Prevalence of Depression among Undergraduate Students: Gender and Age Differences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Ghaedi

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Depressive disorders are the most typical disease affecting many different factors of humanity. University students may be at increased risk of depression owing to the pressure and stress they encounter. Therefore, the purpose of this study is comparing the level of depression among male and female athletes and non-athletes undergraduate student of private university in Esfahan, Iran. The participants in this research are composed of 400 male and female athletes as well as no-athletes Iranian undergraduate students. The Beck depression test (BDI was employed to measure the degree of depression. T-test was used to evaluate the distinction between athletes and non-athletes at P≤0.05. The ANOVA was conducted to examine whether there was a relationship between level of depression among non-athletes and athletes. The result showed that the prevalence rate of depression among non-athlete male undergraduate students is significantly higher than that of athlete male students. The results also presented that level of depression among female students is much more frequent compared to males. This can be due to the fatigue and lack of energy that are more frequent among female in comparison to the male students. Physical activity was negatively related to the level of depression by severity among male and female undergraduate students. However, there is no distinct relationship between physical activity and level of depression according to the age of athlete and nonathlete male and female undergraduate students. This study has essential implications for clinical psychology due to the relationship between physical activity and prevalence of depression.

Mathematical Literacy in Plant Physiology Undergraduates: Results of Interventions Aimed at Improving Students' Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Vila, Francisca; Sanz, Amparo

2013-01-01

The importance of mathematical literacy in any scientific career is widely recognized. However, various studies report lack of numeracy and mathematical literacy in students from various countries. In the present work, we present a detailed study of the mathematical literacy of Spanish undergraduate students of Biology enrolled in a Plant…

Food Consumption Patterns of Female Undergraduate Students in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

BACKGROUND: Studies on food intake in the UAE especially in relation to the student life are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To investigate eating habits of undergraduate students. METHODS: A cohort of 146 undergraduate students studying Physiology at Zayed University completed a semi-structured questionnaire. A student ...

Undergraduate paramedic students cannot do drug calculations.

Science.gov (United States)

Eastwood, Kathryn; Boyle, Malcolm J; Williams, Brett

2012-01-01

Previous investigation of drug calculation skills of qualified paramedics has highlighted poor mathematical ability with no published studies having been undertaken on undergraduate paramedics. There are three major error classifications. Conceptual errors involve an inability to formulate an equation from information given, arithmetical errors involve an inability to operate a given equation, and finally computation errors are simple errors of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. The objective of this study was to determine if undergraduate paramedics at a large Australia university could accurately perform common drug calculations and basic mathematical equations normally required in the workplace. A cross-sectional study methodology using a paper-based questionnaire was administered to undergraduate paramedic students to collect demographical data, student attitudes regarding their drug calculation performance, and answers to a series of basic mathematical and drug calculation questions. Ethics approval was granted. The mean score of correct answers was 39.5% with one student scoring 100%, 3.3% of students (n=3) scoring greater than 90%, and 63% (n=58) scoring 50% or less, despite 62% (n=57) of the students stating they 'did not have any drug calculations issues'. On average those who completed a minimum of year 12 Specialist Maths achieved scores over 50%. Conceptual errors made up 48.5%, arithmetical 31.1% and computational 17.4%. This study suggests undergraduate paramedics have deficiencies in performing accurate calculations, with conceptual errors indicating a fundamental lack of mathematical understanding. The results suggest an unacceptable level of mathematical competence to practice safely in the unpredictable prehospital environment.

Difficulties encountered at the beginning of professional life: results of a 2003 pilot survey among undergraduate students in Paris Rene Descartes University (France).

Science.gov (United States)

Benbelaïd, R; Dot, D; Levy, G; Eid, N

2006-11-01

In addition to dental hospital clinical activity, dental students at Paris Rene Descartes University have the opportunity in their final year of study to practise clinically in a dental office, as associates. This paper outlines a pilot, experimental study designed to assess student reaction to this Vocational Clinical Activity (VCA) in order to identify relevant weaknesses of the undergraduate programme. Using questionnaires, data were collected for each of the following clinical or management skills: clinical difficulty, therapeutic decision-making, patient/practitioner relationship, time management, administrative matters and technical problems. Students were asked to rank each item in order of difficulty (1, high level to 6, low level). A high response rate was observed (90%) among the 50 undergraduate VCA students. The results pointed out three main difficulties encountered by undergraduate students during the VCA: time management (90% of the students), administrative matters (85% of the students) and clinical decision-making (80% of the students). These preliminary results need further investigation. However, they give us the incentive to carry on with this type of assessment and to extend it to young, qualified colleagues' perceptions and to other French Universities.

Graduate Students May Need Information Literacy Instruction as Much as Undergraduates

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Robin Elizabeth Miller

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A Review of: Conway, Kate. (2011. How prepared are students for postgraduate study? A comparison of the information literacy skills of commencing undergraduate and postgraduate studies students at Curtin University. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 42(2, 121-135. Abstract Objective – To determine whether there is a difference in the information literacy skills of postgraduate and undergraduate students beginning an information studies program, and to examine the influence of demographic characteristics on information literacy skills. Design – Online, multiple choice questionnaire to test basic information literacy skills. Setting – Information studies program at a large university in Western Australia. Subjects – 64 information studies students who responded to an email invitation to participate in an online questionnaire, a 44% response rate. Of those responding, 23 were undergraduates and 41 were postgraduates. Methods – Over the course of two semesters, an online survey was administered. In order to measure student performance against established standards, 25 test questions were aligned with the Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework (ANZIIL (Bundy, 2004, an adapted version of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2000. In the first semester that the survey was administered, 9 demographic questions were asked and 11 in the second semester. Participants were invited to respond voluntarily to the questionnaire via email. Results were presented as descriptive statistics, comparing undergraduate and postgraduate student performance. The results were not tested for statistical significance and the author did not control for confounding variables. Main Results – Postgraduate respondents scored an average of 77% on the test questionnaire, while undergraduates scored an average of 69%. The 25% of respondents who had previous work experience

Method to Increase Undergraduate Laboratory Student Confidence in Performing Independent Research

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Colton E. Kempton

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The goal of an undergraduate laboratory course should be not only to introduce the students to biology methodologies and techniques, but also to teach them independent analytical thinking skills and proper experiment design.  This is especially true for advanced biology laboratory courses that undergraduate students typically take as a junior or senior in college.  Many courses achieve the goal of teaching techniques, but fail to approach the larger goal of teaching critical thinking, experimental design, and student independence.  Here we describe a study examining the application of the scaffolding instructional philosophy in which students are taught molecular techniques with decreasing guidance to force the development of analytical thinking skills and prepare undergraduate students for independent laboratory research. This method was applied to our advanced molecular biology laboratory class and resulted in an increase of confidence among the undergraduate students in their abilities to perform independent research.

The Ecology of Student Retention: Undergraduate Students and the Great Recession

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza, Pilar; Malcolm, Zaria; Parish, Nancy

2015-01-01

This study investigated qualitatively how undergraduate students experienced the Great Recession at a flagship university in the South Eastern of United States and how this experience relates to their retention. Results indicate that the Great Recession has significantly impacted students' engagement and commitments. We argue that student…

Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among the undergraduate physiotherapy students.

Science.gov (United States)

Syed, Annosha; Ali, Syed Shazad; Khan, Muhammad

2018-01-01

To assess the frequency of Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DAS) among the undergraduate physiotherapy students. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in various Physiotherapy Institutes in Sindh, Pakistan among undergraduate physiotherapy students. The total duration of this study was 4 months from September, 2016 to January, 2017. Data was collected from 267 students with no physical and mental illness; more than half were female students 75.3%. They were selected through Non probability purposive sampling technique. A self-administered standardized DASS (depression, anxiety and stress scale) was used to collect data and result was analyzed using its severity rating index. Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics including the frequency of depression, anxiety, stress and demographic characteristic of the participant was collected. The mean age of students was 19.3371±1.18839 years. The Frequency of depression, anxiety and stress found among undergraduates Physiotherapy students was 48.0%, 68.54% and 53.2%, respectively. It was observed that the frequency of depression, anxiety and stress among physiotherapy undergraduates students were high. It suggests the urgent need of carrying out evidence based Psychological health promotion for undergraduate Physiotherapy students to control this growing problem.

Student nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards domestic violence: results of survey highlight need for continued attention to undergraduate curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Doran, Frances; Hutchinson, Marie

2017-08-01

To gain a comprehensive understanding of undergraduate nursing student attitudes and views towards domestic violence, and employ the findings to inform undergraduate curriculum development. Nurses have an important role in identifying people who are victims of domestic violence through screening and facilitating their access to assistance and support. Undergraduate nursing education is key to shaping attitudes and facilitating the development of a comprehensive understanding of domestic violence. Little research has been undertaken exploring nursing students' attitudes towards domestic violence. A cross-sectional survey of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a three-year Bachelor of Nursing programme across three campuses of a regional university in NSW, Australia. Students completed a pen and paper survey during class time and descriptive and comparative analysis was undertaken. The majority of respondents were female, first year students females aged 17-26 years. Many students understood the nature and consequences of domestic violence, yet others across the course of the programme demonstrate attitudes that reflect a lack of understanding and misconceptions of domestic violence. Stereotypical and gendered attitudes that normalise violence within intimate partner relationships and sustain victim-blaming attitudes were evident across the cohort. It is important for nurses to understand the relationship between exposure to violence and women's ill health, and be able to respond appropriately. Undergraduate programmes need to highlight the important role of nurses around domestic violence and address stereotypical conceptions about domestic violence. Continued effort is required to address domestic violence in undergraduate nursing education so that nursing graduates understand the association between violence exposure and poor health and are able to assess exposure and respond appropriately in the clinical environment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Undergraduate Students' Pro-Environmental Behavior in Daily Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Dewi, Widiaswati; Sawitri, Dian R.

2018-02-01

Pro-environmental behavior is an individual action as a manifestation of one's responsibility to create a sustainable environment. University students as one of the agent of change can adopt pro-environmental behaviors concept, even through simple things to do on daily activities such as ride a bicycle or walk for short distance, reuse the shopping bags, separate waste, learn about environmental issues etc. Many studies have examined pro-environmental behavior from various approaches. However, the study about university students' pro-environmental behavior is lacking. The aim of this paper is to examine the undergraduate students' pro-environmental behaviors level. We surveyed 364 first year undergraduate students from a state university in Semarang. The survey included six aspects of pro-environmental behavior in daily practice which include energy conservation, mobility and transportation, waste avoidance, recycling, consumerism, and vicarious behaviors toward conservation. Findings of this study showed the level of pro-environmental behavior of first year undergraduate students is medium. Recommendations for undergraduate students and future researchers are discussed.

South African undergraduate nursing students experience of intra ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Intra-professional violence is taking its toll on undergraduate nursing students and is ... to leave the profession even before embarking on their new careers. ... The population consisted of undergraduate nursing students registered at nursing ...

Feasibility and outcomes of paid undergraduate student nurse positions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamroth, Lucia; Budgen, Claire; Lougheed, Mary

2006-09-01

An Undergraduate Nurse Employment Demonstration Project (UNDP) was implemented in four Health Service Areas in British Columbia with a concurrent evaluation study. This demonstration project comprised the development and implementation of a new position in the BC healthcare system. The position enabled third- and fourth-year nursing students to be employed at their level of education. The purposes of the evaluation were to explore the feasibility and outcomes of this type of paid undergraduate student nurse employment. The three-year project and evaluation included both implementation and outcome analysis. The implementation evaluation design was descriptive and prospective, involving multiple data sources. The outcome evaluation design was quasi-experimental, with intervention and comparison groups. Learning outcomes for undergraduate nurses were increased confidence, organizational ability, competency and ability to work with a team. Workplace outcomes were increased unit morale, help with workload and improved patient care. New graduates with undergraduate nurse experience reported less time required for orientation and transition than other graduates who did not have this experience, and workplace nurses viewed these new graduates as more job-ready than other new graduates. After 21 months, new graduates with undergraduate nurse experience were less likely to move to other employment than other new graduates. Results from the four Health Service Areas indicated that the paid undergraduate nurse position was feasible and that outcomes benefited students, new graduates and workplaces. The undergraduate nurse position is now being implemented throughout all Health Service Areas in British Columbia.By 2000, concerns in British Columbia about the nursing workforce, workplace and patient safety had escalated to the point where diverse stakeholder groups were prepared to work together in new ways to prepare nursing graduates to be more job-ready, to recruit and retain

Food safety knowledge of undergraduate students at a Canadian university: results of an online survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah M. Courtney

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Foodborne diseases are an important public health issue, and young adults are an important demographic to target with food safety education. Our objective was to assess the food safety knowledge of undergraduate students at a Canadian university, to identify potential areas for such education. Methods In February 2015, we conducted an online survey of 485 undergraduate students at a university in Ontario, Canada. We assessed various food-related factors, including cooking frequency and prior food handling or preparation education. We then modeled the relationship between ‘overall knowledge score’ and the demographic and food skills/cooking experience predictors using multivariable log-binomial regression, to determine factors associated with relatively higher proportions of correct responses. Results Respondents were, on average, 20.5 years old, and the majority (64.8 % lived off campus. Students cooked from basic ingredients infrequently, with 3 in 4 doing so a few times a year to never. Students averaged 6.2 correct answers to the 11 knowledge questions. Adjusting for other important covariates, older age and being a current food handler were associated with relatively higher knowledge, whereas working/volunteering in a hospital and infrequent cooking were associated with relatively lower knowledge. Males in the Faculty of Science had relatively higher knowledge than females in the Faculty of Science, both of whom had relatively higher knowledge than all students in other Faculties. Among students who had never taken a food preparation course, knowledge increased with self-reported cooking ability; however, among students who had taken such a course, knowledge was highest among those with low self-reported cooking ability. Conclusions Consistent with other similar studies, students in Faculties outside of the Faculty of Science, younger students, and those who cook infrequently could benefit from food safety education

A comparative study on undergraduate students' academic motivation and academic self-concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Isiksal, Mine

2010-11-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate Turkish and American undergraduate students' academic motivation and academic self-concept scores regarding the years that they spent in university. The analysis was based on 566 (284 Turkish, 282 American) undergraduate students where, Academic Motivation Scale and Academic Self-Concept Scale were used as measuring instruments. The results showed that there was a statistical significant effect of nationality and number of years spent in university on undergraduate students' intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-concept scores. Turkish students had higher intrinsic scores whereas American students had higher extrinsic scores and more positive academic-self concept compared to Turkish partners. Regarding grade level, senior students from both cultures had higher intrinsic motivation and academic self-concept scores compared to other grade levels. In terms of extrinsic motivation, there is steady decline in American students' scores as grade level increases. On the other hand, Turkish undergraduates' extrinsic scores decrease in the second year but increase in the third and fourth year of university education. Results were discussed by taking into consideration the social and cultural differences between two nations.

Information literacy skills of undergraduate medical radiation students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shanahan, Madeleine C. [Medical Radiations, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Victoria (Australia)]. E-mail: mshanahan@rmit.edu.au

2007-08-15

Undergraduate education is undergoing a shift away from the traditional transmission of a fixed body of knowledge to a learning approach where the emphasis is on supporting learners to learn. Central to this change is recognition that undergraduate education programmes should aim to develop independent learners who become effective lifelong learning practitioners. Successful independent learning as an undergraduate student or as a lifelong learner requires the learner to have well developed information literacy skills. An Online Electronic Information Skills (OEIS) intervention was designed to develop the information literacy skills in a cohort of second year undergraduate radiography students. An evaluation focused on learning outcomes was used to provide evidence of development of information literacy within the undergraduate course. The evaluation clearly demonstrated substantial skill development in students' ability to access scholarly information in their discipline area. The reported continued use of database searching by this cohort of students seven months after the OEIS intervention provides evidence that they are continuing to access and use scholarly information, information literacy skills necessary for their future work context.

Information literacy skills of undergraduate medical radiation students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shanahan, Madeleine C.

2007-01-01

Undergraduate education is undergoing a shift away from the traditional transmission of a fixed body of knowledge to a learning approach where the emphasis is on supporting learners to learn. Central to this change is recognition that undergraduate education programmes should aim to develop independent learners who become effective lifelong learning practitioners. Successful independent learning as an undergraduate student or as a lifelong learner requires the learner to have well developed information literacy skills. An Online Electronic Information Skills (OEIS) intervention was designed to develop the information literacy skills in a cohort of second year undergraduate radiography students. An evaluation focused on learning outcomes was used to provide evidence of development of information literacy within the undergraduate course. The evaluation clearly demonstrated substantial skill development in students' ability to access scholarly information in their discipline area. The reported continued use of database searching by this cohort of students seven months after the OEIS intervention provides evidence that they are continuing to access and use scholarly information, information literacy skills necessary for their future work context

[Smoking among undergraduate university students].

Science.gov (United States)

Barra C, Lisseth; Fernández P, Paola; Granada G, Felipe; Ávila C, Paula; Mallea M, Javier; Rodríguez M, Yeniffer

2015-10-01

Smoking is one of the major Public Health problems worldwide. To study the frequency of tobacco smoking among undergraduate students of a Chilean university. An opinion survey was sent by e-mail to all undergraduate students of a university, registering gender, age, study years, study area, smoking behavior, motivation (reason for smoking), intention to quit and tobacco law perception. 1,008 (57% females) out of 11,679 surveys were answered back. Prevalence of active smoking among respondents was 36%, without association with gender, age or years of study. However, students from scientific areas had a lower prevalence. Seventy seven percent of smokers manifested the intention to quit the habit or have started quitting already. Ninety six percent were acquainted with the tobacco law and by 73% agreed with it. Smoking is highly prevalent among university students. It is necessary to develop strategies for smoking cessation within universities that may prevent or reduce tobacco smoking among students.

American undergraduate students' value development during the Great Recession.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Heejung; Twenge, Jean M; Greenfield, Patricia M

2017-02-01

The Great Recession's influence on American undergraduate students' values was examined, testing Greenfield's and Kasser's theories concerning value development during economic downturns. Study 1 utilised aggregate-level data to investigate (a) population-level value changes between the pre-recession (2004-2006: n = 824,603) and recession freshman cohort (2008-2010: n = 662,262) and (b) overall associations of population-level values with national economic climates over long-term periods by correlating unemployment rates and concurrent aggregate-level values across 1966-2015 (n = 10 million). Study 2 examined individual-level longitudinal value development from freshman to senior year, and whether the developmental trajectories differed between those who completed undergraduate education before the Great Recession (freshmen in 2002, n = 12,792) versus those who encountered the Great Recession during undergraduate years (freshmen in 2006, n = 13,358). Results suggest American undergraduate students' increased communitarianism (supporting Greenfield) and materialism (supporting Kasser) during the Great Recession. The recession also appears to have slowed university students' development of positive self-views. Results contribute to the limited literature on the Great Recession's influence on young people's values. They also offer theoretical and practical implications, as values of this privileged group of young adults are important shapers of societal values, decisions, and policies. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Undergraduate Students' Attitudes toward Biodiversity

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hui-Ju; Lin, Yu-Teh Kirk

2014-01-01

The study investigated American and Taiwan undergraduate students' attitudes toward biodiversity. The survey questionnaire consisted of statements prompted by the question "To what extent do you agree with the following statements about problems with the biodiversity issues." Students indicated strongly disagree, disagree, agree,…

A Tiered Mentoring Model of Exposing and Engaging Students with Research Throughout the Undergraduate Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Guerard, J.; Hayes, S. M.

2015-12-01

Incorporating research into undergraduate curricula has been linked to improved critical thinking, intellectual independence, and student retention, resulting in a graduating population more ready for the workforce or graduate school. We have designed a three-tier model of undergraduate chemistry courses that enable first-year students with no previous research experience to gain the skills needed to develop, fund and execute independent research projects by the close of their undergraduate studies. First-year students are provided with context through a broadly focused introductory class that exposes them to current faculty research activities, and also gives them direct experience with the research process through peer mentored research teams as they participate in faculty-directed projects. Mid-career undergraduate students receive exposure and support in two formats: illustrative examples from current faculty research are incorporated into lessons in core classes, and courses specially designed to foster research independence. This is done by providing content and process mentoring as students develop independent projects, write proposals, and build relationships with faculty and graduate students in research groups. Advanced undergraduates further develop their research independence performing student-designed projects with faculty collaboration that frequently result in tangible research products. Further, graduate students gain experience in mentoring though formal training, as well as through actively mentoring mid-career undergraduates. This novel, integrated approach enables faculty to directly incorporate their research into all levels of the undergraduate curriculum while fostering undergraduates in developing and executing independent projects and empowering mentoring relationships.

Burnout syndrome in nursing undergraduate students

OpenAIRE

Juliana Inhauser Riceti Acioli Barboza; Ruth Beresin

2007-01-01

Objectives: To classify nursing students on a socio-demographic basisin order to check whether they are acquainted with the meaning ofthe term burnout syndrome; to check for the presence of the burnoutsyndrome and assess its levels in undergraduate nurses. Methods:A cross-section study was carried out of 102 students at the NursingSchool of the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. A questionnaire wasmade up by the authors and applied along with the Maslachs BurnoutInventory (MBI). Results: Nin...

Factors affecting the number and type of student research products for chemistry and physics students at primarily undergraduate institutions: A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mellis, Birgit; Soto, Patricia; Bruce, Chrystal D; Lacueva, Graciela; Wilson, Anne M; Jayasekare, Rasitha

2018-01-01

For undergraduate students, involvement in authentic research represents scholarship that is consistent with disciplinary quality standards and provides an integrative learning experience. In conjunction with performing research, the communication of the results via presentations or publications is a measure of the level of scientific engagement. The empirical study presented here uses generalized linear mixed models with hierarchical bootstrapping to examine the factors that impact the means of dissemination of undergraduate research results. Focusing on the research experiences in physics and chemistry of undergraduates at four Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) from 2004-2013, statistical analysis indicates that the gender of the student does not impact the number and type of research products. However, in chemistry, the rank of the faculty advisor and the venue of the presentation do impact the number of research products by undergraduate student, whereas in physics, gender match between student and advisor has an effect on the number of undergraduate research products. This study provides a baseline for future studies of discipline-based bibliometrics and factors that affect the number of research products of undergraduate students.

Factors affecting the number and type of student research products for chemistry and physics students at primarily undergraduate institutions: A case study

Science.gov (United States)

Soto, Patricia; Bruce, Chrystal D.; Lacueva, Graciela; Wilson, Anne M.; Jayasekare, Rasitha

2018-01-01

For undergraduate students, involvement in authentic research represents scholarship that is consistent with disciplinary quality standards and provides an integrative learning experience. In conjunction with performing research, the communication of the results via presentations or publications is a measure of the level of scientific engagement. The empirical study presented here uses generalized linear mixed models with hierarchical bootstrapping to examine the factors that impact the means of dissemination of undergraduate research results. Focusing on the research experiences in physics and chemistry of undergraduates at four Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) from 2004–2013, statistical analysis indicates that the gender of the student does not impact the number and type of research products. However, in chemistry, the rank of the faculty advisor and the venue of the presentation do impact the number of research products by undergraduate student, whereas in physics, gender match between student and advisor has an effect on the number of undergraduate research products. This study provides a baseline for future studies of discipline-based bibliometrics and factors that affect the number of research products of undergraduate students. PMID:29698502

Undergraduate medical research: the student perspective.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Burgoyne, Louise N

2010-01-01

Research training is essential in a modern undergraduate medical curriculum. Our evaluation aimed to (a) gauge students\\' awareness of research activities, (b) compare students\\' perceptions of their transferable and research-specific skills competencies, (c) determine students\\' motivation for research and (d) obtain students\\' personal views on doing research.

Compendium of student papers : 2008 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2008 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The ten-week summer program, now in its eighteenth year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Enginee...

Compendium of student papers : 2011 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2011 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 21st year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2012 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2012 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 22nd year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2010 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2010 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 20th year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Motivation of first semester undergraduate students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schlichter, Bjarne; Sigvardsen, Kari; Jonsson, Sofia

in the curriculum. Method - The study is based on interpretative research (Walsham, 2006; Yin, 2003) and the method chosen was a qualitative case study (Myers, 2009). The data for this study was collected through fieldwork and semi-structured interviews. The fieldwork was conducted during the autumn semester 2010...... of first semester undergraduate students. Keywords -Motivation; first year undergraduate students; Management Information Systems; teaching assistants. Paper type - Research paper....... to the processes in a company. 2) Methods for formal modeling of processes, data and occurrences. 3) An introduction to a company's information systems and the relationship of these to business strategies. In addition to the lectures and tutorials, the students have to hand in a prescribed group assignment...

Compendium of student papers : 2013 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2013 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 23nd year, provides undergraduate students in Civil Engineering the op...

[Intensive care medicine on medical undergraduation: student's perspective].

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Alessandro de Moura; Albuquerque, Ligia Carvalho; Bitencourt, Almir Galvão Vieira; Rolim, Carlos Eduardo Cerqueira; Godinho, Tiana Mascarenhas; Liberato, Maurício Valverde; Oliveira Filho, Fernando Cezar Cabral; Azevedo, Ana Bárbara Galvão de; Neves, Ana Paula Soares da Silva; Martins, Marcelo de Jesus; Silva, João Paulo Maciel; Jesuíno, Paulo André; Souza Filho, Sydney Agareno de

2007-12-01

There are deficiencies on Intensive Medicine (IM) teaching in most of medical undergraduate schools. Those deficiencies may imply damages on their clinical competence. The objective of this study was to analyze current status of IM teaching and the medical undergraduate student interest in this speciality. A cross-sectional study was performed in 2005. We applied a self-reported questionnaire to enrolled students between the sixth and the last semesters of two medical schools from Salvador-Bahia. The questionnaire contained questions about students' interest and knowledge on IM, and opinion on IM teaching in their schools. We studied 570 students. Most of them (57.5%) had never realized a clerkship in intensive care unit (ICU) despite classifying its usefulness as high (mean of 4.14 ± 1.05, in a scale from 1 to 5). IM interest was high or very high in 53.7% of sample. Almost all students (97%) thought that IM topics should be more explored at their curriculum. Only 42.1% reported to be able to assess a critical care patient and this assurance was higher among students with previous clerkship in ICU (p < 0.001). Shock, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and sepsis were the most interesting topics in ICU for students' opinion. This study revealed a high interest in IM among medical undergraduate students. However, most had never practice a clerkship in ICU, demonstrating to be an important factor on undergraduate student performance faced to a critical care patient.

Student Performance in Undergraduate Economics Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Mumford, Kevin J.; Ohland, Matthew W.

2011-01-01

Using undergraduate student records from six large public universities from 1990 to 2003, the authors analyze the characteristics and performance of students by major in two economics courses: Principles of Microeconomics and Intermediate Microeconomics. This article documents important differences across students by major in the principles course…

An Investigation of Predictors of Life Satisfaction among Overseas Iranian Undergraduate Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Razieh Tadayon Nabavi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In recent years, many young people have gone overseas to study and live at least temporarily in new countries that maybe quite different to their homeland. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of life satisfaction among Iranian undergraduate students studying at Malaysian private universities. A total of 361 undergraduate students were identified as respondents of this study by using Multi-Stage random sampling technique. The results of the study showed that the Iranian undergraduate students were moderately satisfied with their overseas student life. Findings also showed that the results of multiple regression analyses indicated social support emerged as the strongest unique predictor of life satisfaction, followed by academic achievement, and adjustment. Findings revealed that 44.8% of the variability in life satisfaction could be predicted by social support, academic achievement, and adjustment. The results also indicated that social support significantly mediated the effect of loneliness on life satisfaction.

Undergraduates Achieve Learning Gains in Plant Genetics through Peer Teaching of Secondary Students

Science.gov (United States)

Chrispeels, H. E.; Klosterman, M. L.; Martin, J. B.; Lundy, S. R.; Watkins, J. M.; Gibson, C. L.

2014-01-01

This study tests the hypothesis that undergraduates who peer teach genetics will have greater understanding of genetic and molecular biology concepts as a result of their teaching experiences. Undergraduates enrolled in a non–majors biology course participated in a service-learning program in which they led middle school (MS) or high school (HS) students through a case study curriculum to discover the cause of a green tomato variant. The curriculum explored plant reproduction and genetic principles, highlighting variation in heirloom tomato fruits to reinforce the concept of the genetic basis of phenotypic variation. HS students were taught additional activities related to mole­cular biology techniques not included in the MS curriculum. We measured undergraduates’ learning outcomes using pre/postteaching content assessments and the course final exam. Undergraduates showed significant gains in understanding of topics related to the curriculum they taught, compared with other course content, on both types of assessments. Undergraduates who taught HS students scored higher on questions specific to the HS curriculum compared with undergraduates who taught MS students, despite identical lecture content, on both types of assessments. These results indicate the positive effect of service-learning peer-teaching experiences on undergraduates’ content knowledge, even for non–science major students. PMID:25452487

Undergraduate Students' Experiences in Programming: Difficulties and Obstacles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Büşra Özmen

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Programming courses become prominent as one of the courses in which undergraduate students are unsuccessful especially in departments which offer computer education. Students often state that these courses are quite difficult compared to other courses. Therefore, a qualitative phenomenological approach was used to reveal the reasons of the failures of the undergraduate students in programming courses and to examine the difficulties they confronted with programming. In this scope, the laboratory practices of the Internet Programming course were observed in fall term of the 2013-2014 academic year in a university at central Anatolia. Interviews were made with 12 undergraduate students taking this course. Finally, the difficulties students experienced in the programming were determined as programming knowledge, programming skills, understanding semantics of the program, and debugging. Students emphasized that the biggest causes of failure in programming languages are lack of practice, not using algorithms and lack of knowledge. In addition, it was seen that the students who had high programming experience possess higher programming success and self-efficacy related to programming

Is The Healing Force Of Music Far Away From The Undergraduate Music Education Students?

OpenAIRE

Erol Demirbatir; Nuran Bayram; Nazan Bilgel

2012-01-01

Depression, anxiety and stress are common among undergraduate students and a world-wide phenomenon. In this study we wanted to assess depression, anxiety and stress levels as well as burnout and vigor among undergraduate music education students in one Turkish university and compare the results with the results of medical students from the same institution. We collected data from 160 music education and 928 medical students by self reporting using DASS-42 (Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-42),...

Undergraduate Research Involving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Interdisciplinary Science Projects

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Todd Pagano

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Scientific undergraduate research in higher education often yields positive outcomes for student and faculty member participants alike, with underrepresented students often showing even more substantial gains (academic, professional, and personal as a result of the experience. Significant success can be realized when involving deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh undergraduate students, who are also vastly underrepresented in the sciences, in interdisciplinary research projects. Even d/hh Associate degree level students and those in the first two years of their postsecondary careers can contribute to, and benefit from, the research process when faculty mentors properly plan/design projects. We discuss strategies, including the dissemination/communication of research results, for involving these students in research groups with different communication dynamics and share both findings of our research program and examples of successful chemical and biological research projects that have involved d/hh undergraduate students. We hope to stimulate a renewed interest in encouraging diversity and involving students with disabilities into higher education research experiences globally and across multiple scientific disciplines, thus strengthening the education and career pipeline of these students.

Investigating Undergraduate Science Students' Conceptions and Misconceptions of Ocean Acidification

Science.gov (United States)

Danielson, Kathryn I.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2015-01-01

Scientific research exploring ocean acidification has grown significantly in past decades. However, little science education research has investigated the extent to which undergraduate science students understand this topic. Of all undergraduate students, one might predict science students to be best able to understand ocean acidification. What…

Methods for Retention of Undergraduate Students in Field-Based Research

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Lehnen, J. N.

2017-12-01

Undergraduate students often participate in research by following the vision, creativity, and procedures established by their principal investigators. Students at the undergraduate level rarely get a chance to direct the course of their own research and have little experience creatively solving advanced problems and establishing project objectives. This lack of independence and ingenuity results in students missing out on some of the most key aspects of research. For the last two years, the Undergraduate Student Instrument Project (USIP) at the University of Houston has encouraged students to become more independent scientists by completing a research project from start to finish with minimal reliance on faculty mentors. As part of USIP, students were responsible for proposing scientific questions about the upper stratosphere, designing instruments to answer those questions, and launching their experiments into the atmosphere of Fairbanks, Alaska. Everything from formulation of experiment ideas to actual launching of the balloon borne payloads was planned by and performed by students; members of the team even established a student leadership system, handled monetary responsibilities, and coordinated with NASA representatives to complete design review requirements. This session will discuss the pros and cons of student-led research by drawing on USIP as an example, focusing specifically on how the experience impacted student engagement and retention in the program. This session will also discuss how to encourage students to disseminate their knowledge through conferences, collaborations, and educational outreach initiatives by again using USIP students as an example.

Structural Validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in Chinese Undergraduate Students

OpenAIRE

Guo, Suran; Sun, Wenmei; Liu, Chang; Wu, Siwei

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in Chinese undergraduate students. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey with 631 Chinese undergraduate students was conducted, and the questionnaire package included a measure of demographic characteristics, PSQI, Chinese editions of Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression, State- Trait Anxiety Inventory, Rumination Response Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale. Results sho...

Madness and the movies: an undergraduate module for medical students.

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Datta, Vivek

2009-06-01

Films featuring psychiatrists, psychiatry and the mentally ill abound, for better or for worse. The use of cinema in postgraduate psychiatry training has been gaining increasing acceptability, but its potential for use in undergraduate psychiatry has received little attention in the literature. This paper reports on the rationale behind, and medical students' responses to a special study module for third year medical students at King's College London, which utilized movies to highlight the significance of the social, cultural and historical context in shaping representations of mental illness, psychiatry, and psychiatrists. Medical students were very receptive to the use of film as an educational tool and able to understand both the benefits and limitations. They found the module enjoyable, and subjectively rated their knowledge of psychiatric topics and the history of psychiatry as significantly improved. The results presented are course feedback from medical students (n = 8) who completed the module. Although our findings provide provisional support for the use of film as an educational tool in undergraduate psychiatry, more systematic research is needed to delineate the potential role of cinema in undergraduate psychiatric education.

First Generation Students and Post-Undergraduate Aspirations

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Morgan Teressa Carlton

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Equal access to education is a growing concern throughout the nation. With an increasing amount of programs aimed to support the underrepresented populations on college campuses, first generation college students have grown to be a target population of particular interest. This study examined the relationships between first generation college seniors and applications to graduate or professional programs. The goal of this study was to determine if first generation students are pursuing advanced degrees at lower rates than non-first generation students and if so, attempt to uncover factors contributing to that evidence. Data were gathered from the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshman data set, and variables were analyzed using a binary logistic regression. The results of the study indicate that first generation students are significantly less likely to pursue an advanced degree, even when controlling for race, gender, family income, and cumulative grade point average, suggesting a distinctive impact of first generation status on post-undergraduate aspirations. However, after controlling for the impact of self-reported undergraduate loans, the effect of first generation status was no longer significant. The findings in this study provide an important new perspective in the field of sociology.

Assertiveness training for undergraduate midwifery students.

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Warland, Jane; McKellar, Lois; Diaz, Monica

2014-11-01

Assertiveness can be defined as an interpersonal behaviour that promotes the fact all people in a relationship are equally important. All health professionals including midwives must work with and care for people. At times this will include facilitating interactions that require skilful negotiation and assertiveness. Yet embedding assertiveness education into undergraduate midwifery curricula has not been widely adopted. This paper explores one method of delivering assertiveness training in an undergraduate midwifery course and provides comment on the effectiveness of this strategy in developing assertiveness skills in a cohort of undergraduate midwifery students. We used an assertiveness survey which was administered immediately before and 3-4 months after an assertiveness training workshop. All students (n = 55) attending the training day were invited to participate. Of these 41 (77% response) chose to participate in the pre intervention survey and 32 participated (9 students lost to follow-up) in the follow up survey. There was an overall improvement in self-perceived assertiveness scores following the assertiveness training workshop. These findings provide encouraging evidence that educational institutions that offer specific and targeted assertiveness education will be rewarded with more assertive graduates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compendium of student papers : 2009 undergraduate transportation engineering fellows program.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-10-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2009 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The ten-week summer program, now in its nineteenth year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Enginee...

Sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female undergraduate students in Wuhan, China: the only-child versus students with siblings.

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Shiyue Li

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. METHODS: Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergraduates. RESULTS: Of 4,769 female undergraduate students, 41.0% were only-child and 59.0% were students with siblings. Compared with students with siblings, only-child students scored higher on sex-related knowledge, were more inclined to agree with premarital sex, multiple sex partners, one-night stands, extramarital lovers and homosexuality, and were more likely to have a boyfriend and experience sexual intercourse (73.6% vs. 61.4%; 24.0% vs. 14.0%. Only-children were less likely to experience coercion at first sex and have first sexual intercourse with men not their "boyfriends" than children with siblings (3.3% vs. 6.4%; 20.7% vs. 28.8%. There were no significant differences on other risky sexual behaviors (e.g. multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use between the only-child students and students with siblings. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual knowledge, attitudes and some practices of only-child female undergraduates were different from students with siblings. Intervention should be designed according to different requirements of only-children and non-only-children.

First-Generation Undergraduate Students' Social Support, Depression, and Life Satisfaction

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Jenkins, Sharon Rae; Belanger, Aimee; Connally, Melissa Londono; Boals, Adriel; Duron, Kelly M.

2013-01-01

First-generation undergraduate students face challenging cross-socioeconomic cultural transitions into college life. The authors compared first- and non-first-generation undergraduate students' social support, posttraumatic stress, depression symptoms, and life satisfaction. First-generation participants reported less social support from family…

A cultural heuristic approach to the study of Jamaican undergraduate students' achievement motivation.

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Clayton, Karen E; Zusho, Akane

2016-03-01

In recent years, there have been increasing calls to develop a more contextually based sociocultural perspective of achievement motivation. This mixed-methods study examined why Jamaican undergraduate students are motivated or unmotivated and how this relates to the extant literature on achievement motivation. This study was conducted in two phases and consisted of 175 and 189 Jamaican undergraduate students across phases one and two, respectively. First, a qualitative investigation using open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews explored Jamaican undergraduate students' conceptualization of motivation and the factors that positively or negatively impacted their motivation. The second phase consisted of using prototype theory to capture a hierarchical cognitive representation of Jamaican students' motivation using coded themes derived from phase one of the study. The overall results indicated that personal, cognitive, contextual, and sociocultural factors are important determinants of Jamaican undergraduate students' academic motivation and that sociocultural (e.g., familial, economic, religious) factors appear to play a more critical role in impacting their motivation. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Dental undergraduate students' knowledge, attitudes and practices ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. Dental students are seen as role-models for promoting good oral health behaviour, yet there is little published evidence in South Africa (SA) that describes student knowledge and attitudes towards their own oral healthcare. Objective. To investigate undergraduate dental therapy and oral hygiene students' ...

Food safety knowledge of undergraduate students at a Canadian university: results of an online survey.

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Courtney, Sarah M; Majowicz, Shannon E; Dubin, Joel A

2016-11-09

Foodborne diseases are an important public health issue, and young adults are an important demographic to target with food safety education. Our objective was to assess the food safety knowledge of undergraduate students at a Canadian university, to identify potential areas for such education. In February 2015, we conducted an online survey of 485 undergraduate students at a university in Ontario, Canada. We assessed various food-related factors, including cooking frequency and prior food handling or preparation education. We then modeled the relationship between 'overall knowledge score' and the demographic and food skills/cooking experience predictors using multivariable log-binomial regression, to determine factors associated with relatively higher proportions of correct responses. Respondents were, on average, 20.5 years old, and the majority (64.8 %) lived off campus. Students cooked from basic ingredients infrequently, with 3 in 4 doing so a few times a year to never. Students averaged 6.2 correct answers to the 11 knowledge questions. Adjusting for other important covariates, older age and being a current food handler were associated with relatively higher knowledge, whereas working/volunteering in a hospital and infrequent cooking were associated with relatively lower knowledge. Males in the Faculty of Science had relatively higher knowledge than females in the Faculty of Science, both of whom had relatively higher knowledge than all students in other Faculties. Among students who had never taken a food preparation course, knowledge increased with self-reported cooking ability; however, among students who had taken such a course, knowledge was highest among those with low self-reported cooking ability. Consistent with other similar studies, students in Faculties outside of the Faculty of Science, younger students, and those who cook infrequently could benefit from food safety education. Supporting improved hand hygiene, in particular clarifying hand

Attrition of undergraduate nursing students at selected South African universities

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Erna Roos

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The nursing profession forms the backbone of many healthcare systems. It therefore needs a consistent supply of registered nurses to deliver continuous and safe quality healthcare, and to replace the nurses leaving or retiring from the profession. Attrition actively occurs among nursing students in South Africa and threatens the future supply of registered nurses. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe the attrition rate at selected South African universities and the factors influencing undergraduate nursing students to discontinue their nursing studies at these universities. Method: A quantitative descriptive design was followed. Heads of the nursing departments at the selected universities captured data with a specifically designed questionnaire. Thereafter their former nursing students provided information via a structured telephonic interview on the reasons why they discontinued the nursing programme. Results: The study revealed that attrition of undergraduate nursing students for three intake years (2007, 2008 and 2009 at the participating universities was between 39.3% and 58.7%. Academic and financial reasons as well as poor wellness and health were the main causes for attrition. Another factor was failure to cope with the demands of the clinical environment. Conclusion: Attrition might not occur immediately when a nursing student is challenged, as the student might exploit the various types of support offered. Although some nursing students do benefit from the offered support, a large number of nursing students still discontinue the undergraduate nursing programme.

Fostering successful interprofessional teamwork through an undergraduate student placement in a secondary school.

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Fortugno, Mariella; Chandra, Smriti; Espin, Sherry; Gucciardi, Enza

2013-07-01

This exploratory case study examined an interprofessional placement of undergraduate students from nutrition, nursing, early childhood education, and child and youth care who collaborated to develop and deliver four healthy-living modules to secondary school students in Canada. An inductive thematic analysis was used to describe the teamwork that occurred between students. Data collected included focus groups with undergraduate students and preceptors, undergraduate students' reflections and secondary school students' evaluations of the modules delivered. Two major themes that emerged from all data sources were "team functioning" and "shift in perspectives". The undergraduate students identified several ways that facilitated their successful and positive teamwork with one another and also expressed how the placement experience improved their interprofessional skills. Findings from this study are discussed in relation to contact theory (Allport, 1954) and self-presentation theory (Goffman, 1963). This study suggests that providing undergraduate students with interprofessional placements in an educational setting can enhance interprofessional teamwork opportunities for students of various disciplines.

Undergraduate Student Intentions for Postgraduate Study

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Jepsen, Denise Mary; Neumann, Ruth

2010-01-01

Little is known of how and when undergraduate students decide to progress to postgraduate studies. This study examined the effect of a single semester on intentions to undertake postgraduate study. The study was conducted twice in two years using approximately 120 students enrolled in a third year "Behaviour in Organisations" unit at a…

Blended learning: how can we optimise undergraduate student engagement?

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Morton, Caroline E; Saleh, Sohag N; Smith, Susan F; Hemani, Ashish; Ameen, Akram; Bennie, Taylor D; Toro-Troconis, Maria

2016-08-04

Blended learning is a combination of online and face-to-face learning and is increasingly of interest for use in undergraduate medical education. It has been used to teach clinical post-graduate students pharmacology but needs evaluation for its use in teaching pharmacology to undergraduate medical students, which represent a different group of students with different learning needs. An existing BSc-level module on neuropharmacology was redesigned using the Blended Learning Design Tool (BLEnDT), a tool which uses learning domains (psychomotor, cognitive and affective) to classify learning outcomes into those taught best by self-directed learning (online) or by collaborative learning (face-to-face). Two online courses were developed, one on Neurotransmitters and the other on Neurodegenerative Conditions. These were supported with face-to-face tutorials. Undergraduate students' engagement with blended learning was explored by the means of three focus groups, the data from which were analysed thematically. Five major themes emerged from the data 1) Purpose and Acceptability 2) Structure, Focus and Consolidation 3) Preparation and workload 4) Engagement with e-learning component 5) Future Medical Education. Blended learning was acceptable and of interest to undergraduate students learning this subject. They expressed a desire for more blended learning in their courses, but only if it was highly structured, of high quality and supported by tutorials. Students identified that the 'blend' was beneficial rather than purely online learning.

Showing the Love: Predictors of Student Loyalty to Undergraduate Institutions

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Vianden, Jörg; Barlow, Patrick J.

2014-01-01

This article advances the notion that undergraduates may be considered student-customers whose relationship with and loyalty to their institutions can be managed by college educators. The Student University Loyalty Instrument administered to 1,207 undergraduates at three comprehensive Midwestern institutions assessed the predictors of student…

The attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards mental health nursing: a systematic review.

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Happell, Brenda; Gaskin, Cadeyrn J

2013-01-01

To present the findings of a systematic review on (1) the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards mental health nursing and (2) the influence of undergraduate nursing education on the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards mental health nursing. Recruitment and retention of mental health nurses is challenging. Undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards mental health nursing may influence whether they choose to practice in this specialty upon graduation. A systematic review. Searches of the CINAHL, MEDLINE and PsycINFO electronic databases returned 1400 records, of which 17 met the inclusion criteria for this review. A further four papers were obtained through scanning the reference lists of those articles included from the initial literature search. Research on the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards mental health nursing has consistently shown that mental health is one of the least preferred areas of nursing for a potential career. With respect to the influence of undergraduate nursing education on the attitudes of students towards mental health nursing, quasi-experimental studies have generally demonstrated that students tended to have more favourable attitudes towards mental health nursing when they had received more hours of theoretical preparation and undertaken longer clinical placements. Many nursing students regard mental health nursing as the least preferred career option. Education, via classroom teaching and clinical placements, seems to engender more positive attitudes towards mental health nursing. There is no evidence, however, that changing student attitudes results in more graduates beginning careers in mental health nursing. REFERENCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The constancy of negative attitudes to mental health nursing over time suggests the focus of research should shift. Clinicians have the capacity to promote a more positive view of mental health nursing. This requires further exploration. © 2012

Knowledge of nursing undergraduate students about the use of contact precautions measures

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Julielen Salvador dos Santos

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Objective. To assess knowledge of nursing undergraduate students about the use of contact precautions. Methodology. There were 106 nursing undergraduate students from three universities within the state of Sao Paulo. The data collection was done between April and May 2012. A questionnaire was elaborated with questions assessing knowledge regarding contact precautions. The data were submitted to statistical procedures in the package MINITAB version 16. The knowledge were rated as adequate, partially adequate and inadequate. Results. There was a predominance of females (86% and age group between 20 and 29 years (70%. Regarding the definition of contact precaution of diseases in which these measures are used, undergraduate's knowledge was partially adequate (92% and 44%, respectively. The knowledge was considered adequate for the preventive measures used during assistance (86%. As difficulties mentioned in the use of these measures were discomfort, lack of material, personnel and time. Conclusion. Although undergraduate students know what measures to be used in contact precaution, they do not have adequate knowledge about which diseases they should use them. The three participating universities should reflect on the quality of training for nursing students regarding biosecurity and contact precautions.

Exploring relativity: a workbook for undergraduate students (undergraduate lecture notes in physics)

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Lorimer, Dunan

2013-01-01

Einstein’s special and general theories of relativity are explored graphically and quantitatively using elementary algebra through a series of fifteen interactive lectures designed for undergraduate physics majors.  Topics covered include:  space-time diagrams, special relativity, the equivalence principle, general relativity, and black holes.  The goal of this book is to provide the student with a sound, conceptual understanding of both the special and the general theories of relativity, so the student will gain insight into how astrophysicists are using these theories to study black holes in the universe.  At the end of each chapter, there is a set of exercises to further facilitate the student’s understanding of the material. The ultimate goal of the book is for students to continue to use it as a preferred reference during and after their undergraduate career.

Students' Perceptions of an Applied Research Experience in an Undergraduate Exercise Science Course.

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Pearson, Regis C; Crandall, K Jason; Dispennette, Kathryn; Maples, Jill M

2017-01-01

Applied research experiences can provide numerous benefits to undergraduate students, however few studies have assessed the perceptions of Exercise Science (EXS) students to an applied research experience. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to describe the rationale and implementation of an applied research experience into an EXS curriculum and 2) to evaluate EXS undergraduate students' perceptions of an applied research experience. An EXS measurement course was chosen for implementation of an applied research experience. The applied research experience required groups of students to design, implement, and evaluate a student-led research project. Fourteen questions were constructed, tailored to EXS undergraduate students, to assess students' perceptions of the experience. Qualitative analysis was used for all applicable data, with repeated trends noted; quantitative data were collapsed to determine frequencies. There was an overall positive student perception of the experience and 85.7% of students agreed an applied research experience should be continued. 84.7% of students perceived the experience as educationally enriching, while 92.8% reported the experience was academically challenging. This experience allowed students to develop comprehensive solutions to problems that arose throughout the semester; while facilitating communication, collaboration, and problem solving. Students believed research experiences were beneficial, but could be time consuming when paired with other responsibilities. Results suggest an applied research experience has the potential to help further the development of EXS undergraduate students. Understanding student perceptions of an applied research experience may prove useful to faculty interested in engaging students in the research process.

Doing Publishable Research with Undergraduate Students

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Fenn, Aju J.; Johnson, Daniel K. N.; Smith, Mark Griffin; Stimpert, J. L.

2010-01-01

Many economics majors write a senior thesis. Although this experience can be the pinnacle of their education, publication is not the common standard for undergraduates. The authors describe four approaches that have allowed students to get their work published: (1) identify a topic, such as competitive balance in sports, and have students work on…

Emotional Intelligence and Cognitive Moral Development in Undergraduate Business Students

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McBride, Elizabeth A.

2010-01-01

This study examines relationships between emotional intelligence (EI) and cognitive moral development (CMD) in undergraduate business students. The ability model of emotional intelligence was used in this study, which evaluated possible relationships between EI and CMD in a sample of 82 undergraduate business students. The sample population was…

An assessment of student experiences and learning based on a novel undergraduate e-learning resource.

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Mehta, S; Clarke, F; Fleming, P S

2016-08-12

Purpose/objectives The aims of this study were to describe the development of a novel e-learning resource and to assess its impact on student learning experiences and orthodontic knowledge.Methods Thirty-two 4th year dental undergraduate students at Queen Mary University of London were randomly allocated to receive electronic access to e-learning material covering various undergraduate orthodontic topics over a 6-week period. Thirty-one control students were not given access during the study period. All students were asked to complete electronic quizzes both before (T0) and after (T1) the study period and a general questionnaire concerning familiarity with e-learning. The test group also completed a user satisfaction questionnaire at T1. Two focus groups were also undertaken to explore learners' experiences and suggestions in relation to the resource.Results The mean quiz result improved by 3.9% and 4.5% in the control and test groups, respectively. An independent t-test, however, demonstrated a lack of statistical significance in knowledge gain between control and test groups (P = 0.941). The qualitative feedback indicated that students believed that use of the resource enhanced knowledge and basic understanding with students expressing a wish to ingrain similar resources in other areas of undergraduate teaching.Conclusions Use of the novel orthodontic e-resource by 4th year undergraduate students over a 6-week period did not result in a significant improvement in subject knowledge. However, the e-learning has proven popular among undergraduates and the resources will continue to be refined.

Undergraduate Research or Research-Based Courses: Which Is Most Beneficial for Science Students?

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Olivares-Donoso, Ruby; González, Carlos

2017-06-01

Over the last 25 years, both research literature and practice-oriented reports have claimed the need for improving the quality of undergraduate science education through linking research and teaching. Two manners of doing this are reported: undergraduate research and research-based courses. Although there are studies reporting benefits of participating in these experiences, few synthesize their findings. In this article, we present a literature review aimed at synthesizing and comparing results of the impact of participating in these research experiences to establish which approach is most beneficial for students to develop as scientists. Twenty studies on student participation in undergraduate research and research-based courses were reviewed. Results show that both types of experiences have positive effects on students. These results have implications for both practice and research. Regarding practice, we propose ideas for designing and implementing experiences that combine both types of experiences. Concerning research, we identify some methodological limitations that should be addressed in further studies.

The Examination of the Social Integration Perceptions of Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Özgan, Habib

2018-01-01

This study was aimed to determine the social integration perceptions of undergraduate students and to examine them in terms of certain variables. It was a descriptive study with survey methodology. The data were obtained using the "Social Integration Scale." The study group consisted of 545 undergraduate students during the fall semester…

Beyond Graduation: Motivations and Career Aspirations of Undergraduate Chemistry Students

Science.gov (United States)

Ogunde, Jared C.; Overton, Tina L.; Thompson, Christopher D.; Mewis, Ruth; Boniface, Suzanne

2017-01-01

This study investigated undergraduate chemistry students' career aspirations and how these vary from one educational system to another in different geographic regions. The participants of this study were undergraduate chemistry students from various institutions located in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The study took place in the form of an…

Use of Social Media by Agricultural Undergraduate Students in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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The study analysed the usage of social media sites by undergraduate agricultural students in ... with friends. Keywords: Social media, Agricultural Undergraduates, Nigeria ..... What we do about social media in tourism? A review. Tourism ...

Progress update on a 2015 USIP interdisciplinary undergraduate student microgravity experiment

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Dove, A.; Colwell, J. E.; Brisset, J.; Kirstein, J.; Brightwell, K.; Hayden, R.; Jorges, J.; Schwartzberg, D.; Strange, J.; Yates, A.

2016-12-01

Our team was selected by the 2016 USIP program to build, fly, and analyze the results from a granular dynamics experiment that will fly in 2017 on a suborbital flight. The experiment will be designed to test technology and enable science relevant to low-gravity planetary objects, such as asteroids, comets, and small moons. Following on the success of previous NASA Flight Opportunities Program (FOP) and Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) projects, however, the primary driver of the project is to enable undergraduate student participation in the entire lifetime of a science and technology development project. Our mentoring team consists of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, who have experience with the past USIP program and similar projects, as well as with mentoring undergraduate students. The undergraduate team includes a diversity of major disciplines, including physics, mechanical/aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, business (accounting), and marketing. Each team member has specific project tasks, as outlined in the proposal, and all members will also help develop and participate in outreach events. In additional to their project roles, students will also be responsible for presentations and milestones, such as design reviews. Through these reviews and the outreach events, all team members have the chance to develop their technical and non-technical communication skills. Previous experience with the NASA USIP program demonstrated that students achieve significant growth through these projects -gaining a better understanding of the entire lifecycle of a project, and, likely more importantly, how to work with a diverse team. In this talk, we will discuss the status of the project, and present student impressions and thoughts on the project thus far.

The Use of A Serious Game and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Accounting Students: An Empirical Analysis

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Rodrigo Fernandes MALAQUIAS

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The literature on serious games (SGs indicates that they are very useful tools to improve the teaching/learning process. In this paper, we analyze some potential benefits of a SG on academic performance of undergraduate accounting students. The database is comprised of scores obtained by students during an undergraduate discipline related with accounting history. The game was presented to the students during the academic semester of the discipline; they also developed an academic activity using the concepts of this game. The main results of the paper indicate that students who used the game and scored the maximum grade in this activity also registered higher indexes of academic performance in such discipline. These results reinforce the benefits of the SG to interact with undergraduate students and teach academic content.

Academic ethical awareness among undergraduate nursing students.

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Cho, Ok-Hee; Hwang, Kyung-Hye

2017-01-01

Academic ethical awareness is an important aspect especially for nursing students who will provide ethical nursing care to patients in future or try to tread the path of learning toward professional acknowledgement in nursing scholarship. The purpose of this study was to explore academic ethical awareness and its related characteristics among undergraduate nursing students. This study commenced the survey with cross-sectional, descriptive questions and enrolled convenient samples of 581 undergraduate nursing students from three universities in South Korea. It was investigated with structured questionnaires including general characteristics and academic ethical awareness related. Ethical considerations: This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board at National University. Academic ethical awareness was the highest regarding behaviors violating the respect or confidentiality of patients and cheating on exams, while it was the lowest for inappropriate behaviors in class. From the result of general characteristics difference, male students showed higher score than female students in relative; first-year students showed higher score than other year students; the higher score was rated from students who were highly satisfied with their major than the other not satisfied with their major; and students with low academic stress showed higher ethical awareness score than persons with higher stress. Personal behaviors were rated with low ethical awareness in relative, but items related to public rules and actual effects on patients or others were rated with higher score. Nursing satisfaction and academic stress are main factors on ethical awareness. To improve overall ethical awareness level of nursing students, it is required to provide more education about the importance of personal behaviors in class and need to improve the understanding of how it will be connected with future situation and effect.

Integration and health-related quality of life of undergraduate medical students with migration backgrounds ? Results of a survey

OpenAIRE

Kurr?, Jennifer; Scholl, Johanna; Bullinger, Monika; Petersen-Ewert, Corinna

2011-01-01

Objective: Most medical faculties in Germany are still lacking differentiated counseling programmes for specific target groups. The purpose of the present study was to determine the quality of life and integration of students with migration backgrounds and their interests in counseling programmes.Methods: Data was collected at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. Participants were students of the undergraduate medical course; n=890 (89.3%) students without migration b...

Internet Use Among Science Undergraduate Students: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study was to identify and determine the extent of students\\' access to, and use of the Internet using the Science Undergraduate Students of University of Ibadan and University of Lagos as a case study. The study also aimed at comparing the rate of use among this group of students and determine which ...

Students' Perceptions of Assessment in Undergraduate Mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Iannone, Paola; Simpson, Adrian

2013-01-01

A consistent message emerges from research on undergraduate students' perceptions of assessment which describes traditional assessment as detrimental to learning. However this literature has not included students in the pure sciences. Mathematics education literature advocates the introduction of innovative assessment at university. In this…

Psychological Comparisons of Undergraduate and Graduate College of Education Students

Science.gov (United States)

Illovsky, Michael E.

2010-01-01

This is a study of 57 graduate students and 229 undergraduate students in classes preparing them to be teachers. The survey extended over a period of five years, involving 14 classes in a college of education. Using the Personality Research Form scales to compare the psychological aspects of undergraduate and graduate college of education…

result of seroprevalence of hiv amonst undergraduate students

African Journals Online (AJOL)

drclement

STATE. *O.K Ibadin (M.Sc), ** I.O Enabulele (Ph.D). *Human Reproduction Research Programme/Invitro Fertilization Unit, University of ... State was studied. ... undergraduates in the private University ... women, such as being homeless, and/or.

[Evidence-based practice competence in undergraduate Nursing Degree students].

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzafa-Martínez, María; Molina-Salas, Yolanda; Ramos-Morcillo, Antonio Jesús

2016-01-01

Evidence-based practice (EBP) learning has become a key issue for nurses. An EPB subject was included in the 4(th) year in the new syllabus of the Nursing Degree at University of Murcia (UM). To know the competence level in EBP of undergraduate nursing students at UM and compare the results between all four years. Observational descriptive study with a cross-sectional approach. undergraduate nursing students from all four years at Nursing Degree at the Faculty of Social and Healthcare Science at UM in the year 2013-14. EBP evaluation of competence of the nursing students consisted of attitude, skills and knowledge on EBP. A validated questionnaire, the EBP-COQ, was used. The scale range is 1 point «lowest level» to 5 points «higher level».The SPSS 21.0 program has been used to carry out descriptive and bivariate analyses. 144 students were included, 76.4% was female, and the median age was 23 years, 84.7% attended more than 75% class hours. The mean differences in the questionnaire between first and fourth years were 0.58 points in attitude, 0.60 in skills, 1.6 in knowledge and 0.83 in global competence in EBP. Significant differences in mean scores between the fourth and the remaining years in the global competence in EBP were observed, as well as in the three dimensions (p <0.05). The undergraduate-nursing students studied here have acquired an appropriate competence level in EBP, with a gradual increase by year. The biggest increase was in the fourth year students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of Stress in Undergraduate College Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Glenn P.; Rottmann, Leon H.

1988-01-01

Administered College Student Stress Inventory to 347 undergraduates to determine students' perceptions of stress. Perceived stressors most often reported were pressure over academic grades, not enough time to accomplish personal needs, concern over the future, financial problems, concern over meaning and purpose of life, concern over physical…

Students' Understanding of Theory in Undergraduate Education

Science.gov (United States)

Liff, Roy; Rovio-Johansson, Airi

2014-01-01

This paper investigates undergraduate students' application of theory in their analysis of problems presented in authentic leadership cases. Taking a phenomenographic research approach, the paper identifies two levels at which students understand "theory": Level 1-Theory as knowledge acquired from books; Level 2-Theory as support for…

Assessment of creativity in Psychology undergraduate students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Luísa da Cruz Alves

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Creativity is an important human faculty in several performance areas, including the work of a psychologist. This article aimed to describe creativity in a group of Psychology undergraduate students in order to verify whether their professional development fosters creative potential. The study comprised 75 students, equally distributed in three groups from the first, fifth and tenth terms, aged 18 to 59, who were submitted to the Verbal TTCT (Torrance Test of Creative Thinking: Thinking Creatively with Words, following technical specifications of this tool. Further to test evaluation, results of the three groups were statistically compared and the main results showed higher creativity index in senior students, mainly regarding Fluency – ability to produce a large number of ideas, and Originality – ability to produce new and infrequent ideas.

Undergraduate Student Perceptions of the Pedagogy Used in a Leadership Course: A Qualitative Examination

Science.gov (United States)

Odom, Summer F.

2015-01-01

This exploratory, qualitative, descriptive study examined undergraduate student perspectives of pedagogy used in an undergraduate leadership elective course to describe how students view the effectiveness and impact of pedagogies used in the course. Undergraduate students (n = 28) reflected on the effectiveness of the pedagogies and the learning…

[The physical therapy undergraduate students' responses to the gross human anatomy subjects].

Science.gov (United States)

Anahara, Reiko; Kawashiro, Yukiko; Matsuno, Yoshiharu; Mori, Chisato; Kohno, Toshihiko

2008-09-01

Instruction in gross human anatomy is one of the important items in the subject for co-medical students of the physical therapist course. The physical therapy undergraduate students are required to have a solid understanding of the structure and formation of the human body. Therefore, their good-understanding of the course on the gross human anatomy and their experience of the gross human anatomy laboratory (observation practice) are acquired to improve their knowledge of the human body. To clarify the student responses to the gross human anatomy course including the gross human anatomy laboratory, several questionnaires were administered to the freshman physical therapy undergraduate student for two years. We found that more than 80% of the students, who felt a negative attitude for gross human anatomy before the course started, had a positive attitude about the gross human anatomy after going through the course. The experience of the gross human anatomy laboratory increased the students' activity of learning and they thought more about the dignity of being human after the course than before viewing. In addition, the results suggested that the multiple experiences of the gross human anatomy course are useful for the physical therapy undergraduate students to improve the quality of their understanding of the human body.

University Undergraduate Students, Perceptions of The Wireless ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study focused on Uni versity Undergraduate students' perceptions of the use of the wireless internet of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria. Using emperical and new field data, this exploratory study investigated the students' perceptions of internet use in relation to library use. The study adopted a ...

The development of Metacognition test in genetics laboratory for undergraduate students

Science.gov (United States)

A-nongwech, Nattapong; Pruekpramool, Chaninan

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research was to develop a Metacognition test in a Genetics Laboratory for undergraduate students. The participants were 30 undergraduate students of a Rajabhat university in Rattanakosin group in the second semester of the 2016 academic year using purposive sampling. The research instrument consisted of 1) Metacognition test and 2) a Metacognition test evaluation form for experts focused on three main points which were an accurate evaluation form of content, a consistency between Metacognition experiences and questions and the appropriateness of the test. The quality of the test was analyzed by using the Index of Consistency (IOC), discrimination and reliability. The results of developing Metacognition test were summarized as 1) The result of developing Metacognition test in a Genetics Laboratory for undergraduate students found that the Metacognition test contained 56 items of open - ended questions. The test composed of 1) four scientific situations, 2) fourteen items of open - ended questions in each scientific situation for evaluating components of Metacognition. The components of Metacognition consisted of Metacognitive knowledge, which were divided into person knowledge, task knowledge and strategy knowledge and Metacognitive experience, which were divided into planning, monitoring and evaluating, and 3) fourteen items of scoring criteria divided into four scales. 2) The results of the item analysis of Metacognition in Genetics Laboratory for undergraduate students found that Index of Consistency between Metacognitive experiences and questions were in the range between 0.75 - 1.00. An accuracy of content equaled 1.00. The appropriateness of the test equaled 1.00 in all situations and items. The discrimination of the test was in the range between 0.00 - 0.73. Furthermore, the reliability of the test equaled 0.97.

Perceptions of leadership among final-year undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis-Shama, Jayne

2016-11-01

Aim The promotion of a distributed leadership model in health care means there is an expectation that undergraduate training should contribute to the development of nursing students' leadership capabilities. However, there is concern that the nursing degree programme is not sufficiently preparing students. This study explored nursing students' perceptions of leadership before qualifying, and how prepared they felt to take on leadership roles. Method Data were collected from 20 undergraduate nursing students, using a Straussian grounded theory approach, through three focus groups and six semi-structured interviews. Findings These suggest students are disengaged from the learning of leadership, and preparation for leadership in clinical areas is problematic, as students are exposed to flawed role modelling. Conclusion Discrepancies between nurse education and the realities of clinical practice mean that successfully preparing nursing students for leadership roles will be challenging within current provision.

Simulation as a learning strategy: supporting undergraduate nursing students with disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Azzopardi, Toni; Johnson, Amanda; Phillips, Kirrilee; Dickson, Cathy; Hengstberger-Sims, Cecily; Goldsmith, Mary; Allan, Trevor

2014-02-01

To promote simulation as a learning strategy to support undergraduate nursing students with disabilities. Supporting undergraduate nursing students with disabilities has gained further momentum because of amendments to the Disability Discrimination Act in 2009. Providers of higher education must now ensure proactive steps to prevent discrimination against students with a disability are implemented to assist in course progression. Simulation allows for the impact of a student's disability to be assessed and informs the determination of reasonable adjustments to be implemented. Further suitable adjustments can then be determined in a safe environment and evaluated prior to scheduled placement. Auditing in this manner, offers a risk management strategy for all while maintaining the academic integrity of the program. Discursive. Low, medium and high fidelity simulation activities critically analysed and their application to support undergraduate nursing students with disabilities assessed. With advancing technology and new pedagogical approaches simulation as a learning strategy can play a significant role. In this role, simulation supports undergraduate nursing students with disabilities to meet course requirements, while offering higher education providers an important risk management strategy. The discussion recommends simulation is used to inform the determination of reasonable adjustments for undergraduate nursing students with disabilities as an effective, contemporary curriculum practice. Adoption of simulation, in this way, will meet three imperatives: comply with current legislative requirements, embrace advances in learning technologies and embed one of the six principles of inclusive curriculum. Achieving these imperatives is likely to increase accessibility for all students and offer students with a disability a supportive learning experience. Provides capacity to systematically assess, monitor, evaluate and support students with a disability. The students

EERE Resources for Undergraduate Students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-10-01

Looking to expand your experience outside of the classroom? The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has a number of resources available for undergraduate students, including competitions, internships, and career planning information to help you navigate the education to employment pathway in energy.

EERE Resources for Undergraduate Students

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2015-04-01

Looking to expand your experience outside of the classroom? The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has a number of resources available for undergraduate students, including competitions, internships, and career planning information to help you navigate the education to employment pathway in energy.

Academic Guidance for Undergraduate Students in a South African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Higher education institutions, including medical schools, still grapple with the challenge of poor academic ... and implications of lack of accommodation for black students; how poor academic performance can lead to an array of ... student development, student success, undergraduate medical students. Introduction.

Undergraduate Science Coursework: Teachers' Goal Statements and How Students Experience Research

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Rijst, Roeland M.; Visser-Wijnveen, Gerda J.; Verloop, Nico; Van Driel, Jan H.

2013-01-01

Understanding the relation between teachers' goal statements and students' experiences about the position of research in undergraduate coursework can give use insight into ways to integrate research and teaching and foster undergraduate research. In this study, we examined to what extent teachers' goal statements agreed with students' experiences…

A Study of the Vocational Education Preferences and Interests of the Indian Undergraduate Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.A. Reddy

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The study identifies the priorities of vocational educational courses and interests of the Indian undergraduate students. The study was conducted in S.V. University area covering 300 undergraduate students of Arts, Commerce and Science streams. The study identified the more prominent, prominent and less prominent vocational educational courses. Further, studies the association between vocational education interests and the background of the students (sex, caste, stream of study, year of study and area. The difference between various groups of students belonging to above groups in their vocational education interests of the undergraduate students was also identified. The study provided a suggestive list of vocational educational courses for undergraduate students for enhancing their employability.

Psychoactive Substance Use among Medical/Health Faculty Undergraduate Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P Whitehorne-Smith

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study sought to explore the drug use practices of undergraduate students within the Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Method: This study was a multicentre study carried out in Jamaica and six Latin American countries. The study utilized a cross-sectional design using a survey method of data collection. A list of compulsory classes for first- and second-year undergraduate students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences was retrieved by researchers and then cluster sampling was used to choose lectures to carry out data collection. The instrument utilized for the study was a self-report questionnaire which consisted of 58 questions which enquired about sociodemographic information, psychoactive substance use and associated consequences. Results: A total of 380 students (78 males, 302 females participated in the study; 115 (30.3% reported a past year prevalence of psychoactive substance use. Roughly half (50.8% reported that they first used substances when they were 15−19 years old. Students also reported a past month prevalence of alcohol use (16.6%, prescription drugs without a prescription (4.5%, tobacco (2.4% and cannabis (2.1% use. Conclusion: These preliminary results on substance use patterns among students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences indicate urgent need for further research among this population. Such research should be used to inform prevention and treatment programmes that will directly target this student population.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Pharmacy Students' Perceptions of Plagiarism and Academic Honesty

Science.gov (United States)

Bonanno, Helen; Krass, Ines; Scouller, Karen; Smith, Lorraine

2009-01-01

Objectives To assess undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students' perceptions of plagiarism and academic honesty. Methods A questionnaire was administered to undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students to determine their levels of awareness of university policy concerning academic honesty; attitudes to plagiarism by rating the acceptability of a range of plagiarizing and cheating practices; and choice of appropriate penalties for a first and second occurrence. The choice of behaviors in response to a scenario about the preparation of a reading-based written assignment and the strategies that students would be prepared to use in order to submit the assignment on time were also assessed. Results Findings indicated widespread deficiencies in student knowledge of, and attitudes towards, plagiarism. Students did not perceive plagiarism as a serious issue and the use of inappropriate strategies for sourcing and acknowledging material was common. Conclusions The study highlights the importance of achieving a balance among the 3 dimensions of plagiarism management: prevention, detection and penalty. PMID:19885074

Student and Faculty Outcomes of Undergraduate Science Research Projects by Geographically Dispersed Students

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Lawton; Kennepohl, Dietmar

2013-01-01

Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU) science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their…

Undergraduate Student Construction and Interpretation of Graphs in Physics Lab Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Nixon, Ryan S.; Godfrey, T. J.; Mayhew, Nicholas T.; Wiegert, Craig C.

2016-01-01

Lab activities are an important element of an undergraduate physics course. In these lab activities, students construct and interpret graphs in order to connect the procedures of the lab with an understanding of the related physics concepts. This study investigated undergraduate students' construction and interpretation of graphs with best-fit…

Understanding undergraduate student perceptions of mental health, mental well-being and help-seeking behaviour

OpenAIRE

Laidlaw, Anita Helen; McLellan, Julie; Ozakinci, Gozde

2016-01-01

Funding: Medical School, University of St Andrews Despite relatively high levels of psychological distress, many students in higher education do not seek help for difficulties. This study explored undergraduate student understanding of the concepts of mental health and mental well-being and where undergraduate students would seek help for mental well-being difficulties. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 undergraduate students from 5 different subject areas. Interviews wer...

Astrobiology undergraduate education: students' knowledge and perceptions of the field.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Jamie S; Drew, Jennifer C

2009-04-01

With the field of astrobiology continually evolving, it has become increasingly important to develop and maintain an educational infrastructure for the next generation of astrobiologists. In addition to developing more courses and programs for students, it is essential to monitor the learning experiences and progress of students taking these astrobiology courses. At the University of Florida, a new pilot course in astrobiology was developed that targeted undergraduate students with a wide range of scientific backgrounds. Pre- and post-course surveys along with knowledge assessments were used to evaluate the students' perceived and actual learning experiences. The class incorporated a hybrid teaching platform that included traditional in-person and distance learning technologies. Results indicate that undergraduate students have little prior knowledge of key astrobiology concepts; however, post-course testing demonstrated significant improvements in the students' comprehension of astrobiology. Improvements were not limited to astrobiology knowledge. Assessments revealed that students developed confidence in science writing as well as reading and understanding astrobiology primary literature. Overall, student knowledge of and attitudes toward astrobiological research dramatically increased during this course, which demonstrates the ongoing need for additional astrobiology education programs as well as periodic evaluations of those programs currently underway. Together, these approaches serve to improve the overall learning experiences and perceptions of future astrobiology researchers.

Nutritional status of undergraduate healthcare students at the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nutritional status of undergraduate healthcare students at the University of the ... to evaluate the lifestyle habits of South African students preparing for careers in ... Fifty-nine per cent were active and 39% were very active owing to busy class ...

Undergraduate Student Teachers' Views and Experiences of a Compulsory Course in Research Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Lombard, B. J. J.

2015-01-01

In comparison to attention given to research methods for education students at postgraduate level, the offering of research methods for education students at undergraduate level is less often considered. Yet, it is agreed that research methods for undergraduate level students is important for shaping student attitudes, learning and achievement in…

A New Cost-Effective Diode Laser Polarimeter Apparatus Constructed by Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Lisboa, Pedro; Sotomayor, Joo; Ribeiro, Paulo

2010-01-01

The construction of a diode laser polarimeter apparatus by undergraduate students is described. The construction of the modular apparatus by undergraduate students gives them an insight into how it works and how the measurement of a physical or chemical property is conducted. The students use the polarimeter to obtain rotation angle values for the…

Diagnostic Tests for Entering and Departing Undergraduate Students

Science.gov (United States)

Waltham, Chris; Kotlicki, A.

2006-12-01

A diagnostic test administered at the start of a class should test basic concepts which are recognized as course prerequisites. The questions should not be over-packaged: e.g. students should be required to create models, rather than this being done for them each time. Students should be allowed great latitude in their answers, so we can discover what they are thinking. When administered at the end of a class the goals should be similar: testing concepts taught in the class itself and the retention of necessary concepts from previous classes. Great care has to be taken to avoid teaching to the test. In assessing an entire program, for example an undergraduate majors degree in physics, then one looks for very general skills and knowledge not specific to any one course. The purpose of an undergraduate degree in physics (or indeed any science) is to equip the students with a set of problem-solving skills and basic knowledge which can be applied in a large variety of workplace settings and to allow that student to contribute to civic society as a science-literate person. The creator of any diagnostic test should always have these big goals in mind. We have developed a set of questions which we think fulfill these criteria, yet are not specific to any particular level of science education. They have been administered to students in secondary schools across Canada, incoming first-year science students and final-year physics students at the University of British Columbia. The results will be presented.

Can undergraduate students learn effectuation?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Robinson, Sarah; Günzel-Jensen, Franziska

effectuation it must be considered as a critical element from the initial meeting with the students. Teaching undergraduate students presents a range of challenges and teachers of entrepreneurship need to carefully consider how they approach teaching of effectuation in the classroom. Value....../Originality: This paper makes a two important contributions: First, we add to the literature on entrepreneurship education by informing the gap in our understanding of the mis-match between what we want to achieve and what we actually achieve in our classrooms when teaching effectuation. Second, we contribute...

Mixed Method Study Examines Undergraduate Student Researchers’ Knowledge and Perceptions About Scholarly Communication Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa Goertzen

2017-09-01

interviews consisted of four open-ended questions that further examined students’ knowledge of scholarly communication practices. The researchers coded interview transcripts and identified themes. Qualitative software was used to analyze the surveys and assess coder agreement. Finally, connections and anomalies between survey and interview results were explored. Main Results – Quantitative and qualitative data collected during the study indicate that students were most confident in their understanding of the peer-review process and data management but felt less confident in their knowledge of author and publisher rights, publication and access models, and determining the impact of scholarly research publication. In addition, they value instruction related to scholarly communication topics like the peer-review process, publication models, and data management. However, few students feel confident in their current level of knowledge or ability surrounding the previously mentioned topics. Study findings suggest that this knowledge gap is based on a lack of training or discussion of scholarly communication topics in relation to students’ research activities. Results also suggest that undergraduate students have difficulty articulating their rights as authors and their scholarly communication practices. In many cases, skill sets like data management are learned through trial and error while students progress through the research process. In some cases, faculty mentors have misperceptions and assumptions about undergraduate students’ knowledge and abilities regarding scholarly communication practices. This can create challenges for undergraduate students as they attempt to make informed decisions about research activities based on a limited foundation of experience or information. Finally, results indicate that undergraduate student researchers do not currently view the library as a place to learn about scholarly communication practices. The authors suggest that by forming

Quiz gaming competitions for undergraduate medical students ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Quiz gaming competitions for undergraduate medical students: Questioning the MediQuiz. ... an audience Studies have shown that such quiz games promote active learning, and provide motivational impetus. ... AJOL African Journals Online.

[Development and effects of emotional intelligence program for undergraduate nursing students: mixed methods research].

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Oi Sun; Gu, Mee Ock

2014-12-01

This study was conducted to develop and test the effects of an emotional intelligence program for undergraduate nursing students. The study design was a mixed method research. Participants were 36 nursing students (intervention group: 17, control group: 19). The emotional intelligence program was provided for 4 weeks (8 sessions, 20 hours). Data were collected between August 6 and October 4, 2013. Quantitative data were analyzed using Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, and paired t-test with SPSS/WIN 18.0. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Quantitative results showed that emotional intelligence, communication skills, resilience, stress coping strategy, and clinical competence were significantly better in the experimental group compared to the control group. According to the qualitative results, the nursing students experienced improvement in emotional intelligence, interpersonal relationships, and empowerment, as well as a reduction in clinical practice stress after participation in the emotional intelligence program. Study findings indicate that the emotional intelligence program for undergraduate nursing students is effective and can be recommended as an intervention for improving the clinical competence of undergraduate students in a nursing curriculum.

Using Pinterest in Undergraduate Social Work Education: Assignment Development and Pilot Survey Results

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Lisa R.; Hitchcock, Laurel Iverson

2017-01-01

This article describes the development, implementation, and assessment of a social media assignment using Pinterest as a tool for student engagement and professional development in two undergraduate social work courses. Twenty-one undergraduate students enrolled in Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) courses completed the assignment…

The Effect of Online Dictionaries Usage on EFL Undergraduate Students' Autonomy

Science.gov (United States)

Tananuraksakul, Noparat

2015-01-01

Due to EFL undergraduate students' ineffective learning strategies, which mirror lack of autonomy, this paper is a pilot study into how use of Cambridge Dictionaries Online can affect undergraduate students' autonomy or self-reliance in a Thai EFL context. The link was selectively integrated in a writing classroom as a tool to improve their…

The Teaching of Ethics in Undergraduate Accounting Programmes: The Students' Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Alan

2012-01-01

This paper solicits the views of students in order to assess the goals and effectiveness of the teaching of ethics in undergraduate Accounting programmes. Using a survey and interviews, the opinions of second-year undergraduate students at a UK university were obtained. Their perception of the aims and importance of ethics and their preferred…

Who am I? ~ Undergraduate Computer Science Student

OpenAIRE

Ferris, Jane

2012-01-01

As part of a school review process a survey of the students was designed to gain insight into who the students of the school were. The survey was a voluntary anonymous online survey. Students were able to skip questions and select more than one option in some questions. This was to reduce frustration with participation in the survey and ensure that the survey was completed. This conference details the average undergraduate Computer Science student of a large third level institute.

Students' perspectives of undergraduate research methods education at three public medical schools in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Munabi, Ian Guyton; Buwembo, William; Joseph, Ruberwa; Peter, Kawungezi; Bajunirwe, Francis; Mwaka, Erisa Sabakaki

2016-01-01

In this study we used a model of adult learning to explore undergraduate students' views on how to improve the teaching of research methods and biostatistics. This was a secondary analysis of survey data of 600 undergraduate students from three medical schools in Uganda. The analysis looked at student's responses to an open ended section of a questionnaire on their views on undergraduate teaching of research methods and biostatistics. Qualitative phenomenological data analysis was done with a bias towards principles of adult learning. Students appreciated the importance of learning research methods and biostatistics as a way of understanding research problems; appropriately interpreting statistical concepts during their training and post-qualification practice; and translating the knowledge acquired. Stressful teaching environment and inadequate educational resource materials were identified as impediments to effective learning. Suggestions for improved learning included: early and continuous exposure to the course; more active and practical approach to teaching; and a need for mentorship. The current methods of teaching research methods and biostatistics leave most of the students in the dissonance phase of learning resulting in none or poor student engagement that results in a failure to comprehend and/or appreciate the principles governing the use of different research methods.

Early Detection of At-Risk Undergraduate Students through Academic Performance Predictors

Science.gov (United States)

Rowtho, Vikash

2017-01-01

Undergraduate student dropout is gradually becoming a global problem and the 39 Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) are no exception to this trend. The purpose of this research was to develop a method that can be used for early detection of students who are at-risk of performing poorly in their undergraduate studies. A sample of 279 students…

Motivational Orientation and Burnout among Undergraduate College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Pisarik, Christopher T.

2009-01-01

This study examined the relationships among motivational orientations based on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000b) and burnout among undergraduate college students. A sample of 191 university students was administered the "Academic Motivation Scale" (Vallerand et al., 1992) and the "Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student…

Quantifying and analysing food waste generated by Indonesian undergraduate students

Science.gov (United States)

Mandasari, P.

2018-03-01

Despite the fact that environmental consequences derived from food waste have been widely known, studies on the amount of food waste and its influencing factors have relatively been paid little attention. Addressing this shortage, this paper aimed to quantify monthly avoidable food waste generated by Indonesian undergraduate students and analyse factors influencing the occurrence of avoidable food waste. Based on data from 106 undergraduate students, descriptive statistics and logistic regression were applied in this study. The results indicated that 4,987.5 g of food waste was generated in a month (equal to 59,850 g yearly); or 47.05 g per person monthly (equal to 564.62 g per person per a year). Meanwhile, eating out frequency and gender were found to be significant predictors of food waste occurrence.

Cultivating the scientific research ability of undergraduate students in teaching of genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Wan-jin; Morigen, Morigen

2016-11-20

The classroom is the main venue for undergraduate teaching. It is worth pondering how to cultivate undergraduate's research ability in classroom teaching. Here we introduce the practices and experiences in teaching reform in genetics for training the research quality of undergraduate students from six aspects: (1) constructing the framework for curriculum framework systematicaly, (2) using the teaching content to reflect research progress, (3) explaining knowledge points with research activities, (4) explaining the scientific principles and experiments with PPT animation, (5) improving English reading ability through bilingual teaching, and (6) testing students' analysing ability through examination. These reforms stimulate undergraduate students' enthusiasm for learning, cultivate their ability to find, analyze and solve scientific problems, and improve their English reading and literature reviewing capacity, which lay a foundation for them to enter the field of scientific research.

Undergraduate Nursing Students' Understandings of Mental Health: A Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Sinead; Ward, Louise

2017-02-01

The purpose of this literature review was to identify research and current literature surrounding nursing students' understandings of mental health. The aim is to share findings from an extensive international and national literature review exploring undergraduate nurse education specific to mental health content. Data were collected utilising a comprehensive search of electronic databases including CINAHL (EBSCO), MEDLINE, and PsycINFO 1987-(Ovid) from 2008 to 2016. The initial search terms were altered to include undergraduate, mental health, nursing, education, experience, and knowledge. Three content themes emerged which included: 1. Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge has been considered compromised due to concerns relating to the variation and inconsistencies within the comprehensive nursing curriculums representation of mental health, 2. Undergraduate nursing students knowledge of mental health is thought to be compromised due to the quality of mental health theoretical and experiential learning opportunities, and 3. Research indicates that nursing students' knowledge of mental health was influenced by their experience of undertaking mental health content. Based on these findings greater consideration of students' understandings of mental health is required.

Greek Undergraduate Physical Education Students' Basic Computer Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Adamakis, Manolis; Zounhia, Katerina

2013-01-01

The purposes of this study were to determine how undergraduate physical education (PE) students feel about their level of competence concerning basic computer skills and to examine possible differences between groups (gender, specialization, high school graduation type, and high school direction). Although many students and educators believe…

Undergraduate Students' Quantitative Reasoning in Economic Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Mkhatshwa, Thembinkosi Peter; Doerr, Helen M.

2018-01-01

Contributing to a growing body of research on undergraduate students' quantitative reasoning, the study reported in this article used task-based interviews to investigate business calculus students' quantitative reasoning when solving two optimization tasks situated in the context of revenue and profit maximization. Analysis of verbal responses…

Attitudes of Undergraduate Business Students toward Sustainability Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Eagle, Lynne; Low, David; Case, Peter; Vandommele, Lisa

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to report on findings from the first phase of a longitudinal study of undergraduate business students' attitudes, beliefs and perceptions concerning sustainability issues. Design/methodology/approach: To improve understanding of the potential effects of changes in the curriculum, business students enrolled during the…

Undergraduate Physics Course Innovations and Their Impact on Student Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Iverson, Heidi L.; Briggs, Derek C.; Ruiz-Primo, Maria A.; Talbot, Robert M.; Shepard, Lorrie A.

2009-11-01

This paper presents results of an NSF project in which the goal is to provide a synthesis of research on instructional innovations that have been implemented in undergraduate courses in physics. The research questions guiding the project are: What constitutes the range of principal course innovations that are being implemented in undergraduate physics courses? What are the effects of these course innovations on student learning? The paper describes: (1) the literature search procedures used to gather over 400 innovation-related journal articles, (2) the procedures followed to analyze the studies within these articles, (3) the characteristics of the studies reported, and (4) the results from synthesizing the quantitative results of those studies that met our criteria for inclusion.

Perceived Academic Control and Academic Emotions Predict Undergraduate University Student Success: Examining Effects on Dropout Intention and Achievement.

Science.gov (United States)

Respondek, Lisa; Seufert, Tina; Stupnisky, Robert; Nett, Ulrike E

2017-01-01

The present study addressed concerns over the high risk of university students' academic failure. It examined how perceived academic control and academic emotions predict undergraduate students' academic success, conceptualized as both low dropout intention and high achievement (indicated by GPA). A cross-sectional survey was administered to 883 undergraduate students across all disciplines of a German STEM orientated university. The study additionally compared freshman students ( N = 597) vs. second-year students ( N = 286). Using structural equation modeling, for the overall sample of undergraduate students we found that perceived academic control positively predicted enjoyment and achievement, as well as negatively predicted boredom and anxiety. The prediction of dropout intention by perceived academic control was fully mediated via anxiety. When taking perceived academic control into account, we found no specific impact of enjoyment or boredom on the intention to dropout and no specific impact of all three academic emotions on achievement. The multi-group analysis showed, however, that perceived academic control, enjoyment, and boredom among second-year students had a direct relationship with dropout intention. A major contribution of the present study was demonstrating the important roles of perceived academic control and anxiety in undergraduate students' academic success. Concerning corresponding institutional support and future research, the results suggested distinguishing incoming from advanced undergraduate students.

Persistence of deaf students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate programs

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Marchut, Amber E.

Diversifying the student population and workforce under science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a necessity if innovations and creativity are to expand. There has not been a lot of literature regarding Deaf students in STEM especially regarding understanding how they persist in STEM undergraduate programs to successfully become STEM Bachelor of Science degree recipients. This study addresses the literature gap by investigating six students' experiences as they navigate their STEM undergraduate programs. The investigation uses narrative inquiry methodology and grounded theory method through the lens of Critical Race Theory and Critical Deaf Theory. Using videotaped interviews and observations, their experiences are highlighted using narratives portraying them as individuals surviving in a society that tends to perceive being deaf as a deficit that needs to be treated or cured. The data analysis also resulted in a conceptual model providing a description of how they persist. The crucial aspect of the conceptual model is the participants learned how to manage being deaf in a hearing-dominated society so they can reach their aspirations. The essential blocks for the persistence and managing their identities as deaf undergraduate STEMs include working harder, relying on familial support, and affirming themselves. Through the narratives and conceptual model of the six Deaf STEM undergraduates, the goal is to contribute to literature to promote a better understanding of the persistence of Deaf students, members of a marginalized group, as they pursue their dreams.

Does Marketing Attract Less Ethical Students? An Assessment of the Moral Reasoning Ability of Undergraduate Marketing Students

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Herington, Carmel; Weaven, Scott

2007-01-01

This article assesses the level of moral reasoning ability (MRA) of undergraduate marketing students and compares the results with the MRA of students in a range of other business disciplines. The aim was to determine if marketing attracts individuals who have a greater predisposition to unethical behaviors given that marketing is often reported…

Entrepreneurial Intentions of University Students: A Study of Design Undergraduates in Spain

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Ubierna, Francisco; Arranz, Nieves; Fdez de Arroyabe, J. C.

2014-01-01

This paper presents an analysis of the entrepreneurial intentions of university undergraduate students, with particular regard to those studying design. Attitudinal, social and capabilities variables are analysed in order to determine the profile of an entrepreneur. Using a sample of 521 undergraduate students, the findings show that design…

Exploring perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate physiotherapy students.

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Palmgren, Per J; Lindquist, Ingrid; Sundberg, Tobias; Nilsson, Gunnar H; Laksov, Klara B

2014-07-19

The aim of this study was to explore areas of strength and weakness in the educational environment as perceived by undergraduate physiotherapy students and to investigate these areas in relation to the respondents' demographic characteristics. This study utilized a cross-sectional study design and employed the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure, a 50-item, self-administered inventory relating to a variety of topics directly pertinent to educational environments. Convenience sampling was used, and the scores were compared across demographic variables. All undergraduate physiotherapy students in their first five terms of the programme in a major Swedish university were invited to participate in the study. A total of 222 students (80%) completed the inventory. With an overall score of 150/200 (75%), the students rated the educational environment in this institution as "more positive than negative". Two items consistently received deprived scores - authoritarian teachers and teaching with an overemphasis on factual learning. Students in term 4 differed significantly from others, and students with earlier university education experience perceived the atmosphere more negatively than their counterparts. There were no significant differences with regards to other demographic variables. This study provides valuable insight into how undergraduate physiotherapy students perceive their educational environment. In general, students perceived that their educational programme fostered a sound educational environment. However, some areas require remedial measures in order to enhance the educational experience.

Perceptions of undergraduate dental students at Makerere College ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. The creating, maintenance and storage of patients' medical records is an important competence for the professional training of a dental student. Objective. Owing to the unsatisfactory state of dental records at the students' clinic, the objective of this study was to obtain information from undergraduate dental ...

Video Episodes and Action Cameras in the Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory: Eliciting Student Perceptions of Meaningful Learning

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Galloway, Kelli R.; Bretz, Stacey Lowery

2016-01-01

A series of quantitative studies investigated undergraduate students' perceptions of their cognitive and affective learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. To explore these quantitative findings, a qualitative research protocol was developed to characterize student learning in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. Students (N = 13)…

Fear, an unpleasant experience among undergraduate midwifery students: A qualitative study.

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Ahmadi, Golnoosh; Shahriari, Mohsen; Kohan, Shahnaz; Keyvanara, Mahmood

2018-03-01

Fear is a normal emotion that can evoke an appropriate response when facing threat. However, sometimes the consequences of fear can lead to responses that are maladaptive. Fear can have negative effects on learning. Research has focused on the experience of fear and its consequences among midwifery students during their undergraduate program. A qualitative analysis was conducted of interviews with ten midwifery students in different years of an undergraduate program. The data was analyzed through a content analysis approach. Two main categories and five subcategories emerged. The first category, areas of fear in midwifery students, consisted of the following subcategories: fear of doing harm, fear of encountering their first childbirth, and fear of penalties. The second category, consequences of fear, consisted of the following subcategories: general physical and psychological consequences and interference in adopting the professional role. In this study, fear not only raised the students' stress levels thereby, leading to physical and psychological issues but also hindered their adoption of their professional role. These findings will potentially inform support and retention strategies within midwifery undergraduate programs in the future. Maternity care in Iran is provided mainly within a medical model of care. The majority of women give birth in hospital, where care is provided by midwives who work under the direction and supervision of an obstetrician. Midwives within the medically dominated system lack autonomy and have very little opportunity to gain experience in providing continuity of care for women as midwife-led models of care are rare. This practice context means that midwifery students have very little opportunity to gain experience in autonomous midwifery practice. Midwifery undergraduate program in Iran is for four years. Admission to the undergraduate program is implemented via a direct entry route. Nearly all of the midwifery students are school

Will Undergraduate Students Play Games to Learn How to Conduct Library Research?

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Markey, Karen; Swanson, Fritz; Jenkins, Andrea; Jennings, Brian; St. Jean, Beth; Rosenberg, Victor; Yao, Xingxing; Frost, Robert

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examines whether undergraduate students will play games to learn how to conduct library research. Results indicate that students will play games that are an integral component of the course curriculum and enable them to accomplish overall course goals at the same time they learn about library research. (Contains 1 table.)

Success Stories of Undergraduate Retention: A Pathways Study of Graduate Students in Solar and Space Physics

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Morrow, C. A.; Stoll, W.; Moldwin, M.; Gross, N. A.

2012-12-01

This presentation describes results from an NSF-funded study of the pathways students in solar and space physics have taken to arrive in graduate school. Our Pathways study has documented results from structured interviews conducted with graduate students attending two, week-long, NSF-sponsored scientific workshops during the summer of 2011. Our research team interviewed 48 solar and space physics students (29 males and 19 females currently in graduate programs at US institutions,) in small group settings regarding what attracted and retained them along their pathways leading to grad school. This presentation addresses what these students revealed about the attributes and influences that supported completion of their undergraduate experience and focused their aspirations toward graduate school. In advance of the interview process, we collected 125 on-line survey responses from students at the two workshops. This 20-item survey included questions about high school and undergraduate education, as well as about research and graduate experience. A subset of the 125 students who completed this on-line survey volunteered to be interviewed. Two types of interview data were collected from the 48 interviewees: 1) written answers to a pre-interview questionnaire; and 2) detailed notes taken by researchers during group interviews. On the pre-interview questionnaire, we posed the question: "How did you come to be a graduate student in your field?" Our findings to date are based on an analysis of responses to this question, cross correlated with the corresponding on-line survey data. Our analysis reveals the importance of early research experiences. About 80% of the students participating in the Pathways study cited formative undergraduate research experiences. Moreover, about 50% of participants reported undergraduate research experiences that were in the field of their current graduate studies. Graduate students interviewed frequently cited a childhood interest in science

Physical activity level among undergraduate students in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Physical activity level among undergraduate students in Terengganu, Malaysia using pedometer. N.A.M. Yusoff, S Ganeson, K.F. Ismail, H Juahir, M.R. Shahril, L.P. Lin, A Ahmad, S.W. Wafa, S Harith, R Rajikan ...

Sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female undergraduate students in Wuhan, China: the only-child versus students with siblings.

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Li, Shiyue; Chen, Rucheng; Cao, Yue; Li, Jingjing; Zuo, Dan; Yan, Hong

2013-01-01

This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergraduates. Of 4,769 female undergraduate students, 41.0% were only-child and 59.0% were students with siblings. Compared with students with siblings, only-child students scored higher on sex-related knowledge, were more inclined to agree with premarital sex, multiple sex partners, one-night stands, extramarital lovers and homosexuality, and were more likely to have a boyfriend and experience sexual intercourse (73.6% vs. 61.4%; 24.0% vs. 14.0%). Only-children were less likely to experience coercion at first sex and have first sexual intercourse with men not their "boyfriends" than children with siblings (3.3% vs. 6.4%; 20.7% vs. 28.8%). There were no significant differences on other risky sexual behaviors (e.g. multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use) between the only-child students and students with siblings. Sexual knowledge, attitudes and some practices of only-child female undergraduates were different from students with siblings. Intervention should be designed according to different requirements of only-children and non-only-children.

Body-art practices among undergraduate medical university students in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, 2014

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Chacha Emmanuel Chacha

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Body-art practices are increasing among adolescents and young adults. Although substantial data are available in developed countries, little has been documented about body-art practices in developing countries. Objective: To determine the magnitude, types and reasons for practicing body-art practices among undergraduate medical University students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducteed among undergraduate University students in Dar es Salaam involving 536 respondents from two Universities. We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. Analyses were based on summary measures and bivariate analyses. Results: While 7.5% of undergraduate students reported having tattoos, 20% reported having body puncturing or piercing. Body piercing is reported more among female university undergraduate students than their male counterparts. Reported main reasons for undergoing body-art include "a mark of beauty," 24%, "just wanted one," 18% and "a mark of femininity or masculinity," 17%. The majority (98% of students were aware that unsafe body-art practices may lead to contracting HIV and more than half (52% reported awareness of the risk of Hepatitis B infection. Conclusions: Despite high awareness of the potential risks involved in unsafe body arts that include tattoo and piercing, these practices are increasing among adolescents and young adults. There is need to have educational and counseling efforts so as to minimize associated health risks.

Undergraduate Mathematics Students' Emotional Experiences in Linear Algebra Courses

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Martínez-Sierra, Gustavo; García-González, María del Socorro

2016-01-01

Little is known about students' emotions in the field of Mathematics Education that go beyond students' emotions in problem solving. To start filling this gap this qualitative research has the aim to identify emotional experiences of undergraduate mathematics students in Linear Algebra courses. In order to obtain data, retrospective focus group…

Nontraditional Student Withdrawal from Undergraduate Accounting Programmes: A Holistic Perspective

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Fortin, Anne; Sauvé, Louise; Viger, Chantal; Landry, France

2016-01-01

A collaborative project of several Quebec universities, this study investigates nontraditional student withdrawal from undergraduate accounting programmes. A nontraditional student is older than 24, or is a commuter or a part-time student, or combines some of these characteristics. Univariate and multivariate analyses of student dropout factors…

Sexual harassment of students - survey results

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Dimitrijević Aleksandra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to present results of the survey on sexual harassment of students of the Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade. It starts with presenting and discussing different definitions of the term ‘sexual harassment’. Afterwards, a brief overview of available surveys on this subject is provided. Results of the surveys completed so far show that this kind of students’ victimization in educational institutions is frequent in all parts of the world, regardless of the economic, ethnic and religious grounds. The aim of the survey conducted at the Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation (FASPER was to identify the prevalence and characteristics of sexual harassment among undergraduate students, as well as possible forms of assistance and support to students who experience sexual harassment. A survey was conducted by the students of FASPER during April and May 2014 on a sample of 147 students of all four years of undergraduate studies. For data collection a victimization survey was used. The survey results suggested that sexual harassment of students of FASPER is prevalent, while it only manifests itself in a form of verbal harassment with a sexual connotation. Female students are more exposed to harassment than male students, but we need to interpret this finding with a caution due to the fact that a sample was mostly consisted of female respondents. According to the students’ opinion, possible solutions for preventing and eliminating sexual harassment of students of FASPER are education of students and employees, adoption of rules for protection of students from this kind of victimization and establishment of support service for students who experience victimization by sexual harassment.

HOW DO STUDENTS PERCIEVE AND APPRECIATE “FAILURE” DURING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH?

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S. Rowland

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Since 2011 we have conducted Authentic Large-scale Undergraduate Research Experiences (ALURES with our Sophomore and Junior biochemistry cohorts - so far over 1000 students have participated.The students in 2011-2014 wrote reflections about their experiences mid-semester and/or at the end of semester. Their writing indicates a growing awareness of the value of failure and struggle, as well as a healthy respect for the power of peer support and interaction.We asked the question “what do our students see as a “failure”, and does their understanding of the value of struggle change as a result of the ALURE experience?In 2015 we are conducting a longitudinal study of our ALURE students as they progress through the semester – the students have completed a series of five semi-structured interviews and the URSSA survey. We are examining their development of research and scientific literacy through the lens of productive failure.Our results indicate that although we feel we are designing productive failure into our undergraduate research experiences, we do not appear to be providing a high enough sense of risk or responsibility. This means that the students do not experience a sense of struggle or project ownership with the authenticity we desire. This is causing us to redesign our ALURE offerings.

Comparative study of representations of professional autonomy produced by first and last-period undergraduate nursing students

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Érick Igor dos Santos

2017-09-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to compare the social representations of professional nurse autonomy produced by first and last-period undergraduate nursing students. Method: qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study, based on the structural approach of social representations, the Central Core Theory, carried out with 171 students from three federal public universities, using the free association technique on the object “professional nurse autonomy”. The data were submitted to EVOC 2005 software and to similarity analysis. Results: care was the central core of the representational structure identified among the students of the first period. Among last-period students, knowledge stood out as a core element. The term responsibility was identified as common to both central cores. Conclusion: regarding professional autonomy, the results point to an overlapping process of the reified and consensual universes during the undergraduate course. However, responsibility, inherent in the profession, remains cross-sectional. For the first period students, autonomy is resignified in a practical and attitudinal way, whereas for the last period students, the knowledge acquired stimulates them to assign meaning to professional autonomy with a cognitive and attitudinal representation. The data can support the use of innovative teaching practices in nursing undergraduate courses.

Preparation and participation of undergraduate students to inform culturally sensitive research.

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Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence

2009-07-01

Most student work as research assistants occurs at the graduate level of nursing education, and little is known about the role of undergraduate students as research assistants (RAs) in major research projects. Based on our desire to study Mexican American (MA) cancer caregivers, we needed bilingual and bicultural RAs to serve as data collectors with women who spoke Spanish and possessed cultural beliefs that influenced their caregiving. Following successful recruitment, orientation, and mentoring based on Bandura's social learning theory [Bandura, A., 2001. Social learning theory: an agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology 52, 1-26] and accepted teaching-learning principles, RAs engaged in various behaviors that facilitated study outcomes. Faculty researchers, RAs, and study participants benefitted greatly from the undergraduate student involvement in this project. This article describes successful student inclusion approaches, ongoing faculty-RA interactions, and lessons learned from the research team experience. Guidelines discussed support the potential for making the undergraduate RA role a useful and unique learning experience.

Social relationships play a role in sleep status in Chinese undergraduate students.

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Jin, Yulian; Ding, Zheyuan; Fei, Ying; Jin, Wen; Liu, Hui; Chen, Zexin; Zheng, Shuangshuang; Wang, Lijuan; Wang, Zhaopin; Zhang, Shanchun; Yu, Yunxian

2014-12-15

The purpose of this study was to examine whether social relationships were associated with sleep status in Chinese undergraduate students. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2012 at Huzhou Teachers College, China. The questionnaire involved demographic characteristics, personal lifestyle habits, social relationships and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The associations between social relationships and sleep status were analyzed by using regression models after adjustment for potential factors. Poor sleep quality was prevalent among Chinese undergraduate students. Men tended to have better sleep than women. Lower social stress, better management of stress and good social support were correlated with better sleep status, and stress or support from friends, family and classmates were all related with sleep variables. While only weak associations between number of friends and sleep were detected. The results were consistent in men and women. Educators and instructors should be aware of the importance of social relationships as well as healthy sleep in undergraduates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Case-Based Instruction on Undergraduate Biology Students' Understanding of the Nature of Science

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Burniston, Amy Lucinda

Undergraduate science education is currently seeing a dramatic pedagogical push towards teaching the philosophies underpinning science as well as an increase in strategies that employ active learning. Many active learning strategies stem from constructivist ideals and have been shown to affect a student's understanding of how science operates and its impact on society- commonly referred to as the nature of science (NOS). One particular constructivist teaching strategy, case-based instruction (CBI), has been recommended by researchers and science education reformists as an effective instructional strategy for teaching NOS. Furthermore, when coupled with explicit-reflective instruction, CBI has been found to significantly increasing understanding of NOS in elementary and secondary students. However, few studies aimed their research on CBI and NOS towards higher education. Thus, this study uses a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design to study the effects of CBI on undergraduate science students understandings of NOS. Undergraduate biology student's understanding of NOS were assessed using the Views of Science Education (VOSE) instrument pre and post CBI intervention in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology II. Data analysis indicated statistically significant differences between students NOS scores in experimental versus control sections for both courses, with experimental groups obtaining higher posttest scores. The results of this study indicate that undergraduate male and female students have similarly poor understandings of NOS and the use of historical case based instruction can be used as a means to increase undergraduate understanding of NOS.

Undergraduate Engineers and Teachers: Can Students Be Both?

OpenAIRE

Zarske, Malinda S; Vadeen, Maia L; Tsai, Janet Y; Sullivan, Jacquelyn F; Carlson, Denise W

2017-01-01

Today’s college-aged students are graduating into a world that relies on multidisciplinary talents to succeed. Engineering college majors are more likely to find jobs after college that are outside of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, including jobs in healthcare, management, and social services. A survey of engineering undergraduate students at the University of Colorado Boulder in November 2012 indicated a desire by students to simultaneously pursue secondary ...

Environment and healthy eating: perceptions and practices of undergraduate students

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Maria Assunta Busato

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Healthy eating has to be in accordance with food needs taking into account culture, race, gender, ethnicity, financial condition and aspects of quality, variety, balance and moderation.Objective: To know the perceptions about the environment and healthy food of undergraduate students as well as assessing their eating habits.Method: This is a prospective observational study conducted at a university in Santa Catarina involving undergraduate students from courses in Health Sciences. Of the 1816 students enrolled in 2014/1, 10% were randomly selected, of both genders, including students of all courses.Results: 175 students participated in the research, 81.14% (n = 142 were female. Their age ranged from 18 to 30 years old. More than half of students 58% (n = 101, have no income, however they receive financial help from their parents, and 61% (n = 106 of the students have their meals at home, and 58% (n = 101 prepare their own meal. 47% (n = 83 take on average 15-30 minutes to eat and 51% (n = 90 classified the environment where they have meals as peaceful, among family/friends.  89% (n = 156 consider lunchtime as the main meal consuming rice, beans, meat and salad. For dinner 62% (n = 108 prefer snacks and lighter meals and 5% (n = 10 do not dine. Conclusion: The understanding of the environment and healthy eating showed that students grant special importance for being in a clean and pleasant environment, which was highlighted as fundamental to a good nutrition.

Technical Quality of Root Fillings Performed by Undergraduate Students: A Radiographic Study

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Tatjana Vukadinov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiographic technical quality of endodontic treatment performed by undergraduate students at the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. Materials and Methods. Electronic records of 220 patients treated by final-year undergraduate students during the school year 2011/2012 were examined, and the final sample consisted of 212 patients, 322 teeth, and 565 root canals. The criteria for overall radiographic adequacy of root canal fillings were defined as the presence of adequate length and density and absence of iatrogenic errors (ledge, fractured instrument, untreated canal, and apical transportation. Chi-square test was used to determine statistical significance between different parameters. Results. Adequate root canal fillings were found in 74.22% of the teeth. The percentage of root fillings with adequate length and density was 89.73% and 92.6%, respectively. Fractured instruments and ledges were present in 16 root canals (2.8%, while the presence of missed canal and apical transportation was observed in 2 cases, each (0.3%. Conclusions. Overall, the technical quality of root canal fillings performed by undergraduate students was satisfactory.

Understanding Undergraduate Student Perceptions of Mental Health, Mental Well-Being and Help-Seeking Behaviour

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Laidlaw, Anita; McLellan, Julie; Ozakinci, Gozde

2016-01-01

Despite relatively high levels of psychological distress, many students in higher education do not seek help for difficulties. This study explored undergraduate student understanding of the concepts of mental health and mental well-being and where undergraduate students would seek help for mental well-being difficulties. Semi-structured interviews…

Intrinsic and extrinsic goals as moderators of stress and depressive symptoms in Chinese undergraduate students: A multi-wave longitudinal study.

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Ling, Yu; He, Yushu; Wei, Yong; Cen, Weihong; Zhou, Qi; Zhong, Mingtian

2016-05-11

Studies in western countries have examined the specific vulnerability hypothesis of Dykman's theory of goal-orientation predispositions to depression through two-time point designs. The purpose of this prospective longitudinal study was to investigate the moderating effects of intrinsic and extrinsic goals on stress and depressive symptoms in Chinese undergraduate students. A total of 462 undergraduate students [46% female; mean age, 19.06 (range, 17-22) years] completed self-reported measures assessing intrinsic and extrinsic goals, depressive symptoms, and the occurrence of social and academic hassles. Every 3 months over the subsequent 12 months, the undergraduate students completed measures assessing depressive symptoms and the occurrence of daily hassles. Results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that undergraduate students with low levels of intrinsic goals reported greater depressive symptoms following the occurrence of social and academic hassles than did those with high levels of such goals. However, undergraduate students with high levels of extrinsic goals did not report greater depressive symptoms following the occurrence of social and academic hassles than did those possessing low levels. These findings suggest that intrinsic goals can protect undergraduate students experiencing high levels of social and academic hassles from depressive symptoms. The study findings provide new insight into the course of depressive symptoms among undergraduate students, and offer psychologist and psychiatrists ways to protect individuals from depressive symptoms by building up intrinsic goals.

Multidisciplinary Training to Undergraduate Students in the Faculty ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Multidisciplinary Training to Undergraduate Students in the Faculty of Health ... other disciplines in order to achieve an effective and cohesive working relationship. ... theoretical knowledge regarding blood pressure measurement and exercise, ...

Teamwork education improves trauma team performance in undergraduate health professional students

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Valerie O’Toole Baker

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Effective trauma resuscitation requires efficient and coordinated care from a team of providers; however, providers are rarely instructed on how to be effective members of trauma teams. Team-based learning using Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS has been shown to improve team dynamics among practicing professionals, including physicians and nurses. The impact of TeamSTEPPS on students being trained in trauma management in an undergraduate health professional program is currently unknown. We sought to determine the impact of TeamSTEPPS on team dynamics among undergraduate students being trained in trauma resuscitation. Methods: We enrolled teams of undergraduate health professional students from four programs: nursing, physician assistant, radiologic science, and respiratory care. After completing an online training on trauma resuscitation principles, the participants completed a trauma resuscitation scenario. The participants then received teamwork training using TeamSTEPPS and completed a second trauma resuscitation scenario identical to the first. All resuscitations were recorded and scored offline by two blinded research assistants using both the Team Emergency Assessment Measure (TEAM and Trauma Team Performance Observation Tool (TPOT scoring systems. Pre-test and post-test TEAM and TPOT scores were compared. Results: We enrolled a total of 48 students in 12 teams. Team leadership, situational monitoring, and overall communication improved with TeamSTEPPS training (P=0.04, P=0.02, and P=0.03, respectively, as assessed by the TPOT scoring system. TeamSTEPPS also improved the team’s ability to prioritize tasks and work together to complete tasks in a rapid manner (P<0.01 and P=0.02, respectively as measured by TEAM. Conclusions: Incorporating TeamSTEPPS into trauma team education leads to improved TEAM and TPOT scores among undergraduate health professionals.

Self-perceptions of basic skills for career development and competence in undergraduate students

OpenAIRE

Maeda, Kenichi; Niimi, Naoko

2005-01-01

This study was designed to investigate the relationships among basic skills for career development, competence, and self-esteem in undergraduate students. Ninety-three students (41 male, 52 female) participated in this study. Results indicated that high self-esteem students scored significantly higher than low self-esteem students on self-perceptions of four basic skills for career development (communication, exploration of information, future planning, and decision-making) and of four domain...

Analysis of Computer Self-Efficacy of Turkish Undergraduate Students in the Sport Management Departments

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Çoknaz, Dilsad; Aktag, Isil

2017-01-01

In this study computer self-efficacy of Turkish undergraduate sport management students was investigated. There were a total of 295 sport management students from three universities. Data were collected by survey which was developed by Compeau and Higgins, 1995, translated to Turkish and adapted for students by Aktag, 2013. The results showed that…

Longitudinal Study of the Impacts of a Climate Change Curriculum on Undergraduate Student Learning: Initial Results

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Kristin C. Burkholder

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The present study assesses the efficacy of a semester-long undergraduate sustainability curriculum designed from a systems approach. The three-course curriculum, which incorporated environmental science and ethics courses along with an integrative course using a community-based learning pedagogy, was intended to provide students with experience using knowledge and skills from distinct disciplines in a holistic way in order to address the complex problems of the human acceptance of and response to anthropogenic climate change. In the fall of 2013, 23 of the 24 sophomore general education students enrolled in the three courses were surveyed at the beginning and end of the semester; 17 of those same students completed the survey again in the spring of 2016, their senior year. Results, which focus on the 17 students who continued to participate through their senior year, were analyzed with quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The pre/post data from the surveys demonstrated significant improvement in climate literacy, certainty, concern and urgency over the course of the semester; the senior data indicated that those improvements were largely retained. The study also suggests that the nine-credit curriculum improved transferable skills such as interdisciplinary thinking, self-confidence and public speaking. A qualitative analysis of three student cases, informed by a focus group (n = 7 of seniors along with other sources of information, suggested retention of such transferable skills, and, in some cases, deeper involvement in climate and sustainability action.

Satisfaction of undergraduate students at University of Jordan after root canal treatment of posterior teeth using rotary or hand preparation.

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Abu-Tahun, Ibrahim; El-Ma'aita, Ahmad; Khraisat, Ameen

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to report the satisfaction of fifth year undergraduate students on the clinical use of rotary endodontic preparation compared with stainless steel standard technique and to evaluate the impact of rotary nickel-titanium instruments on undergraduate teaching. This study was carried out by the fifth year undergraduate students attending peer review sessions as a part of their training program using a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction with these two techniques. The overall results indicated a statistically significant satisfaction of the undergraduate students with the use of the nickel-titanium system (P ProTaper rotary files and the need for undergraduate teaching of rotary nickel-titanium systems in Jordan. © 2015 Australian Society of Endodontology Inc.

Student and Faculty Outcomes of Undergraduate Science Research Projects by Geographically Dispersed Students

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Lawton Shaw

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their local area, coordinated at a distance by AU faculty. This paper presents demographics and course performance for 155 students over five years. Pass rates were similar to other distance education courses. Research students were surveyed by questionnaire, and external supervisors and AU faculty were interviewed, to examine the outcomes of these project courses for each group. Students reported high levels of satisfaction with the course, local supervisors, and faculty coordinators. Students also reported that the experience increased their interest in research, and the probability that they would pursue graduate or additional certification. Local supervisors and faculty affirmed that the purposes of project courses are to introduce the student to research, provide opportunity for students to use their cumulative knowledge, develop cognitive abilities, and independent thinking. The advantages and challenges associated with this course model are discussed.

Factors Contributing to Student Engagement in an Instructional Facebook Group for Undergraduate Mathematics

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Gregory, Peter L.; Gregory, Karen M.; Eddy, Erik R.

2016-01-01

This study investigates factors contributing to student engagement in an educational Facebook group. The study is based on survey results of 138 undergraduate mathematics students at a highly diverse urban public university. Survey measures included engagement in the Facebook group, access to Facebook, comfort using technology, and interest in the…

Undergraduate students' goals for chemistry laboratory coursework

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DeKorver, Brittland K.

Chemistry laboratory coursework has the potential to offer many benefits to students, yet few of these learning goals are realized in practice. Therefore, this study seeks to characterize undergraduate students' learning goals for their chemistry laboratory coursework. Data were collected by recording video of students completing laboratory experiments and conducting interviews with the students about their experiences that were analyzed utilizing the frameworks of Human Constructivism and Self-Regulated Learning. A cross-sectional sampling of students allowed comparisons to be made among students with varying levels of chemistry experience and interest in chemistry. The student goals identified by this study were compared to previously described laboratory learning goals of the faculty who instruct these courses in an effort to identify potential avenues to improve laboratory learning.

Undergraduate nurse students' perspectives of spiritual care education in an Australian context.

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Cooper, Katherine Louise; Chang, Esther

2016-09-01

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council competency standards highlight the need to provide holistic care that is inclusive of spiritual care. Literature shows that internationally many nurses feel unsure of how to provide spiritual care which has been attributed to a lack of spiritual care education during undergraduate nursing programs. This study explores the impact of a spiritual care subject in an undergraduate nursing program in an Australian tertiary institution. Qualitative research design using in-depth semi-structured interviews. A tertiary institution with a Christian orientation in Sydney, Australia. Six undergraduate nursing students who had completed the spiritual care subject. Two themes emerged from the data: Seeing the person as a whole and Being with the person. The spiritual care subject had a positive impact on the perceptions of undergraduate nursing students. In particular students perceived themselves more prepared to provide holistic care that was inclusive of spiritual care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

International Students on an American Campus: An Undergraduate Research Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Judith; Quattrocki, Carolyn

1981-01-01

Describes a seminar in which undergraduate students in home economics were provided with research training and the opportunity to work together on a research project which included housing, clothing, nutrition, consumer services, child development, and family relations. Students also explored difficulties international students encounter in…

General Practice as a career choice among undergraduate medical students in Greece

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Stefanadis Christodoulos

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although General Practice (GP was recognized as a medical specialty in Greece in 1986, the number of GPs is insufficient to cover needs and only few medical graduates choose GP as a career option. In the present study we investigated the profile of medical students in terms of their decisions regarding specialization and the possible association of career choices different from GP with the status of undergraduate training regarding GP. Methods The sample consisted of final year students in the Medical School of the University of Athens, Greece. Students filled in a self-reported questionnaire focusing on medical specialization, and GP in particular. Results Response rate was 82.5% with 1021 questionnaires collected, out of 1237 eligible medical students. Only 44 out of the 1021 (4.3% respondents stated that GP is -or could be- among their choices for specialty. The most popular medical specialty was General Surgery (10.9%, followed by Cardiology (9.6%, Endocrinology (8.7% and Obstetrics-Gynaecology (8.3%. The most common criterion for choosing GP was the guaranteed employment on completion of the residency (54.6% while a 56.6% of total respondents were positive to the introduction of GP/FM as a curriculum course during University studies. Conclusion Despite the great needs, GP specialty is currently not a career option among undergraduate students of the greater Medical University in Greece and is still held in low esteem. A university department responsible for undergraduate teaching, promotion and research in GP (where not available is essential; the status of undergraduate training in general practice/family medicine seems to be one of the most important factors that influence physician career choices regarding primary care specialties.

Physical Exercise Practice and Associated Factors Among Undergraduate Students from a Southern Region of Brazil

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Teixeira Marcio

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim of the study was to analyse the prevalence and factors associated with not performing physical exercise in undergraduate students. Methods. The sample was composed of 2738 undergraduate students of Londrina city, Parana, Brazil. The dependent variables were: not performing physical exercise of moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes per week; not performing vigorous physical exercise for at least 20 minutes per week; not performing muscular strengthening exercises (8-12 repetitions in a week. The independent variables were gender, age, skin colour, marital status, housing, study pattern, year of course, paid work, and area of the course. Odds ratio (OR was estimated by multivariate analysis with the use of binary logistic regression. Results. The prevalence of undergraduate students not performing physical exercise of moderate intensity, of vigorous intensity, or muscular strengthening exercises was 47.3, 61.0, and 66.2%, respectively. Female sex was associated with a risk of not performing moderate physical exercise (OR = 1.23, vigorous physical exercise (OR = 1.47, and strengthening exercises (OR = 1.22. Undergraduate students of exact sciences (OR = 1.40 and 1.52, juridical sciences (OR = 1.48 and 1.51, and humanities (OR = 1.45 and 1.52 were at risk of not performing physical exercise of moderate or vigorous intensity, respectively. Being a 2nd (OR = 0.79, 3rd (OR = 0.74, or 4th (OR = 0.71 year student was bound with a lower likelihood of not performing physical exercise of moderate intensity. Conclusions. Intervention programmes with the aim of promoting physical exercise practice in undergraduate students should consider gender, year, and area of the course.

Introducing Ethics to Chemistry Students in a "Research Experiences for Undergraduates" (REU) Program

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Hanson, Mark J.

2015-01-01

A three-day ethics seminar introduced ethics to undergraduate environmental chemistry students in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. The seminar helped students become sensitive to and understand the ethical and values dimensions of their work as researchers. It utilized a variety of resources to supplement lectures and…

Death metaphors in Korean undergraduate nursing students.

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Jo, Kae-Hwa; An, Gyeong-Ju

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the meaning of death metaphors seen by 133 undergraduate nursing students through open questionnaires and collage artworks, using qualitative content analysis in Korea. The 4 themes emerged: "rest-physical," "fear-psychological," "separating-social," and "new life-spiritual."

Undergraduate physics course innovations and their impact on student learning

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Iverson, Heidi Louise

Over the last several decades, the efficacy of the traditional lecture-based instructional model for undergraduate physics courses has been challenged. As a result, a large number of reform-oriented instructional innovations have been developed, enacted, and studied in undergraduate physics courses around the globe---all with the intended purpose of improving student learning. This thesis satisfies the need for a comprehensive synthesis of the effectiveness of these course innovations by analyzing: (1) the types of innovations that have been enacted, (2) the impact of these innovations on student learning, and (3) the common features of effective innovations. An exhaustive literature search for studies published after 1990 on undergraduate physics course innovations yielded 432 articles which were then coded with respect to the characteristics of the innovations used as well as the methodological characteristics of the studies. These codes facilitated a descriptive analysis which characterized the features of the pool of studies. These studies were then meta-analyzed in order to evaluate the effect of innovations on student learning. Finally, a case-study analysis was conducted in order to identify the critical characteristics of effective innovations. Results indicate that most innovations focus on introductory mechanics and use some combination of conceptually oriented tasks, collaborative learning, and technology. The overall effect of course innovations has been positive, but with the caveat that a large number of studies suffer from poor methodological designs and potential threats to validity. In addition, over half of the studies had to be eliminated from the meta-analysis because they did not report the data necessary for an effect size to be calculated. Despite these limitations the results of the meta-analysis indicated that there was one innovation which had particularly high effect sizes---Workshop/Studio Physics---an innovation which involves an

Retention of first aid and basic life support skills in undergraduate medical students

OpenAIRE

Pim A. de Ruijter; Heleen A. Biersteker; Jan Biert; Harry van Goor; Edward C. Tan

2014-01-01

Background: Undergraduate medical students follow a compulsory first aid (FA) and basic life support (BLS) course. Retention of BLS seems poor and only little information is provided on the retention of FA skills. This study aims at evaluating 1- and 2-year retention of FA and BLS training in undergraduate medical students.Methods: One hundred and twenty students were randomly selected from first year (n=349) medical students who successfully followed a compulsory FA and BLS course. From thes...

Factors Affecting Learning Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: Cross-Sectional Survey

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Linu Sara George

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nursing education expects the students to be competent enough to render quality care for their patients in hospital as well as community setting. To reach the level of expected competency, the students must undergo vigorous training during their undergraduate education. The learning experience of the students is influenced by many factors. Aim: To identify the factors, affecting learning as perceived by the students. Materials and Methods: This descriptive survey was conducted among 414 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in selected Nursing Colleges. Background information was collected using Demographic Proforma and the factors affecting learning were identified using Likert Scale. Factors were identified by exploratory factor analysis using extraction method of principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Results: Majority (73.7% of the samples were between 22-25 years of age, 93.2% were females, most (38.9% were studying in the fourth year of nursing, 50% of the students enrolled in the study had chosen nursing as a career due to job security in future, 58.7% students did not spent time every day for their studies and majority (89.1% had English as their medium of instruction in Pre-university college. Factor analysis identified five factors (Learning environment, Supportive services, Teacher characteristics, Learner challenges and Personal factors that affect the student learning. Conclusion: From the present study it can be concluded that perception of students do have an influence on factors affecting learning. The study findings will help the faculty members to bring in changes for the best learning outcome.

Fostering Sustained Learning among Undergraduate Students: Emerging Research and Opportunities

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Chemosit, Caroline; Rugutt, John; Rugutt, Joseph K.

2017-01-01

Keeping students engaged and receptive to learning can, at times, be a challenge. However, by the implementation of new methods and pedagogies, instructors can strengthen the drive to learn among their students. "Fostering Sustained Learning Among Undergraduate Students: Emerging Research and Opportunities" is an essential publication…

The Role of Student-Advisor Interactions in Apprenticing Undergraduate Researchers into a Scientific Community of Practice

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Thiry, Heather; Laursen, Sandra L.

2011-12-01

Among science educators, current interest in undergraduate research (UR) is influenced both by the traditional role of the research apprenticeship in scientists' preparation and by concerns about replacing the current scientific workforce. Recent research has begun to demonstrate the range of personal, professional, and intellectual benefits for STEM students from participating in UR, yet the processes by which student-advisor interactions contribute to these benefits are little understood. We employ situated learning theory (Lave and Wenger, Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge in 1991) to examine the role of student-advisor interactions in apprenticing undergraduate researchers, particularly in terms of acculturating students to the norms, values, and professional practice of science. This qualitative study examines interviews with a diverse sample of 73 undergraduate research students from two research-extensive institutions. From these interviews, we articulate a continuum of practices that research mentors employed in three domains to support undergraduate scientists-in-training: professional socialization, intellectual support, and personal/emotional support. The needs of novice students differed from those of experienced students in each of these areas. Novice students needed clear expectations, guidelines, and orientation to their specific research project, while experienced students needed broader socialization in adopting the traits, habits, and temperament of scientific researchers. Underrepresented minority students, and to a lesser extent, women, gained confidence from their interactions with their research mentors and broadened their future career and educational possibilities. Undergraduate research at research-extensive universities exemplifies a cycle of scientific learning and practice where undergraduate researchers are mentored by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, who are

Introducing Problem-Based Learning to Undergraduate IT Service Management Course: Student Satisfaction and Work Performance

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Anicic, Katarina Pažur; Mekovec, Renata

2016-01-01

This paper describes the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) principles in an undergraduate IT service management course, followed by the results about student satisfaction and work performance. The results indicate the students' general satisfaction with the course implementation, as well as some challenges regarding the…

Method to Increase Undergraduate Laboratory Student Confidence in Performing Independent Research?

OpenAIRE

Kempton, Colton E.; Weber, K. Scott; Johnson, Steven M.

2017-01-01

The goal of an undergraduate laboratory course should be not only to introduce the students to biology methodologies and techniques, but also to teach them independent analytical thinking skills and proper experiment design.  This is especially true for advanced biology laboratory courses that undergraduate students typically take as a junior or senior in college.  Many courses achieve the goal of teaching techniques, but fail to approach the larger goal of teaching critical thinking, experim...

Undergraduate students' development of social, cultural, and human capital in a networked research experience

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Thompson, Jennifer Jo; Conaway, Evan; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-12-01

Recent calls for reform in undergraduate biology education have emphasized integrating research experiences into the learning experiences of all undergraduates. Contemporary science research increasingly demands collaboration across disciplines and institutions to investigate complex research questions, providing new contexts and models for involving undergraduates in research. In this study, we examined the experiences of undergraduates participating in a multi-institution and interdisciplinary biology research network. Unlike the traditional apprenticeship model of research, in which a student participates in research under the guidance of a single faculty member, students participating in networked research have the opportunity to develop relationships with additional faculty and students working in other areas of the project, at their own and at other institutions. We examined how students in this network develop social ties and to what extent a networked research experience affords opportunities for students to develop social, cultural, and human capital. Most studies of undergraduate involvement in science research have focused on documenting student outcomes rather than elucidating how students gain access to research experiences or how elements of research participation lead to desired student outcomes. By taking a qualitative approach framed by capital theories, we have identified ways that undergraduates utilize and further develop various forms of capital important for success in science research. In our study of the first 16 months of a biology research network, we found that undergraduates drew upon a combination of human, cultural, and social capital to gain access to the network. Within their immediate research groups, students built multidimensional social ties with faculty, peers, and others, yielding social capital that can be drawn upon for information, resources, and support. They reported developing cultural capital in the form of learning to

Descriptive study of burnout, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction in undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary education institution in KwaZulu-Natal.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathias, Christina T; Wentzel, Dorien L

2017-09-22

Studies have investigated burnout and compassion fatigue among nurses and effects in the nursing profession. However, there are limited investigations of burnout and compassion fatigue among undergraduate nursing students in South Africa, as nursing students may experience distressful situations during their nursing education course, which may have an impact during their training and in their profession as they graduate. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted to describe compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue and burnout among undergraduate nursing students at a tertiary nursing institution in KwaZulu-Natal. Convenience sampling was used. Sixty-seven undergraduate students (26 third-year and 41 fourth-year nursing students) took the self-test Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). The study results indicate that undergraduate students experienced average levels of compassion fatigue, burnout and compassion satisfaction. As shown in the study, some of the undergraduate students are experiencing compassion fatigue and burnout, associated with relieving suffering of others. Therefore, knowledge of compassion fatigue and burnout and the coping strategies should be part of nursing training.

Undergraduate Medical Students Using Facebook as a Peer-Mentoring Platform: A Mixed-Methods Study.

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Pinilla, Severin; Nicolai, Leo; Gradel, Maximilian; Pander, Tanja; Fischer, Martin R; von der Borch, Philip; Dimitriadis, Konstantinos

2015-10-27

Peer mentoring is a powerful pedagogical approach for supporting undergraduate medical students in their learning environment. However, it remains unclear what exactly peer mentoring is and whether and how undergraduate medical students use social media for peer-mentoring activities. We aimed at describing and exploring the Facebook use of undergraduate medical students during their first 2 years at a German medical school. The data should help medical educators to effectively integrate social media in formal mentoring programs for medical students. We developed a coding scheme for peer mentoring and conducted a mixed-methods study in order to explore Facebook groups of undergraduate medical students from a peer-mentoring perspective. All major peer-mentoring categories were identified in Facebook groups of medical students. The relevance of these Facebook groups was confirmed through triangulation with focus groups and descriptive statistics. Medical students made extensive use of Facebook and wrote a total of 11,853 posts and comments in the respective Facebook groups (n=2362 total group members). Posting peaks were identified at the beginning of semesters and before exam periods, reflecting the formal curriculum milestones. Peer mentoring is present in Facebook groups formed by undergraduate medical students who extensively use these groups to seek advice from peers on study-related issues and, in particular, exam preparation. These groups also seem to be effective in supporting responsive and large-scale peer-mentoring structures; formal mentoring programs might benefit from integrating social media into their activity portfolio.

Development of concept-based physiology lessons for biomedical engineering undergraduate students.

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Nelson, Regina K; Chesler, Naomi C; Strang, Kevin T

2013-06-01

Physiology is a core requirement in the undergraduate biomedical engineering curriculum. In one or two introductory physiology courses, engineering students must learn physiology sufficiently to support learning in their subsequent engineering courses and careers. As preparation for future learning, physiology instruction centered on concepts may help engineering students to further develop their physiology and biomedical engineering knowledge. Following the Backward Design instructional model, a series of seven concept-based lessons was developed for undergraduate engineering students. These online lessons were created as prerequisite physiology training to prepare students to engage in a collaborative engineering challenge activity. This work is presented as an example of how to convert standard, organ system-based physiology content into concept-based content lessons.

Introducing Science to undergraduate students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Avila Jr

2006-07-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of scientific method provides stimulus and development of critical thinking and logical analysis of information besides the training of continuous formulation of hypothesis to be applied in formal scientific issues as well as in everyday facts. The scientific education, useful for all people, is indispensable for the experimental science students. Aiming at the possibility to offer a systematic learning of the scientific principles, we developed a undergraduate course designed to approximate the students to the procedures of scientific production and publication. The course was developed in a 40 hours, containing two modules: I. Introducing Scientific Articles (papers and II. Writing Research Project. The first module deals with: (1 the difference between scientific knowledge and common sense; (2 scientific methodology; (3 scientific publishing categories; (4 logical principles; (5 deduction and induction approach and (6 paper analysis. The second module includes (1 selection of problem to be solved by experimental procedures; (2 bibliography revision; (3 support agencies; (4 project writing and presentation and (5 critical analysis of experimental results. The course used a Collaborative Learning strategy with each topic being developed through activities performed by the students. Qualitative and quantitative (through Likert questionnaires evaluation were carried out in each step of the course, the results showing great appreciation by the students. This is also the opinion of the staff responsible for the planning and development of the course, which is now in its second and improved version.

Attitudes towards psychiatry of undergraduate medical students at ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The provision of mental health services to all citizens of Nigeria by the year 2000 and ... and clinic consultations. Undergraduate students' attitudes towards psychiatry potentially ..... peculiar or neurotic behaviours. 9 (36.0%). 16 (64.0%).

Valuing Orientation Efficacy: Rethinking Undergraduate Business Student's First Impressions

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McPhail, Ruth; French, Ben; Wilson, Keithia

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to improve the orientation experience of commencing first-year undergraduate business students to better prepare them for the reality of their academic studies through the development and implementation of a Commencing Student-Needs-Centred Orientation Framework. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology…

Undergraduate Mathematics Students' Understanding of the Concept of Function

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Bardini, Caroline; Pierce, Robyn; Vincent, Jill; King, Deborah

2014-01-01

Concern has been expressed that many commencing undergraduate mathematics students have mastered skills without conceptual understanding. A pilot study carried out at a leading Australian university indicates that a significant number of students, with high tertiary entrance ranks, have very limited understanding of the concept of function,…

The Evaluation of Undergraduate Nursing Students' Knowledge of Post-op Pain Management after Participation in Simulation.

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Evans, Cecile B; Mixon, Diana K

2015-12-01

The purpose of this paper was to assess undergraduate nursing students' pain knowledge after participation in a simulation scenario. The Knowledge and Attitudes of Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP) was used to assess pain knowledge. In addition, reflective questions related to the simulation were examined. Student preferences for education method and reactions to the simulation (SIM) were described. Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge of pain management is reported as inadequate. An emerging pedagogy used to educate undergraduate nurses in a safe, controlled environment is simulation. Literature reports of simulation to educate students' about pain management are limited. As part of the undergraduate nursing student clinical coursework, a post-operative pain management simulation, the SIM was developed. Students were required to assess pain levels and then manage the pain for a late adolescent male whose mother's fear of addiction was a barrier to pain management. The students completed an anonymous written survey that included selected questions from the KASRP and an evaluation of the SIM experience. The students' mean KASRP percent correct was 70.4% ± 8.6%. Students scored the best on items specific to pain assessment and worst on items specific to opiate equivalents and decisions on PRN orders. The students' overall KASRP score post simulation was slightly better than previous studies of nursing students. These results suggest that educators should consider simulations to educate about pain assessment and patient/family education. Future pain simulations should include more opportunities for students to choose appropriate pain medications when provided PRN orders. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sources of stress and psychological morbidity among undergraduate physiotherapy students.

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Walsh, J M; Feeney, C; Hussey, J; Donnellan, C

2010-09-01

Professional education can be a stressful experience for some individuals, and may impact negatively on emotional well-being and academic performance. Psychological morbidity and associated sources of stress have not been investigated extensively in physiotherapy students. This study explored sources of stress, psychological morbidity and possible associations between these variables in undergraduate physiotherapy students. A questionnaire-based survey. The Undergraduate Sources of Stress Questionnaire was used to identify sources of stress, and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was used to rate the prevalence of psychological morbidity, using a conservative GHQ threshold of 3 to 4 to determine probable 'cases'. Uni- and multivariate tests of correlation were used to analyse the data. An Irish educational institution. One hundred and twenty-five physiotherapy undergraduate students. More than one-quarter of all students (27%) scored above the GHQ threshold, indicating probable psychological morbidity. This is higher than the level of psychological morbidity reported by the general population. Regression analysis showed that academic (beta=0.31, Pphysiotherapy students, with academic and personal issues being the greatest concern. While personal causes of stress such as stressful events and mood are more difficult to control, manipulation of curricular factors may have positive effects on academic sources of stress. Copyright 2010 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Undergraduate students' perception and Utilization of electronic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An evaluation of undergraduate students' perception and utilization of electronic information resources and services was carried out. The population of the study consisted of all registered library users in the 2014/2015 academic session. The total population of the study was 4, 211 registered users. Accidental sampling ...

Determinants of Happiness in Undergraduate University Students

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Deborah M.; MacLeod, Stephanie

2015-01-01

This study explored the relationship between happiness, and six other life domains: Academic Success, Financial Security, Familial Support, Living Environment, Self-Image and Social Relations. Participants were one hundred and ninety- two students from a small undergraduate university. The purpose of the study was to determine which life domain…

Iranian undergraduate nursing student perceptions of informal learning: A qualitative research.

Science.gov (United States)

Seylani, Khatereh; Negarandeh, Reza; Mohammadi, Easa

2012-11-01

Nursing education is both formal and informal. Formal education represents only a small part of all the learning involved; and many students learn more effectively through informal processes. There is little information about nursing student informal education and how it affects their character and practice. This qualitative study explores undergraduate nursing student perceptions of informal learning during nursing studies. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with a sample of undergraduate nursing students (n = 14). Strauss and Corbin's constant comparison analysis approach was used for data analysis. The categories that emerged included personal maturity and emotional development, social development, closeness to God, alterations in value systems, and ethical and professional commitment. Findings reveal that nursing education could take advantage of informal learning opportunities to develop students' nontechnical skills and produce more competent students. Implications for nursing education are discussed.

Factors Affecting Performance of Undergraduate Students in Construction Related Disciplines

Science.gov (United States)

Olatunji, Samuel Olusola; Aghimien, Douglas Omoregie; Oke, Ayodeji Emmanuel; Olushola, Emmanuel

2016-01-01

Academic performance of students in Nigerian institutions has been of much concern to all and sundry hence the need to assess the factors affecting performance of undergraduate students in construction related discipline in Nigeria. A survey design was employed with questionnaires administered on students in the department of Quantity Surveying,…

Undergraduate Students' Mental Operations in Systems of Differential Equations

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Whitehead, Karen; Rasmussen, Chris

2003-01-01

This paper reports on research conducted to understand undergraduate students' ways of reasoning about systems of differential equations (SDEs). As part of a semester long classroom teaching experiment in a first course in differential equations, we conducted task-based interviews with six students after their study of first order differential…

Undergraduate Student Happiness and Academic Performance: A Correlation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Langevin, Elizabeth L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between undergraduate student happiness and academic performance (GPA), controlling for age, gender, and race/ethnicity for third and fourth year business students at University of Phoenix, Little Rock Campus. The eight-item Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was used to measure the…

Evaluating Risk Awareness in Undergraduate Students Studying Mechanical Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Langdon, G. S.; Balchin, K.; Mufamadi, P.

2010-01-01

This paper examines the development of risk awareness among undergraduate students studying mechanical engineering at a South African university. A questionnaire developed at the University of Liverpool was modified and used on students from the first, second and third year cohorts to assess their awareness in the areas of professional…

Towards a conceptual framework for preceptorship in the clinical education of undergraduate nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Zilembo, Melanie; Monterosso, Leanne

2008-08-01

A recent study undertaken by the authors (2007) highlighted that undergraduate nursing students were subjected to varying experiences in clinical practice, which were mediated by a number of factors. Mediating factors included continuity of preceptors, student attitudes, the clinical setting environment, student and preceptor expectations of the clinical practice experience and interactions between the student and preceptor. Of note, interactions with preceptors were seen to 'make or break' the practical experience. Therefore, the relationship that is forged between preceptor and student is vital in shaping the student's experience of the clinical area and of the real world of nursing work. Early positive socialisation experiences have been shown to improve retention rates of new nurses (Greene & Puetzer 2002), which are issues of prime concern in an era of worsening nursing shortages at all levels of the profession. A conceptual framework designed to guide preceptorship may help alleviate some of the difficulties experienced by undergraduate nurses in building relationships within the complex interactions of the nursing environment. The framework proposed in this paper offers a conceptual model that links positive preceptor leadership qualities (such as compassion, care and empathy) with student characteristics. This model proposes that synergistic interactions between nursing students and preceptors results in positive implications for the nursing workforce. This framework also has the potential for further development to fill the void created by a lack of conceptual guidance for supervisory interactions within the undergraduate clinical context.

Academic Guidance for Undergraduate Students in a South African Medical School: Can we guide them all?

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Mpho P Jama

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Higher education institutions, including medical schools, still grapple with the challenge of poor academic performance of students. Some studies report the positive results of providing academic guidance for common challenges such as poor and/or ineffective time management, study methods, test- and exam-taking techniques and management, and the high academic workload of undergraduate medical students. However, limited detailed insights and understanding of medical students who experience more complex challenges are available.  This study was conducted at a medical school in South Africa to determine undergraduate medical students’ perceptions of factors affecting their academic performance. A total of 89 semi-structured interviews were held with undergraduate medical students who were identified as having academic problems between 2012 and 2015. According to the results, more blacks, males and first- and second year students experienced poor academic performance. Prominent findings included the harsh realities and implications of lack of accommodation for black students; how poor academic performance can lead to an array of other social and psychological problems, such as withdrawal of bursaries and negative achievement emotions that some students experience. Compared to the usual objective measures of individual ability, the rich qualitative data of cases presented in this study reveal critical, real insights and understanding of students’ challenges from their own perspective.

Approaches to learning among occupational therapy undergraduate students: A cross-cultural study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ted; Fong, Kenneth N K; Bonsaksen, Tore; Lan, Tan Hwei; Murdolo, Yuki; Gonzalez, Pablo Cruz; Beng, Lim Hua

2017-07-01

Students may adopt various approaches to academic learning. Occupational therapy students' approaches to study and the impact of cultural context have not been formally investigated to date. To examine the approaches to study adopted by undergraduate occupational therapy students from four different cultural settings. 712 undergraduate occupational therapy students (n = 376 from Australia, n = 109 from Hong Kong, n = 160 from Norway and n = 67 from Singapore) completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare the ASSIST subscales for the students from the four countries. Post-hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test indicated that the mean scores for the strategic approach were significantly different between Australia and the other three countries. The mean scores for the surface approach were significantly different between Australia and Hong Kong, and Hong Kong and Norway. There were no significant differences between the deep approach to studying between Australia, Norway, Singapore and Hong Kong. Culture and educational context do appear to impact the approaches to study adopted by undergraduate occupational therapy students. Academic and practice educators need to be cognizant of what approaches to studying the students they work with adopt.

Clinical skills training in undergraduate medical education using a student-centered approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolsgaard, Martin Grønnebæk

2013-01-01

This thesis focuses on how to engage students in self-directed learning and in peer-learning activities to improve clinical skills training in undergraduate medical education. The first study examined the clinical skills teaching provided by student teachers compared to that provided by associate...... demonstrated remarkable advantages to peer-learning in skills-lab. Thus, peer-learning activities could be essential to providing high-quality medical training in the face of limited clinical teacher resources in future undergraduate medical education.......This thesis focuses on how to engage students in self-directed learning and in peer-learning activities to improve clinical skills training in undergraduate medical education. The first study examined the clinical skills teaching provided by student teachers compared to that provided by associate....... The Reporter-Interpreter-Manager-Educator framework was used to reflect this change and construct validity was explored for RIME-based evaluations of single-patient encounters. In the third study the effects of training in pairs--also known as dyad practice--examined. This study showed that the students...

Knowledge of nursing undergraduate students about the use of contact precautions measures

OpenAIRE

Julielen Salvador dos Santos; Ione Corrêa; Manoel Henrique Salgado

2013-01-01

Objective. To assess knowledge of nursing undergraduate students about the use of contact precautions. Methodology. There were 106 nursing undergraduate students from three universities within the state of Sao Paulo. The data collection was done between April and May 2012. A questionnaire was elaborated with questions assessing knowledge regarding contact precautions. The data were submitted to statistical procedures in the package MINITAB version 16. The knowledge were rated as adequate, par...

"That's a Hard Question": Undergraduate Students Talk about Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Montague-Winebarger, Caitlin N.

2012-01-01

In this project I examine the ability of undergraduate students to articulate a working definition of culture and cross-culture. The students were predominately elementary education majors, enrolled in one of two culture-based elective courses at the University of Alaska Fairbanks during the 2010-2011 school year. Through the use of…

Evaluating the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Process in Undergraduate Parks and Recreation Academic Programs

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Ross, Craig M.; Young, Sarah J.; Sturts, Jill R.

2012-01-01

Institutions of higher education are increasingly being held more accountable for assessing student learning both in and out of their classrooms along with reporting results to their stakeholders. The purpose of this study, which examined assessment of student learning outcomes in undergraduate park and recreation academic programs, was two-fold:…

Visitor or Inhabitant? Addressing the Needs of Undergraduate Transnational Medical Students

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Lindley, Jennifer; McCall, Louise; Abu-Arab, Adela

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to identify key issues for students in an undergraduate medical course with cross border delivery and the impact of these issues on the students' ability to learn. Data relating to the student experience and perceived student needs were collected from transnational students and teaching staff from Australia and Malaysia.…

[Effects of self-foot reflexology on stress, fatigue, skin temperature and immune response in female undergraduate students].

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Lee, Young-Mee

2011-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of self-foot reflexology on stress (perceived stress, urine cortisol level, and serum cortisol level), fatigue, skin temperature and immune response in female undergraduate students. The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-post test design. Participants were 60 university students: 30 in the experiment group and 30 in the control group. The period of this study was from April to June 2010. The program was performed for 1 hr a session, three times a week for 6 weeks. The data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. The results showed that self-foot reflexology was effective in reducing perceived stress and fatigue, and raised skin temperature in female undergraduate students. But cortisol levels and immune response were not statistically significant different. The results of this study indicate that self-foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention in reducing perceived stress and fatigue and, in improving skin temperature. Therefore, it is recommended that this be used in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for in female undergraduate students.

Information Technology Practices Amongst Dental Undergraduate Students at a Private Dental Institution in India

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S. Kumar

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: In dental and medical education, information and communication technology (ICT has been playing an important role and its use is rapidly increasing. In developing countries, however, information technology is still only available to a minority of health professionals. The present study aimed to assess the level of computer use among dental undergraduate students pursuing their career at a private dental institution in India.Materials and Methods: The study population comprised dental undergraduate students from first to fourth year pursuing their career in a private dental institution of India. Informationtechnology practices were assessed using a questionnaire that consisted of 14 questions.Results: In total, 247 students with an overall response rate of 66% participated in the study. Only 58.3% of the study population mentioned that they had access to computers.Students from preclinical years reported to be competent in IT skills more frequently than the clinical year students (chi square test, P=0.007. Compared to women, men used computers more regularly both for academic activities (P=0.082 and personal use (P=0.006.Similarly, students of clinical years used computers more than preclinical students for both purposes (academic activities, P=0.045; personal use, P=0.124.Conclusion: The present study revealed that computer literacy of Indian dental undergraduate students was comparable with students of other countries whereas accessibility of IT sources was poor. Expansion of computer-assisted learning which requires careful strategic planning, resource sharing, staff incentives, active promotion of multidisciplinary working, and effective quality control should be implemented.

A Study of Interest and Perception of the Financial Planning Profession Among Finance Undergraduate Students

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Chen, Leon; Severns, Roger

2016-01-01

We conducted an annual survey of undergraduate students taking finance courses over the past 5 years (2009-2014). Our results showed that although more than 70% of students considered the financial planning profession to some extent, the percentage of students who had seriously considered it declined over time, despite the increasing number of new…

Relationships Between Self-Efficacy, Self-Esteem and Procrastination in Undergraduate Psychology Students

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Hajloo, Nader

2014-01-01

Objective: The present study aimed to review the relationships between procrastination and two self-factors self-efficacy and self-esteem. Methods: Participants were 140 undergraduates Psychology students enrolled in Mohagheg Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran. Instruments used for collecting the required data were the student-version of the General Procrastination Scale (GP-S), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and Rosenberg?s Self-Esteem Scale (SES). Results: Using causal modeling, two mode...

Students' Motivation toward English Language Learning at Undergraduate Level

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Ahmed, Mumtaz; Aftab, Maria; Yaqoob, Humaira

2015-01-01

The main purpose of this descriptive research is to explore the fact that why students are less motivated towards English language learning at undergraduate level. It also throws light upon the very facts of motivation with regard to the factors like student-teacher relationship, class room environment, self esteem or self respect, and willingness…

The hidden curriculum in undergraduate medical education: qualitative study of medical students' perceptions of teaching.

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Lempp, Heidi; Seale, Clive

2004-10-02

To study medical students' views about the quality of the teaching they receive during their undergraduate training, especially in terms of the hidden curriculum. Semistructured interviews with individual students. One medical school in the United Kingdom. 36 undergraduate medical students, across all stages of their training, selected by random and quota sampling, stratified by sex and ethnicity, with the whole medical school population as a sampling frame. Medical students' experiences and perceptions of the quality of teaching received during their undergraduate training. Students reported many examples of positive role models and effective, approachable teachers, with valued characteristics perceived according to traditional gendered stereotypes. They also described a hierarchical and competitive atmosphere in the medical school, in which haphazard instruction and teaching by humiliation occur, especially during the clinical training years. Following on from the recent reforms of the manifest curriculum, the hidden curriculum now needs attention to produce the necessary fundamental changes in the culture of undergraduate medical education.

Problem-Solving Skills Appraisal Mediates Hardiness and Suicidal Ideation among Malaysian Undergraduate Students

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Abdollahi, Abbas; Talib, Mansor Abu; Yaacob, Siti Nor; Ismail, Zanariah

2015-01-01

Objectives Recent evidence suggests that suicidal ideation is increased among university students, it is essential to increase our knowledge concerning the etiology of suicidal ideation among university students. This study was conducted to examine the relationships between problem-solving skills appraisal, hardiness, and suicidal ideation among university students. In addition, this study was conducted to examine problem-solving skills appraisal (including the three components of problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and personal control of emotion) as a potential mediator between hardiness and suicidal ideation. Methods The participants consisted of 500 undergraduate students from Malaysian public universities. Results Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) estimated that undergraduate students with lower hardiness, poor problem-solving confidence, external personal control of emotion, and avoiding style was associated with higher suicidal ideation. Problem-solving skills appraisal (including the three components of problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and personal control of emotion) partially mediated the relationship between hardiness and suicidal ideation. Conclusion These findings underline the importance of studying mediating processes that explain how hardiness affects suicidal ideation. PMID:25830229

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Outcomes for Over 250 Undergraduate Participants

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Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; ALFALFA Team

2016-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. In this talk we present outcomes for the more than 250 undergraduate students who have who have participated in the program during the 8 years of funding. 40% of these students have been women and members of underrepresented groups. To date 148 undergraduate students have attended annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 159 summer research projects and 120 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 68 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 55 have presented their results at national meetings such as the AAS. Through participation in the UAT, students are made aware of career paths they may not have previously considered. More than 90% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, and AST-1211005

Undergraduate nursing students writing therapeutic letters to families: an educational strategy.

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Erlingsson, Christen

2009-02-01

Writing therapeutic letters to families is discussed in this article as an educational strategy encouraging students to think reflectively about family nursing. At the University of Kalmar, Sweden, undergraduate nursing students in a primary care module interviewed families using the Calgary Family Assessment Model and wrote therapeutic letters to these families. This article describes (a) the examination process, which was the context for writing therapeutic letters, (b) results of analyses of the letters, and (c) student's post-examination evaluation comments. Results indicate that most students needed encouragement to focus on the family's strengths and resources instead of focusing on own feelings or problems they perceived the family as having. Students also needed support in relinquishing their hierarchical role of "expert nurse." Students' evaluation comments showed that writing therapeutic letters provided students with opportunities to reflect about the connections between family nursing theory and the family itself.

Examining Student Ideas about Energy Measurements on Quantum States across Undergraduate and Graduate Levels

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Passante, Gina; Emigh, Paul J.; Shaffer, Peter S.

2015-01-01

Energy measurements play a fundamental role in the theory of quantum mechanics, yet there is evidence that the underlying concepts are difficult for many students, even after all undergraduate instruction. We present results from an investigation into student ability to determine the possible energies that can be measured for a given wave function…

"iM Ready to Learn": Undergraduate Nursing Students Knowledge, Preferences, and Practice of Mobile Technology and Social Media.

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Hay, Benjamin; Carr, Peter J; Dawe, Lydia; Clark-Burg, Karen

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify in what way social media and mobile technology assist with learning and education of the undergraduate nurse. The study involved undergraduate nursing students across three campuses from the University of Notre Dame Australia. Participants were invited to complete an online questionnaire that related to their current knowledge, preferences, and practice with mobile technology and social media within their undergraduate nursing degree. A quantitative descriptive survey design was adapted from an initial pilot survey by the authors. A total of 386 nursing students (23.47% of the total enrolment) completed the online survey. Overall, results suggested that students are more supportive of social media and mobile technology in principle than in practice. Students who frequently use mobile technologies prefer to print out, highlight, and annotate the lecture material. Findings suggest that nursing students currently use mobile technology and social media and are keen to engage in ongoing learning and collaboration using these resources. Therefore, nursing academia should encourage the appropriate use of mobile technology and social media within the undergraduate curriculum so that responsible use of such technologies positively affects the future nursing workforce.

The Management Skills of Exam Process for Undergraduate Students

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Cetin, Filiz; Cetin, Saban

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify to what degree undergraduate students are able to manage the exam process to be successful in exams. The study group of the research, which utilizes the survey model, consists of 350 students in total, 185 female and 165 male, attending 4 different teaching programs in Faculty of Education, Gazi University. "The…

Introducing Undergraduate Students to Real-Time PCR

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Hancock, Dale; Funnell, Alister; Jack, Briony; Johnston, Jill

2010-01-01

An experiment is conducted, which in four 3 h laboratory sessions, introduces third year undergraduate Biochemistry students to the technique of real-time PCR in a biological context. The model used is a murine erythroleukemia cell line (MEL cells). These continuously cycling, immature red blood cells, arrested at an early stage in erythropoiesis,…

Undergraduate quantum mechanics: lost opportunities for engaging motivated students?

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Johansson, Anders

2018-03-01

Quantum mechanics is widely recognised as an important and difficult subject, and many studies have been published focusing on students’ conceptual difficulties. However, the sociocultural aspects of studying such an emblematic subject have not been researched to any large extent. This study explores students’ experiences of undergraduate quantum mechanics using qualitative analysis of semi-structured interview data. The results inform discussions about the teaching of quantum mechanics by adding a sociocultural dimension. Students pictured quantum mechanics as an intriguing subject that inspired them to study physics. The study environment they encountered when taking their first quantum mechanics course was however not always as inspiring as expected. Quantum mechanics instruction has commonly focused on the mathematical framework of quantum mechanics, and this kind of teaching was also what the interviewees had experienced. Two ways of handling the encounter with a traditional quantum mechanics course were identified in the interviews; either students accept the practice of studying quantum mechanics in a mathematical, exercise-centred way or they distance themselves from these practices and the subject. The students who responded by distancing themselves experienced a crisis and disappointment, where their experiences did not match the way they imagined themselves engaging with quantum mechanics. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to efforts to reform the teaching of undergraduate quantum mechanics.

Sleep medicine education and knowledge among undergraduate dental students in Middle East universities.

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Talaat, Wael; AlRozzi, Balsam; Kawas, Sausan Al

2016-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess the undergraduate dental education in sleep medicine in Middle East universities as well as the students' knowledge in this field. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out during the period from September 2013 to April 2014.Two different questionnaires were used. A self-administered questionnaire and a cover letter were emailed and distributed to 51 randomly selected Middle East dental schools to gather information about their undergraduate sleep medicine education offered in the academic year 2012-2013.The second questionnaire was distributed to the fifth-year dental students in the 2nd Sharjah International Dental Student Conference in April 2014, to assess their knowledge on sleep medicine. A survey to assess knowledge of sleep medicine in medical education (Modified ASKME Survey) was used. Thirty-nine out of 51 (76%) responded to the first questionnaire. Out of the responding schools, only nine schools (23%) reported the inclusion of sleep medicine in their undergraduate curriculum. The total average hours dedicated to teaching sleep medicine in the responding dental schools was 1.2 hours. In the second questionnaire, 29.2% of the respondents were in the high score group, whereas 70.8% scored low in knowledge of sleep-related breathing disorders. Dental students in Middle East universities receive a weak level of sleep medicine education resulting in poor knowledge in this field.

Concepts of spirituality prevailing among undergraduate medical students in Delhi

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Shantanu Sharma

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Spirituality is considered one of the determinants of health. Various studies have documented its role in the management of psychological illnesses such as schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders. Doctors often lack skills to do spiritual assessment of the patients. Aim: The current study was conducted among the 1st year undergraduate medical students to find out their ideas and thoughts about spirituality using self-administered questionnaire. Methodology: This was a college based cross sectional study wherein 168 students were interviewed using semistructured, self administered questionnaire. Ethical clearance was obtained from Institutional ethical committee.Results: Most of the students (93.5% believed in spirituality, but only about half (49% of them had complete knowledge about it. Only psychological disorders and chronic diseases were labeled by students who need spirituality as a modality of treatment. Girls linked spirituality with God more than boys. A formal training in spirituality is not essential according to 43% of the subjects. Conclusion: The undergraduates need to understand the importance of this dimension of health. A mere gain in knowledge about spiritual strength available in some of the textbooks would not be able to orient doctors sufficiently to apply it in their practice. Future Direction: Skill building and practicing the culture of spiritual counseling among health workers is the need of hour.

Plastic surgery in the undergraduate curriculum: the importance of considering students' perceptions.

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Burd, Andrew; Chiu, Tor; McNaught, Carmel

2004-12-01

As the undergraduate medical curriculum becomes increasingly crowded the competition for time inevitably increases and surgical specialties have decreasing representation. Plastic surgery is regarded with some confusion in terms of its relevance to the generic doctor. Plastic surgeons have no doubt about the relevance of the specialty to undergraduates. Others see this as a very technical specialty dealing with complex reconstructions and surgical interventions or, as a rather indulgent specialty focusing mainly on glamour and cosmesis. This study focuses on students' perceptions of an undergraduate teaching program in plastic surgery. The reality is that highly pressured undergraduates do not have the luxury of time to consider the finer details of the specialties to which they are exposed. Their priority is to pass their examinations and, having addressed that concern, further information becomes an acceptable bonus. The conclusion is that if plastic surgeons are going to gain greater involvement in the undergraduate curriculum they must start with involvement in examinations and assessments. The students will then ensure that adequate and appropriate teaching time is allocated.

Librarian involvement in a nutrition undergraduate research course: preparing nutrition students for evidence-based practice.

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Smith, Susan C; Penumetcha, Meera

2010-01-01

Given the foundational importance of literature searching skills to later stages of research and, ultimately, evidence-based practice, the authors wanted to assess a unique strategy for teaching such skills. This pilot study describes the results of an undergraduate nutrition research course in which a librarian lead several class sessions. The goal of this study was to assess students' perceptions, attitudes and use of research literature and resources before and after a course partially taught by a librarian. Twenty-seven students enrolled in an undergraduate Introduction to Research course at Georgia State University were given pre- and post-test questionnaires at the beginning and end of a course that included three librarian-led class sessions. Most of the results indicate that the repeated involvement of a librarian enriched this particular undergraduate research course. By the end of the course, students were more comfortable in libraries and with using library resources; they used the campus library more frequently; they were more confident in their ability to find high-quality information on nutrition-related topics and identify strengths and weaknesses of different information sources; and they felt they gained skills that will help them achieve their educational and career goals.

Undergraduate students as co-producers in the creation of first-year practical class resources

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Hubbard, KE; Brown, R; Deans, S; García, MP; Pruna, M-G; Mason, Matthew James

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students are increasingly working with academic staff to evaluate and design teaching materials in Higher Education, thereby moving from being passive consumers of knowledge to genuine partners in their education. Here we describe a student partnership project run at the University of Cambridge, which aimed to improve undergraduate biology practical class teaching. Student interns were recruited to act as researchers, pedagogical consultants and producers of teaching resources. ...

Portuguese as a Minority Language: Attitudes of Undergraduate Students Studying Portuguese Literature

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Reis, Sonia Maria Nunes

2011-01-01

The differences between European Portuguese (EP) and Brazilian Portuguese (BP) raise some interesting issues that are well worth considering through undergraduate university students' perceptions and attitudes. Instructors of undergraduate courses in Portuguese literature suggest that in terms of curriculum design, curriculum delivery, and…

Burnout syndrome among undergraduate nursing students at a public university

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Jamila Geri Tomaschewski-Barlem

2014-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to investigate the burnout syndrome and its relationship with demographic and academic variables among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in Southern Brazil.METHOD: a quantitative study with 168 students, by applying an adaptation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Student Survey, validated for this study. We used descriptive and variance analysis of the data analysis.RESULTS: we found that students do not have the burnout syndrome, manifesting high average scores in Emotional Exhaustion, low in Disbelief and high in Professional Effectiveness; that younger students who perform leisure activities have greater Professional Effectiveness, unlike students in early grades with no extracurricular activities; combining work and studies negatively influenced only the Professional Effectiveness factor, while the intention of giving up influenced negatively Disbelief and Professional Effectiveness factors.CONCLUSION: the situations that lead students to Emotional Exhaustion need to be recognized, considering the specificity of their study environments.

Six Classroom Exercises to Teach Natural Selection to Undergraduate Biology Students

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Kalinowski, Steven T.; Leonard, Mary J.; Andrews, Tessa M.; Litt, Andrea R.

2013-01-01

Students in introductory biology courses frequently have misconceptions regarding natural selection. In this paper, we describe six activities that biology instructors can use to teach undergraduate students in introductory biology courses how natural selection causes evolution. These activities begin with a lesson introducing students to natural…

Impact of Facebook Usage on Undergraduate Students Performance in Irbid National University: Case Study

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Altaany, Fawzi H.; Jassim, Firas A.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the style of Facebook usage between undergraduate students and the impact on their academics performance. Also, this paper was evaluated in the view of student the using of Facebook. A questioner was design for collecting data from a sample of 480 undergraduate students in Irbid National University. The survey revealed that 77% of the students have an account on Facebook. One of the main findings is that there was a significant relationship between gend...

Undergraduate Students Attıtudes towards Educatıonal Uses of Internet

OpenAIRE

Usun, Salih

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of undergraduate students towards the educational uses of the Internet. A 27-item questionnaire was administered to 207 undergraduate students at the Department of Computer and Instructional Technologies Education (CITE) of the Faculty of Education of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University during the fall 2002 semester. The five items that met with the strongest agreement from the sample were the following: 1- The Internet is as important as ...

A systematic review of factors influencing student ratings in undergraduate medical education course evaluations.

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Schiekirka, Sarah; Raupach, Tobias

2015-03-05

Student ratings are a popular source of course evaluations in undergraduate medical education. Data on the reliability and validity of such ratings have mostly been derived from studies unrelated to medical education. Since medical education differs considerably from other higher education settings, an analysis of factors influencing overall student ratings with a specific focus on medical education was needed. For the purpose of this systematic review, online databases (PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science) were searched up to August 1st, 2013. Original research articles on the use of student ratings in course evaluations in undergraduate medical education were eligible for inclusion. Included studies considered the format of evaluation tools and assessed the association of independent and dependent (i.e., overall course ratings) variables. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were checked by two independent reviewers, and results were synthesised in a narrative review. Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative research (2 studies) indicated that overall course ratings are mainly influenced by student satisfaction with teaching and exam difficulty rather than objective determinants of high quality teaching. Quantitative research (23 studies) yielded various influencing factors related to four categories: student characteristics, exposure to teaching, satisfaction with examinations and the evaluation process itself. Female gender, greater initial interest in course content, higher exam scores and higher satisfaction with exams were associated with more positive overall course ratings. Due to the heterogeneity and methodological limitations of included studies, results must be interpreted with caution. Medical educators need to be aware of various influences on student ratings when developing data collection instruments and interpreting evaluation results. More research into the reliability and validity of overall course ratings as typically used in the

Chinese Undergraduate Students' Work Values: The Role of Parental Work Experience and Part-Time Work Quality

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Cheung, Francis Yue-lok; Tang, Catherine So-kum

2012-01-01

In this study, the authors investigated the association of perceived parental job insecurity and students' part-time work quality on work values among 341 Hong Kong Chinese undergraduate students. Correlation and regression results showed that work values were strongly related to students' part-time work satisfaction and work quality. In…

Undergraduate Student Involvement in International Research - The IRES Program at MAX-lab, Sweden

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Briscoe, William; O'Rielly, Grant; Fissum, Kevin

2014-03-01

Undergraduate students associated with The George Washington University and UMass Dartmouth have had the opportunity to participate in nuclear physics research as a part of the PIONS@MAXLAB Collaboration performing experiments at MAX-lab at Lund University in Sweden. This project has supported thirteen undergraduate students during 2009 - 2011. The student researchers are involved with all aspects of the experiments performed at the laboratory, from set-up to analysis and presentation at national conferences. These experiments investigate the dynamics responsible for the internal structure of the nucleon through the study of pion photoproduction off the nucleon and high-energy Compton scattering. Along with the US and Swedish project leaders, members of the collaboration (from four different countries) have contributed to the training and mentoring of these students. This program provides students with international research experiences that prepare them to operate successfully in a global environment and encourages them to stay in areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) that are crucial for our modern, technology-dependent society. We will present the history, goals and outcomes in both physics results and student success that have come from this program. This work supported by NSF OISE/IRES award 0553467.

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

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Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, Daniel

2013-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Coping Strategies for Stress Adopted by Undergraduate Students of Private Universities in Himachal Pradesh, India

OpenAIRE

Bishwas Acharya; Gokul Pathak; Hoshiar Singh Chauhan

2016-01-01

Background: Stress affects the health and academic career of students. Students adopt different coping methods and strategies to deal with stress. Objective: To assess the coping strategies adopted by the undergraduate students of private universities in Himachal Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out among 422 undergraduate students of two selected private universities in Himachal Pradesh in March-April using self administered questionnaire. Brief cope...

Developing critical thinking, creativity and innovation skills of undergraduate students

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Shoop, Barry L.

2014-07-01

A desirable goal of engineering education is to teach students how to be creative and innovative. However, the speed of technological innovation and the continual expansion of disciplinary knowledge leave little time in the curriculum for students to formally study innovation. At West Point we have developed a novel upper-division undergraduate course that develops the critical thinking, creativity and innovation of undergraduate science and engineering students. This course is structured as a deliberate interactive engagement between students and faculty that employs the Socratic method to develop an understanding of disruptive and innovative technologies and a historical context of how social, cultural, and religious factors impact the acceptance or rejection of technological innovation. The course begins by developing the background understanding of what disruptive technology is and a historical context about successes and failures of social, cultural, and religious acceptance of technological innovation. To develop this framework, students read The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn, The Discoverers by Daniel J. Boorstin, and The Two Cultures by C.P. Snow. For each class meeting, students survey current scientific and technical literature and come prepared to discuss current events related to technological innovation. Each student researches potential disruptive technologies and prepares a compelling argument of why the specific technologies are disruptive so they can defend their choice and rationale. During course meetings students discuss the readings and specific technologies found during their independent research. As part of this research, each student has the opportunity to interview forward thinking technology leaders in their respective fields of interest. In this paper we will describe the course and highlight the results from teaching this course over the past five years.

Health-related Quality of Life and Associated Factors Among Undergraduate University Students

OpenAIRE

Naim Nur; Ahmet Kıbık; Esma Kılıç; Haldun Sümer

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among students of Cumhuriyet University, Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1751 undergraduate students. HRQOL was measured using the Turkish version of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire. We looked at the effect of sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, drinking, and smoking) on the individual HRQOL domains. Results: Place of residency ...

Studying Interaction in Undergraduate Tutorials: Results from a Small-Scale Evaluation

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Shaw, Lorraine; Carey, Phil; Mair, Michael

2008-01-01

This article reports on an observation-based evaluation of student-tutor interaction in first-year undergraduate tutorials. Using a single case analysis, the paper looks at how tutors and students built and maintained relationships through two different though interlinked forms of interaction--storytelling and the use of classroom space for…

Reconciling professional identity: A grounded theory of nurse academics' role modelling for undergraduate students.

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Baldwin, A; Mills, J; Birks, M; Budden, L

2017-12-01

Role modelling by experienced nurses, including nurse academics, is a key factor in the process of preparing undergraduate nursing students for practice, and may contribute to longevity in the workforce. A grounded theory study was undertaken to investigate the phenomenon of nurse academics' role modelling for undergraduate students. The study sought to answer the research question: how do nurse academics role model positive professional behaviours for undergraduate students? The aims of this study were to: theorise a process of nurse academic role modelling for undergraduate students; describe the elements that support positive role modelling by nurse academics; and explain the factors that influence the implementation of academic role modelling. The study sample included five second year nursing students and sixteen nurse academics from Australia and the United Kingdom. Data was collected from observation, focus groups and individual interviews. This study found that in order for nurse academics to role model professional behaviours for nursing students, they must reconcile their own professional identity. This paper introduces the theory of reconciling professional identity and discusses the three categories that comprise the theory, creating a context for learning, creating a context for authentic rehearsal and mirroring identity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnosing alternative conceptions of Fermi energy among undergraduate students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Sapna; Ahluwalia, Pardeep Kumar

2012-01-01

Physics education researchers have scientifically established the fact that the understanding of new concepts and interpretation of incoming information are strongly influenced by the preexisting knowledge and beliefs of students, called epistemological beliefs. This can lead to a gap between what students actually learn and what the teacher expects them to learn. In a classroom, as a teacher, it is desirable that one tries to bridge this gap at least on the key concepts of a particular field which is being taught. One such key concept which crops up in statistical physics/solid-state physics courses, and around which the behaviour of materials is described, is Fermi energy (ε F ). In this paper, we present the results which emerged about misconceptions on Fermi energy in the process of administering a diagnostic tool called the Statistical Physics Concept Survey developed by the authors. It deals with eight themes of basic importance in learning undergraduate solid-state physics and statistical physics. The question items of the tool were put through well-established sequential processes: definition of themes, Delphi study, interview with students, drafting questions, administration, validity and reliability of the tool. The tool was administered to a group of undergraduate students and postgraduate students, in a pre-test and post-test design. In this paper, we have taken one of the themes i.e. Fermi energy of the diagnostic tool for our analysis and discussion. Students’ responses and reasoning comments given during interview were analysed. This analysis helped us to identify prevailing misconceptions/learning gaps among students on this topic. How spreadsheets can be effectively used to remove the identified misconceptions and help appreciate the finer nuances while visualizing the behaviour of the system around Fermi energy, normally sidestepped both by the teachers and learners, is also presented in this paper. (paper)

An exploration of undergraduate nursing and physiotherapy students' views regarding education for patient handling.

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Kneafsey, Rosie; Ramsay, Jill; Edwards, Helen; Callaghan, Helen

2012-12-01

To ascertain the views of undergraduate student nurses and physiotherapists regarding their education in patient handling. Musculo-skeletal injuries are an important cause of staff sickness absence and attrition from the nursing profession and are a recognised problem within the physiotherapy profession. Nurses and physiotherapists are at risk of musculo-skeletal injuries as a result of their role in assisting patients with movement. A questionnaire survey was undertaken of undergraduate nursing and physiotherapy students (n = 371) at one university. Most students agreed that university teaching about moving and handling prepared them for clinical practice (64%). Over a third reported that they had never undertaken a written moving and handling risk assessment in clinical practice (38%). Almost half of the sample (40%) admitted undertaking unsafe moving and handling activities. Half (50%) also stated that they would rather 'fit' into the team than challenge unsafe practice. Almost a third (29%) stated that they had begun to experience pain since becoming a student. There were significant differences between nursing and physiotherapy students. Physiotherapy students were more likely to report being supervised when moving and handling and reported being more assertive about adhering to safe practice. The well-being of both nursing and physiotherapy undergraduate students is threatened when students undertake work placements in clinical settings. University-based education in safe patient handling, though important, can be undermined by workplace settings where unsafe practices occur. Collaboration is needed between university educators, managers and practice-based mentors to support students to maintain safe approaches to moving and handling patients. A third of students reported developing pain since becoming a healthcare student. Students entering their professions already injured may leave the workforce owing to poor physical well-being. It is vital that the

Correlation between self-differentiation and professional adaptability among undergraduate nursing students in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Si-wei Liu

2016-12-01

Conclusion: The level of self-differentiation of undergraduate nursing studentsaffects their professional adaptability. Nursing educators should consider the characteristics of self-differentiation of undergraduate nursing students in developing measures to improve their professional adaptability.

The experience of educational quality in undergraduate nursing students: a phenomenological study.

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Macale, Loreana; Vellone, Ercole; Scialò, Gennaro; Iossa, Mauro; Cristofori, Elena; Alvaro, Rosaria

2016-01-01

The evaluation of academic education has become crucial in the European Union since the Bologna Process encouraged all European universities to reach high quality standards in education. Although several studies have been conducted on the quality of undergraduate nursing education, few studies have explored this topic from the students' perspective. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of educational quality in undergraduate nursing students. The phenomenological method was used to study 55 students (mean age 24 years; 73% female) pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing in three universities in central Italy. The following five themes emerged from the phenomenological analysis: 1) quality of faculties: teaching skills, preparation, sensitivity to students, self-discipline; 2) theory-practice integration and communication between teaching and clinical area; 3) general management and organization of the programme; 4) quality of infrastructures: libraries, classrooms, information technology, services, administration, and communication; and 5) clinical tutorship: humanity, relationships and ability of the clinical tutor to guide and support. This study's novel finding was a deeper understanding of the educational quality's meanings among undergraduate nursing students. Students thought educational quality consisted of the faculty members' sensitivity towards their problems and the clinical tutors' humanity, interpersonal skills, guidance and support.

Exploring the Research Mindset and Information-Seeking Behaviors of Undergraduate Music Students

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Clark, Joe C.; Johnstone, Jennifer

2018-01-01

This article examines the mindset and process of undergraduate music majors conducting research in their discipline. While working with students in a writing-intensive music history class, the authors conducted several surveys, focus groups, and task-based assessments. Results indicated that most were overconfident in their research abilities,…

Inclination of undergraduate medical students towards teaching as career

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Apturkar, D. K.; Dandekar, Usha K.; Dandkar, Kundankumar Narayan; Jorwekar, Golul Jayant; Baviskar, Padmakar Kashinath

2014-01-01

Introduction: There is acute shortage of teachers in medical field and very few new members are joining this noble profession. The shortage of medical teachers is resulting in decrease of teaching quality, decrease in number of medical seats and the country is losing its education standard worldwide.Aims: To find out the view and inclination of undergraduate medical students towards teaching as career.Objectives: It is an attempt to find possible reasons preventing or stimulating the undergra...

Instructor-Created Activities to Engage Undergraduate Nursing Research Students.

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Pierce, Linda L; Reuille, Kristina M

2018-03-01

In flipped or blended classrooms, instruction intentionally shifts to a student-centered model for a problem-based learning approach, where class time explores topics in greater depth, creating meaningful learning opportunities. This article describes instructor-created activities focused on research processes linked to evidence-based practice that engage undergraduate nursing research students. In the classroom, these activities include individual and team work to foster critical thinking and stimulate student discussion of topic material. Six activities for small and large student groups are related to quantitative, qualitative, and both research processes, as well as applying research evidence to practice. Positive student outcomes included quantitative success on assignments and robust student topic discussions, along with instructor-noted overall group engagement and interest. Using these activities can result in class time for the construction of meaning, rather than primarily information transmission. Instructors may adopt these activities to involve and stimulate students' critical thinking about research and evidence-based practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(3):174-177.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Students' Reflective Essays as Insights into Student Centred-Pedagogies within the Undergraduate Research Methods Curriculum

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Hosein, Anesa; Rao, Namrata

2017-01-01

In higher education, despite the emphasis on student-centred pedagogical approaches, undergraduate research methods pedagogy remains surprisingly teacher-directed. Consequently, it may lead to research methods students assuming that becoming a researcher involves gathering information rather than it being a continuous developmental process. To…

An examination of undergraduate engineering students' stereotype of scientists and their career intentions

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Stara, Michelle M.

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) (2013) has acknowledged that additional graduates are needed in engineering and related STEM fields. However, the GAO has also noted that it is difficult to determine if the additional graduates will align with employer demand at the time of entry into the workforce. This research study attempts to examine undergraduate engineering students' perceptions of scientists and if they were related to students' intentions to pursue science by examining the constructs of Stereotypes of Scientists (SOS) and Career Intentions in Science (CIS). While results of data analysis were not significant, patterns were seen that provided valuable information with regard to the variability of undergraduate engineering students and the complexity of what goes into stereotype formation and career choice. As a practitioner, there were pertinent applications that could be implemented from the results of this and related studies. From the perspective of practitioners, the findings may be used to target recruitment, retention, and specific teaching strategies to increase enrollment and graduate numbers in the lesser known engineering and STEM fields.

Exploration of the lived experiences of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics minority students

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Snead-McDaniel, Kimberly

An expanding ethnicity gap exists in the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers in the United States. The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering revealed that the number of minorities pursuing STEM degrees and careers has declined over the past few years. The specific origins of this trend are not quite evident; one variable to consider is that undergraduate minority students are failing in STEM disciplines at various levels of education from elementary to postsecondary. The failure of female and minority students to enter STEM disciplines in higher education have led various initiatives to establish programs to promote STEM disciplines among these groups. Additional funding for minority STEM programs have led to a increase in undergraduate minority students entering STEM disciplines, but the minority students' graduation rate in STEM disciplines is approximately 7% lower than the graduation of nonminority students in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of underrepresented minority undergraduate college students participating in an undergraduate minority-mentoring program. The following nine themes emerged from the study: (a) competitiveness, (b) public perception, (c) dedication, (d) self-perception, (e) program activities, (f) time management, (g) exposure to career and graduate opportunities, (h) rigor in the curriculum, and (i) peer mentoring. The themes provided answers and outcomes to better support a stronger minority representation in STEM disciplines.

Clinical Integration and How It Affects Student Retention in Undergraduate Athletic Training Programs

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Young, Allison; Klossner, Joanne; Docherty, Carrie L; Dodge, Thomas M; Mensch, James M

2013-01-01

Context A better understanding of why students leave an undergraduate athletic training education program (ATEP), as well as why they persist, is critical in determining the future membership of our profession. Objective To better understand how clinical experiences affect student retention in undergraduate ATEPs. Design Survey-based research using a quantitative and qualitative mixed-methods approach. Setting Three-year undergraduate ATEPs across District 4 of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. Patients or Other Participants Seventy-one persistent students and 23 students who left the ATEP prematurely. Data Collection and Analysis Data were collected using a modified version of the Athletic Training Education Program Student Retention Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance was performed on the quantitative data, followed by a univariate analysis of variance on any significant findings. The qualitative data were analyzed through inductive content analysis. Results A difference was identified between the persister and dropout groups (Pillai trace = 0.42, F1,92 = 12.95, P = .01). The follow-up analysis of variance revealed that the persister and dropout groups differed on the anticipatory factors (F1,92 = 4.29, P = .04), clinical integration (F1,92 = 6.99, P = .01), and motivation (F1,92 = 43.12, P = .01) scales. Several themes emerged in the qualitative data, including networks of support, authentic experiential learning, role identity, time commitment, and major or career change. Conclusions A perceived difference exists in how athletic training students are integrated into their clinical experiences between those students who leave an ATEP and those who stay. Educators may improve retention by emphasizing authentic experiential learning opportunities rather than hours worked, by allowing students to take on more responsibility, and by facilitating networks of support within clinical education experiences. PMID:23672327

Development and pilot evaluation of Native CREST-a Cancer Research Experience and Student Training program for Navajo undergraduate students.

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Hughes, Christine A; Bauer, Mark C; Horazdovsky, Bruce F; Garrison, Edward R; Patten, Christi A; Petersen, Wesley O; Bowman, Clarissa N; Vierkant, Robert A

2013-03-01

The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and Diné College received funding for a 4-year collaborative P20 planning grant from the National Cancer Institute in 2006. The goal of the partnership was to increase Navajo undergraduates' interest in and commitment to biomedical coursework and careers, especially in cancer research. This paper describes the development, pilot testing, and evaluation of Native CREST (Cancer Research Experience and Student Training), a 10-week cancer research training program providing mentorship in a Mayo Clinic basic science or behavioral cancer research lab for Navajo undergraduate students. Seven Native American undergraduate students (five females, two males) were enrolled during the summers of 2008-2011. Students reported the program influenced their career goals and was valuable to their education and development. These efforts may increase the number of Native American career scientists developing and implementing cancer research, which will ultimately benefit the health of Native American people.

The Relationship between Affective and Social Isolation among Undergraduate Students

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Alghraibeh, Ahmad M.; Juieed, Noof M. Bni

2018-01-01

We examined the correlation between social isolation and affective isolation among 457 undergraduate students using a stratified cluster sampling technique. Participants comprised 221 men and 236 women, all of whom were either first- or fourth-year students enrolled in various majors at King Saud University. Means, standard deviations, Pearson…

Statistics anxiety among undergraduate students in the faculty of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of statistics anxiety among undergraduate students, and whether the level of influenced by factor e.g gender and age. A sample of 100 third year students who enrolled for basic statistics in the University of Calabar was used for the study. A series of t-tests revealed that the ...

Self Reflections of Undergraduate Students on Using Web-Supported Counterintuitive Science Demonstrations

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Kumar, David Devraj; Dunn, Jessica

2018-03-01

Analysis of self-reflections of undergraduate education students in a project involving web-supported counterintuitive science demonstrations is reported in this paper. Participating students (N = 19) taught science with counterintuitive demonstrations in local elementary school classrooms and used web-based resources accessed via wireless USB adapters. Student reflections to seven questions were analyzed qualitatively using four components of reflection (meeting objectives/perception of learning, dynamics of pedagogy, special needs accommodations, improving teaching) deriving 27 initial data categories and 12 emergent themes. Overall the undergraduates reported meeting objectives, engaging students in pedagogically relevant learning tasks including, providing accommodations to students with special needs, and gaining practice and insight to improve their own teaching. Additional research is needed to arrive at generalizable findings concerning teaching with web-supported counterintuitive science demonstrations in elementary classrooms.

Moral distress in undergraduate nursing students: A systematic review.

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Sasso, Loredana; Bagnasco, Annamaria; Bianchi, Monica; Bressan, Valentina; Carnevale, Franco

2016-08-01

Nurses and nursing students appear vulnerable to moral distress when faced with ethical dilemmas or decision-making in clinical practice. As a result, they may experience professional dissatisfaction and their relationships with patients, families, and colleagues may be compromised. The impact of moral distress may manifest as anger, feelings of guilt and frustration, a desire to give up the profession, loss of self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. The purpose of this review was to describe how dilemmas and environmental, relational, and organizational factors contribute to moral distress in undergraduate student nurses during their clinical experience and professional education. The research design was a systematic literature review. The search produced a total of 157 articles published between 2004 and 2014. These were screened with the assessment sheet designed by Hawker and colleagues. Four articles matched the search criteria (one quantitative study and three qualitative), and these were separately read and analyzed by the researchers. The process of review and analysis of the data was supervised by a colleague experienced in moral distress who provided an independent quality check. Since this was a systematic review, no ethical approval was required. From the analysis, it emerged that inequalities and healthcare disparities, the relationship with the mentor, and students' individual characteristics can all impact negatively on the decisions taken and the nursing care provided, generating moral distress. All these factors condition both the clinical experience and learning process, in addition to the professional development and the possible care choices of future nurses. Few studies dealt with moral distress in the setting of nurse education, and there is a knowledge gap related to this phenomenon. The results of this review underline the need for further research regarding interventions that can minimize moral distress in undergraduate nursing students. �

Can a tablet device alter undergraduate science students' study behavior and use of technology?

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Morris, Neil P; Ramsay, Luke; Chauhan, Vikesh

2012-06-01

This article reports findings from a study investigating undergraduate biological sciences students' use of technology and computer devices for learning and the effect of providing students with a tablet device. A controlled study was conducted to collect quantitative and qualitative data on the impact of a tablet device on students' use of devices and technology for learning. Overall, we found that students made extensive use of the tablet device for learning, using it in preference to laptop computers to retrieve information, record lectures, and access learning resources. In line with other studies, we found that undergraduate students only use familiar Web 2.0 technologies and that the tablet device did not alter this behavior for the majority of tools. We conclude that undergraduate science students can make extensive use of a tablet device to enhance their learning opportunities without institutions changing their teaching methods or computer systems, but that institutional intervention may be needed to drive changes in student behavior toward the use of novel Web 2.0 technologies.

Relationship between Academic Performance with Physical, Psychosocial, Lifestyle, and Sociodemographic Factors in Female Undergraduate Students

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Dubuc, Marie-Maude; Aubertin-Leheudre, Mylène; Karelis, Antony D.

2017-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical, psychosocial, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors with academic performance in female undergraduate students. Methods: One hundred undergraduate female students from the Faculty of Science at the University of Quebec at Montreal participated in this study (mean age = 24.4 ± 4.6 years old). All participants provided their university transcript and had to complete at least 45 course credits from their bachelor degree. Body composition (DXA), handgrip strength, estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) (Bruce Protocol) and blood pressure were measured. Participants also completed a questionnaire on their psychosocial, academic motivation, lifestyle and sociodemographic profile. Results: Significant correlations were observed between GPA with estimated VO2 max (r = 0.32), intrinsic motivation toward knowledge (r = 0.23), intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment (r = 0.27) and external regulation (r = -0.30, P = 0.002). In addition, eating breakfast every morning and being an atheist was positively associated with academic performance (P academic performance in female undergraduate students. PMID:28479964

How to Reason with Economic Concepts: Cognitive Process of Japanese Undergraduate Students Solving Test Items

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Asano, Tadayoshi; Yamaoka, Michio

2015-01-01

The authors administered a Japanese version of the Test of Understanding in College Economics, the fourth edition (TUCE-4) to assess the economic literacy of Japanese undergraduate students in 2006 and 2009. These two test results were combined to investigate students' cognitive process or reasoning with specific economic concepts and principles…

Teaching Tree-Thinking to Undergraduate Biology Students.

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Meisel, Richard P

2010-07-27

Evolution is the unifying principle of all biology, and understanding how evolutionary relationships are represented is critical for a complete understanding of evolution. Phylogenetic trees are the most conventional tool for displaying evolutionary relationships, and "tree-thinking" has been coined as a term to describe the ability to conceptualize evolutionary relationships. Students often lack tree-thinking skills, and developing those skills should be a priority of biology curricula. Many common student misconceptions have been described, and a successful instructor needs a suite of tools for correcting those misconceptions. I review the literature on teaching tree-thinking to undergraduate students and suggest how this material can be presented within an inquiry-based framework.

CARES: AACN's New Competencies and Recommendations for Educating Undergraduate Nursing Students to Improve Palliative Care.

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Ferrell, Betty; Malloy, Pam; Mazanec, Polly; Virani, Rose

2016-01-01

Nurses spend the most time of any health care professional caring for patients and families dealing with the challenges of serious illness. The demand for nursing expertise in palliative care is growing as more people are living with chronic, life-limiting illnesses. Nursing faculty must prepare future nurses to meet this demand. The new American Association of Colleges of Nursing Palliative Competencies And Recommendations for Educating undergraduate nursing Students document, released February 2016, identifies the 17 competencies that all undergraduate nursing students should achieve by the time of graduation. This historic document is a revision of the 1998 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Peaceful Death document and is now the guiding framework for undergraduate nursing education. In an effort to support nursing faculty and prepare nursing students to deliver quality palliative care, an innovative, interactive on-line undergraduate End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) curriculum is under development and will be released in January 2017. This new curriculum will meet the competencies and recommendations for achieving those competencies outlined in the Competencies And Recommendations for Educating undergraduate nursing Students document. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An exploration of alcohol use amongst undergraduate female psychology students at a South African university

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Indiran Govender

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Alcohol use amongst tertiary education students, particularly female undergraduates, is increasing. Heavy alcohol use by tertiary students leads to a variety of alcohol-related problems such as damage to property, poor academic performance, problematic peer relationships, high dropout rates, unprotected sexual activity, physical injuries, date rape and suicide. Abuse of alcohol is attributed to curiosity and experimentation, peer pressure, low self-esteem, enjoyment, parental modelling, socio-cultural influences, stress and life events, self-medication and concerns about weight and appearance. Our study explores alcohol use and the reasons behind it amongst undergraduate female psychology students at the University of Limpopo. The findings will be important, as these students represent many future psychologists who are going to advise others on harms related to alcohol use. Methods: This was a descriptive survey, and the qualitative results are presented. The sample consists of 700 undergraduate female psychology students. A self-administered questionnaire included five open-ended questions which elicited the thoughts and experiences of these students about alcohol use. Responses to these questions were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: The themes that arose were as follows: fun and enjoyment, socio-cultural influences, alcohol use leads to negative behaviour(s, peer influence, destress, concerns about weight and appearance, abstinence from alcohol and it improves self-esteem. Conclusion: The themes were reasons that female students gave for consuming alcohol. The majority of participants reported responsible drinking behaviour, but a notable proportion of female students’ drinking behaviours (across all year levels are cause for concern in terms of negative impact at both social and academic levels.

Undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students' perceptions of plagiarism and academic honesty.

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Ryan, Greg; Bonanno, Helen; Krass, Ines; Scouller, Karen; Smith, Lorraine

2009-10-01

To assess undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students' perceptions of plagiarism and academic honesty. A questionnaire was administered to undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy students to determine their levels of awareness of university policy concerning academic honesty; attitudes to plagiarism by rating the acceptability of a range of plagiarizing and cheating practices; and choice of appropriate penalties for a first and second occurrence. The choice of behaviors in response to a scenario about the preparation of a reading-based written assignment and the strategies that students would be prepared to use in order to submit the assignment on time were also assessed. Findings indicated widespread deficiencies in student knowledge of, and attitudes towards, plagiarism. Students did not perceive plagiarism as a serious issue and the use of inappropriate strategies for sourcing and acknowledging material was common. The study highlights the importance of achieving a balance among the 3 dimensions of plagiarism management: prevention, detection and penalty.

Stress, anxiety & depression among medical undergraduate students & their socio-demographic correlates

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Shawaz Iqbal

2015-01-01

Conclusions: A substantial proportion of medical undergraduate students was found to be depressed, anxious and stressed revealing a neglected area of the students′ psychology requiring urgent attention. Student counselling services need to be made available and accessible to curb this morbidity.

Retention of first aid and basic life support skills in undergraduate medical students

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Pim A. de Ruijter

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Undergraduate medical students follow a compulsory first aid (FA and basic life support (BLS course. Retention of BLS seems poor and only little information is provided on the retention of FA skills. This study aims at evaluating 1- and 2-year retention of FA and BLS training in undergraduate medical students. Methods: One hundred and twenty students were randomly selected from first year (n=349 medical students who successfully followed a compulsory FA and BLS course. From these 120 students, 94 (78% and 69 (58% participated in retention tests of FA and BLS skills after 1 and 2 years, respectively. The assessment consisted of two FA stations and one BLS station. Results: After 1 year, only 2% passed both FA and BLS stations and 68% failed both FA and BLS stations. After 2 years, 5% passed and 50% failed both FA and BLS stations. Despite the high failure rate at the stations, 90% adequately checked vital signs and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation appropriately. Conclusions: The long-term retention of FA and BLS skills after a compulsory course in the first year is poor. Adequate check of vital signs and commencing cardiopulmonary resuscitation retained longer.

Psychological Distress and Sources of Stressors amongst Medical and Science Undergraduate Students in Malaysia

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Ali S Radeef

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: This study aims to compare the prevalence of psychological distress between medical and science undergraduate students and to assess the sources of stressors that are attributing to it. Methods: A sample of 697 undergraduate students participated in this study, in which 501 were medical students and the remaining 196 were Science students. Psychological distress was assessed using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. The students were given a list of possible sources of stress which were chosen depending on previous studies. Results: The overall prevalence of psychological distress was 32.6%. Science students showed a significantly higher rate and mean score of psychological distress than medical students, and the mean score was significantly higher during the clinical phase rather than the pre-clinical phase in medical students. Overall, female students had a significantly higher mean score than males, however although the mean score was higher in females it was only significant in the pre-clinical phase. In addition to academic and psychological stressors, factors such as reduced holidays, lack of time for relaxation, and limitation of leisure/entertainment time were among the top ten stressors reported by the students. Conclusions: Psychological distress is common among university students, and it is higher among science students than medical students. Academic and psychological factors can be considered as sources of stressors which may precipitate psychological distress among college students.

What do medical students understand by research and research skills? Identifying research opportunities within undergraduate projects.

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Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah; Drewery, Sarah; Elton, Sarah; Emmerson, Catherine; Marshall, Michelle; Smith, John A; Stark, Patsy; Whittle, Sue

2010-01-01

Undergraduate research exposure leads to increased recruitment into academic medicine, enhanced employability and improved postgraduate research productivity. Uptake of undergraduate research opportunities is reported to be disappointing, and little is known about how students perceive research. To investigate opportunities for undergraduate participation in research, recognition of such opportunities, and associated skills development. A mixed method approach, incorporating student focus and study groups, and documentary analysis at five UK medical schools. Undergraduates recognised the benefits of acquiring research skills, but identified practical difficulties and disadvantages of participating. Analysis of 905 projects in four main research skill areas - (1) research methods; (2) information gathering; (3) critical analysis and review; (4) data processing - indicated 52% of projects provided opportunities for students to develop one or more skills, only 13% offered development in all areas. In 17%, project descriptions provided insufficient information to determine opportunities. Supplied with information from a representative sample of projects (n = 80), there was little consensus in identifying skills among students or between students and researchers. Consensus improved dramatically following guidance on how to identify skills. Undergraduates recognise the benefits of research experience but need a realistic understanding of the research process. Opportunities for research skill development may not be obvious. Undergraduates require training to recognise the skills required for research and enhanced transparency in potential project outcomes.

A broadly implementable research course in phage discovery and genomics for first-year undergraduate students.

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Jordan, Tuajuanda C; Burnett, Sandra H; Carson, Susan; Caruso, Steven M; Clase, Kari; DeJong, Randall J; Dennehy, John J; Denver, Dee R; Dunbar, David; Elgin, Sarah C R; Findley, Ann M; Gissendanner, Chris R; Golebiewska, Urszula P; Guild, Nancy; Hartzog, Grant A; Grillo, Wendy H; Hollowell, Gail P; Hughes, Lee E; Johnson, Allison; King, Rodney A; Lewis, Lynn O; Li, Wei; Rosenzweig, Frank; Rubin, Michael R; Saha, Margaret S; Sandoz, James; Shaffer, Christopher D; Taylor, Barbara; Temple, Louise; Vazquez, Edwin; Ware, Vassie C; Barker, Lucia P; Bradley, Kevin W; Jacobs-Sera, Deborah; Pope, Welkin H; Russell, Daniel A; Cresawn, Steven G; Lopatto, David; Bailey, Cheryl P; Hatfull, Graham F

2014-02-04

Engaging large numbers of undergraduates in authentic scientific discovery is desirable but difficult to achieve. We have developed a general model in which faculty and teaching assistants from diverse academic institutions are trained to teach a research course for first-year undergraduate students focused on bacteriophage discovery and genomics. The course is situated within a broader scientific context aimed at understanding viral diversity, such that faculty and students are collaborators with established researchers in the field. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) course has been widely implemented and has been taken by over 4,800 students at 73 institutions. We show here that this alliance-sourced model not only substantially advances the field of phage genomics but also stimulates students' interest in science, positively influences academic achievement, and enhances persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Broad application of this model by integrating other research areas with large numbers of early-career undergraduate students has the potential to be transformative in science education and research training. Engagement of undergraduate students in scientific research at early stages in their careers presents an opportunity to excite students about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and promote continued interests in these areas. Many excellent course-based undergraduate research experiences have been developed, but scaling these to a broader impact with larger numbers of students is challenging. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Science Education Alliance Phage Hunting Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program takes advantage of the huge size and diversity of the bacteriophage population to engage students in discovery of new viruses, genome

Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Female Undergraduate Students in Wuhan, China: The Only-Child versus Students with Siblings

OpenAIRE

Li, Shiyue; Chen, Rucheng; Cao, Yue; Li, Jingjing; Zuo, Dan; Yan, Hong

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. METHODS: Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergrad...

Responsible use of social media by undergraduate student nurses / Ingrid van der Walt

OpenAIRE

Van der Walt, Ingrid

2014-01-01

The background and problem statement centre on the evolution of technology within teaching and learning, which involves undergraduate student nurses, as well as the use of social media as interactive teaching and communication tool. While examining the background to this topic, the researcher recognised a need to gain a deeper understanding of responsible social media use by undergraduate student nurses to the benefit of all the stakeholders, namely the Nursing Education Institution (NEI), ap...

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Sign Language: Engaging Undergraduate Students' Critical Thinking Skills Using the Primary Literature.

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Stevens, Courtney

2015-01-01

This article presents a modular activity on the neurobiology of sign language that engages undergraduate students in reading and analyzing the primary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) literature. Drawing on a seed empirical article and subsequently published critique and rebuttal, students are introduced to a scientific debate concerning the functional significance of right-hemisphere recruitment observed in some fMRI studies of sign language processing. The activity requires minimal background knowledge and is not designed to provide students with a specific conclusion regarding the debate. Instead, the activity and set of articles allow students to consider key issues in experimental design and analysis of the primary literature, including critical thinking regarding the cognitive subtractions used in blocked-design fMRI studies, as well as possible confounds in comparing results across different experimental tasks. By presenting articles representing different perspectives, each cogently argued by leading scientists, the readings and activity also model the type of debate and dialogue critical to science, but often invisible to undergraduate science students. Student self-report data indicate that undergraduates find the readings interesting and that the activity enhances their ability to read and interpret primary fMRI articles, including evaluating research design and considering alternate explanations of study results. As a stand-alone activity completed primarily in one 60-minute class block, the activity can be easily incorporated into existing courses, providing students with an introduction both to the analysis of empirical fMRI articles and to the role of debate and critique in the field of neuroscience.

A New Model for Transitioning Students from the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory to the Research Laboratory

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Hollenbeck, Jessica J.; Wixson, Emily N.; Geske, Grant D.; Dodge, Matthew W.; Tseng, T. Andrew; Clauss, Allen D.; Blackwell, Helen E.

2006-01-01

The transformation of 346 chemistry courses into a training experience that could provide undergraduate students with a skill set essential for a research-based chemistry career is presented. The course has an innovative structure that connects undergraduate students with graduate research labs at the semester midpoint and also includes new,…

Health care voluntourism: addressing ethical concerns of undergraduate student participation in global health volunteer work.

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McCall, Daniel; Iltis, Ana S

2014-12-01

The popularity and availability of global health experiences has increased, with organizations helping groups plan service trips and companies specializing in "voluntourism," health care professionals volunteering their services through different organizations, and medical students participating in global health electives. Much has been written about global health experiences in resource poor settings, but the literature focuses primarily on the work of health care professionals and medical students. This paper focuses on undergraduate student involvement in short term medical volunteer work in resource poor countries, a practice that has become popular among pre-health professions students. We argue that the participation of undergraduate students in global health experiences raises many of the ethical concerns associated with voluntourism and global health experiences for medical students. Some of these may be exacerbated by or emerge in unique ways when undergraduates volunteer. Guidelines and curricula for medical student engagement in global health experiences have been developed. Guidelines specific to undergraduate involvement in such trips and pre-departure curricula to prepare students should be developed and such training should be required of volunteers. We propose a framework for such guidelines and curricula, argue that universities should be the primary point of delivery even when universities are not organizing the trips, and recommend that curricula should be developed in light of additional data.

Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students

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Raftery, C. L.; Davis, H. B.; Peticolas, L. M.; Paglierani, R.

2015-12-01

The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The "Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences" (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.

Teaching Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Undergraduate Psychology Students

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Ryan, Tracey Ellen; Blau, Shawn; Grozeva, Dima

2011-01-01

This article describes an experimental undergraduate psychology course that ran for two semesters during the 2009 academic year at a private, urban university in the United States. Students learned the techniques and strategies of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) with a focus on the practical elements…

Effect of year of study on stress levels in male undergraduate dental students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alzahem AM

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Abdullah M Alzahem,1 Henk T van der Molen,2 Benjamin J de Boer31Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD Residency Program, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center/King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences/National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 3Clinical Psychology, Princess Nora University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaObjective: Stress among dental students can be a significant threat, resulting in physical and/or mental illness, and have a negative effect on students' performance and the professional practice of dentistry. Stress can occur from different sources. The purpose of this study is to test whether the year of study has an effect on the stress levels of dental students.Method: Our study consisted of a cross-sectional survey using a modified version of the Dental Environment Stress (DES questionnaire. The questionnaires were filled out by male undergraduate dental students at King Saud University in Riyadh City during the 2010–2011 academic year (n = 214.Results: The results show the most common sources of stress: examinations and completing clinical requirements. Moreover, in the five-year lecture-based traditional curriculum, the third year students reported the highest level of stress, whereas the first year reported the lowest level of stress.Conclusion: Third year undergraduate dental students reported the highest level of stress. This stress could be reduced by reviewing and modifying the dental curriculum by allowing students to have contact with patients more gradually, starting from the first year, in addition to adding stress prevention and intervention programs in dental curricula.Keywords: dental, education, students, stress, study year

Personal microbiome analysis improves student engagement and interest in Immunology, Molecular Biology, and Genomics undergraduate courses

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Bridgewater, Laura C.; Jensen, Jamie L.; Breakwell, Donald P.; Nielsen, Brent L.; Johnson, Steven M.

2018-01-01

A critical area of emphasis for science educators is the identification of effective means of teaching and engaging undergraduate students. Personal microbiome analysis is a means of identifying the microbial communities found on or in our body. We hypothesized the use of personal microbiome analysis in the classroom could improve science education by making courses more applied and engaging for undergraduate students. We determined to test this prediction in three Brigham Young University undergraduate courses: Immunology, Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, and Genomics. These three courses have a two-week microbiome unit and students during the 2016 semester students could submit their own personal microbiome kit or use the demo data, whereas during the 2017 semester students were given access to microbiome data from an anonymous individual. The students were surveyed before, during, and after the human microbiome unit to determine whether analyzing their own personal microbiome data, compared to analyzing demo microbiome data, impacted student engagement and interest. We found that personal microbiome analysis significantly enhanced the engagement and interest of students while completing microbiome assignments, the self-reported time students spent researching the microbiome during the two week microbiome unit, and the attitudes of students regarding the course overall. Thus, we found that integrating personal microbiome analysis in the classroom was a powerful means of improving student engagement and interest in undergraduate science courses. PMID:29641525

Rutgers Young Horse Teaching and Research Program: undergraduate student outcomes.

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Ralston, Sarah L

2012-12-01

Equine teaching and research programs are popular but expensive components of most land grant universities. External funding for equine research, however, is limited and restricts undergraduate research opportunities that enhance student learning. In 1999, a novel undergraduate teaching and research program was initiated at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. A unique aspect of this program was the use of young horses generally considered "at risk" and in need of rescue but of relatively low value. The media interest in such horses was utilized to advantage to obtain funding for the program. The use of horses from pregnant mare urine (PMU) ranches and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs held the risks of attracting negative publicity, potential of injury while training previously unhandled young horses, and uncertainty regarding re-sale value; however, none of these concerns were realized. For 12 years the Young Horse Teaching and Research Program received extensive positive press and provided invaluable learning opportunities for students. Over 500 students, at least 80 of which were minorities, participated in not only horse management and training but also research, event planning, public outreach, fund-raising, and website development. Public and industry support provided program sustainability with only basic University infrastructural support despite severe economic downturns. Student research projects generated 25 research abstracts presented at national and international meetings and 14 honors theses. Over 100 students went on to veterinary school or other higher education programs, and more than 100 others pursued equine- or science-related careers. Laudatory popular press articles were published in a wide variety of breed/discipline journals and in local and regional newspapers each year. Taking the risk of using "at risk" horses yielded positive outcomes for all, especially the undergraduate students.

Assessment of Student Outcomes in Undergraduate Health Information Administration Programs

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Smith, Jody

2006-01-01

The purpose of this research was to a) determine what assessment methods are being used in undergraduate health information administration programs to assess student learning and the usefulness of those methods, b) determine to what extent programs have incorporated good student learning assessment practices. Programs use a variety of assessment tools to measure student learning; the most useful include assessments by the professional practice supervisor, course tests, assignments, presentati...

The Effect of Peer Teaching on Mathematics Academic Achievement of the Undergraduate Students in Oman

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Abdelkarim, Ra'ed; Abuiyada, Reem

2016-01-01

This study explored the effects of peer teaching on mathematics academic achievement of the undergraduate students in Oman. The sample of this study composed of (32) undergraduate female students enrolled in the course, "Mathematics for Social Sciences I" in Mathematics and Sciences Unit in Dhofar University in spring semester 2014-2015.…

How Do Students' Accounts of Sociology Change over the Course of Their Undergraduate Degrees?

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Ashwin, Paul; Abbas, Andrea; McLean, Monica

2014-01-01

In this article we examine how students' accounts of the discipline of sociology change over the course of their undergraduate degrees. Based on a phenomenographic analysis of 86 interviews with 32 sociology and criminology students over the course of their undergraduate degrees, we constituted five different ways of accounting for sociology.…

Magical beliefs and discriminating science from pseudoscience in undergraduate professional students.

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Garrett, Bernard M; Cutting, Roger L

2017-11-01

Paranormal beliefs and magical thinking exist in the public, and amongst university students. Researchers have found that media can influence such beliefs. A 2012 study suggested pseudoscientific rationales can influence acceptance of reported paranormal phenomena. Using a paranormal belief survey and controlled experiment this work explores the paranormal beliefs and test the effects of three versions of a supernatural news story on undergraduate professional students. One version of the story presented a simple news article, another the same with a pseudoscientific rationale, and another gave a discrediting scientific critique. Results confirmed that many students do hold magical beliefs but discriminated between scientific and pseudoscientific narratives. However, pre-existing paranormal beliefs were associated with an increased likelihood of students finding paranormal reports scientific, believable and credible.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Health Promotion Intervention Program Among Physiotherapy Undergraduate Students

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Korn, Liat; Ben-Ami, Noa; Azmon, Michal; Einstein, Ofira; Lotan, Meir

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a health promotion (HP) intervention program among physiotherapy undergraduate students in an academic institution by examining pre- and post-intervention health perceptions and behaviors compared to a control group (non-physiotherapy students). Participants completed questionnaires on their health perceptions and behaviors at T1 (April 2009–May 2009) before the intervention program was initiated, and at T2 (April 2015–May 2015) after the intervention program was implemented for several years. At T1, 1,087 undergraduate students, including 124 physiotherapy students, participated. At T2, 810 undergraduate students, including 133 physiotherapy students participated. Self-reported health-related perceptions and behaviors were compared in the study group (physiotherapy students) over time (T1 versus T2), and between the study group and the control group (non-physiotherapy students) pre-intervention (T1) and post-intervention (T2). Findings showed more positive perceptions and behaviors at T2 compared to T1 in the study group (51.0% at T2 versus 35.2% at T1; p<0.05). There was no significant difference at T2 compared to T1 in health perceptions reported by the control group (37.8% at T2 versus 32.8% at T1; non-significant difference). Our findings demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention program. PMID:28735335

Awareness of Undergraduate Dental and Medical Students Towards Oral Cancer.

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Shrestha, Ashish; Marla, Vinay; Shrestha, Sushmita; Agrawal, Diksha

2017-12-01

Oral cancer is a common malignancy in Nepal and many other South East Asian countries, which is predisposed by a variety of potentially malignant oral diseases. Considering the importance of knowledge of health professionals and their role in early diagnosis and reduction of cancer statistics, this study aims to evaluate the awareness of undergraduate dental and medical students towards oral cancer. The study involved undergraduate dental and medical students of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal. A self-administered questionnaire adapted from Carter to Ogden was distributed. One hundred forty-three dental and 311 medical students responded to the questionnaire. Significantly more dental (80.4 %) than medical students (36.0 %) were found to routinely examine the oral mucosa. Tobacco smoking and chewing were the most commonly recognized risk factors by both medical and dental students. Most of the students found ulcer as the common change associated with oral cancer. Only 30 out of the total students felt very well informed about oral cancer. This study has demonstrated a lack of awareness in some aspects of oral cancer among medical and dental students which highlights the need to frame new teaching methodologies. Similar studies from other health institutions would provide an insight regarding the same and could be a base for formulating a uniform curriculum in the implementation of knowledge regarding oral cancer.

Undergraduate dental students' perception, educational satisfaction, and attitude regarding the use of rubber dam

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Olubukola Olamide Olatosi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: The rubber dam is used in dentistry to create saliva-free working environment during operative procedures. Despite its numerous advantages, utilization is poor in dental schools. We sought to determine undergraduate dental students' perception, educational satisfaction, and attitude regarding the use of rubber dam. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was carried out among 5th and 6th year undergraduate dental students. A structured questionnaire was developed that sought their perception, educational satisfaction, and attitude regarding the use of rubber dam. Data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 21.0. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: One hundred and nine students participated in the study; 66 (60.6% females and 43 (39.4% males with a mean age of 23.4 ± 2.02. Most of the students, i.e., 73 (67% were satisfied with their classroom experience with regard to the use of rubber dam but were least satisfied with their laboratory and clinical training. There was a statistically significant association between the students' satisfaction with their training in the use of rubber dam and the confidence to use the rubber dam on their patients (P = 0.001. Conclusion: The students agreed to the importance of rubber dam but were not satisfied with their hands-on clinical training. The use of rubber dam postgraduation may be influenced by the dental educator's method of training, motivation, and consistency in its use. Students who acquire competence and are confident in the use of rubber dam during their undergraduate training are more likely to continue to use the skills following graduation.

URSSA, the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment: A Tool for Assessing Student Outcomes of Undergraduate Research

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Laursen, S. L.; Hunter, A.; Weston, T.; Thiry, H.

2009-12-01

Evidence-based thinking is essential both to science and to the development of effective educational programs. Thus assessment of student learning—gathering evidence about the nature and depth of students’ learning gains, and about how they arise—is a centerpiece of any effective undergraduate research (UR) program. Assessment data can be used to monitor progress, to diagnose problems, to strengthen program designs, and to report both good outcomes and strategies to improve them to institutional and financial stakeholders in UR programs. While the positive impact of UR on students’ educational, personal and professional development has long been a matter of faith, only recently have researchers and evaluators developed an empirical basis by which to identify and explain these outcomes. Based on this growing body of evidence, URSSA, the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment, is a survey tool that departments and programs can use to assess student outcomes of UR. URSSA focuses on what students learn from their UR experience, rather than whether they liked it. Both multiple-choice and open-ended items focus on students’ gains from UR, including: (1) skills such as lab work and communication; (2) conceptual knowledge and linkages among ideas in their field and with other fields; (3) deepened understanding of the intellectual and practical work of science; (4) growth in confidence and adoption of the identity of scientist; (5) preparation for a career or graduate school in science; and (6) greater clarity in understanding what career or educational path they might wish to pursue. Other items probe students’ participation in important activities that have been shown to lead to these gains; and a set of optional items can be included to probe specific program features that may supplement UR (e.g. field trips, career seminars, housing arrangements). The poster will describe URSSA's content, development, validation, and use. For more information about

Undergraduate engineering student experiences: Comparing sex, gender and switcher status

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Fergen, Brenda Sue

This dissertation explores undergraduate engineering experiences, comparing men with women and switchers with non-switchers. Factors related to a chilly academic climate and gender-role socialization are hypothesized to contribute to variations in men's and women's academic experiences and persistence rates. Both quantitative and qualitative data are utilized in an effort to triangulate the findings. Secondary survey data, acquired as result of a 1992 Academic Environment Survey, were utilized to test the hypothesis that sex is the most important predictor (i.e., demographic variable) of perceptions of academic climate. Regression analyses show that sex by itself is not always a significant determinant. However, when sex and college (engineering vs. other) are combined into dummy variables, they are statistically significant in models where sex was not significant alone. This finding indicates that looking at sex differences alone may be too simplistic. Thirty personal interviews were conducted with a random stratified sample of undergraduate students from the 1993 engineering cohort. The interview data indicate that differences in childhood socialization are important. With regard to persistence, differences in socialization are greater for switchers vs. non-switchers than men vs. women. Thus, gender-role socialization does not appear to play as prominent a role in women's persistence as past literature would indicate. This may be due to the self-selection process that occurs among women who choose to pursue engineering. Other aspects of childhood socialization such as parents' level of educational and occupation, students' high school academic preparation and knowledge of what to expect of college classes appear to be more important. In addition, there is evidence that, for women, male siblings play an important role in socialization. There is also evidence that women engineering students at Midwestern University face a chilly academic climate. The factors which

Facilitating problem-based learning among undergraduate nursing students: A qualitative systematic review.

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Wosinski, Jacqueline; Belcher, Anne E; Dürrenberger, Yvan; Allin, Anne-Claude; Stormacq, Coraline; Gerson, Linda

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the perspective of undergraduate nursing students on facilitating elements that contribute to their success with PBL. a qualitative systematic review of the literature according to meta-aggregative methodology using the JBI SUMARI system was conducted. Data was collected across CINAHL, Medline, Embase, Eric, Teacher Reference Center and reference lists. Out of 378 articles, 101 were retrieved for examination and eight were retained after methodological analysis. 51 findings, matched with a verbatim, were extracted and aggregated in five categories: 1) in PBL, the nursing tutor models clinical reasoning and leadership skills; 2) the quality of group interactions is critical to the success of nursing students with PBL; 3) nursing students go through the process of learning with PBL; 4) through PBL, nursing students acquire skills that foster clinical reasoning; and 5) when the PBL method is used as intended, nursing students understand its purpose and process. These categories were aggregated in two syntheses worded as recommendation for practice. The synthesized recommendations are: 1) tutors should be trained to effectively guide the team work of undergraduate nursing students along the PBL process in order for them to achieve its goal; and 2) nursing students should be securely introduced to PBL and experience the development of their clinical reasoning through PBL. Future research should focus on the strategies undergraduate nursing students use to succeed with PBL and the effectiveness of PBL in enhancing critical thinking and collaboration skills. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Burnout syndrome in nursing undergraduate students

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Juliana Inhauser Riceti Acioli Barboza

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To classify nursing students on a socio-demographic basisin order to check whether they are acquainted with the meaning ofthe term burnout syndrome; to check for the presence of the burnoutsyndrome and assess its levels in undergraduate nurses. Methods:A cross-section study was carried out of 102 students at the NursingSchool of the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. A questionnaire wasmade up by the authors and applied along with the Maslachs BurnoutInventory (MBI. Results: Ninety-five percent of students were female,aged 18 to 50 years, 86% were single and 51% reported having jobs.Most of the surveyed subjects were not acquainted with the termburnout syndrome. Out of the total of 39 students, 56.9% classified thedisease as being psychological and caused by professional stress. Asfor the mean MBI subscales, it was found that a relatively high mean(28.6% referred a low feeling of professional accomplishment, a low/moderate mean (23.09% were emotionally exhausted and (9.176%felt depersonalized, which intrinsically proves the absence of burnoutsyndrome in the sample. As for burnout dimensions, the findingsshowed that 73.5% are at a low/moderate level of emotional exhaustion;70.53% suffer from a low/moderate level of depersonalization; and 76%reported a high feeling of professional accomplishment. Conclusion:High means were found at the dimensions of reduced professionalaccomplishment, which calls for the need to intervene in the caseof these students so that they may recall their primary initiativeconcerning their professional choice.

[Awareness and education regarding sexually transmitted diseases among undergraduate students].

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Castro, Eneida Lazzarini de; Caldas, Tânia Alencar de; Morcillo, André Moreno; Pereira, Elisabete Monteiro de Aguiar; Velho, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira

2016-06-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the main global cause of acute illness and death and represent a high socioeconomic cost. Undergraduate students are highly exposed to STDs. The research developed at UNICAMP sought to quantify and generate self-perception of knowledge(or lack thereof) about STDs, as well as evaluate the interest of the students in a course on the topic. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire sent electronically to students about to graduate at the end of 2011 and to freshmen in 2012. The questionnaire was answered by 1,448 seniors and 371 freshmen. Twenty percent of seniors and 38% of freshmen had no sexual activity. Among sexually active students, 26.9% had no regular partner and 28.2% more than two partners per year. The condom was used by 99% of students, but less than 20% used them appropriately. About 80% were unaware that condoms do not provide protection outside the barrier area; they intended to read more about STDs and learnt something about the subject. Nearly half of the students considered that a course should be offered to all undergraduates. These findings will be of use in defining strategies for prevention and the teaching tool could be used in other learning environments.

Exploring the cultural competence of undergraduate nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

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Halabi, Jehad O; de Beer, Jennifer

2018-03-01

To explore the cultural competence of undergraduate nursing students at a college of nursing, Saudi Arabia. A descriptive exploratory design was used to explore the Saudi undergraduate nursing students' level of cultural competency. The convenience sample included 205 nursing students affiliated with a college of nursing at a health science university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence-Revised (IAPCC-R) consisting of 25 items. The tool reported acceptable reliability of Cronbach alpha 0.89. The majority of students were culturally aware and dealt with people from different cultures. One-third preferred to have training on culture over a period of time. Half the students preferred studying a special course related to working with people from different cultures. Cultural desire reported the highest mean while cultural knowledge scored the lowest among the cultural competence subscales despite students being exposed to some cultural knowledge content in their training. Implementing the guidelines for culturally competent care assure covering all aspects of care with consideration of cultural heritage as a main concept. Comparative study of nurses' and students' perception is further recommended. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burnout syndrome among undergraduate nursing students at a public university1

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Tomaschewski-Barlem, Jamila Geri; Lunardi, Valéria Lerch; Lunardi, Guilherme Lerch; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; da Silveira, Rosemary Silva; Vidal, Danielle Adriane Silveira

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the burnout syndrome and its relationship with demographic and academic variables among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in Southern Brazil. METHOD: a quantitative study with 168 students, by applying an adaptation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Student Survey, validated for this study. We used descriptive and variance analysis of the data analysis. RESULTS: we found that students do not have the burnout syndrome, manifesting high average scores in Emotional Exhaustion, low in Disbelief and high in Professional Effectiveness; that younger students who perform leisure activities have greater Professional Effectiveness, unlike students in early grades with no extracurricular activities; combining work and studies negatively influenced only the Professional Effectiveness factor, while the intention of giving up influenced negatively Disbelief and Professional Effectiveness factors. CONCLUSION: the situations that lead students to Emotional Exhaustion need to be recognized, considering the specificity of their study environments. PMID:25591087

Knowledge, aptitudes, and preferences in implant dentistry teaching/training among undergraduate dental students at the University of Barcelona

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Berástegui-Jimeno, Esther; Gay-Escoda, Cosme

2017-01-01

Background Oral implant rehabilitation should be considered a treatment option for any edentulous patient and Implant Dentistry is currently a discipline taught in the undergraduate formation. The level of knowledge acquired and how the students perceive the quality of training in Implant Dentistry could assess to know if it is necessary to improve the syllabus. Material and Methods A questionnaire was developed with 11 questions: Basic knowledge (7); Perception of training received (2); Ways in which students would receive training (2). To be responded anonymously and voluntarily for undergraduates students in the Faculty of Dentistry (University of Barcelona, Spain). Results One hundred and seven students, 76 third year (Group A) and 31 fourth year (Group B) answered the questionnaire. In Group A, 98.68% of students and in Group B 93.54% believed they were poorly informed; 100% of both groups would prefer to receive more training as part of the degree or as postgraduate training through modular courses imparted by experts (A: 71,05%, B: 70,96%) Training through postgraduate programs or training given by private businesses were the least desirable options (A: 42%, B: 64.51%). Questions about basic knowledge acquired received varying responses, which might indicate a certain level of confusion in this area. Conclusions The undergraduate syllabus must be revised to include sufficient content and training to allow the student to indicate implant-based treatments based on evidence. Students would prefer training to be included in the undergraduate syllabus. Key words:Dental implants, dental students, dental education, dental syllabus, implant dentistry. PMID:28578375

Frames for undergraduates

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Han, Deguang; Larson, David; Weber, Eric

2007-01-01

Frames for Undergraduates is an undergraduate-level introduction to the theory of frames in a Hilbert space. This book can serve as a text for a special-topics course in frame theory, but it could also be used to teach a second semester of linear algebra, using frames as an application of the theoretical concepts. It can also provide a complete and helpful resource for students doing undergraduate research projects using frames. The early chapters contain the topics from linear algebra that students need to know in order to read the rest of the book. The later chapters are devoted to advanced topics, which allow students with more experience to study more intricate types of frames. Toward that end, a Student Presentation section gives detailed proofs of fairly technical results with the intention that a student could work out these proofs independently and prepare a presentation to a class or research group. The authors have also presented some stories in the Anecdotes section about how this material has moti...

Evaluating undergraduate nursing students' self-efficacy and competence in writing: Effects of a writing intensive intervention.

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Miller, Louise C; Russell, Cynthia L; Cheng, An-Lin; Skarbek, Anita J

2015-05-01

While professional nurses are expected to communicate clearly, these skills are often not explicitly taught in undergraduate nursing education. In this research study, writing self-efficacy and writing competency were evaluated in 52 nontraditional undergraduate baccalaureate completion students in two distance-mediated 16-week capstone courses. The intervention group (n = 44) experienced various genres and modalities of written assignments set in the context of evidence-based nursing practice; the comparison group (n = 8) received usual writing undergraduate curriculum instruction. Self-efficacy, measured by the Post Secondary Writerly Self-Efficacy Scale, indicated significant improvements for all self-efficacy items (all p's = 0.00). Writing competency, assessed in the intervention group using a primary trait scoring rubric (6 + 1 Trait Writing Model(®) of Instruction and Assessment), found significant differences in competency improvement on five of seven items. This pilot study demonstrated writing skills can improve in nontraditional undergraduate students with guided instruction. Further investigation with larger, culturally diverse samples is indicated to validate these results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

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Cruz-Ramírez de Arellano, Daniel; Towns, Marcy H.

2014-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Making Microscopy Motivating, Memorable, & Manageable for Undergraduate Students with Digital Imaging Laboratories

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Weeks, Andrea; Bachman. Beverly; Josway, Sarah; North, Brittany; Tsuchiya, Mirian T.N.

2013-01-01

Microscopy and precise observation are essential skills that are challenging to teach effectively to large numbers of undergraduate biology students. We implemented student-driven digital imaging assignments for microscopy in a large enrollment laboratory for organismal biology. We detail how we promoted student engagement with the material and…

The Transformative Impact of Undergraduate Research Mentoring on Students and the Role of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) in Supporting Faculty Mentors

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Fox, L. K.; Singer, J.

2015-12-01

Undergraduate Research (UR) is broadly accepted as a high impact educational practice. Student participation in UR contributes to measurable gains in content knowledge and skills/methodology, oral and written communication skills, problem solving and critical thinking, self-confidence, autonomy, among others. First-generation college students and students from underrepresented minorities that participate in UR are more likely to remain in STEM majors, persist to graduation, and pursue graduate degrees. While engagement in the research process contributes to these outcomes, the impact of the interaction with the faculty mentor is critical. A number of studies provide evidence that it is the relationship that forms with the faculty mentor that is most valued by students and strongly contributes to their career development. Faculty mentors play an important role in student development and the relationship between mentor and student evolves from teacher to coach to colleague. Effective mentoring is not an inherent skill and is generally not taught in graduate school and generally differs from mentoring of graduate students. Each UR mentoring relationship is unique and there are many effective mentoring models and practices documented in the literature. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has a long history of supporting faculty who engage in research with undergraduates and offers resources for establishing UR programs at individual, departmental, and institutional levels. The Geosciences Division of CUR leads faculty development workshops at professional meetings and provides extensive resources to support geosciences faculty as UR mentors (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/undergraduate_research/index.html). Examples of effective mentoring strategies are highlighted, including a model developed by SUNY- Buffalo State that integrates mentoring directly into the evaluation of UR.

Relationship between Academic Performance with Physical, Psychosocial, Lifestyle, and Sociodemographic Factors in Female Undergraduate Students.

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Dubuc, Marie-Maude; Aubertin-Leheudre, Mylène; Karelis, Antony D

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical, psychosocial, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors with academic performance in female undergraduate students. One hundred undergraduate female students from the Faculty of Science at the University of Quebec at Montreal participated in this study (mean age = 24.4 ± 4.6 years old). All participants provided their university transcript and had to complete at least 45 course credits from their bachelor degree. Body composition (DXA), handgrip strength, estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2 max) (Bruce Protocol) and blood pressure were measured. Participants also completed a questionnaire on their psychosocial, academic motivation, lifestyle and sociodemographic profile. Significant correlations were observed between GPA with estimated VO 2 max ( r = 0.32), intrinsic motivation toward knowledge ( r = 0.23), intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment ( r = 0.27) and external regulation ( r = -0.30, P = 0.002). In addition, eating breakfast every morning and being an atheist was positively associated with academic performance ( P breakfast explained 28.5 % of the variation in the GPA in our cohort. Results of the present study indicate that motivational, physical and lifestyle factors appear to be predictors of academic performance in female undergraduate students.

The effects of mindfulness-based interventions for health and social care undergraduate students - a systematic review of the literature.

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O'Driscoll, Michelle; Byrne, Stephen; Mc Gillicuddy, Aoife; Lambert, Sharon; Sahm, Laura J

2017-08-01

Health and social care undergraduate students experience stress due to high workloads and pressure to perform. Consequences include depression and burnout. Mindfulness may be a suitable way to reduce stress in health and social care degree courses. The objective of this systematic review is to identify and critically appraise the literature on the effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for health and social care undergraduate students. PubMed, EMBASE, Psych Info, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library and Academic Search Complete were searched from inception to 21st November 2016. Studies that delivered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, or an intervention modelled closely on these, to health or social care undergraduate students were included. Eleven studies, representing medicine, nursing and psychology students met the inclusion criteria. The most commonly used measurement tools were; the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire. Short term benefits relating to stress and mood were reported, despite all but one study condensing the curriculum. Gender and personality emerged as factors likely to affect intervention results. Further research with long-term follow-up is required to definitively conclude that mindfulness is an appropriate intervention to mentally prepare health and social care undergraduate students for their future careers.

Dental Anxiety among Medical and Paramedical Undergraduate Students of Malaysia.

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Gunjal, Shilpa; Pateel, Deepak Gowda Sadashivappa; Parkar, Sujal

2017-01-01

Aim . To assess the dental anxiety level among dental, medical, and pharmacy students of MAHSA University, Malaysia. Materials and Methods . A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 1500 undergraduate students of MAHSA University. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used to measure dental anxiety among the study population. The responses were assessed by 5-point likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. The level of anxiety was categorized into lowly anxious (5-11), moderately anxious (12-18), and severely anxious ≥19. Out of 1500 students enrolled, 1024 students (342 males and 682 females) completed and returned the questionnaire having response rate of 68.26%. Results . There was a statistically significant difference ( P students had lowest mean score (11.95 ± 4.21). The fifth year (senior) dental students scored significantly ( P = 0.02) lower mean anxiety score as compared to the first dental students (junior). The students were anxious mostly about tooth drilling and local anesthetic injection. Conclusions . Dental students have a significantly low level of dental anxiety as compared with medical and pharmacy students. Incorporation of dental health education in preuniversity and other nondental university curriculums may reduce dental anxiety among the students.

Body-art practices among undergraduate medical university students in dar es salaam, Tanzania, 2014.

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Chacha, Chacha Emmanuel; Kazaura, Method R

2015-01-01

Body-art practices are increasing among adolescents and young adults. Although substantial data are available in developed countries, little has been documented about body-art practices in developing countries. To determine the magnitude, types and reasons for practicing body-art practices among undergraduate medical University students in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducteed among undergraduate University students in Dar es Salaam involving 536 respondents from two Universities. We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. Analyses were based on summary measures and bivariate analyses. While 7.5% of undergraduate students reported having tattoos, 20% reported having body puncturing or piercing. Body piercing is reported more among female university undergraduate students than their male counterparts. Reported main reasons for undergoing body-art include "a mark of beauty," 24%, "just wanted one," 18% and "a mark of femininity or masculinity," 17%. The majority (98%) of students were aware that unsafe body-art practices may lead to contracting HIV and more than half (52%) reported awareness of the risk of Hepatitis B infection. Despite high awareness of the potential risks involved in unsafe body arts that include tattoo and piercing, these practices are increasing among adolescents and young adults. There is need to have educational and counseling efforts so as to minimize associated health risks.

The Contribution of Qualitative Research Towards the Issues Affecting Female Undergraduate Engineering Students

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Duggan, Louise Maria

2015-01-01

This article explores the use of qualitative research methods towards our understanding of the issues affecting female undergraduate engineers. As outlined in this article female engineering students face many challenges during their undergraduate studies. Qualitative research methods provide an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the…

The performance assessment of undergraduate students in physics laboratory by using guided inquiry

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Mubarok, H.; Lutfiyah, A.; Kholiq, A.; Suprapto, N.; Putri, N. P.

2018-03-01

The performance assessment of basic physics experiment among undergraduate physics students which includes three stages: pre-laboratory, conducting experiment and final report was explored in this study. The research used a descriptive quantitative approach by utilizing guidebook of basic physics experiment. The findings showed that (1) the performance of pre-laboratory rate among undergraduate physics students in good category (average score = 77.55), which includes the ability of undergraduate physics students’ theory before they were doing the experiment. (2) The performance of conducting experiment was in good category (average score = 78.33). (3) While the performance of final report was in moderate category (average score = 73.73), with the biggest weakness at how to analyse and to discuss the data and writing the abstract.

Using a Vaccine Proposal Assignment to Help Students Synthesize Topics Covered in an Undergraduate Immunology Course

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Rebecca L. Sparks-Thissen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Undergraduate students often have difficulty keeping track of all the pieces of the immune response and how they relate to each other.  To help students synthesize the information in an upper-level, undergraduate immunology course, the students in my course investigate the immune response to pathogen of their choosing and then use that information to design a vaccine to that pathogen.

Correlates of Academic Procrastination and Mathematics Achievement of University Undergraduate Students

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Akinsola, Mojeed Kolawole; Tella, Adedeji; Tella, Adeyinka

2007-01-01

Procrastination is now a common phenomenon among students, particularly those at the higher level. And this is doing more harm to their academic achievement than good. Therefore, this study examined the correlates between academic procrastination and mathematics achievement among the university mathematics undergraduate students. The study used a…

Teamwork education improves trauma team performance in undergraduate health professional students.

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Baker, Valerie O'Toole; Cuzzola, Ronald; Knox, Carolyn; Liotta, Cynthia; Cornfield, Charles S; Tarkowski, Robert D; Masters, Carolynn; McCarthy, Michael; Sturdivant, Suzanne; Carlson, Jestin N

2015-01-01

Effective trauma resuscitation requires efficient and coordinated care from a team of providers; however, providers are rarely instructed on how to be effective members of trauma teams. Team-based learning using Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) has been shown to improve team dynamics among practicing professionals, including physicians and nurses. The impact of TeamSTEPPS on students being trained in trauma management in an undergraduate health professional program is currently unknown. We sought to determine the impact of TeamSTEPPS on team dynamics among undergraduate students being trained in trauma resuscitation. We enrolled teams of undergraduate health professional students from four programs: nursing, physician assistant, radiologic science, and respiratory care. After completing an online training on trauma resuscitation principles, the participants completed a trauma resuscitation scenario. The participants then received teamwork training using TeamSTEPPS and completed a second trauma resuscitation scenario identical to the first. All resuscitations were recorded and scored offline by two blinded research assistants using both the Team Emergency Assessment Measure (TEAM) and Trauma Team Performance Observation Tool (TPOT) scoring systems. Pre-test and post-test TEAM and TPOT scores were compared. We enrolled a total of 48 students in 12 teams. Team leadership, situational monitoring, and overall communication improved with TeamSTEPPS training (P=0.04, P=0.02, and P=0.03, respectively), as assessed by the TPOT scoring system. TeamSTEPPS also improved the team's ability to prioritize tasks and work together to complete tasks in a rapid manner (P<0.01 and P=0.02, respectively) as measured by TEAM. Incorporating TeamSTEPPS into trauma team education leads to improved TEAM and TPOT scores among undergraduate health professionals.

Predicting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition Behaviors Using Social Cognitive Theory: Cross-Sectional Survey among Undergraduate Students in Chongqing, China.

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Xu, Xianglong; Pu, Yang; Sharma, Manoj; Rao, Yunshuang; Cai, Yilin; Zhao, Yong

2017-11-05

(1) Background: Generally suggested public health measures to reduce obesity were to limit television (TV) viewing, enhance daily physical activities, enable the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake. This study analyzed the extent to which selected social cognitive theory constructs can predict these behaviors among Chinese undergraduate students. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1976 undergraduate students from six universities in Chongqing, China. A self-administered five-point Likert common physical activity and nutrition behavior scale based on social cognitive theory was utilized. (3) Results: This study included 687 (34.77%) males and 1289 (65.23%) females. A total of 60.14% of the students engaged in exercise for less than 30 min per day. Approximately 16.5%of the participants spent at least 4 h watching TV and sitting in front of a computer daily. Approximately 79% of the participants consumed less than five cups of fruit and vegetables daily. Undergraduate students who had high self-efficacy scores had more leisure time physical activities. Those who have high expectation scores had considerable time watching TV and sitting in front of a computer. Undergraduate students who had high expectation and self-efficacy scores had substantially low consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Those who had high self-efficacy scores consumed considerable amounts of fruit and vegetables. Furthermore, the type of university, BMI group, gender, age, lack of siblings, and grade level were associated with the aforementioned four behaviors. (4) Conclusion: Physical inactivity and unhealthy nutrition behaviors are common among undergraduate students. This study used social cognitive theory to provide several implications for limiting the TV viewing, enhancing daily physical activities, consuming fruit and vegetables, and reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake among undergraduate students.

Source of stressors and emotional disturbances among undergraduate science students in Malaysia

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Ali Sabri Radeef, Ghasak Ghazi Faisal, Syed Masroor Ali, MaungKoHajee Mohamed Ismail

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Higher education is considered as a stressful period in students’ life which they have to cope with since they are facing a variety of demands such as living away from their families, a heavily loaded curriculum, and inefficiency in both mentor- mentee and health education programs. This will make them more vulnerable to emotional disturbances such as stress, anxiety and depression. Methodology: A total of 194 undergraduate students from Kulliyyah (Faculty of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia participated in questionnaire-based study using the Depression Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21 to assess the severity of emotional disturbances Results: The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was 64.4%, 84.5% and 56.7% respectively. Regarding the severity of the symptoms, it was found that 13.9%, 51.5 % and 12.9% of the students have clinically significant depression, anxiety and stress respectively. Young students aged 21 years and below had a statistically significant association with depression, anxiety and stress. While first year students had significant association with depression. Regarding the source of stressors, the top ten stressors decided by the students were mainly academic and personal factors. Conclusion: Emotional disturbances in the form of depression, anxiety and stress are existing in high rate among undergraduate science students that require early intervention. Factors including feeling of incompetence, lack of motivation to learn and difficulty of class work can be considered as source of stressors that may precipitate for depression anxiety and stress.

A Study of The Influence of Advising on Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Student Persistence in STEM

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Weir, Michael J.

In the United States, undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students tend to change out of declared majors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines at a rate of nearly sixty percent prior to earning a post secondary degree. This phenomenon contributes to a general concern that the United States is not producing enough STEM trained skilled workers to meet future employment needs of industry and government. Although there has been research developed to examine how to increase the numbers of URM students enrolling in STEM programs at higher education institutions, retention of these students remains critical. One area of increasing focus for researchers is to understand how multiple factors impact the college experience of URM students and how those factors may contribute to the student decision to persist in earning a STEM disciple degree. This research study is a phenomenological mixed method study that examines how students experience the phenomenon of advising and the influence of the advising experience of undergraduate URM students on their likelihood of persisting in STEM at a northeast US technology oriented post secondary institution. Persistence, from the perspective of the student, is driven by cognitive psychological attributes such as confidence, motivation and self-efficacy. Utilizing a Social Cognitive theoretical framework, this study examines how three distinct undergraduate URM student populations enrolled in; an Academic Services Program, Honors College, and the general undergraduate population at this institution experience advising and how their experiences may influence their propensity to persist in earning a STEM oriented degree.

Relationships between self-efficacy, self-esteem and procrastination in undergraduate psychology students.

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Hajloo, Nader

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to review the relationships between procrastination and two self-factors self-efficacy and self-esteem. Participants were 140 undergraduates Psychology students enrolled in Mohagheg Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran. Instruments used for collecting the required data were the student-version of the General Procrastination Scale (GP-S), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (SES). Using causal modeling, two models were compared; a model with self-esteem as a mediator versus a model with procrastination as a mediator. The self-esteem mediator model accounted for 21% of the variance in procrastination. The significance of the mediation effect was found by bootstrapping method. The relationship of procrastination with self-esteem and self-efficacy was revealed among undergraduate psychology students.

Evaluation of anxiety, depression and suicidal intent in undergraduate dental students: A cross-sectional study

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Manish Bathla

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: There is an increasing amount of stress in undergraduate dental students leading to anxiety, depression, and suicidal attempts/suicide. Aims: This study aims to evaluate anxiety, depression and suicidal intent in undergraduate dental students and to find out the various areas of stress. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire (to assess academic and nonacademic areas of stress and three scales-Hamilton scale for anxiety (HAM-A; Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS and Beck′s Suicide Intent Scale (BSI. Descriptive statistics; Pearson′s Chi-square test; Multiple ANOVA; Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyze the data at the significant level of P ≤ 0.05. Results: In a total of 258 dental undergraduate students, academic areas of stress that were found to be statistically significant were long teaching hours (P = 0.002; high workload (P ≤ 0.001; frequency of tests (P ≤ 0.001 and competition/fear of failure (P = 0.009. Lack of interest in the profession was a statistically significant nonacademic area for stress (P ≤ 0.001. The students of first and final year reported higher anxiety (HAM-A 13.93 ± 6.908 and 16.44 ± 7.637 respectively and depression (HDRS 14.29 ± 6.302 and 14.22 ± 5.422; whereas suicidal intent was reported almost the same throughout the study sample (BSI 5.65 ± 5.465. Conclusion: An increasing level of anxiety, depression and suicidal intent due to various stressors in undergraduate dental students indicate a need to modify current education system and timely help to have psychological healthy dental professionals in future.

Datasets linking ethnic perceptions to undergraduate students learning outcomes in a Nigerian Tertiary Institution

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Joke A. Badejo

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This data article represents academic performances of undergraduate students in a select Nigerian Private Tertiary institution from 2008 to 2013. The 2413 dataset categorizes students with respect to their origins (ethnicity, pre-university admission scores and Cumulative Grade Point Averages earned at the end of their study at the university. We present a descriptive statistics showing mean, median, mode, maximum, minimum, range, standard deviation and variance in the performances of these students and a boxplot representation of the performances of these students with respect to their origins. Keywords: Learning analytics, Cultural impact, Ethnicity, Undergraduates, Education data mining, Smart campus, Nigerian university

[Application of PBL combined with SP method in during-course practice of endodontics for undergraduate dental students].

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Shao, Li-Na; Qiu, Li-Hong; Zhan, Fu-Liang; Xue, Ming

2016-10-01

To apply problem-based learning (PBL) combined with standardized patients(SP) in during-course practice of endodontics for undergraduate dental students, in order to improve the teaching quality. One hundred and four undergraduate dental students of China Medical University School of Stomatology were randomly divided into 2 groups, 52 students in each group. One group were taught with PBL combined with SP while the other group with lecture-based learning (LBL) alone. The teaching effect was measured with examination and questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed by Student's t test using SPSS 11.5 software package. Students in PBL combined with SP group was better than LBL group in case analysis, didactic tests, practical tests and total scores, and there was significant difference between the two groups (Pendodontics to undergraduate dental students.

Magical beliefs and discriminating science from pseudoscience in undergraduate professional students

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Bernard M. Garrett

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Paranormal beliefs and magical thinking exist in the public, and amongst university students. Researchers have found that media can influence such beliefs. A 2012 study suggested pseudoscientific rationales can influence acceptance of reported paranormal phenomena. Using a paranormal belief survey and controlled experiment this work explores the paranormal beliefs and test the effects of three versions of a supernatural news story on undergraduate professional students. One version of the story presented a simple news article, another the same with a pseudoscientific rationale, and another gave a discrediting scientific critique. Results confirmed that many students do hold magical beliefs but discriminated between scientific and pseudoscientific narratives. However, pre-existing paranormal beliefs were associated with an increased likelihood of students finding paranormal reports scientific, believable and credible. Keywords: Education, Psychology

Undergraduate Students' Opinions with Regard to Ubiquitous MOOC for Enhancing Cross-Cultural Competence

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Plangsorn, Boonrat; Na-Songkhla, Jaitip; Luetkehans, Lara M.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to study undergraduate students' opinions with regard to the ubiquitous massive open online course (MOOC) for enhancing cross-cultural competence. This descriptive research applied a survey method. The survey data were collected by using survey questionnaires and online questionnaires from 410 undergraduate students…

Sexual Self-Disclosure and Gender Consciousness of Undergraduate Students of Obafemi Awolowo University

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Oluwatosin, S. A.; Adediwura, A. A.

2011-01-01

The study investigated gender consciousness and sexual self-disclosure of undergraduate students attending counseling sessions as well as gender difference in sexual self disclosure. Sixty (60) consenting undergraduates who had attended counseling session for sexual concerns in the last three months preceding this study period were used for the…

Promoting Undergraduate Surgical Education: Current Evidence and Students' Views on ESMSC International Wet Lab Course.

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Sideris, Michail; Papalois, Apostolos; Theodoraki, Korina; Dimitropoulos, Ioannis; Johnson, Elizabeth O; Georgopoulou, Efstratia-Maria; Staikoglou, Nikolaos; Paparoidamis, Georgios; Pantelidis, Panteleimon; Tsagkaraki, Ismini; Karamaroudis, Stefanos; Potoupnis, Michael E; Tsiridis, Eleftherios; Dedeilias, Panagiotis; Papagrigoriadis, Savvas; Papalois, Vassilios; Zografos, Georgios; Triantafyllou, Aggeliki; Tsoulfas, Georgios

2017-04-01

Undergraduate Surgical Education is becoming an essential element in the training of the future generation of safe and efficient surgeons. Essential Skills in the Management of Surgical Cases (ESMSC), is an international, joint applied surgical science and simulation-based learning wet lab course. We performed a review of the existing literature on the topic of undergraduate surgical education. Following that, we analyzed the feedback questionnaire received 480 from 2 recent series of ESMSC courses (May 2015, n = 49 and November 2015, n = 40), in order to evaluate European Union students' (UK, Germany, Greece) views on the ESMSC course, as well as on the undergraduate surgical education. Results Using a 10 point graded scale, the overall ESMSC concept was positively evaluated, with a mean score of 9.41 ± 0.72 (range: 8-10) and 8.94 ± 1.1 (range: 7-10). The majority of delegates from both series [9.86 ± 0.43 (range: 8-10) and 9.58 ± 0.91 (range: 6-10), respectively] believed that ESMSC should be incorporated in the undergraduate surgical curriculum. Comparison of responses from the UK to the Greek Medical Student, as well as the findings from the third and fourth year versus the fifth and sixth year Medical Students, revealed no statistically significant differences pertaining to any of the questions (p > 0.05). Current evidence in the literature supports the enhancement of surgical education through the systematic use of various modalities that provide Simulation-Based Training (SBT) hands-on experience, starting from the early undergraduate level. The findings of the present study are in agreement with these previous reports.

Relationship between academic performance with physical, psychosocial, lifestyle, and sociodemographic factors in female undergraduate students

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Marie-Maude Dubuc

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical, psychosocial, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors with academic performance in female undergraduate students. Methods: One hundred undergraduate female students from the Faculty of Science at the University of Quebec at Montreal participated in this study (mean age = 24.4 ± 4.6 years old. All participants provided their university transcript and had to complete at least 45 course credits from their bachelor degree. Body composition (DXA, handgrip strength, estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max (Bruce Protocol and blood pressure were measured. Participants also completed a questionnaire on their psychosocial, academic motivation, lifestyle and sociodemographic profile. Results: Significant correlations were observed between GPA with estimated VO2max (r = 0.32, intrinsic motivation toward knowledge (r = 0.23, intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment (r = 0.27 and external regulation (r = -0.30, P = 0.002. In addition, eating breakfast every morning and being an atheist was positively associated with academic performance (P < 0.05. Finally, a stepwise linear regression analysis showed that external regulation, intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment, VO2max levels and eating a daily breakfast explained 28.5 % of the variation in the GPA in our cohort. Conclusions: Results of the present study indicate that motivational, physical and lifestyle factors appear to be predictors of academic performance in female undergraduate students.

Conception of undergraduate nursing students on the practice of health education on first aid

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Marília Rosa de Oliveira; Ana Rita Arrigo Leonel; Juliana Helena Montezeli; Andréia Bendine Gastaldi; Eleine Aparecida Penha Martins; Cristiano Caveião

2015-01-01

Objective: to present the conception of undergraduate nursing students participating in an integrated project on health education on first aid. Methods: qualitative research conducted at the Universidade Estadual de Londrina with five senior nursing students, participating in the project “Nursing in clinical and surgical urgent and emergency care.” We applied semi-structured interviews with content analysis. Results: the following categories emerged: Health education as a facilitator for acad...

Discrimination and common mental disorders of undergraduate students of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

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de Souza, Maria Vitória Cordeiro; Lemkuhl, Isabel; Bastos, João Luiz

2015-01-01

The pathogenic and consistent effect of discrimination on mental health has been largely documented in the literature. However, there are few studies measuring multiple types of discrimination, evaluating the existence of a dose-response relationship or investigating possible effect modifiers of such an association. To investigate the association between experiences of discrimination attributed to multiple reasons and common mental disorders, including the adjustment for potential confounders, assessment of dose-response relations, and examination of effect modifiers in undergraduate students from southern Brazil. In the first semester of 2012, 1,023 students from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina answered a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, undergraduate course, experiences of discrimination and common mental disorders. Associations were analyzed through logistic regression models, estimation of Odds Ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The study results showed that students reporting discrimination at high frequency and intensity were 4.4 (95%CI 1.6 - 12.4) times more likely to present common mental disorders. However, the relationship between discrimination and common mental disorders was protective among Electrical Engineering students, when compared to Accounting Sciences students who did not report discrimination. The findings suggest that the dose-response relationship between experiences of discrimination and common mental disorders reinforces the hypothetical causal nature of this association. Nevertheless, the modification of effect caused by the undergraduate course should be considered in future studies for a better understanding and measurement of both phenomena.

Change over a service learning experience in science undergraduates' beliefs expressed about elementary school students' ability to learn science

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Goebel, Camille A.

This longitudinal investigation explores the change in four (3 female, 1 male) science undergraduates' beliefs expressed about low-income elementary school students' ability to learn science. The study sought to identify how the undergraduates in year-long public school science-teaching partnerships perceived the social, cultural, and economic factors affecting student learning. Previous service-learning research infrequently focused on science undergraduates relative to science and society or detailed expressions of their beliefs and field practices over the experience. Qualitative methodology was used to guide the implementation and analysis of this study. A sample of an additional 20 science undergraduates likewise involved in intensive reflection in the service learning in science teaching (SLST) course called Elementary Science Education Partners (ESEP) was used to examine the typicality of the case participants. The findings show two major changes in science undergraduates' belief expressions: (1) a reduction in statements of beliefs from a deficit thinking perspective about the elementary school students' ability to learn science, and (2) a shift in the attribution of students, underlying problems in science learning from individual-oriented to systemic-oriented influences. Additional findings reveal that the science undergraduates perceived they had personally and profoundly changed as a result of the SLST experience. Changes include: (1) the gain of a new understanding of others' situations different from their own; (2) the realization of and appreciation for their relative positions of privilege due to their educational background and family support; (3) the gain in ability to communicate, teach, and work with others; (4) the idea that they were more socially and culturally connected to their community outside the university and their college classrooms; and (5) a broadening of the way they understood or thought about science. Women participants stated

Effect of Belief Bias on the Development of Undergraduate Students' Reasoning about Inference

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Kaplan, Jennifer K.

2009-01-01

Psychologists have discovered a phenomenon called "Belief Bias" in which subjects rate the strength of arguments based on the believability of the conclusions. This paper reports the results of a small qualitative pilot study of undergraduate students who had previously taken an algebra-based introduction to statistics class. The subjects in this…

Mobile Phone Applications in the University Classroom: Perceptions of Undergraduate Students in Jordan

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Ashour, Rateb; Alzghool, Haneen; Iyadat, Yousef; Abu-Alruz, Jamal

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the level of mobile phone applications in university classrooms in Jordan. A sample of 313 undergraduate students participated in the study by completing the researchers' designed questionnaire, which is composed of 13 items. The results of the study indicate that participants perceived a high…

Current provision of rheumatology education for undergraduate nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students in the UK.

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Almeida, C; Clarke, B; O'Brien, A; Hammond, A; Ryan, S; Kay, L; Hewlett, S

2006-07-01

Rheumatological conditions are common and all health professionals (HPs) therefore need sufficient knowledge and skills to manage patients safely and effectively. The aim of this study was to examine current undergraduate education in rheumatology for HPs in the UK. A questionnaire was sent to curriculum organizers and clinical placement officers for all undergraduate courses in adult nursing, occupational therapy (OT) and physiotherapy (PT) in the UK to ascertain the nature and amount of rheumatology theory and clinical exposure provided. Of the 47 adult nursing, 26 OT and 30 PT undergraduate courses surveyed, 85-90% responded. Overall, rheumatology teaching is 5-10 h over 3 yr. Nursing students receive moderate/in-depth teaching on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in only 52% of courses (OT 91%, PT 96%) and on osteoarthritis (OA) in 63% (OT 91%, PT 92%). Clinical experience of RA is probably/definitely available in only 56% of nursing courses (OT 72%, PT 88%), with similar results in OA. Overall, nursing students receive the least rheumatology exposure, particularly in psychosocial issues and symptom management, while PT students receive the most. OT students have limited opportunities for clinical exposure to psychosocial and joint protection issues. Use of local rheumatology clinical HP experts is variable (18-93%) and cross-disciplinary exposure is limited (0-36%). Many educators consider their rheumatology training to be insufficient (nursing 50%, PT 42%, OT 24%). Rheumatology training for undergraduate HPs is limited in key areas and often fails to take advantage of local clinical expertise, with nursing students particularly restricted. Clinical HP experts should consider novel methods of addressing these shortfalls within the limited curriculum time available.

The Use of a Serious Game and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Accounting Students: An Empirical Analysis

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Malaquias, Rodrigo Fernandes; Malaquias, Fernanda Francielle de Oliveira; Borges, Dermeval M., Jr.; Zambra, Pablo

2018-01-01

The literature on serious games (SGs) indicates that they are very useful tools to improve the teaching/learning process. In this paper, we analyze some potential benefits of a SG on academic performance of undergraduate accounting students. The database is comprised of scores obtained by students during an undergraduate discipline related with…

Emergence, Learning Difficulties, and Misconceptions in Chemistry Undergraduate Students' Conceptualizations of Acid Strength

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Tümay, Halil

2016-03-01

Philosophical debates about chemistry have clarified that the issue of emergence plays a critical role in the epistemology and ontology of chemistry. In this article, it is argued that the issue of emergence has also significant implications for understanding learning difficulties and finding ways of addressing them in chemistry. Particularly, it is argued that many misconceptions in chemistry may derive from students' failure to consider emergence in a systemic manner by taking into account all relevant factors in conjunction. Based on this argument, undergraduate students' conceptions of acids, and acid strength (an emergent chemical property) were investigated and it was examined whether or not they conceptualized acid strength as an emergent chemical property. The participants were 41 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students. A concept test and semi-structured interviews were used to probe students' conceptualizations and reasoning about acid strength. Findings of the study revealed that the majority of the undergraduate students did not conceptualize acid strength as an emergent property that arises from interactions among multiple factors. They generally focused on a single factor to predict and explain acid strength, and their faulty responses stemmed from their failure to recognize and consider all factors that affect acid strength. Based on these findings and insights from philosophy of chemistry, promoting system thinking and epistemologically sound argumentative discourses among students is suggested for meaningful chemical education.

Group work and undergraduate accounting students: a Bourdieusian analysis

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Teviotdale, Wilma; Clancy, David; Fisher, Roy; Hill, Pat

2017-01-01

This study investigated students’ views and experiences of group work in a vocationally oriented undergraduate Accounting and Finance degree course in an English post-1992 university. In this context tutors prepare students for the profession and for the workplace, and the development of team-working skills is a core element in the curriculum. This presents a significant challenge to tutors given that students commonly report an aversion to aspects of group work, including a perceived loss of...

The Role of Humor in Learning Physics: A Study of Undergraduate Students

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Berge, Maria

2017-01-01

We all know that they do it, but what do students laugh "about" when learning science together? Although research has shown that students do use humor when they learn science, the role of humor in science education has received little attention. In this study, undergraduate students' laughter during collaborative work in physics has been…

The development and psychometric testing of a Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale among undergraduate nursing students.

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Li, Hong-Yan; Bi, Rui-Xue; Zhong, Qing-Ling

2017-12-01

Disaster nurse education has received increasing importance in China. Knowing the abilities of disaster response in undergraduate nursing students is beneficial to promote teaching and learning. However, there are few valid and reliable tools that measure the abilities of disaster response in undergraduate nursing students. To develop a self-report scale of self-efficacy in disaster response for Chinese undergraduate nursing students and test its psychometric properties. Nursing students (N=318) from two medical colleges were chosen by purposive sampling. The Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES) was developed and psychometrically tested. Reliability and content validity were studied. Construct validity was tested by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was tested by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The DRSES consisted of 3 factors and 19 items with a 5-point rating. The content validity was 0.91, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.912, and the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was 0.953. The construct validity was good (χ 2 /df=2.440, RMSEA=0.068, NFI=0.907, CFI=0.942, IFI=0.430, pself-efficacy in disaster response for Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Impact of an Academic Integrity Module and Turnitin® on Similarity Index Scores of Undergraduate Student Papers

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Ballard, Iva B.

2013-01-01

In this quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial design study, the impact of an academic integrity module and Turnitin® on undergraduate student similarity index scores was investigated. Similarity index scores were used to measure suggested plagiarism rates of student papers. A purposive sample consisting of 96 undergraduate education students enrolled…

Biochemistry of Neuromuscular Diseases: A Course for Undergraduate Students

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Ohlendieck, Kay

2002-01-01

This article outlines an undergraduate course focusing on supramolecular membrane protein complexes involved in the molecular pathogenesis of neuromuscular disorders. The emphasis of this course is to introduce students to the key elements involved in the ion regulation and membrane stabilization during muscle contraction and the role of these…

University of Houston Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Projects

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Bering, E. A., III; Talbot, R. W.; Hampton, D. L.; Molders, N.; Millan, R. M.; Halford, A. J.; Dunbar, B.; Morris, G. A.; Prince, J.; Gamblin, R.; Ehteshami, A.; Lehnen, J. N.; Greer, M.; Porat, I.; Alozie, M.; Behrend, C. C.; Bias, C.; Fenton, A.; Gunawan, B.; Harrison, W.; Martinez, A.; Mathur, S.; Medillin, M.; Nguyen, T.; Nguyen, T. V.; Nowling, M.; Perez, D.; Pham, M.; Pina, M.; Thomas, G.; Velasquez, B.; Victor, L.

2017-12-01

The Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Project (USIP) is a NASA program to engage undergraduate students in rigorous scientific research, for the purposes of innovation and developing the next generation of professionals for an array of fields. The program is student led and executed from initial ideation to research to the design and deployment of scientific payloads. The University of Houston has been selected twice to participate in the USIP programs. The first program (USIP_UH I) ran from 2013 to 2016. USIP_UH II started in January of 2016, with funding starting at the end of May. USIP_UH I (USIP_UH II) at the University of Houston was (is) composed of eight (seven) research teams developing six (seven), distinct, balloon-based scientific instruments. These instruments will contribute to a broad range of geophysical sciences from Very Low Frequency recording and Total Electron Content to exobiology and ozone profiling. USIP_UH I had 12 successful launches with 9 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2015, and 4 piggyback flights with BARREL 3 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2015. USIP_UH II had 8 successful launches with 5 recoveries from Fairbanks, AK in March 2017, 3 piggyback flights with BARREL 4 from Esrange, Kiruna, Sweden in August, 2016, and 1 flight each from CSBF and UH. The great opportunity of this program is capitalizing on the proliferation of electronics miniaturization to create new generations of scientific instruments that are smaller and lighter than ever before. This situation allows experiments to be done more cheaply which ultimately allows many more experiments to be done.

Absenteeism among medical and health science undergraduate students at Hawassa University, Ethiopia.

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Desalegn, Anteneh Assefa; Berhan, Asres; Berhan, Yifru

2014-04-14

Student absenteeism is a major concern for university education worldwide. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and causes of absenteeism among undergraduate medical and health sciences students at Hawassa University. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a pretested self-administered structured questionnaire from May-June 2013. The primary outcome indicator was self-reported absenteeism from lectures in the semester preceding the study period. The study included all regular undergraduate students who were enrolled in the University for at least one semester. The data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. The association between class absenteeism and socio-demographic and behavioral correlates of absenteeism was determined by bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results were reported as crude odds ratios (COR), adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). 1200 students consented and filled the questionnaire. Of these students, 43.7% had missed three or more lectures and 14.1% (95% CI = 12.2-16.2) missed more than 8 lectures in the preceding semester. There was a significant association between missing more than 8 lectures and age of students, chosen discipline (medicine), and social drug use. The main reasons reported for missing lectures were preparing for another examination, lack of interest, lecturer's teaching style, and availability of lecture material. At Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Science student habits and teacher performance play a role in absenteeism from lectures. A university culture that promotes discipline and integrity especially among medical and older students discourages social drug use will likely improve motivation and attendance. Training in teaching methodologies to improve the quality and delivery of lectures should also help increase attendance.

The use of podcasts to enhance research-teaching linkages in undergraduate nursing students.

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Strickland, Karen; Gray, Colin; Hill, Gordon

2012-07-01

An understanding of research is important to enable nurses to provide evidence-based care. However, undergraduate nursing students often find research a challenging subject. The purpose of this paper is to present an evaluation of the introduction of podcasts in an undergraduate research module to enhance research-teaching linkages between the theoretical content and research in practice and improve the level of student support offered in a blended learning environment. Two cohorts of students (n=228 and n=233) were given access to a series of 5 "guest speaker" podcasts made up of presentations and interviews with research experts within Edinburgh Napier. These staff would not normally have contact with students on this module, but through the podcasts were able to share their research expertise and methods with our learners. The main positive results of the podcasts suggest the increased understanding achieved by students due to the multi-modal delivery approach, a more personal student/tutor relationship leading to greater engagement, and the effective use of materials for revision and consolidation purposes. Negative effects of the podcasts centred around problems with the technology, most often difficulty in downloading and accessing the material. This paper contributes to the emerging knowledge base of podcasting in nurse education by demonstrating how podcasts can be used to enhance research-teaching linkages and raises the question of why students do not exploit the opportunities for mobile learning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project: Engaging High School and Undergraduate Students in Watershed Research

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Ray, E.; McCabe, D.; Sheldon, S.; Jankowski, K.; Haselton, L.; Luck, M.; van Houten, J.

2009-12-01

The Vermont EPSCoR Streams Project engages a diverse group of undergraduates, high school students, and their teachers in hands-on water quality research and exposes them to the process of science. The project aims to (1) recruit students to science careers and (2) create a water quality database comprised of high-quality data collected by undergraduates and high school groups. The project is the training and outreach mechanism of the Complex Systems Modeling for Environmental Problem Solving research program, an NSF-funded program at the University of Vermont (UVM) that provides computational strategies and fresh approaches for understanding how natural and built environments interact. The Streams Project trains participants to collect and analyze data from streams throughout Vermont and at limited sites in Connecticut, New York, and Puerto Rico. Participants contribute their data to an online database and use it to complete individual research projects that focus on the effect of land use and precipitation patterns on selected measures of stream water quality. All undergraduates and some high school groups are paired with a mentor, who is either a graduate student or a faculty member at UVM or other college. Each year, undergraduate students and high school groups are trained to (1) collect water and macroinvertebrate samples from streams, (2) analyze water samples for total phosphorus, bacteria, and total suspended solids in an analytical laboratory, and/or (3) use geographic information systems (GIS) to assess landscape-level data for their watersheds. After training, high school groups collect samples from stream sites on a twice-monthly basis while undergraduates conduct semi-autonomous field and laboratory research. High school groups monitor sites in two watersheds with contrasting land uses. Undergraduate projects are shaped by the interests of students and their mentors. Contribution to a common database provides students with the option to expand the

The effect of graphic organizers on students' attitudes and academic performance in undergraduate general biology

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Cleveland, Lacy

High attrition among undergraduate Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors has led national and business leaders in the United States to call for both research and educational reform within the collegiate STEM classrooms. Included among suggestions for reform are ideas to improve retention of first-year students and to improve critical thinking and depth of knowledge, instead of covering large quantities of materials. Past research on graphic organizers suggest these tools assist students in learning information and facilitate conceptual and critical thinking. Despite their widespread use in high school science departments, collegiate humanities departments, and even medical schools, their use is considerably less prevalent in the undergraduate biology classroom. In addition to their lack of use, little research has been conducted on their academic benefits in the collegiate classroom. Based on national calls for improving retention among undergraduate STEM majors and research suggesting that academic success during an individual first major's related course highly determine if that individual will continue on in their intended major, the researcher of this dissertation chose to conduct research on an introductory general biology class. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the research in this dissertation examines the effectiveness of graphic organizers in promoting academic success and also examines their influence on student attitudes. This research is grounded in the theories of constructivism and cognitive load theory. Constructivism suggests that individuals must build their knowledge from their personal experiences, while the cognitive load theory recognizes the limited nature of one's working memory and suggests that instructional practices minimize cognitive overload. The results of this dissertation suggest that the use of graphic organizers in an undergraduate general biology classroom can increase students' academic

Identifying Important Career Indicators of Undergraduate Geoscience Students Upon Completion of Their Degree

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Wilson, C. E.; Keane, C. M.; Houlton, H. R.

2012-12-01

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) decided to create the National Geoscience Student Exit Survey in order to identify the initial pathways into the workforce for these graduating students, as well as assess their preparedness for entering the workforce upon graduation. The creation of this survey stemmed from a combination of experiences with the AGI/AGU Survey of Doctorates and discussions at the following Science Education Research Center (SERC) workshops: "Developing Pathways to Strong Programs for the Future", "Strengthening Your Geoscience Program", and "Assessing Geoscience Programs". These events identified distinct gaps in understanding the experiences and perspectives of geoscience students during one of their most profound professional transitions. Therefore, the idea for the survey arose as a way to evaluate how the discipline is preparing and educating students, as well as identifying the students' desired career paths. The discussions at the workshops solidified the need for this survey and created the initial framework for the first pilot of the survey. The purpose of this assessment tool is to evaluate student preparedness for entering the geosciences workforce; identify student decision points for entering geosciences fields and remaining in the geosciences workforce; identify geosciences fields that students pursue in undergraduate and graduate school; collect information on students' expected career trajectories and geosciences professions; identify geosciences career sectors that are hiring new graduates; collect information about salary projections; overall effectiveness of geosciences departments regionally and nationally; demonstrate the value of geosciences degrees to future students, the institutions, and employers; and establish a benchmark to perform longitudinal studies of geosciences graduates to understand their career pathways and impacts of their educational experiences on these decisions. AGI's Student Exit Survey went through

Analysis of Scientific Research Related Anxiety Levels of Undergraduate Students'

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Yildirim, Sefa; Hasiloglu, Mehmet Akif

2018-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to identify the scientific research-related anxiety levels of the undergraduate students studying in the department of faculty of science and letters and faculty of education to analyse these anxiety levels in terms of various variables (students' gender, using web based information sources, going to the library,…

Investigating Undergraduate Students' Ideas about the Fate of the Universe

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Conlon, Mallory; Coble, Kim; Bailey, Janelle M.; Cominsky, Lynn R.

2017-01-01

As astronomers further develop an understanding of the fate of the Universe, it is essential to study students' ideas on the fate of the Universe so that instructors can communicate the field's current status more effectively. In this study, we examine undergraduate students' preinstruction ideas of the fate of the Universe in ten semester-long…

Affinity for Quantitative Tools: Undergraduate Marketing Students Moving beyond Quantitative Anxiety

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Tarasi, Crina O.; Wilson, J. Holton; Puri, Cheenu; Divine, Richard L.

2013-01-01

Marketing students are known as less likely to have an affinity for the quantitative aspects of the marketing discipline. In this article, we study the reasons why this might be true and develop a parsimonious 20-item scale for measuring quantitative affinity in undergraduate marketing students. The scale was administered to a sample of business…

An exploratory study of the attitude of undergraduate students toward communication skills

OpenAIRE

渡部, 麻美

2016-01-01

‘Communication skills’ are required in job-hunting of young people. While people regard ‘communication skills’ as important, there are often some aspects of‘communication skills’ that people perceive negatively. This study investigated undergraduate students’attitudes toward ‘communication skills’. These attitudes were assessed using five factors: versatility, uncertainness, excessive demands, absoluteness, and possibility of measurement. Undergraduate students with job-hunting experience app...

Undergraduate Students’Evaluation Criteria When Using Web Resources for Class Papers

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Tsai-Youn Hung

2004-09-01

Full Text Available The growth in popularity of the World Wide Web has dramatically changed the way undergraduate students conduct information searches. The purpose of this study is to investigate what core quality criteria undergraduate students use to evaluate Web resources for their class papers and to what extent they evaluate the Web resources. This study reports on five Web page evaluations and a questionnaire survey of thirty five undergraduate students in the Information Technology and Informatics Program at Rutgers University. Results show that undergraduate students have become increasingly sophisticated about using Web resources, but not yet sophisticated about searching them. Undergraduate students only used one or two surface quality criteria to evaluate Web resources. They made immediate judgments about the surface features of Web pages and ignored the content of the documents themselves. This research suggests that undergraduate instructors should take the responsibility for instructing students on basic Web use knowledge or work with librarians to develop undergraduate students information literacy skills.

Food and Culinary Knowledge and Skills: Perceptions of Undergraduate Dietetic Students.

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Cooper, Marcia J; Mezzabotta, Leanne; Murphy, Joseph

2017-03-01

The objective of the current study was to examine food and culinary skills and knowledge of dietetic students. An online bilingual survey was created using Survey Monkey TM to explore the skills, knowledge, and perceptions of undergraduate dietetic students regarding food and cooking. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to compare skills and knowledge of food and culinary concepts. The final sample included second- (n = 22) and third-year (n = 22) students within the Baccalauréat specialisé en sciences de la nutrition program at the University of Ottawa. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) on 3 of 4 skills (preparing a cake, whipping egg whites, or baking a yeast bread) or knowledge concepts (fold, baste, braise, grill, and poach) amongst second- and third-year students. Third-year students perceived more skill in preparing a béchamel sauce. There was a trend for third-year students (59%) to have higher food and cooking skills and knowledge compared with second-year students (32%). Perceived knowledge and confidence was proportional with the academic year, whereas overall knowledge and skills of food and culinary concepts were moderate among both groups of students. This research suggests that more dedicated time may need to be spent on food and cooking competencies in undergraduate dietetic education.

CT interpretation of craniofacial anomalies: a comparative analysis by undergraduate dental students

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaia, Bruno Felipe; Perella, Andreia; Cara, Ana Claudia Ballet de; Antunes, Jose Leopoldo Ferreira; Cavalcanti, Marcelo Gusmao Paraiso

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of computed tomography (CT) image interpretation made in axial slices (2D-CT) and 3D reconstructed images (3D-CT) of patients with craniofacial anomalies. The analyses were made by undergraduate dental students, and compared with the diagnoses considered upon surgical intervention. Computed tomography of 43 patients were analyzed independently by three calibrated examiners (undergraduate students) with, respectively, one, two, and three semesters of experience in craniofacial CT training and interpretation. The analysis of 2D-CT and 3D-CT images were performed at distinct times using an independent workstation associated with a specific computer graphics software for volumetric images. The analysis of inter-examiner agreement and of the agreement between observers and the gold standard was performed using the Kappa test. The accuracy evaluation presented a progressively higher value for examiners with progressively broader experience in 2D-CT and 3D-CT image interpretation. 3D-CT analyses allowed a higher inter-examiner agreement (1 - 0.896) than 2D-CT analyses (1 - 0.614). 3D-CT was considered more precise and accurate than 2D-CT for all students' evaluations. The reproducibility and accuracy varied according to the experience in CT interpretation, and the most experienced student achieved results closer to the gold standard. (author)

Undergraduate HBCU Student Summer Training Program for Developing Nanomedicines to Treat Prostate Cancers

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

ABSTRACT We conducted an integrated training and educational program for improving the participation of HBCU undergraduate students in prostate cancer...None 1. INTRODUCTION We conducted an integrated training and educational program for improving the participation of HBCU undergraduate...strategies and their limitations and potential of combination therapy. She determined the recurrence and subsequent metastatic transformation

Knowledge and attitudes of radiation therapists and undergraduate students towards older people

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Donovan, A.; O'Herlihy, A.; Cunningham, M.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Rapidly changing demographics worldwide mean that there will be a significant increase in the number of older cancer patients requiring radiation therapy treatment in the coming decades. Education is regarded as a key factor in addressing attitudes towards older people among healthcare professionals and has been proven to influence the quality of care received. To our knowledge, there is only one previous study specifically in relation to radiation therapists (RTs), and this included a small sample of RTs. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of RTs and RT students towards older people. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used, consisting of: 1) demographics, 2) knowledge and 3) attitudes. Knowledge was assessed using the Facts of Aging Quiz (FAQ), while Kogan's Attitude towards Old People (KAOP) Scale was used to assess attitudes. The study population included radiation therapists (RTs) working in Ireland and undergraduate students. Results: Mean knowledge scores in this study were recorded as 11.82 (SD = 3.07)for RTs and 12.17 (SD = 2.55) for students out of a possible 24, i.e. 49% and 51%, respectively. Average attitude scores were documented as 126.12 (SD = 10.06) for RTs and 125.30 (SD = 10.28) for RT students, out of a possible 170 i.e. 74% for both qualified RTs and students. There were no significant differences between students and qualified RTs in relation to both knowledge and attitude scores. Only 44% of RTs stated that their undergraduate degree equipped them with the necessary skills to deal effectively with older patients. Conclusion: RTs have a prominent role in the provision of care to cancer patients, the majority of whom are aged 65 and older. Provision of optimal care to older people undergoing radiotherapy will require “age attuning” of the profession, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. The findings of this research indicate that RTs and RT students have average

Assessment of lifestyle and eating habits among undergraduate students in northern Italy

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Silvia Lupi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available AIM AND METHODOLOGY: Dietary habits of university students were analyzed in order to investigate any differences between students living at and away from home. Two hundred and fifty-eight undergraduate students attending University of Ferrara completed a self-administered questionnaire on demographic characteristics, food frequency consumption habits and body weight perception. RESULTS: Students living at home practiced more sport and consumed more frequently raw and cooked vegetables, fish, meat and poultry, fresh fruit, eggs, bread/cereals. Conversely, students living away from home consumed more often packaged/ready food, beer and spirits, milk and chips. The majority of students living alone reported a modification of dietary habits since leaving family. Furthermore they perceived to have a weight condition different from normal in a greater extent than students living with family. DISCUSSION: Students living alone encountered more difficulties in adopting a healthy diet so it would be desirable to adopt nutritional educational interventions on university students, usually neglected by these measures.

Effect of Melodic Rhythm on Elementary Students' and College Undergraduates' Perceptions of Relative Tempo.

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Duke, Robert A.

1989-01-01

Uses extant musical examples as stimuli in order to assess the effect of melodic rhythm as a determinant of relative tempo as perceived by college undergraduates and elementary students. Results indicate that subjects responded to the melodic rhythm as well as the beat when making tempo judgments. (LS)

Bullying and Victimization Trends in Undergraduate Medical Students - A Self-Reported Cross-Sectional Observational Survey.

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Kapoor, Shrea; Ajinkya, Shaunak; Jadhav, Pradeep R

2016-02-01

Bullying is a form of behaviour that can negatively impact a person. It can lead to several deleterious consequences like low self-confidence, drop in academic performance and depression. Studies have shown that bullying behaviour exists amongst medical students also. In the medical field, it is known to negatively impact dispensing of health care and attitudes of medical students towards becoming doctors. It is very difficult for medical students to cope with such a menace as they are already burdened with a vast curriculum and rigorous schedules. There exists paucity of studies regarding bullying amongst undergraduate medical students in Indian context. To study prevalence of peer-based bullying and victimization along with their associated factors in undergraduate medical students. Four hundred randomly chosen undergraduate medical students were included in the study. Socio-demographic and personal details including history of substance use were recorded in a self-designed case record form. Illinois Bullying Scale was used to assess bullying behaviours. Out of total 400 students, 383 completed the survey and this data was analysed. In this study, 98.69% participants self-reported to having indulged in bullying while 88.77% reported feeling victimized. Physical (pbullying was found to be of significantly greater severity in males as compared to females. Students of the third year of medical school indulged in significantly (p=0.034) greater severity of physical bullying than those of other years. Alcohol consumption (p=0.001) and cigarette smoking (pbullying. Peer-based bullying and victimization was found to be highly prevalent amongst undergraduate medical students. There is an urgent need for more detailed studies on bullying in medical students so that remedial measures can be initiated and steps to limit such behaviours can be looked at seriously.

Introduction of a Journal Excerpt Activity Improves Undergraduate Students' Performance in Statistics

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Rabin, Laura A.; Nutter-Upham, Katherine E.

2010-01-01

We describe an active learning exercise intended to improve undergraduate students' understanding of statistics by grounding complex concepts within a meaningful, applied context. Students in a journal excerpt activity class read brief excerpts of statistical reporting from published research articles, answered factual and interpretive questions,…

Assessing the Perceptions and Practice of Self-Medication among Bangladeshi Undergraduate Pharmacy Students

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Md. Omar Reza Seam

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the perceptions and extent of practicing self-medication among undergraduate pharmacy students. Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted over a six month period (January to June 2016 among undergraduate pharmacy students in five reputable public universities of Bangladesh. It involved face-to-face interviews regarding self-medication of 250 respondents selected by simple random sampling. Results: Self-medication was reported by 88.0% of students. Antipyretics (58.40% were mostly preferred for the treatment of fever and headaches. The major cause for self-medication was minor illness (59.60%, p = 0.73 while previous prescriptions were the main source of knowledge as well as the major factor (52.80%, p = 0.94 dominating the self-medication practice. The results also demonstrated 88.80% of students had previous knowledge on self-medication and 83.60% of students always checked the information on the label; mainly the expiry date before use (85.60%. A significant (p < 0.05 portion of the students (51% male and 43% female perceived it was an acceptable practice as they considered self-medication to be a segment of self-care. Furthermore, students demonstrated differences in their response level towards the adverse effect of drugs, the health hazard by a higher dose of drug, a physician’s help in case of side effects, taking medicine without proper knowledge, and stopping selling medicine without prescription. Conclusions: Self-medication was commonly used among pharmacy students primarily for minor illnesses using over-the-counter medications. Although it is an inevitable practice for them it should be considered an important public health problem as this practice may increase the misuse or irrational use of medicines.

Association between religiosity and happiness among a group of Muslim undergraduate students.

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Sahraian, Ali; Gholami, Abdullah; Javadpour, Ali; Omidvar, Benafsheh

2013-06-01

The association between religiosity and happiness has been the focus of much recent research. The majority of them report a positive correlation between a religious attitude and behavior and the level of happiness. However, different findings have been reported. The aim of the current study was to test link between religiosity and happiness among a group of undergraduate Muslim students. Two hundred and seventy-one health-related students agreed to participate and completed Oxford Happiness Index and a religious belief questionnaire. It was found that higher score on religious belief was significantly linked to the level of happiness (r = .256, P = .01). The result confirms that individuals with a more religious attitude experience more happiness. The result of this study should be considered in programs designed to improve overall well-being of university students.

The attitudes of undergraduate students and staff to the use of electronic learning.

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Gupta, B; White, D A; Walmsley, A D

2004-04-24

Computer-aided learning (CAL) offers advantages over traditional methods of learning as it allows students to work in their own time and pace. The School of Dentistry at the University of Birmingham has created an electronic learning website, named the Ecourse. This is designed to be a web-based supplement to the dental undergraduate curriculum. The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of third year dental students and members of staff about the Ecourse website. A questionnaire was produced and piloted before being distributed to all 65 third year dental students to obtain their opinions about the Ecourse website. The views of Ecourse were sought from four members of staff by performing qualitative, semi-structured interviews. Lecture handouts and textbooks were reported as the sources used most often, by 96% of students. Eighty-six per cent of students are accessing the Ecourse mainly at the School of Dentistry, but 53% are also accessing it at home. Students liked the multiple-choice questions, downloading extra notes and looking at pictures and animation to explain clinical procedures. The majority of the students (79%) want the Ecourse to be used as a supplement to the undergraduate programme and 7% wanted it to replace formal lectures. Staff recognised the benefits of the Ecourse but were concerned about plagiarism, the effect on lecture attendance and the lack of feedback from students on existing CAL material. Students consider the Ecourse as a positive method of supplementing traditional methods of learning in the dental undergraduate programme. However in contrast teaching staff expressed negative views on the use of e-learning.

Supporting Upper-Level Undergraduate Students in Building a Systems Perspective in a Botany Course

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Zangori, Laura; Koontz, Jason A.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate biology majors require biological literacy about the critical and dynamic relationships between plants and ecosystems and the effect human-made processes have on these systems. To support students in understanding systems relationships, we redesigned an undergraduate botany course using an ecological framework and embedded systems…

Character Strengths and Academic Achievements of Undergraduate College Students of Guwahati, Assam

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Sabiha Alam Choudhury

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Character strengths, as conceptualised by the Values-In-Action (VIA strengths classification system, are core characteristics of individuals that allow people to be virtuous (Seligman 2002. They are moral, intrinsically valuable, and ubiquitous traits that can be developed and enhanced. Social psychologists and sociologists consider achievements in college or university level, because of recognition and proper utilisation of the character strengths possessed by the individual students. The current study was conducted amongst 240 undergraduate college students of arts stream (60 males and 60 females and science stream (60 males and 60 females falling within the age group of 18-21 years, with the aim of finding out if the character strengths of the male and female undergraduate students are associated with their college academic achievements. It was found that significant correlation existed between appreciation of beauty and excellence, fairness, forgiveness, honesty, humour, kindness, love of learning and humility with the academic achievement of the students.

An Empirical Investigation on Chinese High School Students' Choice of Pursuing Undergraduate Education Abroad

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Chen, Jiankun

2014-01-01

Globalization has greatly promoted student mobility around the world. Being a developing economy, China witnessed significant growth of students studying internationally, especially with the number of students study at undergraduate programs. However, empirical research on high school students' choice and the decision-making process of pursuing…

“Surfing in the cell” - an investigative game for teaching cytoskeleton concepts for undergraduate students

OpenAIRE

Alves Gomes, G.

2009-01-01

The educational role of games becomes evident as students are more active, able to take decisions, solve problems and react to the results of their own decisions. The educative board game Discovering the Cell is based on problem-solving learning. This game challenges students to collect, discuss and interpret clues in order to decipher a question. In this work we evaluated the game as a tool for teaching health sciences undergraduate students from Rio de Janeiro. In a questionnaire-based anal...

Multiple sex partner behavior in female undergraduate students in China: A multi-campus survey

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Yan, Hong; Chen, Weiqi; Wu, Haocheng; Bi, Yongyi; Zhang, Miaoxuan; Li, Shiyue; Braun, Kathryn L

2009-01-01

Background China is realizing increases in women engaged in premarital sex and multiple sex partner behavior. Our aim was to examine prevalence and determinants of multiple sex partner behavior among female undergraduates in China. Methods Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 unmarried female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Items captured demographic, family, peer and work influence, and student factors (major, academic performance, and sex-related knowledge and attitudes). To examine risk factors for sexual behaviors, we used multi-level logistic regression, yielding odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results Of 4,769 female students, 863 (18.10%) reported ever having sexual intercourse, and 5.31% reported having multiple sex partners (29.32% of all women having sexual intercourse). Several demographic, family, peer and work influences, and student factors (including major, performance, knowledge, and attitude toward sex) were risk factors for ever having sex. However, risk factors for multiple sex partners only included working in a place of entertainment, having current close friends that were living with boyfriends, poor academic performance, and positive attitudes toward multiple partners. These women also were more likely to practice masturbation, start having sex at a younger age, have sex with married men and/or men not their "boyfriends" at first coitus, and not use condoms consistently. Conclusion A small but important subset of Chinese female undergraduates is engaged in unprotected sex with multiple sex partners. Interventions need to target at risk women, stressing the importance of consistent condom use. PMID:19698132

Multiple sex partner behavior in female undergraduate students in China: A multi-campus survey

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Zhang Miaoxuan

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background China is realizing increases in women engaged in premarital sex and multiple sex partner behavior. Our aim was to examine prevalence and determinants of multiple sex partner behavior among female undergraduates in China. Methods Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 unmarried female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Items captured demographic, family, peer and work influence, and student factors (major, academic performance, and sex-related knowledge and attitudes. To examine risk factors for sexual behaviors, we used multi-level logistic regression, yielding odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI. Results Of 4,769 female students, 863 (18.10% reported ever having sexual intercourse, and 5.31% reported having multiple sex partners (29.32% of all women having sexual intercourse. Several demographic, family, peer and work influences, and student factors (including major, performance, knowledge, and attitude toward sex were risk factors for ever having sex. However, risk factors for multiple sex partners only included working in a place of entertainment, having current close friends that were living with boyfriends, poor academic performance, and positive attitudes toward multiple partners. These women also were more likely to practice masturbation, start having sex at a younger age, have sex with married men and/or men not their "boyfriends" at first coitus, and not use condoms consistently. Conclusion A small but important subset of Chinese female undergraduates is engaged in unprotected sex with multiple sex partners. Interventions need to target at risk women, stressing the importance of consistent condom use.

THE ACADEMIC MOBILITY CHALLENGES FOR THE UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT: A SURVEY WITH UDESC's UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

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Monique Raupp

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The internationalization of Brazilian higher education has attracted the attention of academic production, by investigating trends as increasing academic mobility in different countries, the adoption of transnational curriculum matrices and the consolidation of international networks of scientific research. At the University of the State of Santa Catarina (UDESC this process is in its early stages, creating the need to understand the impact of internationalization phenomenon in relation to university management. This study aims to identify the main challenges and difficulties encountered by undergraduate students of the School of Business and Management (ESAG, department of UDESC, to participate in an academic mobility program in foreign universities. A survey was conducted with 208 undergraduates between the years 2009 and 2013, using semi-structured interviews by digital means. The results indicate that the mobility experience is seen by the students, predominantly, as an opportunity for personal development, and the obstacles faced by the students are mostly bureaucratic, such as validating courses taken abroad and knowing the foreign documents necessary for the local registry. Regarding the university management, it is discussed the creation of a virtual instrument support with the objective of streamlining the service to students in mobility.

Predicting Success for Actuarial Students in Undergraduate Mathematics Courses

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Smith, Richard Manning; Schumacher, Phyllis A.

2005-01-01

A study of undergraduate actuarial graduates found that math SAT scores, verbal SAT scores, percentile rank in high school graduating class, and percentage score on a college mathematics placement exam had some relevance to forecasting the students' grade point averages in their major. For both males and females, percentile rank in high school…

Factors Associated With Academic Performance Among Second-Year Undergraduate Occupational Therapy Students

OpenAIRE

Bonsaksen, Tore; Ellingham, Brian; Carstensen, Tove

2018-01-01

Background: Research into occupational therapy education and its outcomes for students is growing. More research is needed to determine the factors of importance for occupational therapy students’ academic outcomes. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with academic performance among second-year undergraduate occupational therapy students in Norway. Methods: Occupational therapy students (n = 111) from two education programs completed questionnaires asking for sociodemograph...

Differences in Procrastination and Motivation between Undergraduate and Graduate Students

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Cao, Li

2012-01-01

Procrastination became increasingly prevalent among students in recent years. However, little research was found that directly compares academic procrastination across different academic grade levels. The present study used a self-regulated learning perspective to compare procrastination types and associated motivation between undergraduate and…

An audit on technical quality of root fillings performed by undergraduate students.

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Fong, W; Heidarifar, O; Killough, S; Lappin, M J; El Karim, I A

2018-04-01

To evaluate radiographically the technical quality of root fillings performed by undergraduate dental students and to assess whether students were exposed to an appropriate endodontic case mix during their clinical training. A retrospective audit was undertaken evaluating the clinical records of patients who underwent endodontic procedures during the period from September 2015 to June 2016 in the Dental School at Queen's University Belfast, UK. Two final-year dental students were trained and calibrated to evaluate postoperative intra-oral periapical radiographs of completed root canal treatments using specific assessment criteria. Data were presented as frequencies, percentage and mean ± standard deviation (SD). Comparisons of treatment outcomes between groups (posterior and anterior teeth) were calculated using Fisher's exact test, and the level of significance was set at P  0.05). In the majority of the teeth treated by undergraduate students at Queen's University Belfast, the technical quality of the root filling was acceptable and students were exposed to an appropriate case mix for endodontic training. © 2017 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Components of a Flipped Classroom Influencing Student Success in an Undergraduate Business Statistics Course

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Shinaberger, Lee

2017-01-01

An instructor transformed an undergraduate business statistics course over 10 semesters from a traditional lecture course to a flipped classroom course. The researcher used a linear mixed model to explore the effectiveness of the evolution on student success as measured by exam performance. The results provide guidance to successfully implement a…

Accidents with biological material among undergraduate nursing students in a public Brazilian university.

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Reis, Renata Karina; Gir, Elucir; Canini, Silvia Rita M S

2004-02-01

During their academic activities, undergraduate nursing students are exposed to contamination by bloodborne pathogens, as well as by others found in body fluids, among which are the Human Immunodeficiency (HIV), Hepatitis B and C viruses. We developed a profile of victimized students, characterizing accidents with biological material occurring among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in São Paulo State, Brazil. We identified the main causes and evaluated the conduct adopted by students and their reactions and thoughts concerning the accidents. Seventy-two accidents were identified, of which 17% involved potentially contaminated biological material. Needles were the predominant cause of accidents. The most frequently involved topographic areas were the fingers. Only five students reported the accidents and sought medical care. Among these, two students were advised to begin prophylactic treatment against HIV infection by means of antiretroviral drugs. It was found that the risk of accidents is underestimated and that strategies such as formal teaching and continual training are necessary in order to make students aware of biosafety measures.

Accidents with biological material among undergraduate nursing students in a public Brazilian university

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Renata Karina Reis

Full Text Available During their academic activities, undergraduate nursing students are exposed to contamination by bloodborne pathogens, as well as by others found in body fluids, among which are the Human Immunodeficiency (HIV, Hepatitis B and C viruses. We developed a profile of victimized students, characterizing accidents with biological material occurring among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in São Paulo State, Brazil. We identified the main causes and evaluated the conduct adopted by students and their reactions and thoughts concerning the accidents. Seventy-two accidents were identified, of which 17% involved potentially contaminated biological material. Needles were the predominant cause of accidents. The most frequently involved topographic areas were the fingers. Only five students reported the accidents and sought medical care. Among these, two students were advised to begin prophylactic treatment against HIV infection by means of antiretroviral drugs. It was found that the risk of accidents is underestimated and that strategies such as formal teaching and continual training are necessary in order to make students aware of biosafety measures.

Using Q Methodology to Investigate Undergraduate Students' Attitudes toward the Geosciences

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Young, Julia M.; Shepardson, Daniel P.

2018-01-01

Undergraduate students have different attitudes toward the geosciences, but few studies have investigated these attitudes using Q methodology. Q methodology allows the researcher to identify more detailed reasons for students' attitudes toward geology than Likert methodology. Thus this study used Q methodology to investigate the attitudes that 15…

Student Perceptions of the Hip Hop Culture's Influence on the Undergraduate Experience

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Wessel, Roger D.; Wallaert, Kerry A.

2011-01-01

This study sought to determine how identification and engagement with the hip hop culture influenced the educational experiences of undergraduate students at a Midwestern, predominately White university by interviewing 11 students who self-identified as being immersed in the hip hop culture. Through a qualitative, phenomenological investigation,…

Teaching Hybrid Principles of Finance to Undergraduate Business Students--Can It Work?

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Letterman, Denise

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between course design and predictor variables: motivation, satisfaction, and success for students enrolled in the hybrid Principles of Finance course. The participants for this research project were 117 undergraduate students (encompassing 6 semesters) at Robert Morris University,…

The relationship between learning preferences (styles and approaches) and learning outcomes among pre-clinical undergraduate medical students

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Liew, Siaw-Cheok; Sidhu, Jagmohni; Barua, Ankur

2015-01-01

Background Learning styles and approaches of individual undergraduate medical students vary considerably and as a consequence, their learning needs also differ from one student to another. This study was conducted to identify different learning styles and approaches of pre-clinical, undergraduate medical students and also to determine the relationships of learning preferences with performances in the summative examinations. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected...

Prevalence and impact of headache in undergraduate students in Southern Brazil

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Asdrubal Falavigna

2010-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, characteristics and impact of headache among university students. METHOD: The criteria established by the International Headache Society were used to define the primary headache subtypes and the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS, to assess the disability. The students were then grouped into six categories: [1] migraine; [2] probable migraine; [3] tension-type headache; [4] probable tension-type headache; [5] non-classifiable headache; [6] no headache. RESULTS: Of all undergraduate students interviewed, 74.5% had at least one headache episode in the last three months. Regarding disability, there was a significant difference between the headache types (p<0.0001. In the post-hoc analysis, migraine was the headache type with most reported disability. CONCLUSION: Headache is a highly prevalent condition among the students at the University of Caxias do Sul. This disease may have a major impact on the students' lives and in some cases, ultimately lead to educational failure.

Integrated systematic review on educational strategies that promote academic success and resilience in undergraduate indigenous students.

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Milne, T; Creedy, D K; West, R

2016-01-01

Despite numerous recommendations by governments, researchers, and education policymakers the recruitment, retention and success of undergraduate indigenous students in higher education is not commensurate of the wider student population. There is minimal evidence of valuing indigenous worldviews and perspectives in curricula, and effectiveness of educational strategies to strengthen indigenous student success rates in completing undergraduate studies. To conduct an integrative systematic review of educational strategies to promote academic success and resilience in undergraduate indigenous students. Major databases of Scopus, ProQuest, Informit and Web of Science were searched. Inclusion criteria were peer reviewed research articles from scholarly journals that referenced indigenous, aboriginal, First Nation or Māori students in undergraduate programs in higher education. The search was limited to English language and studies conducted from 1995 to 2014. The search yielded 156 research papers which reduced to 16 papers that met the inclusion criteria. The included papers were critiqued from a standpoint theory approach that reflects feminism, cultural respect, and humanism. Much of the literature describes issues, and provides qualitative analyses of experiences, but empirical evaluations of interventions are rare. There was a gap in current research evaluating strategies to improve indigenous student success and resilience. Key strategies for indigenous student success are multi-faceted, layered support, underpinned by the principles of respect, relationships, and responsibility. Implications for nursing and midwifery education, research and health care practice are outlined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing Effective Undergraduate Research Experience

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Evans, Michael; Ilie, Carolina C.

2011-03-01

Undergraduate research is a valuable educational tool for students pursuing a degree in physics, but these experiences can become problematic and ineffective if not handled properly. Undergraduate research should be planned as an immersive learning experience in which the student has the opportunity to develop his/her skills in accordance with their interests. Effective undergraduate research experiences are marked by clear, measurable objectives and frequent student-professor collaboration. These objectives should reflect the long and short-term goals of the individual undergraduates, with a heightened focus on developing research skills for future use. 1. Seymour, E., Hunter, A.-B., Laursen, S. L. and DeAntoni, T. (2004), ``Establishing the benefits of research experiences for undergraduates in the sciences: First findings from a three-year study''. Science Education, 88: 493--534. 2. Behar-Horenstein, Linda S., Johnson, Melissa L. ``Enticing Students to Enter Into Undergraduate Research: The Instrumentality of an Undergraduate Course.'' Journal of College Science Teaching 39.3 (2010): 62-70.

Undergraduate Research in Geoscience with Students from Two-year Colleges: SAGE 2YC Resources

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McDaris, J. R.; Hodder, J.; Macdonald, H.; Baer, E. M.; Blodgett, R. H.

2014-12-01

Undergraduate research experiences are important for the development of expertise in geoscience disciplines. These experiences have been shown to help students learn content and skills, promote students' cognitive and affective development, and develop students' sense of self. Early exposure to research experiences has shown to be effective in the recruitment of students, improved retention and persistence in degree programs, motivation for students to learn and increase self-efficacy, improved attitudes and values about science, and overall increased student success. Just as departments at four-year institutions (4YCs) are increasingly integrating research into their introductory courses, two-year college (2YC) geoscience faculty have a great opportunity to ground their students in authentic research. The Undergraduate Research with Two-year College Students website developed by SAGE 2YC: Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education at Two-year Colleges provides ideas and advice for 2YC and 4YC faculty who want to get more 2YC students involved in research. The continuum of possibilities for faculty to explore includes things that can be done at 2YCs (eg. doing research as part of a regular course, developing a course specifically around research on a particular topic, or independent study), done in collaboration with other local institutions (eg. using their facilities, conducting joint class research, or using research to support transfer programs), and by involving students in the kind of organized Undergraduate Research programs run by a number of institutions and organizations. The website includes profiles illustrating how 2YC geoscience faculty have tackled these various models of research and addressed potential challenges such as lack of time, space, and funding as part of supporting the wide diversity of students that attend 2YCs, most of whom have less experience than that of rising seniors who are the traditional REU participant. The website also

A comparative cross-cultural study of the prevalence and nature of misconceptions in physics amongst English and Chinese undergraduate students

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Abrahams, Ian; Homer, Matt; Sharpe, Rachael; Zhou, Mengyuan

2015-01-01

Background:Despite the large body of literature regarding student misconceptions, there has been relatively little cross-cultural research to directly compare the prevalence of common scientific misconceptions amongst students from different cultural backgrounds. Whilst previous research does suggest the international nature of many misconceptions, there is little evidence as to whether the prevalence of such common misconceptions varies from culture to culture. Purpose:To undertake a preliminary examination of the prevalence and reasons for some previously studied scientific misconceptions amongst English and Chinese undergraduate students so as to ascertain whether there is any evidence of cultural difference. Such a finding could help to identify teaching approaches in either country that are more effective in reducing the prevalence of common student misconceptions. Sample:The study involved a convenience sample of 40 undergraduate students - 20 English and 20 Chinese drawn equally from two universities in the North of England - whose formal science education ended at ages 16 and 15 respectively. Design and methods:The study employed semi-structured interview schedule containing eight questions. Results:Whilst similar misconceptions existed amongst both English and Chinese undergraduates, their prevalence was significantly higher amongst the English students (Overall mean score for scientifically correct answers amongst Chinese students was 27.7% higher, p Differences in the prevalence of misconceptions amongst English and Chinese undergraduates appear to arise from differences in the way in which specific areas of physics are taught in both countries. It might be possible to reduce the prevalence of misconceptions in both countries if a better understanding could be developed of how, and why, undergraduates use certain erroneous analogies, and why some teaching approaches seem more effective in reducing the prevalence of misconceptions than others.

The death and dying process: definitions of nursing undergraduate students

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Catarina Aparecida Sales

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to know the definitions nursing students have concerning the death-dying process. A descriptive-qualitative study developed in 2010, with 65 students of the first and last year of Nursing in a public university. Data was collected through semi-structured interview and submitted to content analysis. Data showed that the students possess diverse opinions concerning this process, per times seeing it as natural however difficult to be understood and accepted, especially because it brings pain, suffering, losses and family unstableness. They also revealed that they do not feel prepared to experience terminality in their future customers. The results reinforce the importance of having the thematic approached in the beginning of the undergraduate course, in curricular components or in extra-curricular activities, in order to provide the development of necessary support to experiencethe death-dying process of the customers.

Comparing Effectiveness of Undergraduate Course Delivery: A Student Perspective

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Koenig, Robert J.

2009-01-01

Higher education students can and do take courses delivered in a variety of ways. But, to date, little research has been done on the effectiveness of different delivery modes. This study sought to fill that void by comparing the effectiveness of three undergraduate course delivery modes: classroom, online, and video conference at a technical…

Clinical integration and how it affects student retention in undergraduate athletic training programs.

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Young, Allison; Klossner, Joanne; Docherty, Carrie L; Dodge, Thomas M; Mensch, James M

2013-01-01

A better understanding of why students leave an undergraduate athletic training education program (ATEP), as well as why they persist, is critical in determining the future membership of our profession. To better understand how clinical experiences affect student retention in undergraduate ATEPs. Survey-based research using a quantitative and qualitative mixed-methods approach. Three-year undergraduate ATEPs across District 4 of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. Seventy-one persistent students and 23 students who left the ATEP prematurely. Data were collected using a modified version of the Athletic Training Education Program Student Retention Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance was performed on the quantitative data, followed by a univariate analysis of variance on any significant findings. The qualitative data were analyzed through inductive content analysis. A difference was identified between the persister and dropout groups (Pillai trace = 0.42, F(1,92) = 12.95, P = .01). The follow-up analysis of variance revealed that the persister and dropout groups differed on the anticipatory factors (F(1,92) = 4.29, P = .04), clinical integration (F(1,92) = 6.99, P = .01), and motivation (F(1,92) = 43.12, P = .01) scales. Several themes emerged in the qualitative data, including networks of support, authentic experiential learning, role identity, time commitment, and major or career change. A perceived difference exists in how athletic training students are integrated into their clinical experiences between those students who leave an ATEP and those who stay. Educators may improve retention by emphasizing authentic experiential learning opportunities rather than hours worked, by allowing students to take on more responsibility, and by facilitating networks of support within clinical education experiences.

Predicting Academic Success and Psychological Wellness in a Sample of Canadian Undergraduate Students

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Chow, Henry P. H.

2010-01-01

Introduction: University students need to cope with a complex new life role and to achieve academic success. This article explores the academic performance and psychological well-being among university students in a western Canadian city. Method: Using a convenience sample, a total of 501 undergraduate students in Regina, Saskatchewan took part in…

Head and Neck Anatomy: Effect of Focussed Near-Peer Teaching on Anatomical Confidence in Undergraduate Medical Students.

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Morris, Simon; Osborne, Max Sallis; Bowyer, Duncan

2018-05-11

To assess the effect of near-peer head and neck anatomy teaching on undergraduates and to quantify the benefit from a focussed teaching course. Near-peer teaching involves colleagues within close seniority and age proximity teaching one another on a specified topic. Small group teaching sessions were delivered to medical students on 3 key areas of ENT anatomy. Participants were given a precourse and postcourse questionnaire to determine the benefit attained from the course. An undergraduate anatomy course taking place at the University of Birmingham Medical School. A total of 30 medical students: 15 preclinical (years 1-2) and 15 clinical (years 3-5) medical students participated from a single institution. A total of 71% of students expressed inadequate teaching of head and neck anatomy in undergraduate curriculum. All students (n = 30) expressed benefit from the course, however the patterns of learning differed: preclinical students showed a significant improvement in both their ability to name anatomical structures and their application (p peer learning provides benefit to all medical undergraduates in the context of teaching anatomy which may make it a valuable teaching tool for the future of medical education. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structural validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in Chinese undergraduate students: A confirmatory factor analysis

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Suran Guo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the structural validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI in Chinese undergraduate students. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey with 631 Chinese undergraduate students was conducted, and the questionnaire package included a measure of demographic characteristics, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI, Chinese editions of Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression, State- Trait Anxiety Inventory, Rumination Response Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale. Results showed that the item use of sleep medicine was not suitable for use with this population, that a two-factor model provided the best fit to the data as assessed through confirmatory factor analysis, and that other indices were consistently correlated with the sleep quality but not the sleep efficiency factor.

Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Undergraduate Student Views of the Nature of Science

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Arino de la Rubia, Leigh S.; Lin, Tzung-Jin; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2014-07-01

Past studies investigating university level students' views of nature of science (NOS) were relatively few and most of them were conducted in Western countries. This paper focuses upon comparing the quantitative patterns in Western (US Caucasian and African-American) and non-Western (Taiwanese) students' views of NOS (VNOS) by adopting a survey instrument. This analysis combined with qualitative data begin to uncover details of potential cultural differences in patterns specifically in the US educational context by comparing Caucasian and African-American student responses to a question from a commonly used assessment of VNOS. Results show different patterns of views along the four dimensions of NOS (social negotiation, invented/creative NOS, cultural impacts, and changing/tentative feature of science) according to student major, student gender, and student ethnicity. These differences and similarities have the potential to impact undergraduate education and underrepresentation of cultural minorities in science careers and call for further research into NOS views in the context of diverse student groups.

Pre-Professional Ideologies and Career Trajectories of the Allied Professional Undergraduate Student

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Hosein, Anesa; Rao, Namrata

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students sometimes pursue degrees that are aimed at allied jobs. This research examines how students in one allied professional degree, education studies, conceptualise their pre-professional ideology and how these ideologies relate to their intended career trajectory. The research draws upon a year-long qualitative survey of over 70…

An instructional intervention to encourage effective deep collaborative learning in undergraduate veterinary students.

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Khosa, Deep K; Volet, Simone E; Bolton, John R

2010-01-01

In recent years, veterinary education has received an increased amount of attention directed at the value and application of collaborative case-based learning. The benefit of instilling deep learning practices in undergraduate veterinary students has also emerged as a powerful tool in encouraging continued professional education. However, research into the design and application of instructional strategies to encourage deep, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary undergraduates has been limited. This study focused on delivering an instructional intervention (via a 20-minute presentation and student handout) to foster productive, collaborative case-based learning in veterinary education. The aim was to instigate and encourage deep learning practices in a collaborative case-based assignment and to assess the impact of the intervention on students' group learning. Two cohorts of veterinary students were involved in the study. One cohort was exposed to an instructional intervention, and the other provided the control for the study. The instructional strategy was grounded in the collaborative learning literature and prior empirical studies with veterinary students. Results showed that the intervention cohort spent proportionally more time on understanding case content material than did the control cohort and rated their face-to-face discussions as more useful in achieving their learning outcomes than did their control counterparts. In addition, the perceived difficulty of the assignment evolved differently for the control and intervention students from start to end of the assignment. This study provides encouraging evidence that veterinary students can change and enhance the way they interact in a group setting to effectively engage in collaborative learning practices.

Perception analysis of undergraduate students in the health field about the topic Cell Biology

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Carlos Alberto Andrade Monerat