Undergraduate Degree Courses Research Articles

The Hybrid Modality Model in Higher Education Institutions

The aim of the article is to provide a research result to support the process of consensual and collegiate decision-making in order to mix study models in undergraduate degree courses and postgraduate projects in higher education. The deductive method was used as a starting point and a mixed phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was applied for the methodological design, based on the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques, for which a sample of undergraduate and postgraduate students was selected from the active student population in the year 2021. A structured survey was applied as a technique and a nominal scale was used to collect and analyse the data, which made it possible to determine the students' preferences according to the face-to-face or virtual modality, as well as the incidence of the mixture of both modalities for learning. The results of the research show that undergraduate students show a preference for the face-to-face modality, while postgraduate students prefer the virtual modality. From the examination of the problem, the analysis of the theoretical framework and the applied methodology, it is concluded that the results of the research can help in the process of collegiate decision making by the management agents of higher education institutions, to adequately dose the time load of the face-to-face or virtual modalities, as appropriate to the degree courses and projects.

Language variation on Arabic undergraduate degree courses in England: students’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Despite recognition of Arabic as a diglossic language with multiple regional varieties (RVs) and studies acknowledging the flexible nature of the language continuum, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) continues to be prioritised in undergraduate degree courses. For the measurability of learning development, second language (L2) classes have traditionally focused on the standard variety. However, the field of applied linguistics acknowledges that language variation is an aspect of all languages that needs to be considered when learning and teaching L2s. This study investigates how students at eight of the nine higher education institutions in England offering undergraduate degree courses with a major component in Arabic perceive and experience language variation. It takes a mixed-methods explanatory approach, comprising 122 student questionnaires and 15 student interviews. This study finds that undergraduate degree students are not prepared fully for the sociolinguistic reality of Arabic usage, leading to concerns and frustrations when coming into contact with authentic language use. More needs to be done to raise awareness of how Arabic is used in practice from the beginning of courses. This would improve students’ experiences when communicating in Arabic, whilst also providing them with a theoretical knowledge of how the language operates.

Fostering Perceptions of Gender through Cooperative Learning

This article explores, quantitatively and qualitatively, how gender-neutral groups of pre-service teachers in homogenous and heterogeneous cooperative learning prioritize individual responsibility, promotive interaction, and positive interdependence. The study took place in the 2022–2023 academic year. The participants in this study were 535 pre-service teachers registered on Kindergarten, Primary, and Secondary Education undergraduate degree courses in the Faculty of Education and Psychology (FEP) at the University of Girona. In the study, the CAC instrument (20 items) was applied along with 11 items that were added. The results indicated that the participants scored higher in all the categories of cooperative learning when they were in homogenous groups than when in heterogeneous ones. Female students scored higher than male or non-binary students in all the cooperative learning categories in both types of cooperative structure. In both settings, female students valued individual responsibility higher, while non-binary individuals valued it lowest. Male students valued individual responsibility higher when working in heterogeneous groups. Most students believed that their role did not change when carrying out cooperative challenges. However, among those who did believe that their role altered, the majority were female. The study shows that while female, non-binary, and male pre-service teachers are equally sociable, they develop social skills differently. Diversity in educational institutions should therefore be taken into account as an influence on tertiary students’ development and success in later life.

Saudi Learners' Perception of Infographics in Education: A Survey

Learners' learning experiences diverge and undergo rapid shifts due to trends in technology, and the transfer of knowledge in varying formats and styles is ubiquitous. Infographics find its application in instructional design and technology that drives education with state-of-the-art tools and applied methods. Being a format of data, Infographics or visual images presents information or knowledge using visuals. This study aims to present the student perceptions of learning via infographics at Princess Nourah bint Abdurrahman University (PNU) in Saudi Arabia. The study employs a survey questionnaire consisting of 13 close-ended questions posed to assess the learners' responses at PNU. Applied Likert's scale-based questions present a conversion of user data input to quantitative figures, which present the level of understanding and the role of infographics in education. The survey involved 45 undergraduate female students pursuing undergraduate degree courses at PNU. Using survey research design methodology, the study investigated learners' perceptions of infographics to add to their learning experiences and provides a quantitative analysis of observed responses to the survey questionnaire. The study conducts an online survey and classifies participants of different age groups into five categories for assessment. The study findings reveal that PNU learners perceive a positive role of infographics in their learning. However, learners showcase varied perceptions of a) the acceptance of assignments based on infographics and b) the use of static versus animated infographics. The study guides research scholars toward the intuition of infographics in learning environments and reports the two research problems to be addressed in future works.

The Benefits of Using Case Study Focussed, Problem Based Learning Approaches to Unit Design for Biomedical Science Students.

As part of the Biomedical Sciences undergraduate degree course students are required to apply biological principles to the interpretation of clinical case studies and the diagnosis of patients. Case study-based learning, i.e., application of knowledge to patient diagnosis, is new to most students as case studies do not form part of non-applied A level courses in biological sciences. This approach is an example of Problem Based Learning (PBL) which has been shown to support higher levels of student learning, encouraging critical thinking and analysis. PBL approaches have also been shown to increase academic satisfaction and student engagement. In recent years we have observed a downwards trend in student engagement and historically student performance in applied case study-based assessments to be lower than that observed for assessments based on detailing fundamental biological principles. We hypothesised that PBL teaching delivery would support students in preparing for case study-based assessments, helping them to demonstrate their critical evaluation and problem-solving skills, and hence, improve student performance. We also hypothesised that the student learning experience would be enhanced by a PBL teaching delivery approach which would improve overall engagement. We therefore redesigned a second year Biomedical Sciences degree haematology and clinical biochemistry unit: "Blood Science," with a stronger focus on PBL, including case study focussed activities throughout the unit. We subsequently analysed whether this PBL-focussed unit design improved student experience and feedback, student engagement and student confidence for biomedical science undergraduate students. We present here, our teaching strategy and the impact our changes had on student feedback for the 21/22 and 22/23 academic years. Our findings demonstrate that case study-based activities and tutorial PBL exercises, when incorporated into the curriculum design, can improve student experience in the Biomedical Sciences and other biological science undergraduate degree courses.

A research-led flexible cell biology practical for biological sciences undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses.

A challenge in the pandemic era is to implement effective but flexible practical teaching for biological sciences courses. Such teaching needs to deliver conceptual, analytical and practical skills training while having the option to rapidly respond to health and safety issues, local regulations, staff and student concerns. In this paper, we describe a set of cell biology practicals (mini-project) that meets many of these requirements and provides flexibility in providing skills training both through online and in practical laboratory environments. We have used a human adenocarcinoma cell line A431 stably transfected with a fluorescent cell cycle reporter as a biological model to deliver training through discrete work packages encompassing cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, biochemistry and statistics. How such work packages can be modified to, an online format either partially or completely is also described. Furthermore, the activities can be adapted for teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate level courses to ensure effective skills training which is applicable to a wide range of biological degree programs and levels of study.

The undergraduate teaching degree courses in sciences and the preparation of teachers to work in young and adults education

The present work proposes to analyze how modality Youth and Adult Education has been contemplated in the training of teachers of licentiate Science Courses. It is assumed that preparation for teaching in Youth and Adults Education has not been prioritized in initial training courses. The objective is to deepen studies in the area and modality and contribute to the improvement of this training. This is an empirical research that is based on bibliographic review and documentary analysis. Data were collected through the application of an online form to teachers and the appreciation of pedagogical projects of degree courses in Chemistry and Physics of a public institution in Rio de Janeiro. Discursive Textual Analysis was used to treat the subjective data of the form in a qualitative way. The need for improvement for the Youth and Adults Education in the training of science teachers was investigated.

Engaging geography students through innovation in statistics teaching

ABSTRACT Geography undergraduate students have broad academic backgrounds; consequently, teaching statistics can be especially challenging. Unfortunately, there is a lack of up-to-date and geography-specific literature on the pedagogies of statistics instruction on an undergraduate geography degree course. In this paper we detail, discuss, and reflect on a range of innovative attempts to improve engagement and attainment. Many of the examples revolve around technological platforms to enhance student engagement, but also to improve and simplify module management, an under-valued part of delivering a team-taught module. We discuss a variety of quizzing platforms as effective ways of engaging students with content, but, also, as a method of scaffolding teaching, whereby student comprehension is gauged, and content is adapted on-the-fly. We also highlight that use of frequent formative quizzing can increase module engagement through a substantive increase in attendance in an era of lecture recording. We also reflect on differences in engagement pre-and-post pandemic. Overall, we highlight the benefit of incorporating technology into teaching geographical statistics, but caution that this must be on a case-by-case basis and should be used for clear pedagogical reasons.

Investigating Secondary Trauma in Student Placements: An Exploratory Study

Abstract It is well established that secondary trauma is a phenomenon that affects professionals in a range of health and social care settings, including social work. Whilst students going into placement are often exposed to similar experiences as qualified colleagues, limited research has been undertaken to investigate whether students suffer secondary trauma from their placement experience. This quantitative exploratory study of forty-five students on a Social Work and a Health and Social Care undergraduate degree course examined the potential impact of secondary trauma in placements using a Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale. This article will explore secondary trauma, how students are prepared for placement and student well-being in general. The findings of the study indicated that no students appear to have suffered from secondary trauma in placements, suggesting that there may be other potential support mechanisms that could have reduced, impacted or negated the issue. A discussion of some of these mechanisms is explored. Finally, this article calls for educators and professionals in higher education and placement agencies/organisations to be aware of the potential impact on student well-being.

The Impact of Cooperative Learning on University Students' Academic Goals.

Cooperative learning encourages the development of interpersonal skills and motivates students to participate more actively in the teaching and learning process. This study explores the impact of cooperative learning on the academic goals influencing university students’ behavior and leading to the attainment of a series of academic objectives. To this end, a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used, with a sample of 509 university students from Preschool, Primary and Social Education undergraduate degree courses. Using the Academic Goals Questionnaire (AGQ), pretest and posttest measures were taken via self-reports to evaluate three types of academic goals: learning goals, social reinforcement goals and achievement goals. The results show that cooperative learning is an effective tool for encouraging university students to develop academic goals that motivate them to fully engage with the tasks they are set in order to acquire knowledge and skills (learning goals). In addition, when students are asked to work as part of a team on an autonomous basis without the structure and supervision necessary to ensure a minimum standard of cooperation, they display a greater tendency toward social reinforcement goals than toward learning and achievement goals. These findings contribute new knowledge to the conceptual framework on cooperative learning. Goals may be considered one of the most important variables influencing students’ learning and the use of cooperative learning techniques in university classrooms creates the necessary conditions for encouraging students to develop goals oriented toward learning.

A Q methodology study to explore Korean as a second language undergraduate student-teachers’ anxiety

Teaching is an emotionally demanding job, and negative emotions such as anxiety affect teacher practices, identity, and student learning. Therefore, it is essential to consider the emotional challenges student-teachers expect from their future careers. This study explores how a cohort of student-teachers enrolled in a Korean as a Second Language (KSL) teaching undergraduate degree course perceive the emotional challenges of the teaching profession, with a focus on those aspects that are perceived to trigger anxiety. Q methodology was used to collect data from 37 Korean L1 undergraduate students, explore their shared worries and concerns, and inform improvements that can be brought to the undergraduate program under investigation. Results highlighted the presence of four main perspectives. The first perspective is shared by students concerned about lacking experience, skills, and clarity in delivering their teaching. The second perspective characterizes students concerned about poor work-life balance and being under-prepared for their classes. The third perspective represents students worried by the relationship with colleagues and supervisors and by issues of classroom management. The last perspective is shared by students concerned about being underestimated and to lack opportunities to express their creativity. Results are compared with previous research conducted on experienced Korean language teachers and discussed with reference to the Korean educational context. Practical suggestions for integrating emotional and affective components into undergraduate courses in foreign language teaching are provided.

Frequency, topic, and preferences: Tracking student engagement with several modalities of student-instructor contact in a first-year course.

Meaningful student–instructor interactions during an undergraduate degree course can have important effects on student learning. The format by which those interactions are made possible can vary greatly. We investigated the preferred modality of contact and students’ reasons for contact across several modalities in a first‐year biology course. We tracked student–instructor contact for two‐course instructors who team teach collaboratively (rather than sequentially) across two‐course sections. Both instructors had identical scores on student evaluations of approachability. Student–instructor contact was facilitated using five ‘student hour’ modalities: (a) in office by appointment, (b) 1 h per week, in office drop in, (c) 1 h per week, virtual chat, (d) by email, (e) 10 min immediately after class. Though email was the preferred method of contact, the period immediately following the class instruction was the most popular of the face‐to‐face options. We note significant differences in the distribution of workload across the two instructors and make recommendations for increasing the accessibility of student–instructor contact and for equity in workload to support student learning.

English language entry requirements in EMI degree programs at Bachelor level in Italy

The internationalization of education at university level is rapidly leading to the proliferation of English Medium Instruction (EMI) programmes in many educational contexts around the globe. This study deals with the entry requirements for prospective candidates for accessing EMI degree programmes at bachelor level (BA) in Italian universities, with a focus on English language proficiency. So far, this particular aspect has received little attention, especially from a comparative perspective among Italian universities. However, language competence is crucial to learn effectively in an EMI context. This paper illustrates the results of a survey involving eighteen Italian universities which offer such programmes at bachelor level. To identify the English language requirements, the relevant webpages of the institutions have been explored, starting from the Universitaly website - a platform which presents an overview of the Italian universities providing EMI programmes. All the undergraduate degree courses delivered in the English-only formula have been considered. The results show that not only are the institutional webpages and their admission requirements sections quite different from one another but, most importantly, the required level of English proficiency varies considerably across universities and degree courses, ranging from B1 to C1 (according to the CEFR descriptors). In addition, programmes also differ in terms of how students' English proficiency is verified. This study, therefore, suggests that, at least as far as entry language requirements are concerned, EMI in Italy is far from being a homogenous phenomenon and that local practices tend to shape this educational policy.

The self-regulated learner, entry characteristics and academic performance of undergraduate nursing students transitioning to University

BackgroundAlthough the importance of fostering students self-regulated learning is well known, little is known about the relationship between student entry characteristics, particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds, self-regulatory strategy use and academic performance. The study aim was to examine undergraduate nursing students' entry characteristics, motivational behaviours and learning strategies, and academic performance after transitioning into the first unit of an undergraduate nursing course. DesignA cross-sectional survey. SettingA university in Australia. ParticipantsFirst-year undergraduate nursing students. MethodsThe Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, including demographic information, was distributed to students in the fourth week of commencing University, consent was obtained for the use of student unit grades. ResultsFor the 448 eligible students, n = 282 (62.9%) completed the survey. Students were categorised by age into three groups: 18 years, 19–22 years, and 23+ years. Entry characteristics, motivation and learning strategies scores and academic performance were related to the age category with the greatest difference between 18 and 23+ student groups. 23 years+ had higher scores for 11 MSLQ scales (mean difference 0.78–0.31, p < 0.05) highest grades (F = 4.694, p = 0.010). Students 23+ years had the highest motivational behaviours and learning strategies. The international students' academic grades in this study were lower than the domestic student's grades (t = −2.212, p = 0.028). ConclusionThis study highlights the need to address the tensions that exist between attracting quality students, the requirement to assess their quality efficiently and allowing students from disadvantaged groups the opportunity to enter nursing undergraduate degree courses. This study contributes new knowledge to the impact students' entry characteristics have on motivational behaviours, learning strategy use and academic performance. Knowing this would allow faculty to identify students at risk of failure early in the course and offer instructional support.

Impact of guided self-study on learning success in undergraduate physiotherapy students in Switzerland \u2013 a feasibility study of a higher education intervention

BackgroundGuided self-study (G-SS) can be used as a self-directed learning method or self-determined learning that fosters changes in knowledge and skills in a higher physiotherapy education setting. Until now, there has been no empirical evidence for the use of G-SS in higher physiotherapy education. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility to establish a G-SS program in a fulltime undergraduate physiotherapy degree course. In addition, the effectiveness of the G-SS was assessed on changes in knowledge and skills.MethodFifty-one first-semester physiotherapy students were randomly divided into a G-SS group or control group (CG). The G-SS group received six clinical cases. Each case was processed in an eight-day cycle. One week in advance, the clinical case were provided to the students electronically (day 1). The students prepared the cases in groups and were guided by the tutor during this preparation time (day 2 to 7). Group work results were presented and reflected on during a moderated plenum session at day 8. A priori criteria of success were defined based on empirical experience for the primary outcome parameters i) exposure, ii) responsiveness of students and iii) program differentiation. The secondary outcome was the total score in the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and written exams. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS.ResultsThe responsiveness of students as willing to participate in the G-SS program was 23%, clearly below the a priori set 83%. No differences in program differentiation were found. G-SS as compared to the CG scored significantly better on OSCE (p = 0.003) and on the written exam (p = 0.004).ConclusionThe results showed that this higher education G-SS program in its current form was not feasible. Slight modification of the study protocol (e.g. better time planning in the academic calendar) is needed to improve the student’s responsiveness. The adjustments to the timetable must allow the physiotherapy students to prepare the clinical cases under conditions of lower workload. G-SS has the potential to promote change in knowledge and skills in undergraduate physiotherapy students when students prepare and present the clinical case solutions and reflect upon their actions.Trial registrationRegistry of Efficacy and Effectiveness Studies, Registry ID: #1726.1 Registered on February 26th, 2019.

What are the determinants of student performance on an undergraduate accounting degree?

ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to identify the factors which have a significant impact on the performance of students on an undergraduate accounting degree course. Previous research in this area has taken place over many years and has considered a number of factors which might influence performance such as: prior academic achievement, gender, age and numeracy. The findings of these studies have been quite mixed, perhaps reflecting differences in the institutions being considered, the courses analysed and the research methods adopted. This study follows a cohort of students who commenced an undergraduate accounting degree course at a UK University through to their graduation. It unites and tests all the key findings of the other previous studies in this area to determine the key factors affecting student performance. The results can inform universities in terms of their policies on admissions, teaching and retention and also inform students in deciding whether to apply for or continue with an accounting course. The results will also be of interest to academics delivering accounting courses and those with an interest in accounting education.

Global health education in U.K. universities

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a paradigm shift in global health, casting a previously niche academic discipline into a headline dominating field of research. However, accurate information on the delivery of global health education (GHE) at a university level is lacking. This study aims to assess current GHE practices in U.K. universities, by identifying the availability of dedicated global health qualifications, as well as the breadth of inclusion of GHE topics across university course content. MethodsUniversities selected were the top 25 recipients of MRC funding in 2015–2016, as well as universities who were included in previous iterations of the “Global Health League Table”. We used the Consortium of Universities for Global Health “GHE Competencies Toolkit” to identify the presence of global health content across university global health and other course offerings. Universities were additionally judged on opportunities available in global health and on the presence of sustainable partnerships. ResultsOur results showed that 20 universities (74%) offer a post-graduate global health related course, with 9 (33%) offering an undergraduate global health related course. 13 (48%) were identified as centers of global health excellence. Just 12 (44%) universities had registered sustainable partnerships with Tropical Health and Education Trust. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was identified as the top deliverer of GHE, with the Universities of Leicester and the Universities of Exeter joint bottom. We were unable to standardize quality assessments in this iteration of the project, but the release of student feedback to future assessors would help to improve the reliability of this study methodology. Additionally, much of our data was based on information available online, and thus some aspects of degree courses not published publicly may not have been accounted for in our scoring. ConclusionThose institutions wishing to improve their delivery of GHE should consider the establishment of a postgraduate or undergraduate degree course. Breadth of global health content across curricular was a major discriminating factor between institutions, and we would advise universities to consider including more global health topics across their curricular - especially in light of the intersectional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stress, Anxiety and Depression among a Cohort of Health Sciences Undergraduate Students: The Prevalence and Risk Factors

Stress, anxiety, and depression (SAD) have a negative impact on the learning and academic performance of university students. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, as well as the risk factors associated with SAD among a cohort of students pursuing undergraduate degree courses in health sciences. This is part of the strategy in building a healthy nation. A questionnaire containing socio-demographic factors and the short version of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to assess the likelihood of psychological distress. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the risk factors of SAD. In total, 449 students completed the questionnaire (93.9% response rate). Of these, 65% had stress, 85.1% had anxiety and 51.4% had depression. Most cases of stress (74.6%) and depression (66.2%) were of normal-to-mild level, while 74.6% of them showed moderate-to-extremely severe anxiety. There was a statistically significant association between stress score and the year of study. In the regression analysis, poor sleep quality and fatigue were risk factors of anxiety and depression, whereas low-grade fever and frequent headaches were risk factors for stress and anxiety. Stress, anxiety, and depression scores were significantly higher among students studying medical imaging. A substantial proportion of health science students are suffering from SAD. This study recommends screening and close monitoring of the above-mentioned predictors and the formulation of comprehensive intervention strategies for students with SAD.

Knowledge about cardio-vascular disease and its risk factors among college-going students in peri-urban Bengaluru, South India

Background: Knowledge on cardiovascular disease (CVD), its risk factors and preventive measures including lifestyle and behavior changes among youth is an important primary prevention measure to control CVDs. Objective: To assess the knowledge about CVD and its risk factors among college-going youth near Bengaluru city, Karnataka Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among college-going youth pursuing various undergraduate degree courses in a peri-urban area near Bangalore, South India. A face-validated, pre-tested, and self-administered questionnaire which captured sociodemographic details along with fifty questions to assess knowledge of CVD and its risk factors was administered. Results: A total of 693 college students participated in the study, of whom 342 (49.4%) were male. The mean age of the participants was 19.06 ± 1.62 years. Overall mean knowledge score regarding CVD and its risk factors was 20.69 ± 6.75 (out of 50). Knowledge scores were significantly higher among those residing in a hostel (P= 0.043) and among those in the 2nd and 3rd year of the course (P&lt; 0.001). Conclusions: College-going youth were found to have poor knowledge about CVD and its risk factors. We were able to identify erroneous beliefs and myths regarding CVD and its risk factors. It is necessary to create awareness among the youth by including CVD and its risk factors as a part of the regular college curriculum.

A pedagogical-reflexive experience at a Psychology course: analysis of learning logs

The present article aimed, through the analysis of learning diaries, to discuss about the possibilities that a psychology university degree which promotes reflection and shelters students' thoughts and emotions can have in the training of psychology students. Were analyzed thirteen learning logs written by students of the sixth semester of an undergraduate degree course in Psychology enrolled in a discipline related to the Person Centered Approach.The logs were written based on the Sense's Version, after each class, with indication of free writing. Thematic Analysis was used, and from it six themes emerged that demonstrated the importance of building an academic context that promotes the facilitating conditions for personal and professional development. Palavras-chave : Psychology Degree; Learning Log; Reflection Process; Core Conditions to Facilitate Learning; Person Centered Approach.