software infrastructure, students thus gain easy access to AI topics.The goal in the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology is to train specialists in the use of AI in the textile process chain. Students will learn how to classify image data of fibers based on a practical example. Among other things, they will generate a data set for a neural network and work closely with computer science students to implement it. The focus is on enabling students to apply AI independently and thus create the basis for new innovative ideas in industry