Understanding Of Course Material Research Articles

Mechanism of the week: An approach for improving student engagement, interest, and understanding of course material

A program called mechanism of the week was created for use within a third-year mechanical engineering course, machine dynamics, to improve the student engagement and interest in the course content as well as to help aid student understanding of the course concepts. This program was implemented across three semesters, including some virtual sessions, and evaluated using a student feedback survey. The results of this survey indicated strong student support of the program. In addition to this particular application, the general principles of this program could be applied to other courses and disciplines to gain the same overall benefit.

Design an ontology-based model for intelligent querying system in mathematics education

Distance learning can be facilitated through e-learning, and students can enhance their understanding of course materials through the use of an intelligent querying system that enables self-learning. In this paper, an ontology-based method for organizing the knowledge of mathematics in high-school is presented. Ontology Rela-Ops model, which is a knowledge model for representing the knowledge of relations and operators, is combined with the knowledge component of functions. Based on the combining model, a structure of knowledge graph is proposed to represent relations of intellectual contents. An intelligent querying system is designed for the domain of high-school mathematics using these structures. This searching system can query contents of the course and extracts other knowledge related to querying results. The experimental results show that the proposed method is useful and effective to apply in the practice.

Perceptions and Motivations of Associate Degree Nursing Students Engaged in Peer Mentoring and Tutoring through Supplemental Instruction

High attrition rates in associate degree nursing (ADN) programs contribute significantly to a nursing shortage in the United States that is expected to worsen. Nursing students find the learning environment stressful, intimidating, and overwhelming, leading to discouragement in the first year of their nursing education. Research is needed to identify specific retention strategies that can offer ADN students additional support and promote academic success. This study aimed to explore first-semester ADN nursing students’ experiences with peer mentoring and peer tutoring provided through supplemental instruction (SI). A basic qualitative study was conducted, and participants’ descriptions of their experiences participating in SI were documented using semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that students feel SI is a positive experience, but improvement is needed. Exposure to different perspectives through peer mentoring and tutoring improved students’ understanding of course material. Stronger peer relationships created consistency for students. Peer mentoring boosted self-confidence among first-semester students, and attendance at SI sessions increased persistence. The findings support the use of peer mentoring to offer academic assistance to first-semester ADN students.

Texas panhandle beef production tour, a high-impact compressed course in animal science.

Many animal science students have little exposure to working livestock production systems prior to college. As such, they can lack insight into day-to-day challenges and rationale behind decision making in these systems, opening the door for the adoption of misconceptions frequently promoted in the popular press. In addition, students identify a lack of first-hand knowledge and experience in the industry as a challenge to their educational success. Field trips stimulate interest and motivation, provide context for learning, and influence long-term career goals, but are underutilized in higher education. The potential impact of such experiences prompted the creation of the Texas Panhandle Beef Production Tour, a 2-credit hour compressed course. Students on this tour visited beef production sites in the Texas Panhandle ranging from cow-calf operations, to feedlots and packing plants. To cement learning through reflection, students responded to a series of questions before, during, and after visiting these sites to probe preconceptions, observations, and outcomes of the experience. We performed a retroactive qualitative evaluation of these reflections (n = 22) to determine cogent themes. Emergent themes included surprise at the intensive systems of data collection and management and the level of technology used at each site. Cattle were calmer and more comfortable than expected at the feedlots and packing plants. Students expressed new appreciation and understanding of course material and a desire to share their insights with others after completing the tour. Finally, participants gained a broader view of industry opportunities and returned with renewed motivation to pursue additional hands-on opportunities. Participation in this course provided valuable insight into the livestock production industry and motivated students to explore new career options and address their own preconceptions of the industry through independent inquiry. The creation of similar courses may be useful to address misconceptions, create personal connections with course material, and broaden career interests in animal science students.

Theological knowledge internalization in man and sin doctrine learning

The learning pattern of the Dogmatics course tends to be directed at mastering and memorizing Christian doctrines, and participants find it difficult to connect Christian doctrines learned to real-life realities. The course materials become things to memorize, not things to believe. In the Dogmatics learning process, a learning pattern that can improve understanding of course materials and be applied in everyday life is needed. This research aims to describe the application of the combined teaching method to improve participants' understanding of course materials and to be able to relate them to daily life. It is descriptive &qualitative research. The research was conducted at Simpson Theological Seminary Ungaran on the odd semester of 2020/2021 Academic Year. The objects of this research were 15 participants and lecturers of Christian Religious Education major participating in the Dogmatics I course. The results show that applying a combination of lecture and Q&A methods could improve participants' understanding of course material and connect lecture material to daily life. Evaluation of learning outcomes showed a good level of understanding of the course material, in which participants could connect the concepts in learning to everyday life

PSII-B-22 High-impact minimester course in animal science

Abstract Many Animal Science students have little exposure to working livestock production systems prior to entering college. As such, they can lack insight into day-to-day challenges and rationale behind decision making in these systems, opening the door for adoption of misconceptions frequently promoted in popular press. Additionally, students identify lack of first-hand knowledge and experience in the industry as a challenge to their educational success. Field trips stimulate interest and motivation, provide context for learning, and influence long-term career goals, but are underutilized in higher education. Potential impact of such experiences prompted creation of the Texas Panhandle Beef Production Tour, a 2-credit hour course that takes place during the spring minimester. To cement learning through reflection, students were asked to respond to a series of questions before, during, and after visiting beef production sites in the Texas Panhandle to probe preconceptions, observations, and outcomes of the experience. We then performed a retroactive evaluation of these reflections (n = 22) to determine cogent themes. Emergent themes included surprise at the intensive systems of data collection and management and the level of technology used at each site. Cattle were calmer and more comfortable than expected at feedlots, dairy, and packing plants visited. Students expressed new appreciation and understanding of course material and a desire to share their insights with others after completing the tour. Finally, participants gained a broader view of industry opportunities and returned with renewed motivation to pursue additional hands-on opportunities. Participation in this course provided valuable insight into the livestock production industry and motivated students to explore new career options and address their own preconceptions of the industry through independent inquiry. Creation of similar courses may be useful to address misconceptions, create personal connections with course material, and broaden career interests in undergraduate animal science students.

“This Happens in the Real World?”: Perceptions of Student-Developed Workplace Case Studies

This study examined student perceptions of an online case study development experience where students wrote their own case studies about workplace communication processes and created accompanying pedagogical materials. Students then shared their cases in small groups and engaged in dialogue. Students from organizational communication classes at four universities completed preevaluations ( n = 77) and postevaluations ( n = 67), providing quantitative and qualitative data. Analyses suggested that students perceived that the experience enhanced their understanding of course materials, aided them in connecting course materials to the real world, and enabled them to reflect on their own and their classmates’ organizational experiences.

Interteaching: How much does each component increase its efficacy?

Although interteaching has been shown to improve students' understanding of course material in a multitude of classroom studies, only one laboratory study investigating it has been published. In that study, interteaching led to significantly higher scores on a quiz compared to other teaching methods. The goal of the present study was to add to the laboratory literature in this area by determining which components of interteaching are important for students' academic success. A pretest/posttest design was used in which participants were randomly assigned to experience 1 of 4 conditions: 1) reading; 2) reading plus prep guide; 3) reading, prep guide, plus group discussion; or 4) reading, prep guide, group discussion, plus clarifying lecture. The results demonstrated that condition 3 produced the highest improvement in test scores, implying that the group discussion was integral to producing positive academic outcomes.

Collaborative Group Testing Implemented Online using Zoom

Collaborative group testing can facilitate meaningful discussion, cooperation, and improved understanding of course material. While this format is used in face-to-face classroom settings, it is less clear if it can be adapted for online settings. With the rapid shift to online instruction because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we explored whether collaborative group testing could be implemented online through video conferencing. Our hypothesis was that online collaborative group testing would be feasible and effective for facilitating student learning. Twelve students enrolled in two sections of an introductory kinesiology course (Spring, n=9; Summer, n=3), took exams individually and then immediately again in small groups (3-4 students). The Spring section completed exam 1 in-class and exam 3 online (exam 2 was modified as a take-home because of the onset of COVID-19 pandemic). The Summer section completed all exams online. For both sections, the group online exam was delivered using Zoom “breakout rooms”. Individual and group scores for exam 3 were evaluated along with student's perceptions relating to the collaborative group testing format. As expected, group exam scores were higher than individual scores (98±1% vs. 79±18%; P<0.05). Most students strongly agreed that the group exam format was collaborative (83%), less stressful than traditional testing (67%), and allowed them to go beyond their previous level of individual knowledge (83%). Additionally, all students recommended the format be implemented in future online courses. Of the students who completed group exams both in-class and online, the majority strongly agreed (67%) that the level of interaction with group members and overall experience was similar. In summary, preliminary results suggest that collaborative group testing can be implemented online effectively and that it was favorably perceived by students.

Novel Integration of Administrative Pharmacy Residents in a Management Course.

Management skills are an essential component of a pharmacy graduate's abilities for successful practice. Although pharmacy education standards require that students have a working knowledge of management principles, students often do not see the value in management and business courses. One innovative approach is restructuring course content using case examples and real-world experiences to improve student understanding of finance and management principles. Two specific changes were implemented in a second year (P2) management and finance course to improve the relevance of business principles. Course content was organized around current pharmacy service cases from a variety of practice settings and supported by the value of problem-based learning. Post-graduate year 1 (PGY-1) administrative pharmacy residents were engaged as course teaching assistants (TAs) who brought real-world experiences into the class. An analysis of pre- and post-course voluntary surveys, course evaluations, and TA evaluations assessed the impact of the course redesign. The course redesign achieved its intended goal of improving student-perceived course relevance. This was shown through statistically significant improvements in course evaluations that were intended to measure student perception of pharmacy management and its relevance in their future career. Student completed TA evaluations showed that those who reported their TA shared real-world applications had higher confidence in applying course concepts and greater understanding of course materials. Administrative pharmacy residents were successfully integrated into a pharmacy management course redesign, resulting in improved student perceptions of course relevance.

Testing of a Program to Automatically Analyze Students' Concept Maps.

Concept maps are graphical representations of how various concepts relate to one another. Assessment of concept maps developed by students in the pharmacy curriculum helps to evaluate student understanding of course material. However, providing feedback on concept maps can be time-consuming and often requires the grader to be a content expert. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a software program to provide students with feedback on their concept map performance. Student maps for four different disease states were compared against expert concept maps. The analysis of the program compared favorably to a manual assessment of student maps for the maps’ complexity and content but did not correlate for their organization. The value of using a software program to quickly and efficiently analyze concept maps is discussed.

The Use of Short, Supplemental Content Videos in the Ad/PR Classroom

The objective of the research reported in this article was to evaluate the usefulness of supplemental videos in the advertising and public relations (PR) classroom, featuring luminaries in these same fields. Students in an introductory course in advertising and PR were given an assignment based on videos from an online library of short videos. Through a survey, students shared their attitudes and open-ended opinions toward the assignment and the videos. The findings suggest that having an assignment that incorporated videos was a useful addition to stimulate students' understanding of course materials. The videos were regarded positively along a number of important dimensions and motivated students to learn more about the advertising industry. This paper also includes five suggestions for incorporating the videos in an instructional setting.

Students' perceptions regarding classroom attendance and its impact on their academic performance: evidence from a developing country

PurposeThe purposes of this study are to identify the reasons that prevent students from attending lectures, to examine the impact of absenteeism on their academic performance and to explore the role of gender in their attendance.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey made up of statements was distributed to accounting students. Descriptive measures, a five-point Likert scale, Pearson's chi-square test and phi test were employed to achieve the study's objectives.FindingsThe study shows that most of the accounting students surveyed are aware of the importance of attending lectures, since they believe that attendance will have a positive impact on their understanding of course material and on their academic performance. The study indicates that overall academic performance and student attendance are related. It also indicates that there is a statistically significant association between the overall academic performance of accounting students and their gender.Practical implicationsTo gain greater insight into educators, academic institutes, researchers and parents concerning the reasons that lie behind students not attending accounting lectures in public higher education institutions in Kuwait and the effect of attendance on academic performance.Originality/valueMost prior studies have been conducted in developed countries and Western contexts. Especially, with the potential perceived differences in cultures and norms, this empirical study is expected to contribute to fill the gap in this research field.

Using Poetry in the Undergraduate Biology Classroom

Traditional assessments in college biology classrooms, such as exams and lab reports, often have limited utility in promoting long-lasting understanding of course material and do not always engage students from all backgrounds. The inclusion of creative scientific writing assignments, especially those that require application of sophisticated course material, is an underutilized strategy in higher education. Here, we describe our use of student-generated poetry in two midlevel undergraduate biology classes. We have found that by encouraging students to write poems in response to carefully crafted prompts and having them assess the scientific accuracy of the poems, we can encourage them to identify misconceptions prior to exams, potentially resulting in deeper and longer-lasting understanding of course material. Furthermore, the inclusion of poetry empowers students who might not otherwise participate in class to contribute, resulting in a more inclusive classroom climate.

An Upper-Level Biology Course Designed to Develop Science Communication in STEM Majors by Examining the Biotechnology Industry

Many undergraduate students pursuing life science majors are not aware of job options outside of medicine and academic research, because many departments stress these as the only primary career pathways. In addition, biology students often do not have many opportunities to develop their science communication and presentation skills due to the rigorous course requirements inherent in these fields that would make them more competitive for careers in biotechnology. We developed a course using diverse pedagogies designed to introduce students to new careers in biotechnology, to help them understand the role of ethics in the drug development pipeline, and to incorporate more communication assignments, such as student presentations and journal-club-style paper discussions to more effectively prepare them for many STEM-based career possibilities. By the end of the course, students had broader knowledge of previously unknown science careers, had improved their scientific communication skills, and reported a greater understanding of course material as a result of the science communication assignments.

Guided Inquiry Learning in Pharmacology Improves Student Comprehension and Application of Material

Process‐oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) is a student‐centered pedagogical method in which students work in small teams with the instructor acting as the facilitator. In a POGIL‐based classroom, students explore a model through guided inquiry and construct their understanding of course material. This unique teaching strategy was developed by college chemistry professors and is now employed by faculty in a variety of disciplines at the high school, college, and professional school levels. The POGIL project has been funded by the National Science Foundation, and research within the scholarship of teaching and learning field has indicated that the POGIL approach also allows for better retention of the material by students. In this study, students enrolled in the second and third years of the pharmacy curriculum at the Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy at East Tennessee State University were given in‐class POGIL‐based activities to learn pharmacology. In some cases, the activities completely replaced traditional lecture; in others, short lectures either proceeded or followed a POGIL activity. Topics included general anesthetics, local anesthetics, antiseizure drugs, sedatives and hypnotics, alcohol, antipsychotics, drugs used to treat obesity, thyroid and antithyroid agents, drugs utilized for erectile dysfunction, and post‐menopausal hormone replacement therapy. In the Student Assessments of Instruction, when asked to rate the following statement on a 5 point Likert scale, “In‐class group activities were helpful in my learning of the course material”, all students either selected “strongly agree” or “agree”, with the mean being a 4.8 out of 5. In addition, the ExamSoft testing software was used to examine overall student performance on exam questions in pharmacology courses utilizing traditional lecture and courses utilizing POGIL‐based activities. In ExamSoft, faculty mapped questions to levels on Bloom’s Taxonomy. Although overall performance on questions was not significantly different between professors who utilize a lecture approach and those who utilize POGIL, the performance on higher order (Comprehension and Application) questions was significantly greater when students were taught pharmacology using POGIL activities. In conclusion, the POGIL technique enhances student perception of their learning experience and may be an effective active‐learning strategy for teaching pharmacology.

The Impact of Supplemental Instruction on the Performance and Attitudes of General Chemistry Students

The Impact of Supplemental Instruction on the Performance and Attitudes of General Chemistry Students

A STUDY TO EXPLORE LEARNING STYLE PREFERENCES OF PHARMACY STUDENTS WITH REGARD TO PHARMACEUTICAL CALCULATIONS

Objective: Pharmaceutical calculations are an essential aspect of learning for pharmacy students in order to avoid drug dose errors and maintain patient safety in future practice. Learning styles influence how lecturers approach the teaching-learning process. So far no specific learning preference is believed to be most appropriate for the pharmacy curricular; however certain learning styles are favoured by students as they improve their understanding of course material, knowledge and performance.&#x0D; Methods: 148Master of pharmacy participants from the second and third year were given a questionnaire to complete during a compulsory Individual Readiness Assurance Test session. Participants were restricted to just one option.&#x0D; Results: Workshops with a tutor was the most selected (36%) followed by 25% of participants favouring formative assessments, 28% selected workbooks alone, 37% for whole-class lecturers and videos option was the least selected. Reasons for the most and least preferred learning styles were highlighted and separated into advantages and disadvantages using themes. In the knowledge test; 92% of participants selected “unsure” or “didn’t know” the answer, 29% had a partially correct answer and 19% selected incorrect answers.&#x0D; The overall order of ranking arose in regards to the most beneficial learning style which enhances performance. The responses revealed a variety of advantages and disadvantages which were reflected between year groups and similar to views obtained from recent literature. Students reflected a lack of understanding on extemporaneous preparation (EPs) terms used in pharmaceutical compounding practices, thus the university should consider addressing the lack of awareness and consider the best teaching-learning style in doing so.&#x0D; Conclusion: Overall the findings suggested that the sample students have similar views on the learning styles used to deliver pharmaceutical calculations on their academic performance to that expressed by the authors from recent published literature.

Summative Portfolios in Undergraduate Mathematics Courses

A summative portfolio is a project completed at the end of the semester that gives a student an opportunity to look at a course as a whole. This study investigates whether collegiate mathematics students gain a deeper understanding of course material through the portfolio project, via an analysis of the students’ work, and a survey of students’ opinions.

Collaborative Quizzes: Impact on Student Performance and Attendance

The current study investigated whether collaborative quizzing impacted quiz performance, overall grades, exam grades, pass/fail rates, and attendance in upper-level psychology courses. Students enrolled in two sections of upper-level psychology courses completed collaborative quizzes, whereas students enrolled in two noncollaborative sections completed quizzes individually. Students enrolled in the collaborative classes maintained quiz performance from beginning to end of the semester, whereas students enrolled in the noncollaborative classes demonstrated a general decline in quiz grades. There was also a slight increase in overall course grades for students enrolled in collaborative compared to noncollaborative classes; however, there was no difference in exam grades, pass/fail rates, and attendance between the collaborative and noncollaborative classes. Collaborative quizzes may encourage a deeper understanding of course material and/or encourage students to come prepared for the group quiz activities.