This rapid review of the literature examines the effectiveness of ESP vocabulary teaching, with a focus on the application of corpus-based materials. This review aims to critically analyse recent studies on the corpus method while teaching ESP vocabulary at universities. The review also highlights the challenges associated with corpus-based materials in ESP vocabulary teaching and their perceptions among ESP students. We searched six research databases, generating 136 studies. During the evaluation process, studies not written in English, published before 2010, lacking evidence-based support, non-peer-reviewed, without abstracts, and not focused on ESP vocabulary, corpus-based approaches, or university education were excluded. Forty-five articles were included after full-text screening; we subsequently coded them according to the data they presented. The overall evidence from this rapid literature review suggests that corpora can be beneficial for many learners across various contexts. When used thoughtfully and appropriately, they become a valuable resource for both ESP teachers and students. More specific results from our research show that a corpus-based approach to ESP teaching improves linguistic skills by supplying comprehensive data on authentic vocabulary and syntax patterns, enabling insights into frequency, connotations, nuanced meaning differences, and proper collocations. The research also shows that utilizing available resources and seeking guidance from experts can help overcome challenges connected with corpus-based materials. As this is the first rapid review in the field of corpus-based ESP vocabulary learning at universities, its findings offer valuable insights for shaping effective academic policies across diverse ESP disciplines

Knowledge about dementia risk influences preventive behaviours, yet has been primarily explored as risk factor awareness. This study investigated the understanding of dementia prevention by systematically assessing general dementia risk knowledge and participants' capacity to recognise specific evidence-based dementia risk mitigation strategies and identify common misconceptions about purported mitigation strategies. This cross-sectional study used the Knowledge of Dementia Risk Reduction survey instrument to assess dementia literacy. The multi-component instrument assesses general knowledge about dementia risk, recognition of mitigation strategies for risk factors and the ability to appraise specific common misconceptions. Items were generated from a literature review and expert consultation. The instrument was administered to participants of an Australian online public health cohort study into dementia risk self-management. Participants numbered 3334 and had a median age of 62 years. Most (72.5%) identified as female; 44.5% had a university education, and 49.1% had a family history of dementia. Most participants (79.5%) agreed that you can reduce your chances of developing dementia. The most recognised mitigation strategies included increased physical activity, social activity and cognitive stimulation, with one-quarter of participants unsure about the management of cholesterol and adoption of a Mediterranean diet. Scores for general dementia risk knowledge and recognition of modifiable risk reduction were midrange and moderately correlated with each other. Correct appraisal of common misconceptions; for example, that aluminium exposure is a risk factor, was poor; only 5.0% of participants scored a midrange score (6/12) or higher, and only 0.2% of participants correctly identified all misconception items. The study highlights the additional insights offered by simultaneously assessing multiple components of dementia risk literacy. Participants in the study demonstrated some knowledge of dementia risk and risk factor mitigation strategies, but had a poor appraisal of common misconceptions. Such insights can inform risk reduction messaging and enable more effective public health campaigns for future risk mitigation.

The study applies statistical analyses to examine the correlations between appointment types—such as permanent, temporary, and contractual—and levels of job satisfaction. Preliminary findings suggest that appointment types significantly influence teachers’ perceptions and attitudes toward their profession, with permanent teachers generally reporting higher satisfaction levels compared to their temporary and contractual counterparts. The results underscore the importance of appointment stability and job security in fostering positive work experiences among Tamil medium teachers. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers and educational administrators to consider appointment policies that enhance job satisfaction, thereby improving teacher retention and overall educational outcomes in the Colombo Education Zone. This research contributes to the broader understanding of employment conditions and their impact on teacher motivation, ultimately supporting the development of targeted interventions to promote a satisfied and committed teaching workforce. Teachers with College Education Appointments reported the highest mean satisfaction (M = 3.60), followed by those with A-Level Appointments (M = 3.45), and Graduate Appointments (M = 3.25). One-Way ANOVA results indicated significant variations (F = 7.85, p = 0.001), with post-hoc tests showing that college-educated teachers are more satisfied than their graduate counterparts. The findings suggest that appointment pathways influence perceptions of job fulfillment, potentially due to factors such as remuneration, professional development opportunities, and social recognition associated with college appointments. Further analysis highlights that appointment stability impacts job satisfaction, with permanent teachers exhibiting higher satisfaction compared to temporary and contractual teachers. Logistic regression identified job security and promotion prospects as key predictors of satisfaction, with permanent teachers being notably more content. Conversely, temporary and contractual teachers expressed dissatisfaction primarily due to insecurity, limited career growth, and uncertainty of contract renewal. The results underscore the importance of employment stability and career advancement opportunities in enhancing teacher morale. Addressing disparities in appointment types and improving job security can foster a motivated and effective teaching workforce, ultimately contributing to improved educational outcomes within the region.

Digitization of university education with innovation in ways and methodologies of teaching has gradually changed the way teachers teach. University lecturers have in the past underutilized e-learning platforms in day-to-day teaching due to insufficient ICT facilities, support and training. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the tech-savvy enablers of lecturers’ preparedness for quality teaching through e-learning platforms in selected universities in Kenya. The study's particular goal was to; establish trends in the utilization of e-learning platforms for quality teaching by university lecturers. The study was anchored on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A descriptive survey design which employed mixed research methodology guided by the Scientific Method Approach methodology envisioned by Noah and Eckstein. This study targeted a population of 1251 lecturers in the selected universities in Kenya in which it obtained a sample of 125 university lecturers, 5 Deans of school, 1 acting dean of school, 2 deputy deans of school, 1 head of ICT, 1 representative of digital school dean and 1 representative of ICT directors. Simple random sampling was employed to obtain data from 103 lecturers drawn from different schools within the selected universities. Data was collected through the Google Document questionnaire that was shared through the lectures mails and in-person interviews were conducted on university administrators. The data obtained was cleaned, organized, processed and analysed quantitatively on Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software whereas recorded interviews were transcribed and presented qualitatively in line with the study’s themes. The findings revealed that a majority of lecturers in University Y (92.8%) and University Z (65%) taught through e-learning platforms in their previous semester and more than three quarters of the lecturers in both universities preferred to teach from home. A majority in University Y (83.1%) and 80% in University Z utilized blended mode when teaching through the platforms and were highly motivated by the institutional policy on e-learning to teach through the platforms.

Radiographic and nuclear medicine (NM) examinations utilizing pharmaceutical administration including contrast media (CM) and radiopharmaceuticals, have become essential for diagnosing a variety of diseases but may increase infection risks if infection prevention and control (IPC) are inadequately followed. This study investigates IPC knowledge and education among radiographers and NM technologists regarding pharmaceutical administration in medical imaging settings. A cross-sectional online questionnaire was administered to newly graduated radiographers and NM technologists in Australia. The survey assessed demographics, IPC knowledge, and perceived effectiveness of IPC training resources in the context of pharmaceutical administration including CM and radiopharmaceuticals. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, ANOVA, and content analysis. Forty-five participants, mostly with bachelor's degrees and 4-5 years of experience, demonstrated high knowledge scores, with 87% scoring 9 or above. Theoretical training was rated as the most helpful IPC resource in university education. Challenges included limited practical opportunities at university, inconsistent supervision, and environmental factors affecting IPC compliance. Many participants reported gaps between university training and workplace practice, citing a need for more practical experience and targeted IPC education. The findings highlight critical gaps in IPC training for medical imaging professionals, particularly concerning the handling of CM in CT imaging. Strengthening IPC education through targeted, hands-on training and regular refresher courses is essential to improve compliance and safeguard both healthcare workers and patients. Addressing these educational gaps is vital for ensuring that medical imaging professionals are adequately prepared to reduce infection transmission risks in clinical settings.

The need for curricular innovation, especially in university education, is incorporated into the agenda of universities for undergraduate health courses, whether through the models adopted in educational institutions, referenced by their curricula, or through traditional practices that still prevail in the 21st century as a form of teaching, to the detriment of innovative practices. With high retention and dropout rates in university courses, the contemporary scenario calls for the development of strategies to reorganize curricula that meet the new demands of student training, implementing new projects, programs, and/or tools that stimulate new teaching and learning processes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the evidence of the effectiveness of projects, programs, and/or strategies for curricular innovation in undergraduate health courses through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and were carried out in two stages: (a) search and selection and (b) analysis and evaluation. Eight databases were used: Cochrane Library; Education Resource Information Center (ERIC); Embase; Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS); PubMed-Medline; SCOPUS; Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO); and Web of Science. The review included qualitative research, cohort studies, cross-sectional and quasi-experimental analytical studies that addressed evidence of the effectiveness of projects, programs, and/or strategies for curricular innovation in undergraduate health courses. The quality of the selected studies was assessed based on the Joanna Briggs Institute evaluation criteria. The meta-analysis was based on data on student satisfaction prevalence, self-efficacy, and academic performance. Publication bias was investigated by visual inspection of funnel plots and Egger's test. Ninety-nine studies were included in the systematic review and 23 in the meta-analysis, covering publications from 1995 to 2024 in 19 countries, with a time span of almost three decades of studies on curricular innovations and evaluations in the health field, which provided an overview of the advances in this area. The interventions were classified into seven thematic areas: clinical simulation, interprofessional training, diversity and equity, assessment and feedback, educational leadership, humanistic education, and digital teaching. The studies analyzed highlighted that curricular innovations promote the improvement of critical skills, such as critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and interprofessional teamwork, in addition to increasing student satisfaction and engagement. Advances were also observed in the development of humanistic skills, cultural sensitivity, and adaptation to digital technologies and online education. These interventions positively impacted health education, strengthening technical competencies and clinical skills, while transforming institutional culture by valuing collaborative teaching practices. Students exposed to early practical experiences reported greater motivation, confidence, and satisfaction with the course, reflecting more robust preparation for professional challenges. In addition, the results of the meta-analysis showed a weighted prevalence of 82% (76%-88%) for student satisfaction, 67% (49%-86%) for self-efficacy, and 70% (64%-75%) for academic performance after the implementation of curricular interventions. Furthermore, it was observed that most studies showed significant positive effects on outcomes after the adoption of these interventions. The findings suggest that curricular interventions have the potential to positively impact the training of health professionals. Thus, we conclude that curricular innovation strategies in health courses are promising, based on improvements in self-efficacy, academic performance, and student satisfaction, promoting indicators of teaching quality in the contexts in which they were carried out. We recommend the development of longitudinal and multicenter studies that investigate the effects of these innovations on professional practice and the quality of health care, considering different cultural and institutional contexts.

ABSTRACT This article examines some of the roles performed by Chilean priest Joaquín Larraín Gandarillas during his journey to the United States and Europe between July, 1851 and October, 1853. On the one hand, the article analyzes his role as a tutor of his nephew and younger brothers, whose education in foreign colleges was under his supervision. On the other, considering that he was appointed rector of Santiago’s seminary while he was in the United States, this work studies his search for statutes and theology manuals in nineteenth-century central Catholic renovation places, such as Paris, Belgium, Rome, and the United States. This twofold analytical perspective – combining the study of his roles as tutor and rector – makes it possible to understand how the priest’s family responsibilities operated in parallel with his role as a mediator of an American and European ultramontane culture to Chile.

Recent reports describe a cultural shift in the average American's perception of the value of higher education. Additionally, and possibly as a consequence of this shifting perception, college enrollments have decreased in recent years. One major element identified in student's perception of college education is whether or not they receive career preparation. In facilitating career preparedness, many instructors have turned to experiential learning opportunities in the form of internships, laboratory-based courses, and simulation. In this manuscript, we describe an experiential learning course for undergraduate and graduate human physiology students in clinical cardiology skills, including electrocardiography, auscultation, manual blood pressure measurement, and cardiac ultrasonography. Student and instructor perspectives were solicited, and four student and two instructor perspectives are included from the author team as qualitative evidence of the efficacy of the described course in preparing students for a variety of jobs with tangible clinical measurement skills. We describe here our perspective that this course enhanced critical thinking, subjective knowledge in cardiology, application of cardiac principles to measurement techniques, and fostered confidence in translating classroom knowledge to the workforce.

Introduction Medical students are exposed to sensitive topics throughout their university education. Topics can be sensitive based on an individual’s life experience, and common examples include domestic violence and mental health. Teaching sensitive topics risks re-traumatisation, and educators typically receive little training in balancing harm minimisation and maximising preparedness to handle distressing patient encounters. A trauma-informed medical education (TIME) approach has been proposed, aiming to optimise the learning environment, improve resilience and prepare students for practice. However, perceptions of TIME and which approaches students find effective remain incompletely understood. Methods We conducted a descriptive, qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews with sixteen medical students from Monash University, Australia. We recruited students in their final years who had completed their general practice rotation, and interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We undertook reflexive thematic analysis of transcripts using NVivo software. Results The overarching theme was the generation of a ‘Safe Space’ to learn sensitive topics. Contributing elements included sub-themes of (1) Preparedness for Teaching, (2) Teaching Techniques, and (3) Debriefing. Discussion Students reported that many TIME strategies were already in place in their teaching. The findings highlighted that trauma-informed teaching strategies were effective in promoting medical student psychological safety and well-being.

ABSTRACT Higher education is widely regarded as a pathway to personal development, social mobility, and national progress. Yet for many students in the Global South, it reproduces entrenched inequalities, hierarchical power relations, epistemic exclusion, and pressures for conformity that restrict agency and intellectual freedom. The aim of this study is to reconceptualize student (dis)satisfaction not as a narrow reaction to instructional quality, or curriculum design but as a diagnostic lens for understanding deeper structural ‘unfreedoms’ that undermine the emancipatory promise of university education. Using a modified grounded theory approach and a consensus building process, we analyzed qualitative responses from 238 students at a public university in Bangladesh, drawn from a mixed-method online survey conducted before June 2021. The analysis traced the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions of students’ experiences, revealing three interrelated domains – academic excellence, student development, and the learning environment through which systemic neglect and institutional fragilities manifest. Students reported disillusionment, anxiety, diminished confidence, withdrawal, alienation, and constrained opportunities, reflecting effects of oppression that curtailed their ability to participate meaningfully, express ideas without fear, and shape their educational trajectories. Anchored in Sen’s capabilities approach, Freire’s critical pedagogy, Durkheimian functionalism, and Oliver’s expectancy–disconfirmation theory, the study demonstrates that student (dis)satisfaction reflects structural oppression rather than isolated service deficits. The originality of this work lies in reframing satisfaction as an indicator of institutional freedom and social justice within higher education systems in the Global South, offering a conceptual and empirical foundation for rethinking how universities understand and respond to student experiences.

The iterative upgrades of "Internet+" technologies and the deepening expansion of intelligent application scenarios have provided many new opportunities for ideological and political education (IPE) in colleges and universities, while also brought many challenges. Policies related to OIPE have been gradually introduced and continuously revised and improved in accordance with the actual situation. Based on the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) as the platform, the academic discussions on OIPE policies in universities could be classified into four categories, namely, the integration, systematic science, lagging, and precision. The OIPE in colleges and universities in the digital age is confronted with multi-dimensional challenges, including the need to update concepts, the urgent need to enhance teams, the need to purify the environment, and the need to improve the governance system. In the future, colleges and universities should constantly explore while adhering to the right path and innovating, driven by digital technology, centered on young students, and with moral education and talent cultivation as the fundamental goal, to promote the comprehensive leap of IPE from "online dissemination" to "intelligent education", and truly achieve the scientific, precise and humanistic development of IPE.

Embedding ‘entrepreneurship’ into universities, whether in curricula or as standalone activities through the likes of accelerator programmes has become a key university strategy, enhanced by Tuffee and Little’s 2023 paper, The Entrepreneurial Campus. There is no doubt a transformative ideology, placing the entrepreneurial mindset and skills development of graduates from degree programmes at the heart of the recommendations, is necessary. Coupled with this, their paper suggests interdisciplinary teaching methods as one of the core solutions to this, with experiential teaching as key to unlocking social entrepreneurship, for example. There are many examples of experiential education methods, which develop entrepreneurial mindsets, such as ‘Design Thinking’ (Bremner & Air, 2023) and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) (Guth & Rubin, 2015) but at times there is a gap between university and the ‘real world’ which is hard to bridge. With the present position of the university sector, not just within Scotland but the UK as a whole, the ability to ‘make these things happen’ is becoming harder and yet necessary for the Government to maintain and contribute to the economic growth and regeneration of the country. This opinion piece will consider the gap between these entrepreneurial development pedagogic methods and industry.

ABSTRACT Background Novice teachers often struggle to apply their content and pedagogical content knowledge in real teaching situations, a phenomenon known as the theory–practice gap. Classroom simulations offer an opportunity to bridge this gap by integrating practical, risk‐free experiences into early university teacher education. Enriching these simulations with chatbots could enhance this process by providing tailored, adaptive learning support, potentially improving pre‐service teachers' diagnostic skills. Objectives This study investigates pre‐service biology teachers' ability to diagnose virtual students' evolutionary explanations in the classroom simulation SCR Bio and the effect of a retrieval‐based chatbot system. Methods A sample of 107 pre‐service biology teachers diagnosed 3153 virtual students' evolutionary explanations using three SCR Bio settings: without a chatbot (SCR‐only), with a knowledge bot (SCR‐Kbot), and with both a knowledge bot and a process‐based feedback bot (SCR‐Kbot+Pbot). Results and Conclusions Pre‐service biology teachers were able to broadly categorize student explanations in a classroom simulation; however, they struggled to accurately diagnose specific misconceptions, especially in mixed‐scientific responses. Regression analysis revealed that pedagogical content knowledge and cognitive load had a significant influence on judgement accuracy. Although chatbot‐based support was accessed more frequently when combined with process prompts (SCR‐Kbot+Pbot group), it did not result in significant improvements in accuracy. These findings highlight the need for targeted training for diagnostic skills and suggest that the integration of adaptive digital tools alone may not be sufficient to enhance diagnostic competence without deeper pedagogical embedding.

With the rapid development of the Internet, the current status of college students' Internet usage and their digital literacy levels have attracted widespread attention. Digital literacy education is crucial for college students' all-round development and adaptation to modern society. This study aims to explore the necessity and methods of digital literacy education for college students, and propose corresponding strategies and suggestions. Through literature review, survey research and other methods, relevant data were collected and analyzed. The results show that the current digital literacy level of college students is generally low, while the importance of digital literacy education in universities is widely recognized. Effective digital literacy education requires comprehensive promotion, including classroom teaching, social practice, and independent learning. It is suggested that universities and educational authorities increase support for college students' digital literacy education, provide necessary resources and training, and strengthen cooperation and participation between families and society to jointly promote the improvement of college students' digital literacy.

Patterns of social participation among people with developmental disabilities and associated factors in South Korea.

Internet addiction among youth across 26 countries: psychological, personality, and socioeconomic determinants.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted all aspects of human life, including education. Medical universities faced various challenges, including the need for virtual education and changes in educational systems, and were forced to adapt their teaching methods. The goal of this study is to explore the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in educating medical students and to design a virtual education framework at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.MethodsThis is a sequential exploratory mixed-method study, consisting of qualitative and quantitative phases. In the qualitative phase, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 faculty members from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. In the so-called “quantitative” phase, a literature review and expert panel were employed; these methods are not inherently quantitative (i.e., they do not involve statistical analysis of numerical data). It is recommended to replace the term “quantitative” with a more accurate descriptor, such as “literature synthesis and expert consensus,” or describe this phase differently. The findings from both phases were subsequently used to design the virtual education framework.ResultsThe study revealed that using modern technologies for virtual education in medical universities is crucial and requires strengthening infrastructure. Furthermore, clinical education in a virtual format presents significant challenges and the need for developing blended learning methods. Ultimately, the virtual education framework at Tehran University of Medical Sciences was designed and developed. The virtual education system formulated here focuses on three pillars: infrastructure development, faculty empowerment, and establishing blended learning practices. A short description of the pillars here provides readers with a clearer sense of the framework’s structure and priorities.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to assess and improve virtual education at medical universities. Given the successes achieved, it is essential to develop the infrastructure for virtual education and establish clear standards for it so that blended and electronic education can be implemented more effectively alongside in-person education in the future. To address the challenges in clinical education highlighted by the study, implementing blended learning approaches emerges as a key strategy for improving virtual and in-person medical education.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-08167-7.

Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Tool for Assessing Dental Students?

Research on cloud computing network security mechanism and optimization in university education management informatization based on OpenFlow

This study compares general education in Korean and Chinese universities, focusing on structure, teaching, and management. Both aim to cultivate well-rounded talent through interdisciplinary learning and critical thinking. China places emphasis on interdisciplinary integration and the expansion of knowledge breadth, while Korea enhances the practical relevance of education by closely linking general education and major studies through specialized liberal arts courses. Teaching in China remains lecture-centered, efficient but passive, whereas Korea employs discussion and project-based learning to enhance autonomy and collaboration. Administration in China is centralized under academic affairs offices, while Korea relies on dedicated bodies with coordination challenges. The study suggests China strengthen major integration and diversify evaluation, while Korea expand experiential learning and flexibility.