University Programs Research Articles

Understanding barriers, enablers and motivational factors for Australian healthcare educators teaching university students on clinical placement using the validated Physician Teaching Motivation Questionnaire

BackgroundIn Australia, university clinical programs rely heavily on external healthcare professionals to provide a range of authentic clinical training and professional development opportunities for students. There is, however, a limited understanding of the factors that motivate these professionals to be educators and whether this varies across different healthcare disciplines within Australia. As the demand for clinical placements continues to increase, it is critical for the ongoing success of these programs that universities identify both the barriers associated with teaching and the benefits that enhance job satisfaction.MethodsA two-part questionnaire was emailed to 849 external healthcare educators teaching predominantly in Medicine, Medical Imaging, and Optometry programs at Deakin University. Part-one surveyed the socio-demographics, perceived benefits, and barriers to teaching, plus the utilisation of entitlements offered by the university. Part-two was modelled on Dybowski and Harendza’s validated Physician Teaching Motivation Questionnaire (PTMQ) and adapted to an Australian audience.ResultsOverall, 776 out of the 849 questionnaires were considered in the final participant pool. The response rate for part-one was 19.7% (n = 153/776) and 18.3% (n = 142/776) for part-two. Across all professions, altruism was the primary source of motivation for teaching in Deakin University’s healthcare programs. Medical Imaging educators placed a higher value on career-related teaching aspects compared to those in Medicine and Optometry (p < 0.003). The resources and benefits associated with teaching were generally perceived to be of minimal importance. External healthcare educators most commonly reported that there were no barriers to teaching (41.3%, n = 78) however, increased workloads and time constraints were the next most likely factors to affect teaching participation (31.8%, n = 60).ConclusionOur validated adaptation of the PTMQ successfully targeted healthcare professions not focussed on by Dybowski and Harendza. Altruistic motivation was the overarching theme for why Australian external healthcare educators contribute to teaching with some differences in career-driven motivation additionally acknowledged. Despite there being no key benefits or barriers to teaching participation, universities must remain cognisant of the factors that influence the recruitment and retention of external healthcare educators and how to optimise these for the ongoing success and sustainability of their teaching programs.

Examining the level of Entrepreneurship education and development within the South African higher education: Towards entrepreneurial university

In response to unemployment and socio-economic challenges in the South Africa's higher education institutions introduces entrepreneurship education (EE) with the aim to create sustainable job opportunities. However, higher education (HE) struggles to integrate EE within the university programmes and make it as practical as possible. Furthermore, fostering entrepreneurial mindset and intentions among students is not an easy task. The primary objective of this conceptual paper is to examine the level of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial intentions among the students within the South African higher education. We used qualitative case study methodology, to purposive select 30 articles using a google scholar search engine. The paper was driven by three research questions, namely, what is the level of entrepreneurship education among students in South African higher education? What are the entrepreneurial intentions of these students? Does the design of the EE curriculum foster students' entrepreneurial mindset and intentions? The findings identified a need to curriculum transformation that integrate EE across various disciples; not just a stand-alone module that fails to foster a broad-based entrepreneurial mindset. Furthermore, the findings shows that policy support and infrastructural development should be geared towards the growth and sustainability of EE programs and launching of innovation hubs and other support structures within universities to provide practical EE experiences.

Undergraduate Researchers and The Academic Librarian: Case Studies and Best Practices

The 2023 second edition of Undergraduate research and the academic librarian: Casestudies and best practices co-edited by Merinda Kaye Hensley, Hailley Fargo, and StephanieDavis-Kahl, reflects the recent socio-political cultural changes that have impacted the evolutionof academic library programs focused upon the undergraduate population and their researchskill development. Through the models chosen for this edition, programs which highlight thenecessity for remote learning, the needs of minoritized students and the overall benefits ofinitiating research skills at the undergraduate level are provided to inspire the reader. Theprograms described also provide creative collaborations between the academic libraries andvarious university programs. By providing program descriptions, reflections, recommendationsand best practices in each chapter, Undergraduate research and the academic librarianprovides guidance and creative suggestions for new librarians, academic librarians and researchand instruction programs seeking to address the research instruction needs of a diverseundergraduate student population.

Mapping local suitability for STEM work-related experiential opportunities in Georgia

Internships, job shadows, cooperative education programs, and other forms of experiential education can play a crucial role in students successfully transitioning from their undergraduate program to a career pathway. We collectively term these opportunities as work-related experiential activities (WREAs). While valuable, students’ access to these experiences can vary based on multiple factors, including their own socioeconomic background, access to social networks, university programs, and geographic context. Little research has been done on the last of these factors, and this paper helps fill this gap by developing a geospatial WREA opportunity index for STEM related opportunities, using census and point-of-interest data to identify census tracts with the greatest rate of WREA opportunity and attractive amenities for students. To do so, we draw on surveys and interviews across multiple college campuses in Georgia, both to identify desirable characteristics for students and to catalog the WREAs they have participated in. This index highlights disparities across college campuses, particularly between those located in metropolitan Atlanta compared to those in smaller cities in the state. This tool provides a way to quantify and visualize those differences in ways that can support investment in programs that help bridge opportunity gaps for students.

Does gender impact the relationship between perceived value and intentions of use of natural processing models?

Purpose In the era of artificial intelligence, natural language processing (NLP) models are revolutionizing numerous sectors. This research aims to explore the perceived value of them among university students. In particular, it aims to investigate how gender may influence students’ intention to use these models in educational contexts, highlighting potentially significant differences that could inform the implementation and adoption of educational technologies. Design/methodology/approach This study investigates the relationship between perceived value and students' intention to adopt NLP models, considering gender as a moderator. The research involves 562 students from the University of Salerno, in Italy, and uses confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the reliability and validity of the measurement scales. A regression model with robust errors is used to explore the moderating role of gender on the relationship between perceived value and intentions of use of NLP models. Findings The results reveal a significant positive association between perceived value and intention to use NLP models, confirming that students with higher perceived value are more likely to adopt these technologies. Furthermore, gender moderates this relationship, indicating that females are less prone to use NLP models than male counterparts. Originality/value Research takes on a significant role in the academic field, underlining the importance of adapting teaching practices to the increasingly widespread digitalization. The inclusion of NLP models in university programs emerges as a possible improvement of the learning experience, ensuring cutting-edge education in tune with the needs of the digital society.

Gender and Specialty Influence on Narcissism in University Students

Background: Narcissistic personality traits have garnered increasing attention in psychological research, particularly within academic environments where student behavior and performance are critical. Understanding these traits and their influencing factors is essential for improving student well-being and academic outcomes. Specific Background: The impact of gender and field of study on narcissistic traits among university students remains underexplored. Kernberg's (1970) theoretical framework provides a basis for investigating these traits through empirical measures. Knowledge Gap: While previous studies have examined narcissism broadly, there is limited research focusing specifically on how gender and academic specialization affect narcissistic traits among university students. Aims: This study aimed to identify narcissistic personality traits among university students and examine variations based on gender and field of study using a newly developed Narcissistic Personality Scale. Results: The research, involving 376 students from the University of Basra, utilized a 35-item scale validated through rigorous psychometric testing. The results indicated that the average narcissism score was significantly higher than the hypothesized mean. Male students exhibited higher levels of narcissism compared to female students, and humanities students scored higher than their scientific counterparts. Novelty: This study provides new insights into the prevalence and variance of narcissistic traits among university students, highlighting significant differences related to gender and academic specialization. Implications: The findings underscore the need for university programs to address narcissistic traits and their impact on student behavior and academic performance. Future research should investigate the longitudinal effects of narcissism and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing these traits. Highlights: Gender differences: males show higher narcissism. Humanities students exhibit more narcissistic traits. Calls for targeted university interventions. Keywords: narcissistic personality, university students, gender differences, academic specialization, psychometric scale

Ontario college media professor careers across five decades

ABSTRACT This exploratory research analyses the careers, teaching practices, and self-assessments of Ontario college media teachers in three parts of the Province and three time periods (those hired in the 1970s and 1980s, 1990–2007, and 2007–2022). I interviewed 15 retired media teachers and academic managers; also, 42 current instructors and academic managers answered a survey about their professional experiences. My analysis uses a feminist model of closure theory from the neo-Weberian sociology of professions (Witz, 1992) along with intersectional writing on identity to explain the gendered and racialised nature of the labour market in these geographically and historically specific areas and eras. At the beginning of the first period, privileged white middle-class men with connections to education and industry experience founded the programmes, eventually hiring privileged white women with relevant credentials, all teaching full-time. In the 1990s, the neoliberal practice of hiring substantial cohorts of non-fulltime (NFT) teachers, and a demand for graduate university credentials can be linked to the advent of joint university-college media programmes and an increase in hiring of administrative staff (Mackay, 2014). In the programmes themselves, I found that the institutionalised apprenticeship model of the early college changed to a skills-based curriculum, the current emphasis in all college programmes. In hiring, gender parity for white heterosexual women has been achieved in the central hub, and consciousness of race has grown over time. However, media teachers still do not match the intersectional diversity of their students due to credentialist and legislative professional closure in hiring and promotion among fulltimers. I theorise that this closure operates by requiring credentials for full-time positions that are not available to all, depending on intersectional class, race, sexuality, disability, neurodiversity, and age.

A Case for Open Pedagogy in Nursing Education.

Open pedagogy increases access to equitable nursing education with its commitment to the scholarship of "teaching and learning" and critically framed, student-centered, relational, and open knowledge principles. This study examined the operation of and factors that nurture and challenge the practice of open pedagogy in an undergraduate digital distance nursing education program. An exploratory qualitative methodology was used to examine linkages between open pedagogy and a nursing education program in an open digital distance Canadian university. A critical realist research paradigm provided the framework for the study. Our findings shed light on how open pedagogy is practiced in relation to its 5 principles and delve into the major themes of nurse educator agency, course design, and institutional structure. The study addresses a dearth in the literature by exploring the potential of open pedagogy to increase access to meaningful and critically framed nursing education.

Fairness, tika and political science in Aotearoa New Zealand: Some “inconvenient evidence”

This article is a rejoinder to Annie Te One and Maria Bargh’s article, published in the previous edition of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, exploring whether the political science discipline in Aotearoa New Zealand is keeping pace with change with respect to Māori politics content in university political science programs, the number of Māori employed in the political science profession and the content of New Zealand's Political Science journal. While acknowledging the importance of their case, an assessment of the empirical evidence and further analysis of the data and the methods used by Te One and Bargh refutes their allegations in relation to all three issues. As one of the co-editors of Political Science, I note that, from 2012 to 2022, the acceptance rate of articles on Māori politics was 91.7% and that of Māori authors submitting on a Māori topic was 100%. Recognition and change are underway.

Food waste awareness among Italian university students: results of an online survey.

Food waste (FW) represents a significant social and environmental problem, with 1.3 billion tons of food wasted yearly worldwide. Even if consumers are increasingly aware of the phenomenon, it remains relevant, and understanding the behaviors of specific target audience segments appears instrumental to the planning of effective interventions. To this end, we designed an observational study to investigate, throughout an online questionnaire, FW-related habits of university students in a Southern Italian region. A representative sample of 431 students from the University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia completed an online survey aimed at investigate FW related behaviors. A descriptive analysis was performed on the whole cohort, and a formal statistical analysis was carried out after excluding responders who had not correctly followed the survey instructions (n = 85). Differences were assessed by chi square (χ 2) tests. A food wasting score was generated, and differences in the score values were analyzed by Student T-test. Linear and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify factors contributing to the score. Overall, the results of our survey show a high prevalence of virtuous behaviors in the food purchasing phase; while, at home, less than 50% of respondents apply easy-to-implement waste prevention rules. The statistical analysis showed that the major determinants of FW were: no direct involvement in grocery shopping and male gender. Indeed, even if we observed several significant differences comparing subgroups based on established or putative determinants of FW behaviors, none survived matching for group size, gender and relevant food managing (shopping, storing, cooking) habits. The only exception was the more appropriate handling of "use by" products by respondents who received structured nutrition teaching, as opposed to students whose academic courses do not include this subject (adjusted p = 0.008). Our data suggest that young adults are trying to implement strategies to reduce FW, even if there is room for improvement, particularly in the storage phase. Extending nutrition education to all university programs may be helpful in reaching this goal.

Validation of the Bangla version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale with the medical students of Bangladesh.

Effective communication skill of physicians is an important component of high-quality healthcare delivery and safe patient care. Communication is embedded in the social and cultural contexts where it takes place. An understanding of medical students' attitudes and learning communication skills would help to design and deliver culturally appropriate medical education. The Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) is a widely used and validated tool to measure the attitude of medical students toward learning communication skills in different populations, settings, and countries. However, there is no culturally adapted and validated scale in Bangla in the Bangladesh context. This study aims to culturally adapt the CSAS into Bangla, and validate it in a cohort of medical students in Bangladesh. This study used a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from purposively selected 566 undergraduate medical students from the Rajshahi division. The survey was conducted from January to December 2023. Descriptive statistics like frequency distribution and measures of central tendency were used to measure perception regarding communication skills. The sample adequacy was measured through the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test. The internal consistency of the items was identified using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficients. The results of the study show that the Bangla version of the scale is feasible, valid, and internally consistent in the context of a developing country, Bangladesh. The overall internal consistency of the Bangla version is good since the value of Cronbach's alpha (α) is 0.882. For PAS, the internal consistency is 0.933. While, for NAS, the value is 0.719. The item-wise average scores in the PAS indicate that female medical students are more willing to learn communication skills compared with male students (α = 0.933). While, the scores in the NAS indicate that the male students tend to have more negative attitude toward learning communication skills compared with female students (α = 0.719). The CSAS-Bangla is a valid and reliable tool for assessing communication skill attitudes among Bangla speaking medical students. This scale can be used in future studies to measure the attitude of students, designing and evaluating communication skills training programs in medical colleges.

New Amateurism

This Article proposes a new model for the legal and economic relationship between college athletes and their schools. The National Collegiate Athletic Association and its member conferences and schools are besieged with legal challenges over rules that restrain the capacity of athletes to earn compensation for their athletic labor and the commercial value of their identities. The legal challenges are extensive and scrutinize membership rules under labor, employment, and antitrust laws. The days of “amateurism” and the “student-athlete” enjoying judicial and administrative deference are over. For college sports to maintain a character distinct from professional leagues, university athletic programs that feature de facto pro teams and those that rely on students who play a sport should be formally separated.

Characteristics of U.S. Baccalaureate Health Informatics Programs.

Health informatics (HI) is a growing field of study, yet sparse data are available on the characteristics of undergraduate HI programs in the United States. The lack of a central location for U.S. HI undergraduate program data has led to a gap in information to support current efforts to promote academic standards in the field and attract potential students. The objective of this study was to perform an environment scan of colleges and universities within the United States and Puerto Rico to identify undergraduate programs in HI including majors, minors, and undergraduate-level certificates. Potential institutions offering HI programs were identified from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the Commission for Accreditation of Health Informatics and Health Information Management Education (CAHIIM), the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Publicly available materials for these institutions were reviewed, and data were captured for identified HI programs including geographic location; college or school in which the program was offered; type of degree (if applicable); program title; total credits to complete the program; delivery format; and source of data. A total of 83 HI programs were identified from 60 institutions and 26 states. The primary finding of this environment scan was that inconsistencies exist among U.S. HI undergraduate programs including variations in offering college/school, title of program, number of credits required, delivery formats, CIP codes, and the type of information published on university/college websites. This environment scan was a first step in exploring the characteristics of undergraduate HI programs within the United States. Further research is needed on the curricular similarities and differences among the programs, the administrative methods of these interdisciplinary programs, and the information most needed by current and potential undergraduate students.

A PERSPECTIVE INTO THE FUTURE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RISING INTEREST IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION. OPPORTUNITIES AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES

: The paper aims to provide an image of the future of teaching and learning in the context of artificial intelligence transforming various industries, including sports, education, and construction. Its place in education is a frequently discussed topic. While some argue that artificial intelligence will revolutionize education, others worry that it will take over to the harm of educators and students. Though robotics in the classroom is still a ways off, artificial intelligence is finding its way into the classroom. AI has the power to improve teaching and learning methods, solve some of the largest issues facing education today, and hasten the achievement of inclusive and equitable quality education. In addition to delivering artificial intelligence courses, EdTech businesses are increasingly using eLearning solutions to personalize learning experiences, pinpoint knowledge gaps, and give focused feedback. Also, AI-driven education is upending conventional teaching methods and influencing how this field will use technology in the future. With the use of complex algorithms and massive data sets, artificial intelligence solutions for education may provide a lot of advantages, yet as with the use of artificial intelligence in any context, there are significant ethical considerations which are a hot topic of discussion in the technology world and beyond, and the majority of university degree programs are including courses on AI ethics in their curricula. Therefore, the paper presents the benefits of AI in the classroom, such as engagement and assistance for students, assessment and evaluation, and individualized learning but also about the difficulties and worries associated with AI in education, including prejudice and privacy issues, as well as the moral issues raised by AI-powered learning. It also discusses the possible effects on the educational system and how students are trained for the workforce of the future as potential applications of AI in education are explored.

Lived Experiences of Selected College Students in their Participation in the Community Outreach Programs of First City Providential College

In every community service and service learning, individuals volunteer their time to better our communities. Individual participation represents the best in all of us. Being part of this activity means having the opportunity to do something truly special, that is, selflessly serve others (Fisk, et al, 2020). First City Providential College, as one of the front runners in providing quality education at the heart of the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan did not cease to offer relevant community engagement during the pandemic. These community engagement initiatives did not only benefit the target beneficiaries, but most of all allowed every FCPCian to gain intangible rewards that mold each of them into better professionals with a heart. The research study aimed to find out the lived experiences of selected students of First City Providential College in their participation to the community outreach programs organized and conducted by the institution. It is to ensure that all facets of community engagement, most especially feedback from the student participants are gathered, for continuous quality improvement.

Talent Management Program in a State University and College (SUC)

The study intends to find out the existing Talent management program and practices of SUC and determine the extent of implementation of Talent management. The researcher used simple random sampling results of about 142 employee-respondents and it was held in Samar State University. A descriptive-evaluative survey design was used to assess the talent management practices and strategies presently implemented within the locale of the study. Talent management practices of the SUC resulted from the majority of various ‘yeses’ in the form of frequency. Employee engagement practices, suggestion boxes, and training Needs Survey resulted in 138 (95.50) and 114 (80%) yeses from the employee-respondents. It was emphasized that work ethic 121 (85%) and job expertise 121 (85%) are the major characteristics that define talent. It was also suggested that strategies of SUC must provide training and development (87.50%), rewards, and bonuses (77.50%). The study also found out that informal succession planning is exercised with a rating of 80% or 114, thus formal succession management of talents must be implemented. SUC Support in pursuing a doctorate of employees has a compelling score of 110 (77.50%). The majority of employee respondents choose incentives (128 (90%) as monetary and training and development opportunities, and 103 (72.50%) as non-monetary rewards as part of their reward and recognition. The extent of implementation of talent management strategies, and process improvement results to ‘significantly implemented’ except for one ‘company process help work improvement was only ‘moderately implemented’. In management improvement, all resulted in ‘significantly implemented’ same as to work environment improvement. The Researcher suggests that these talent management strategies must be fully implemented as an anchorage for the success of talent retention and the satisfaction of employees within SUC.

Moroccan university students’ interest in reflective thinking: the role of age, gender, and academic level

ABSTRACT Given the contemporary global issues and recent advances in technology, 21st-century skills are deemed necessary to successfully adapt to the challenges inherent in today’s world. Reflective thinking is one of the crucial skills for fostering critical thinking, lifelong learning, and employability skills among students. In light of the scarcity of research on reflection in Moroccan higher education, the current study investigates the extent to which Moroccan university students are interested in engaging in reflective thinking and the role of age, gender, and academic level in their interest in reflective thinking. The data are collected from 107 Moroccan English department students. The results indicate the absence of gender-based differences in interest in reflective thinking among the students. Nevertheless, age and academic level significantly differentiate Moroccan university students in terms of their interest in reflective thinking. Building on this, the current study suggests some pedagogical implications for integrating reflective practice in university courses and programs, and highlights several issues that can serve as avenues for future research.

Challenges and Barriers to Commercialization of Health Sciences Research Results: A Qualitative Study

Background: In today's world, due to intense competition and the rapid pace of production, exploiting knowledge and converting it into economic returns has become a critical management issue for academics and capital owners. Commercialization activities can impact the educational and research programs of universities, potentially leading to resistance against them. Objectives: The current study was conducted to identify the challenges of the commercialization process in health science research. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted between June and December 2022 in Tehran province, Iran. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 22 key individuals, including university management and technology experts, as well as CEOs and experts from knowledge-based companies, selected through purposive sampling. The interview guide was designed based on four in-depth interviews, theoretical foundations, and comparative study findings. The obtained data were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method in MAXQDA 10 software. Results: The challenges of the commercialization process for health sciences research results were categorized into six main themes and 16 sub-themes. The main themes identified in this study were rules and regulations, societal culture, university management and infrastructure, human resources, financial systems, and organizational cooperation with industry. Conclusions: Policymakers, especially senior health managers, can create a suitable platform for the optimal use of resources and the expansion of targeted relationships between universities and industries by incorporating economic insight into academic services. By compiling relevant laws and guidelines, optimizing resource management, achieving financial independence for universities, and increasing the productivity of health research, the high costs associated with the commercialization of academic research projects can be reduced.

Quantity and Quality: Equity Considerations for the Funding of Categorical Programs in Community Colleges

ABSTRACT Categorical funding is often intended to support our most historically underserved students, while also addressing financial inequities. Extant research suggests, however, that these funding streams may be equitable in intention but not in practice. Situated in a multidimensional equity framework, this study leverages descriptive budget data, funding and regulation documentation, and interviews with categorical-affiliated staff across multiple institutions within the US’s largest community college system to examine funding (in)equities of categorical funding and their potential to address persistent inequities in student access and success within higher education. Our findings suggest that in addition to trade-offs in the funding formulas themselves, contextual factors via program regulations and institutional characteristics also ultimately influence the “equitable” resourcing of these potentially high-impact programs. This study contributes to literature on higher education finance and policy, including the often-overlooked mechanism of categorical funding, and offers implications for future policy and practice, as well as opportunities for future research.

Intestinal epithelium dysfunctions cause IgA deposition in the kidney glomeruli of intestine-specific Ap1m2-deficient mice

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) serve as robust barriers against potentially hostile luminal antigens and commensal microbiota. Epithelial barrier dysfunction enhances intestinal permeability, leading to leaky gut syndrome (LGS) associated with autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders. However, a causal relationship between LGS and systemic disorders remains unclear. Ap1m2 encodes clathrin adaptor protein complex 1 subunit mu 2, which facilitates polarized protein trafficking toward the basolateral membrane and contributes to the establishment of epithelial barrier functions. We generated IEC-specific Ap1m2-deficient (Ap1m2ΔIEC) mice with low intestinal barrier integrity as an LSG model and examined the systemic impact. Ap1m2ΔIEC mice spontaneously developed IgA nephropathy (IgAN)-like features characterized by the deposition of IgA-IgG immune complexes and complement factors in the kidney glomeruli. Ap1m2 deficiency markedly enhanced aberrantly glycosylated IgA in the serum owing to downregulation and mis-sorting of polymeric immunoglobulin receptors in IECs. Furthermore, Ap1m2 deficiency caused intestinal dysbiosis by attenuating IL-22-STAT3 signaling. Intestinal dysbiosis contributed to the pathogenesis of IgAN because antibiotic treatment reduced aberrantly glycosylated IgA production and renal IgA deposition in Ap1m2ΔIEC mice. IEC barrier dysfunction and subsequent dysbiosis by AP-1B deficiency provoke IgA deposition in the mouse kidney. Our findings provide experimental evidence of a pathological link between LGS and IgAN. AMED, AMED-CREST, JSPS Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, JST CREST, Fuji Foundation for Protein Research, and Keio University Program for the Advancement of Next Generation Research Projects.