Student Preferences Research Articles

Co-design and evaluation of an audio podcast about sustainable development goals for undergraduate nursing and midwifery students

BackgroundSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are universally recognised targets designed to combat poverty, inequality, and climate change. However, there exists limited awareness and understanding of these goals among nursing and midwifery students. To address this knowledge gap, a co-designed audio podcast was introduced as an educational tool to enhance students’ comprehension of SDGs and their relevance to the healthcare profession.MethodsA prospective study was conducted at Queen’s University Belfast, involving 566 first-year nursing and midwifery students. A 60-minute SDG podcast, co-designed with students and stakeholders, was made accessible within the university’s learning management system. Pre- and post-test questionnaires were administered to assess changes in students’ knowledge levels and attitudes toward SDGs. Additionally, 37 participants engaged in focus group interviews six months after listening to the podcast to explore their experiences and reflections. Quantitative data was analysed using paired t-tests and descriptive statistics, while qualitative data was analysed thematically.ResultsThe podcast significantly increased students’ awareness of SDGs and their understanding of the goals’ relevance to their profession and personal lives. Post-test scores showed substantial improvements across all three sub-scales: knowledge, professional relevance, and personal relevance. Moreover, participants rated the podcast as a valuable learning resource with high acceptability, although some expressed uncertainty about replay intentions. Focus group interviews revealed three themes, including 1) More than you know’, which described how participants developed new knowledge and understanding about SDGs, 2) ‘Nurse-Midwife Nudges’, which illuminated how participants made minor changes to their behaviour and 3) ‘Fitting Format’, which highlighted how participants favoured the use of an audio podcast to learn about SDGs.DiscussionThis study demonstrates the potential of audio podcasts as an effective and engaging tool for increasing awareness and understanding of SDGs among nursing and midwifery students. The results suggest that such interventions can positively impact students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavioural intentions regarding the SDGs. The findings also emphasise the importance of co-design in developing educational resources tailored to the specific needs and preferences of students.

Team-based learning: Implementation and evaluation of nursing students’ experience and satisfaction

Team-based learning is an alternative to passive learning. Its defining characteristics are small-group collaboration and active student participation. This study evaluated students' accountability, performance, and satisfaction with the team-based learning strategy, as well as the impact of gender and cumulative grade point average. It was a quasi-experimental one-group post-test study conducted at the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. A team-based learning session with 214 students was conducted. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and multilevel regression were used to analyze students' accountability, preference, and satisfaction with team-based learning using an online survey. Students were accountable; 85% used pre-class materials to prepare. The majority of students expressed satisfaction with their session engagement. Most believe that team-based learning motivated them to engage and recommend it for nursing courses. Male students' scores on the team readiness assessment test improved by 30.73%. The multilevel regression analysis revealed a substantial gender effect on gain increases (P-value < 0.0001). Students expressed great satisfaction with their team-based learning experience. This study demonstrated that team-based learning improved student involvement, performance, and accountability and recommends its application in the nursing program; however, further research is needed to improve the transferability of results.

A Comparative Analysis of the Student Preferences for Digital and Physical Books in Library Usage

The study investigates student preferences for digital and physical library resources at San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Cavite, Philippines, amidst the evolving landscape of educational technology integration. Through a comprehensive analysis of survey data collected from Senior High School and College students, the research identifies significant trends in resource utilization patterns and their impact on academic achievement. Results indicate a preference for digital resources, although some students still value physical materials. Statistical analyses reveal discipline-specific variations in resource utilization and a positive correlation between the frequency of accessing digital resources and academic performance. The study underscores the importance of aligning library services with student preferences to optimize learning outcomes and foster digital literacy. Recommendations are made for tailored interventions to enhance resource provision and promote equitable access across academic disciplines

Comparison of current and proposed travel modes for students considering travelling and sustainable indicators

In the twenty-first century, global warming has become one of the severe challenges. Around one-fourth of the total carbon footprint is contributed by transport vehicles. It is crucial to provide alternative solutions to unsustainable transportation systems. This study compares the present travel modes of students of the Capital University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, with the proposed sustainable travel mode. A campus survey (N = 565) was conducted to understand travel choices, travel times, origin and destinations, and student preferences, considering university buses and private vehicles. A comparison was made between the travel time analysis of university bus users and non-bus users. A sustainability analysis has been conducted to evaluate the effects of the present travel modes on students and the proposed university bus transport system. Five main factors were compared: fuel consumption and associated fuel costs, carbon and vehicular emissions, traffic noise pollution, traffic congestion, and accident ratio. The results show that 38% of students commute by private cars and 18% by motorbikes. Around 25% of the students avoid university buses due to long travel times, and 30% prefer because their parents ask them. On average, university buses take 56.8 min, and non-bus transports take 38.8 min for one-way travel. If all students travel by university busses, they could be 86% more sustainable in fuel costs and carbon emissions than non-bus travel modes. These results give useful policy implications for providing sustainable travel alternatives to educational institutions.

The Influence of Marketing Communication Via Instagram at the Al Amjad Islamic School in Medan on the Perceptions and Educational Preferences of Students' Parents

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of marketing communication of Al Amjad Islamic School through Instagram on the perception and educational preferences of students' parents. The study used a quantitative approach with a correlation method. The sampling technique used stratified random sampling with 325 student samples at Al Amjad Islamic School Medan. The results showed that the advertising dimension obtained a value of 88%, the facility dimension obtained a value of 87.1% and the peer dimension obtained a value of 87.7%. The results of simultaneous calculations showed that the H0 hypothesis was rejected and Ha was accepted so that simultaneous marketing communication had a significant effect on educational perceptions and preferences

Fuzzy Association Rule Mining for Personalized Chinese Language and Literature Teaching from Higher Education

Due to rapid information technology growth, teaching Chinese in higher education has changed, and Chinese literary majors have vigorously evolved. The key teaching difficulties are scalability, individualized teaching, and a lack of resources and methodologies. Research shows individualized education improves topic comprehension, cultural engagement, and learner interest. Fuzzy association rule mining uses fuzzy linguistic values and membership functions to provide more realistic results. Hence, an algorithm, EF-PCL2T, has been proposed to improve personalized Chinese language and literature teaching (PCL2T) using enhanced fuzzy (EF) Apriori association rule mining integrated with the genetic algorithm. Fuzzy Apriori association rule mining identified frequent itemsets with relevant learning patterns and produced applicable association rules from datasets with fuzzy or unclear information, capturing fluctuating itemset importance and providing a flexible representation of relationships to determine student preferences. From fuzzy-related data, a genetic algorithm optimizes skill sets and creates individualized lesson plans considering each student’s competency and preferences for adjusting to personalized teaching tactics. Testing shows that fuzzy enhancement association rule mining for the PCL2T model improves student retention, PET (personalized teaching efficiency), minimal support and confidence update with fuzzy rules, and student involvement compared to other state-of-the-art methods. Students agree that tailored Chinese language and literary instruction is possible. The improvement results show fuzzy rules with minimum confidence levels of 50% to 100%, highly correlated in this model, student retention ratio of 96%, improved assessment grade of various language skills by 40 marks, PTE analysis of 93%, and student involvement ratio of 97%.

Navigating educational transformation: Understanding learning styles’ preferences of Egyptian students in the post-pandemic era

This study investigated the Learning style preferences of Egyptian EFL learners post-COVID-19. It aims to examine differences emerging in multimodal and bimodal learning preferences based on demographic variables of age and gender and consider the cultural educational context in Egypt during and post the pandemic era. Utilizing the VARK Model, Mayor’s Multimodal Learning Theory, and the Connectivism Learning Theory a survey comprising 19 questions was disseminated to 211 Egyptian EFL students from various age groups. Findings reveal a predominant preference for multimodal learning, particularly visual and read/write styles, with significant variations between genders. Female learners exhibited a stronger inclination towards kinesthetic styles, while males preferred visual methods. Younger learners and female students showed a stronger preference toward the multimodal approach that integrates technology-mediated learning, whereas older students and male learners were in favor of the more traditional modes of learning. The study highlights the importance of integrating traditional instruction wit multimedia resources, particularly for younger learners who thrive in interactive settings. Recommendations include encouraging collaboration between public and private educational sectors, increase the community services and initiatives for community-based learning to address the diverse needs of unprivileged learners. The study advocates for an innovative and holistic teaching approach to enhance engagement and motivation, achieve quality education, and cultivate an informed, skilled generation capable of contributing to the sustainable future of Egypt 2030.

STUDENTS' PREFERENCE ON USING ONLINE TRANSLATOR IN ACADEMIC WRITING

This study investigates the preferences of fifth-semester students at UIN Raden Intan Lampung regarding the use of online translators in academic writing. Through a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected from 180 students via a six-item questionnaire focusing on general usage and the impacts on academic writing. The findings indicate that online translators are widely utilized, with the majority of students using them daily or weekly. Google Translate emerged as the most preferred tool due to its ease of use and comprehensive language support. Students primarily use online translators to translate words or phrases, understand foreign texts, and check grammar and sentence structure. The impact on academic writing is generally positive, with many students finding these tools effective in improving their writing quality and efficiency. However, challenges such as over-reliance on translators, misinterpretation of context, and lack of technical vocabulary were also noted

An Intervention to Support Newly Admitted Students’ Transition to Pharmacy School

ObjectiveThis study aimed to provide prematriculation intervention addressing basic needs for newly admitted Doctor of Pharmacy students, and to assess postintervention changes made by students in the transition areas. MethodsSix transition areas were identified as basic needs that should be addressed by students before matriculation to enhance their potential for academic success. These areas included housing, commute, nonschool responsibilities and commitments (eg, childcare, excessive extracurricular activities), work, finances, and study approach. A prematriculation survey was administered to 24 students enrolling in January 2024. On the basis of the survey responses, members of the college’s transition team contacted students to intervene in 1 or more of the 6 transition areas when plans had not been made or were deemed as a potential barrier to academic success. A postmatriculation survey was administered during new student orientation to assess the changes that students made following the interventions. ResultsA total of 24 students (100%) completed the presurveys and postsurveys. On the basis of presurvey data, 14 students were contacted (7 video conferences, 7 email exchanges). The interventions addressed work (36.8%), study approach (31.6%), finances (15.8%), non–school-related responsibilities (10.5%), and housing (5.3%). Students made a total of 54 changes in the transition areas. Thirty-three (61.1%) of the changes were made by students who received intervention, and 21 (38.9%) were made by students who had not been contacted for intervention. ConclusionPrematriculation intervention addressing basic needs assists students in the transition to pharmacy school and proactively supports academic success.

How COVID-19 pandemic and Ukrainian crisis shaped mental health services for medical students in Poland?

The mental health of medical students is a crucial concern in contemporary medical education. This manuscript reports the availability and shape of psychological support for medical students in Poland in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian crisis. A survey comprising 10 questions was distributed to 22 medical schools in Poland, with a 59% response rate. The findings reveal that psychological support programs are predominantly managed by internal university units. Funding sources vary, with some universities utilizing internal budgets and others leveraging European funds or external projects. The support modalities are primarily hybrid, catering to student preferences. Limitations exist in the number of consultations, although some universities provide extended support based on student needs. Assistance is offered in multiple languages, with additional programs like stress-reduction workshops and mindfulness training being available in several universities. A notable increase in demand for psychological support post-COVID-19 was reported, with some universities establishing their programs during or after the pandemic. The commentary highlights the rising need for mental health services among medical students and underscores the importance of flexible, inclusive, and well-funded support. The effective functioning of these programs aligns with the broader objective of fostering a resilient and emotionally balanced healthcare workforce.

The Personal Faculty Mentor (PFM) Role: Advanced Support for Individualized Student Care

Background - Given the complexity of student responsibilities and backgrounds, the need for additional support during graduate education is evident for overall success. An innovative role that addresses these complexities and mitigates issues facing today’s nursing student was developed. Purpose - The Personal Faculty Mentor (PFM) role was developed to provide one, specific point of contact in an effort to support students throughout their MSN journey by completing new student orientation, individualized student outreach, frequent personal communication, and development of success plans. The PFM role also supports the faculty or instructor role by providing additional support and outreach with student concerns (low participation or scores). The overall purpose of the PFM is to improve student outcomes including pass rates, persistence rates, and satisfaction. Methods - Within the University’s Master of Science in Nursing Accelerated Track (MSN AT) Advanced Generalist and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), the PFM role was implemented to support student success. The MSN AT has flexible due dates for assignments which lends for more intensive student support. Results – Since the PFM role has been in place since program inception (July 2019), persistence and program completion are on average 12% higher, as high as 29%, with those students who actively participate with their PFM. Through survey, students report high satisfaction with the PFM role and attribute part of their success to this supportive role. Each session, students who actively participate with their PFM have better persistence than those who do not. Limitations – While the anecdotal feedback and positive outcomes are noteworthy, this strategy did not involve an empirical research investigation. As a result, a causative relationship may not be concrete. There is clearly an improvement in the retention and persistence of students who engage regularly with the PFM; however, there are additional variables that may be impacting the outcomes that would be helpful to identify. Conclusions / Implications for Practice - Student support promotes success. The role of the PFM provides individualized, student-centered support. Students who participate and interact with their PFM are more likely to be successful in the MSN AT.

Manajemen pendidikan lingkungan hidup di sekolah adiwiyata mandiri: Studi kasus SMA Negeri 2 Banguntapan

Background: Environmental issues such as climate change, pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, which have been exacerbated by human activities, have become a global concern, where education plays a crucial role in raising awareness and fostering more environmentally conscious behavior in society. Purpose: This research aims to describe the management of environmental education in Adiwiyata Mandiri School at SMA Negeri 2 Banguntapan include planning, organizing, actuating, controlling, and the supporting and inhibiting factors. Method: This research is a qualitative approach conducted. Techniques of collecting research data are interview, observation and document analysis. The main informants are the Principal, Vice Principal, Environmental Coordinator. Supporting informants are teachers and students. Data analysis technique used in this research is qualitative analysis with stages of data collection, data reduction, data display and conclusion. Techniques of checking the validity of the data used in the research is data triangulation. Findings: Result of research indicated that management of Environmental Education in Adiwiyata Mandiri School at SMA Negeri 2 Banguntapan cover planning, organizing, actuating, and controlling have done well. Supporting factor is commitment of the school's residents to environmental education, qualified human resources, facilities and infrastructure, and cooperate with various stake holder. Inhibiting factors are the motivation in developing environmental education is still fluctuating, skills in integrating environmental education in subjects is still limited, and limited funds. The undertakings include new student orientation based on environment, and involving the school's residents in environmental-themed education and training activities.

A new conceptual and analytic framework for collective engagement in mathematics

This paper proposes a new social construct and conceptual-analytic framework for the study of group engagement in mathematics, which we call collective engagement structures. This new framework is offered to address research and practice-identified needs to better understand how individual student dispositions and preferences might interact with group processes to inform student engagement and learning. We demonstrate the collective engagement structures framework using a case study analysis of three middle school students working in a group on a complex mathematics problem. Our analysis details how three students’ individual engagement structures and positional influence interact to form two collective engagement structures: Follow The Leader and Let's Figure This Out. Our findings indicate that students’ collective engagement may present itself in identifiable and patterned ways, providing fresh theoretical and practical insight into how to better structure group-centered instruction.

Optimizing the Scheduling of Teaching Activities in a Faculty

To maximize resource usage, minimize disputes, and improve academic experience, professors must schedule teaching activities efficiently. This study provides an optimized automated schedule creation technique. The system generates schedules that aim to be conflict-free and efficient, utilizing evolutionary algorithms along with multi-objective optimization. Resource usage, scheduling problems, and faculty/student satisfaction are the goals of the research. The system optimizes scheduling based on room limitations, instructor availability, and student preferences. The project uses system design, model creation, algorithm implementation, and performance analysis to solve the difficult timetable-generating problem. This research should save administrators time, improve academic operations, and improve staff and student academic experiences. Scalability and flexibility allow the system to be used in multiple faculties and incorporate new limits and requirements. This paper presents a complete approach to faculty scheduling, including insights and recommendations for future study and application in educational institutions.

Perspectives of Social Work Faculty/Staff and Students About Online Learning and Practicum Education

ABSTRACT COVID-19 caused massive disruption in education, with most programs shifting abruptly to online instruction. This study, employing a descriptive analytical approach, examined the retrospective and current (fall 2022) perceptions and preferences of undergraduate and graduate social work students, as well as faculty/staff, regarding online classroom education and practicums before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 79 social work faculty/staff and students were recruited, and findings indicated that flexibility should be increased for students by offering some classes online or as hybrids but certain core social work courses, such as those that use role plays, should remain in-person. Client needs must come first when considering modality for practicum experiences, but some face- to-face engagement is recommended for students to get the most from their placements. Faculty indicated that flexibility in their schedules is desired, although it may increase a sense of isolation.

My ideal teacher: the Gen Z’s choice

This study explored the Gen Z’s ideal teacher. The research employed an explanatory sequential mixed method. The intent of the transformative mixed methods design, to seek reality from their preferred teaching styles, on how do they perceived an ideal teacher, and on how can teachers meet their expectations. The findings revealed that the most preferred teaching styles and most effective way in teaching these students is experiential learning. In addition, as perceived by the Gen Z students, an ideal teacher should have positive values and they must be emotionally supportive and technologically literate. Furthermore, it was unveiled that a teacher must imposes skill enhancement, be conscious of today’s trend, adapt to the digital revolution and have an awareness of individual differences and needs to meet the Gen Z expectations. This also provides information and serves as a guide on how teachers meet the Gen Z expectations based on the overall data gathered from the respondents. Through this, an instructional input was crafted containing the different teaching styles that the student prefers and the different activities that can help teachers accommodate the said teaching styles.

Examination Types Preferences of Undergraduate Students at Private Universities in Mogadishu: Using Turf Analysis

Examination Types Preferences of Undergraduate Students at Private Universities in Mogadishu: Using Turf Analysis

The celebrity effect in microblog browsing among Chinese college students: based on implicit and recognition procedures

ABSTRACT This study examines the influence of celebrities on microblog browsing behaviours among Chinese college students, specifically analyzing implicit attitudes and recognition processes for both celebrity and non-celebrity microblog pages. Data were collected from 89 Chinese university students using the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a recognition scoring test. employing a 2 (frequent users vs. non-frequent users) × 2 (celebrity microblogs vs. non-celebrity microblogs) mixed factorial design. Results indicate a significant preference for celebrity microblog pages, evidenced by more positive implicit attitudes and higher recognition scores compared to those for non-celebrity pages. Furthermore, frequent users demonstrated enhanced recognition, which suggests a significant celebrity effect. The study revealed the underlying automatic preference of college students for celebrities in their microblogs.

Exploring the Link Between Social Media Engagement, Social Anxiety, and Environmental Preferences in University Students

As mental health issues become increasingly prominent, social anxiety is prevalent among university students and significantly affects their social behaviors and environmental preferences. With the increasing reliance on social media, understanding how these behaviors shape preferences for physical social environments is crucial for designing supportive campus spaces. This study investigates the relationship between social anxiety, social media usage, and environmental preferences in campus settings. We aim to identify the key environmental factors that can promote healthier social interactions for students with varying levels of social anxiety and social media use. Data were collected from university students through a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, online and offline behavior, social media usage intensity, social anxiety level, and environmental preferences. Using K-means clustering, participants were grouped into four clusters based on their social media usage and social anxiety levels. ANOVA and Multivariate Multiple Regression (MMR) were conducted to examine differences in environmental preferences across these clusters. Significant differences in environmental preferences were observed across the four clusters. Gender and grade influenced social anxiety levels, with females and undergraduate students reporting greater anxiety. Individuals with high social media use, regardless of their anxiety levels, generally exhibited stronger preferences for various environmental dimensions, including openness, convenience, facility provision, safety/comfort, and cultural landscape. However, individuals with higher social anxiety tended to prefer enclosed, facility-rich, and more controlled environments. The relationship between social anxiety and preferences for convenience, safety/comfort, and cultural landscape was minimal or non-significant. This study highlights the importance of considering both behavioral and psychological factors when designing university social environments. By identifying specific environmental preferences of students with high social anxiety, the findings offer evidence-based recommendations for creating more inclusive and supportive campus spaces that promote positive social interactions and well-being.

Transforming teaching assistant roles into co-creators of instruction

This case study explores the implementation of a collaborative initiative that transformed the traditional role of teaching assistants (TAs) into student-faculty partners in two psychology courses. The objective of the collaboration was to leverage the insights and contributions of undergraduate students as co-creators of instruction for students’ engagement and meaningful learning experience. The case study highlights the processes, impacts, and challenges of these partnerships, revealing opportunities for student partners to develop pedagogical and assessment literacy, enhance communication and leadership skills, and gain insights into student behaviors and preferences. Pedagogical and curricular gains were observed, including the incorporation of student insights into instructional activities and improved teaching materials. However, challenges related to power dynamics and student perceptions of privilege were also identified. The findings emphasize the importance of careful navigation and the creation of meaningful opportunities for student engagement in higher education.