WorldWideScience

Sample records for university undergraduate level

  1. Georgetown University and Hampton University Prostate Cancer Undergraduate Fellowship Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    goals. The first goal was to integrate upper level undergraduate students from Hampton University into the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer...upper level undergraduate Biology and Biochemistry Majors from Hampton University to work throughout the summer participating in prostate cancer...Dominican Republic summer 2017 Marissa Willis HU-GU Fellow Summer 2016 (Notario lab) Biology Major Hampton University, class of 2018, Math and

  2. Using GeoGebra for Mathematics Education at University Undergraduate Level

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga

    Our research effort presented in this talk relates with developing digital tools for mathematics education at undergraduate university level. It focuses specifically on studies where mathematics is not a core subject but it is very important in order to cope with core subjects. For our design, we...... feedback inspire the next round of design requirements for the development of digital tools that support mathematics teaching and learning at university level....... conducted observations of teachers and students during lectures and exercise time. During these observations we were able to investigate how the applets were used in practice but also to get insight in the challenges that the students face during mathematics learning. These findings together with student...

  3. Bridging the gap between actual and required mathematics background at undergraduate university level

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga

    courses of Medialogy, e.g. computer graphics programming. Moreover, this poor performance in mathematics is one of the main causes for dropout at university level. This paper presents our ongoing research aiming at tackling with this problem by developing dynamic and multimodal media for math- ematics...... teaching and learning which will make mathematics more at- tractive and easier to understand to undergraduate students. These tools realise an interactive educational method by giving mathematics learners opportunities to develop visualization skills, explore mathe- matical concepts, and obtain solutions...

  4. Academic Resourcefulness, Coping Strategies and Doubting in University Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xuereb, Sharon

    2015-01-01

    This study hypothesised that academic resourcefulness and coping strategies would predict doubting amongst university undergraduates. Doubting refers to the serious consideration of prematurely withdrawing from university. It was predicted that mature students would report higher levels of academic resourcefulness and adaptive coping strategies,…

  5. Neck Pain Occurrence and Characteristics in Nigerian University Undergraduates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olufunke Patience Iroko

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available AIM: University students seem to be a high risk group for neck pain which often leads to diminished concentration and academic performance among them. This study examined the occurrence and characteristics of neck pain in undergraduate students from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. METHOD: One thousand and sixty nine (512 male and 557 female undergraduate students with the mean age of 23.49 ± 2.54 years responded in this cross-sectional survey. An adapted questionnaire that sought information on demographics, occurrence, characteristics and the consequence of neck pain on activities of daily living served as the survey instrument. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence and current frequency of neck pain among the respondents was 34.9% and 9.8% respectively. Female students had a higher preponderance of lifetime neck pain prevalence than their male counterparts (52.8 vs. 47.2%. There was higher frequency of neck pain after admission into the university than before (68.6 vs. 28.7%. Neck pain increased according to level of study and commoner among clinical students. 20% of the respondents reported chronic neck pain and was commoner in males than females (13% vs. 7% females. Seats without back supports used during lectures (48.0%, long reading hours (31.4%, poor self perpetuating posture (16.6%, and types of pillow used when sleeping (14.2% were the most implicated predisposing factors to neck pain. Reading (49.7% and concentration on school work (27.9% were the most limited activities of daily living. CONCLUSION: Neck pain is common among Nigerian university undergraduate students and affects females than males. The prevalence increased with higher level of study and commoner among clinical students. Neck pain mostly affects reading and concentration on school work among university undergraduate students. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2010; 9(3.000: 167-174

  6. Music Undergraduates' Usefulness and Importance Expectations: The Bologna Process from an Australian University Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, Dominic G; Davidson, Jane W; Nair, Chenicheri S

    2016-01-01

    The Bologna Process model of higher education has been introduced into some Australian universities since 2008. This model promoted university study through a liberal arts philosophy that advanced a worldview approach at the undergraduate level. The model generalized the student experience and eliminated undergraduate specialization. An interesting situation for music undergraduate study thus arose. Expertise and expert performance research has argued an opposing educational approach, namely: Extensive long-term commitment through focused practical engagement and specialized tuition as prerequisites to achieving musical mastery, especially in performance. Motivation research has shown that the majority of this specialized development in pre-university years would be accessed and reinforced predominantly through private music tuition. Drawing on this contextual literature, commencing university music undergraduates would have expectations of their prospective study founded from two historical influences. The first: How undergraduates had accessed pre-university music tuition. The second: How and in what ways undergraduates' pre-university musical activities were experienced and reinforced. Using usefulness and importance measures, the study observed the expectations of students about to commence music undergraduate studies at three representative Australian university music schools. One of these universities operated the Bologna styled model. No other known Australian study has investigated this implementation for any effects upon music undergraduate expectations. How much commencing music undergraduates would draw on their pre-university music instruction and experiences to predict their usefulness and importance expectations formed the basis for this investigation. Strong relationships between usefulness and importance were found across all units of study. Despite strong correlations across all units of study between usefulness and importance, there was a

  7. Music Undergraduates' Usefulness and Importance Expectations: The Bologna Process from an Australian University Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, Dominic G.; Davidson, Jane W.; Nair, Chenicheri S.

    2016-01-01

    The Bologna Process model of higher education has been introduced into some Australian universities since 2008. This model promoted university study through a liberal arts philosophy that advanced a worldview approach at the undergraduate level. The model generalized the student experience and eliminated undergraduate specialization. An interesting situation for music undergraduate study thus arose. Expertise and expert performance research has argued an opposing educational approach, namely: Extensive long-term commitment through focused practical engagement and specialized tuition as prerequisites to achieving musical mastery, especially in performance. Motivation research has shown that the majority of this specialized development in pre-university years would be accessed and reinforced predominantly through private music tuition. Drawing on this contextual literature, commencing university music undergraduates would have expectations of their prospective study founded from two historical influences. The first: How undergraduates had accessed pre-university music tuition. The second: How and in what ways undergraduates' pre-university musical activities were experienced and reinforced. Using usefulness and importance measures, the study observed the expectations of students about to commence music undergraduate studies at three representative Australian university music schools. One of these universities operated the Bologna styled model. No other known Australian study has investigated this implementation for any effects upon music undergraduate expectations. How much commencing music undergraduates would draw on their pre-university music instruction and experiences to predict their usefulness and importance expectations formed the basis for this investigation. Strong relationships between usefulness and importance were found across all units of study. Despite strong correlations across all units of study between usefulness and importance, there was a

  8. Developing Digital Technologies for Undergraduate University Mathematics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Triantafyllou, Eva; Timcenko, Olga

    2013-01-01

    Our research effort presented in this paper relates with developing digital tools for mathematics education at undergraduate university level. It focuses specifically on studies where mathematics is not a core subject but it is very important in order to cope with core subjects. For our design, we...... requirements for the development of digital tools that support mathematics teaching and learning at university level....... during lectures and exercise time. During these observations we were able to investigate how the applets were used in practice but also to get insight in the challenges that the students face during mathematics learning. These findings together with student feedback inspire the next round of design...

  9. Music undergraduates' usefulness and importance expectations: The Bologna Process from an Australian university perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dominic Harvey

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available AbstractThe Bologna Process model of higher education has been introduced into some Australian universities since 2008. This model promoted university study through a liberal arts philosophy that advanced a worldview approach at the undergraduate level. The model generalised the student experience and eliminated undergraduate specialisation. An interesting situation for music undergraduate study thus arose. Expertise and expert performance research has argued an opposing educational approach, namely: Extensive long-term commitment through focused practical engagement and specialised tuition as prerequisites to achieving musical mastery, especially in performance. Motivation research has shown that the majority of this specialised development in pre-university years would be accessed and reinforced predominantly through private music tuition. Drawing on this contextual literature, commencing university music undergraduates would have expectations of their prospective study founded from two historical influences. The first: How undergraduates had accessed pre-university music tuition. The second: How and in what ways undergraduates’ pre-university musical activities were experienced and reinforced. Using usefulness and importance measures, the study observed the expectations of students about to commence music undergraduate studies at three representative Australian university music schools. One of these universities operated the Bologna styled model. No other known Australian study has investigated this implementation for any effects upon music undergraduate expectations. How much commencing music undergraduates would draw on their pre-university music instruction and experiences to predict their usefulness and importance expectations formed the basis for this investigation. Strong relationships between usefulness and importance were found across all units of study. Despite strong correlations across all units of study between usefulness and

  10. [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.

  11. Level of Need for Cognition and Metacognitive Thinking among Undergraduate Kindergarten Female Students at King Sa'ud University in Sa'udi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daghistani, Bulquees

    2015-01-01

    This study aims at examining the level of need for cognition and metacognitive thinking among undergraduate kindergarten female students in Education Faculty at King Sa'ud University in Sa'udi Arabia from their own perceptions. Results showed that the need for the cognition level was moderate, but metacognitive thinking level was high. In…

  12. Utilization of Oral Health Care Services by University Undergraduates in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makanjuola, J O; Uti, O G; Sofola, O O

    2015-01-01

    Data on the utilization of the available oral health facilities by university undergraduates is scarce in Nigeria. To determine the level of utilization of oral health care services and to identify the barriers to seeking treatment among University of Lagos students. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among University of Lagos undergraduates. Systematic sampling was used to select participants after randomly selecting a male and female hostel. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to participants and collected immediately. The data was analyzed using Epi info version 6.04 software. Statistical significance was evaluated with chi square test and p-value facilities.

  13. Perception of undergraduates of University of Port Harcourt towards ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Aim: To assess the perception of undergraduates in University of Port Harcourt towards the use of condom. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey on the knowledge and use of condom among undergraduates of University of Port Harcourt. A systematic random sampling method was employed. Data collected was ...

  14. An investigation of communication patterns and strategies between international teaching assistants and undergraduate students in university-level science labs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gourlay, Barbara Elas

    This research project investigates communication between international teaching assistants and their undergraduate students in university-level chemistry labs. During the fall semester, introductory-level chemistry lab sections of three experienced non-native speaking teaching assistants and their undergraduate students were observed. Digital audio and video recordings documented fifteen hours of lab communication, focusing on the activities and interactions in the first hour of the chemistry laboratory sessions. In follow-up one-on-one semi-structured interviews, the participants (undergraduates, teaching assistants, and faculty member) reviewed interactions and responded to a 10-item, 7-point Likert-scaled interview. Interactions were classified into success categories based on participants' opinions. Quantitative and qualitative data from the observations and interviews guided the analysis of the laboratory interactions, which examined patterns of conversational listening. Analysis of laboratory communication reveals that undergraduates initiated nearly two-thirds of laboratory communication, with three-fourths of interactions less than 30 seconds in duration. Issues of gender and topics of interaction activity were also explored. Interview data identified that successful undergraduate-teaching assistant communication in interactive science labs depends on teaching assistant listening comprehension skills to interpret and respond successfully to undergraduate questions. Successful communication in the chemistry lab depended on the coordination of visual and verbal sources of information. Teaching assistant responses that included explanations and elaborations were also seen as positive features in the communicative exchanges. Interaction analysis focusing on the listening comprehension demands placed on international teaching assistants revealed that undergraduate-initiated questions often employ deixis (exophoric reference), requiring teaching assistants to

  15. Relationship between Internet Addiction and Academic Performance among University Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhter, Noreen

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between Internet addiction and academic performance among university undergraduates. The study also focused to examine the gender differences among students on internet addiction. The sample comprised of 359 university undergraduates. Their responses to the "Internet Addiction…

  16. Correlates of Academic Procrastination and Mathematics Achievement of University Undergraduate Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  17. Knowledge and Attitude Among Undergraduate Students, Burapha University in Becoming the ASEAN Member of Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chitapha Sookplam

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The findings show that media exposure about ASEAN, knowledge about ASEAN, attitude in becoming ASEAN member, and self-preparation for becoming ASEAN among undergraduate students’ Burapha University were in a medium level. The difference in college years and majors caused the statistically significant difference at 0.5. level of ASEAN media exposure. The difference in genders, college years, incomes and majors among the undergraduate students led to the statistically significant difference at 0.5 level of knowledge about ASEAN.The difference in genders, college years and majors in the undergraduates caused the statistically significant difference at 0.5 level regarding attitude about becoming ASEAN. The difference in college years, incomes, and majors in the undergraduates caused the statistically significant difference at 0.5 level of preparation for becoming ASEAN. The difference level of ASEAN media exposure among the undergraduates caused the statistically significant difference at 0.5 level of knowledge, attitude, and preparation for becoming ASEAN. The difference level of knowledge about ASEAN in the undergraduates caused the statistically significant difference at 0.5 levels of the attitude and preparation for becoming ASEAN member of Thailand.And it found that higher level of media exposure could lead to higher level knowledge about ASEAN; and then could cause better attitude and self-preparation toward becoming ASEAN member of Thailand.

  18. P ersonal Attributes as Determinants of Sport Participation among Undergraduates in Selected Nigerian Universities

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    Yomi AWOSIKA

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses on personal attributes of undergraduates as determinants of sport participation in selected Nigerian universities which include age, gender and marital status. The instrument for the study is a self - developed, validated questionnaire. The subjects of the study are undergraduates in selected Nigerian universities. Analysis is the use of percentages and inferential statistics of chi square X 2 at 0.05 level of significance. The results derived from the study reveal that students’ personal attributes significantly determine their sport participation. Among other recommendations made is that it is highly imperative for university authorities to make frantic efforts to develop modalities capable of enco uraging students’ sport participation since most of them have sport potentials as evident in their post - primary school sport records. This will enable our universities groom healthy and academically sound graduates.

  19. Comparative assessment of university chemistry undergraduate ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A comparative analysis of the structure of undergraduate chemistry curricula of universities in the southwest of Nigeria with a view to establishing the relative proportion of the different areas of chemistry each curriculum accommodates. It is a qualitative research, involving content analysis with a partial quantitative analysis ...

  20. Self-Directed Learning Readiness among Undergraduate Students at Saudi Electronic University in Saudi Arabia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alfaifi, Mousa S.

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the level of self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) among undergraduate students at Saudi Electronic University in Saudi Arabia. Also, investigated were potential relationships between the level of self-directed learning readiness and selected demographic variables such as gender and specific college within the…

  1. Utilization of E-Counseling in Career Information Dissemination Among Undergraduates of Federal Universities in South East Nigeria

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    Joachim Chinweike Omeje

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This descriptive survey study was designed to find out the utilization of e-counseling in career information dissemination among the undergraduates of the federal universities in South East Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study consisted of 36 guidance counselors and 64,997 undergraduates of the federal universities in South East Nigeria. The sample consisted of 1,036 participants. This is made up of all the 36 guidance counselors in the federal universities in South East Nigeria, and 1,000 undergraduates randomly selected from the various universities. In each university, 200 undergraduates made up of 100 males and 100 females were randomly selected using balloting by replacement. All the guidance counselors were used due to smallness in number. The instrument for data collection was the E-Counselling Career Information Dissemination Questionnaire (E-CCIDQ. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach’s alpha statistical analysis, and reliability indices of .91, .85, and .84 were obtained for the three clusters. Data for the research questions were answered using percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while the null hypotheses were analyzed using t test statistics tested at the .05 level of significance. The research findings revealed that the universities in South East of Nigeria have e-counseling facilities and the students are very aware of e-counseling opportunities in the universities. Also, the counselors and undergraduates to a high extent utilize e-counseling in career information dissemination. Based on findings, discussions and some recommendations were made.

  2. Ways to Improve Undergraduate Education Sought by New Alliance of State Universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heller, Scott

    1987-01-01

    Representatives from 12 state universities have formed the Alliance for Undergraduate Education to prove that attention is being paid to undergraduates on their campuses. Participants expect to discuss how to avoid the depersonalization of large campuses and packed undergraduate classrooms. (MLW)

  3. Undergraduate Use of Library Databases Decreases as Level of Study Progresses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimberly Miller

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available A Review of: Mbabu, L.G., Bertram, A. B., & Varnum, K. (2013. Patterns of undergraduates’ use of scholarly databases in a large research university. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(2, 189-193. http://dx.doi.org/10.10.1016/j.acalib.2012.10.004 Abstract Objective – To investigate undergraduate students’ patterns of electronic database use to discover whether database use increases as undergraduate students progress into later stages of study with increasingly sophisticated information needs and demands. Design – User database authentication log analysis. Setting – A large research university in the Midwestern United States of America. Subjects – A total of 26,208 undergraduate students enrolled during the Fall 2009 academic semester. Methods – The researchers obtained logs of user-authenticated activity from the university’s databases. Logged data for each user included: the user’s action and details of that action (including database searches, the time of action, the user’s relationship to the university, the individual school in which the user was enrolled, and the user’s class standing. The data were analyzed to determine which proportion of undergraduate students accessed the library’s electronic databases. The study reports that the logged data accounted for 61% of all database activity, and the authors suggest the other 39% of use is likely from “non-undergraduate members of the research community within the [university’s] campus IP range” (192. Main Results – The study found that 10,897 (42% of the subject population of undergraduate students accessed the library’s electronic databases. The study also compared database access by class standing, and found that freshman undergraduates had the highest proportion of database use, with 56% of enrolled freshman accessing the library’s databases. Sophomores had the second highest proportion of students accessing the databases at 40%; juniors and seniors

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  5. 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 ...

  6. 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…

  7. Attitude to the subject of chemistry in undergraduate nursing students at Fiji National University and Federation University, Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Stephen; Wakeling, Lara; Peck, Blake; Naiker, Mani; Hill, Dolores; Naidu, Keshni

    2015-01-01

    Attitude to the subject of chemistry was quantified in first-year undergraduate nursing students, at two geographically distinct universities. A purpose-designed diagnostic instrument (ASCI) was given to students at Federation University, Australia (n= 114), and at Fiji National University, Fiji (n=160). Affective and cognitive sub-scales within ASCI showed reasonable internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha for the cognitive sub-scale was 0.786 and 0.630, and 0.787 and 0.788 for affective sub-scale for the Federation University and Fiji National University students, respectively. Mean (SD) score for the cognitive sub-scale was 10.5 (5.6) and 15.2 (4.1) for students at Federation University and Fiji National University, respectively (PFiji National University, respectively (P < 0.001, t-test). An exploratory factor analysis (n=274) confirmed a two-factor solution consistent with affective and cognitive sub-scales, each with good internal consistency. Quantifying attitude to chemistry in undergraduate nursing students using ASCI may have utility in assessing the impact of novel teaching strategies used in the education of nursing students in areas of bioscience and chemistry. However, geographically distinct populations of undergraduate nurses may show very different attitudes to chemistry.

  8. Dynamic Undergraduate Climate Change Affinity Program: University of Delaware Climate Program for Undergraduates (CPUG)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, J.

    2017-12-01

    Multidisciplinary undergraduate climate change education is critical for students entering any sector of the workforce. The University of Delaware has developed a new interdisciplinary affinity program—UD Climate Program for Undergraduates (CPUG)—open to undergraduate students of all majors to provide a comprehensive educational experience designed to educate skilled climate change problem-solvers for a wide range of professional careers. The program is designed to fulfill all General Education requirements, and includes a residential community commitment and experiential learning in community outreach and problem solving. Seminars will introduce current popular press and research materials and provide practice in confirming source credibility, communications training, and psychological support, as well as team building. As undergraduates, members of the UD CPUG team will define, describe, and develop a solution or solutions for a pressing local climate challenge that has the potential for global impact. The choice of a challenge and approach to addressing it will be guided by the student's advisor. Students are expected to develop a practical, multidisciplinary solution to address the challenge as defined, using their educational and experiential training. Solutions will be presented to the UD community during the spring semester of their senior year, as a collaborative team solution, with enhancement through individual portfolios from each team member. The logic model, structure, curricular and co-curricular supports for the CPUG will be provided. Mechanisms of support available through University administration will also be discussed.

  9. The Physiology undergraduate major in the University of Arizona College of Medicine: past, present, and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henriksen, Erik J; Atwater, Anne E; Delamere, Nicholas A; Dantzler, William H

    2011-06-01

    The American Physiological Society (APS) and APS Council encourage the teaching of physiology at the undergraduate, graduate, and medical school levels to support the continued prominence of this area of science. One area identified by the APS Council that is of particular importance for the development of future physiologists (the "physiology pipeline") is the teaching of physiology and physiology-related topics at the undergraduate level. In this article, we describe the historical development and implementation of an undergraduate program offered through the Department of Physiology, a basic science department in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona, culminating in a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree with a major in Physiology. Moreover, we discuss the current Physiology curriculum offered at our institution and explain how this program prepares our students for successful entry into a variety of postbaccalaureate professional programs, including medical school and numerous other programs in health professions, and in graduate study in the Masters and Doctoral programs in biomedical sciences. Finally, we cover the considerable challenges that we have faced, and continue to face, in developing and sustaining a successful physiology undergraduate major in a college of medicine. We hope that the information provided on the Physiology major offered by the Department of Physiology in the College of Medicine at the University of Arizona will be helpful for individuals at other institutions who may be contemplating the development and implementation of an undergraduate program in Physiology.

  10. The Trouble with Online Undergraduate Business Degrees In Traditional Regional Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, M. Keith

    2014-01-01

    Because of the surging demand for undergraduate business degrees and the increasing availability of effective online educational content, many traditional regional universities have added, or are now considering adding, online undergraduate business degree programs to their classroom programs. Through a review of the literature bearing on that…

  11. Accelerator-based techniques for the support of senior-level undergraduate physics laboratories

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, J.R.; Clark, J.C.; Isaacs-Smith, T.

    2001-01-01

    Approximately three years ago, Auburn University replaced its aging Dynamitron accelerator with a new 2MV tandem machine (Pelletron) manufactured by the National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC). This new machine is maintained and operated for the University by Physics Department personnel, and the accelerator supports a wide variety of materials modification/analysis studies. Computer software is available that allows the NEC Pelletron to be operated from a remote location, and an Internet link has been established between the Accelerator Laboratory and the Upper-Level Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory in the Physics Department. Additional software supplied by Canberra Industries has also been used to create a second Internet link that allows live-time data acquisition in the Teaching Laboratory. Our senior-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students perform a number of experiments related to radiation detection and measurement as well as several standard accelerator-based experiments that have been added recently. These laboratory exercises will be described, and the procedures used to establish the Internet links between our Teaching Laboratory and the Accelerator Laboratory will be discussed

  12. The Motivation to Study: An Analysis of Undergraduate Engineering Students at a Caribbean University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maharaj, Chris; Blair, Erik; Chin Yuen Kee, Sarah

    2018-01-01

    The link between motivation and success is well documented; however, there is still room to problematise motivation in regards to the individual and contextual levels. This study looks at motivation in relation to students studying undergraduate engineering courses at a Caribbean university and seeks to discover the factors that motivate them to…

  13. Adaptation to Altitude as a Vehicle for Experiential Learning of Physiology by University Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weigle, David S.; Buben, Amelia; Burke, Caitlin C.; Carroll, Nels D.; Cook, Brett M.; Davis, Benjamin S.; Dubowitz, Gerald; Fisher, Rian E.; Freeman, Timothy C.; Gibbons, Stephen M.; Hansen, Hale A.; Heys, Kimberly A.; Hopkins, Brittany; Jordan, Brittany L.; McElwain, Katherine L.; Powell, Frank L.; Reinhart, Katherine E.; Robbins, Charles D.; Summers, Cameron C.; Walker, Jennifer D.; Weber, Steven S.; Weinheimer, Caroline J.

    2007-01-01

    In this article, an experiential learning activity is described in which 19 university undergraduates made experimental observations on each other to explore physiological adaptations to high altitude. Following 2 wk of didactic sessions and baseline data collection at sea level, the group ascended to a research station at 12,500-ft elevation.…

  14. Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Attitude Towards Examination of Undergraduates at University of Ilorin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lateef Omotosho Adegboyega

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Emotional intelligence is the basic construct out of which all motivation arises. People with high emotional intelligence have the characteristic of motivating themselves. Students differ in cognitive abilities, with some students being better prepared for the university environment than others. As such, scholars have attempted to find out if emotional intelligence determines students’ attitude toward their studies. The present study therefore, investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and attitude towards examination of undergraduates’ at the University of Ilorin. Correlational survey method was employed for the study. The study showed that there is low level of emotional intelligence among University of Ilorin undergraduates. Majority of the respondents have negative attitude towards examination. The result revealed that there was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence and attitude towards examination. Also, it revealed that emotional intelligence has significant correlation with gender (r = 0.203, p<0.05, which implies that gender plays a significant role in the emotional intelligence of undergraduates. Emotional intelligence also has a correlation with age (r = 0.073, p<0.05. This implies that age of undergraduates also plays a significant role in their emotional intelligence. Attitude towards examination had a correlation with age (r = 0.086, p<0.05. This implies that age of the undergraduates plays a significant role in influencing an individual’s attitude toward examinations. Based on these findings, it was recommended; among others, that counsellors and lecturers assist students in determining the appropriate emotional intelligence as this would help them to develop positive attitude towards examination

  15. Undergraduate Events | Nova Southeastern University

    Science.gov (United States)

    College of Psychology Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of , dentistry, law, and psychology. Certificate Receive a graduate level certificate to enhance your skills Institute Core Services & Equipment HPD Research Undergraduate Research Community Community Outreach

  16. An Investigation of Academic Dishonesty among Undergraduates at Kansas State University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Candace Lynne Thompson

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the differences in own behavior and perception of peer behavior among undergraduates among gender, age, race/ethnicity and major. The participants were part of a census of undergraduate students at a Midwestern land grant university. There were 2,759 useable responses to a survey using McCabe's Academic Integrity Scale. The…

  17. Use of Reproductive Health Information among University Undergraduates in Ogun State, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel Olu Adeyoyin

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Young adults bear a higher risk of reproductive health problems than adults. Cases of unwanted pregnancies and their attendant complications reportedly rank among the highest in Africa. This study therefore investigates reproductive health and use of health information among university undergraduates in Nigeria. Correlational research design was adopted using descriptive survey method. Questionnaire was designed and used as survey instrument. The study used 25% of 6,978 undergraduate students from government and private universities in Abeokuta, Ogun State between 16-24 years old from each of the 35 departments that made up 8 colleges in the two universities. A total number of 1,745 copies of questionnaire were administered to the respondents out of which 1,500 copies were filled completely and retrieved making the response rate to be 86.95%. The findings of this study show that friends, parents and relatives were the closest sources of health information the respondents have used for reproductive health purposes. Utilisation of health information through information resources was effective. The study also concludes that cultural value, level of education and unfriendly attitude of health officials were parts of the major problems confronting effective utilization of reproductive health information among young adults in Nigeria.

  18. 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.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  20. Investigating Undergraduate Students' Ideas about the Fate of the Universe

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

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

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    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

  3. Roles of Technology in Student Learning of University Level Biostatistics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Weili; Zhang, Yuchen; Su, Cheng; Cui, Zhuang; Qi, Xiuying

    2014-01-01

    This study explored threshold concepts and areas of troublesome knowledge among students enrolled in a basic biostatistics course at the university level. The main area of troublesome knowledge among students was targeted by using technology to improve student learning. A total of 102 undergraduate students who responded to structured…

  4. Quantum mechanical wavefunction: visualization at undergraduate level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chhabra, Mahima; Das, Ritwick

    2017-01-01

    Quantum mechanics (QM) forms the most crucial ingredient of modern-era physical science curricula at undergraduate level. The abstract ideas involved in QM related concepts pose a challenge towards appropriate visualization as a consequence of their counter-intuitive nature and lack of experiment-assisted visualization tools. At the heart of the quantum mechanical formulation lies the concept of ‘wavefunction’, which forms the basis for understanding the behavior of physical systems. At undergraduate level, the concept of ‘wavefunction’ is introduced in an abstract framework using mathematical tools and therefore opens up an enormous scope for alternative conceptions and erroneous visualization. The present work is an attempt towards exploring the visualization models constructed by undergraduate students for appreciating the concept of ‘wavefunction’. We present a qualitative analysis of the data obtained from administering a questionnaire containing four visualization based questions on the topic of ‘wavefunction’ to a group of ten undergraduate-level students at an institute in India which excels in teaching and research of basic sciences. Based on the written responses, all ten students were interviewed in detail to unravel the exact areas of difficulty in visualization of ‘wavefunction’. The outcome of present study not only reveals the gray areas in students’ conceptualization, but also provides a plausible route to address the issues at the pedagogical level within the classroom. (paper)

  5. Quantum mechanical wavefunction: visualization at undergraduate level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chhabra, Mahima; Das, Ritwick

    2017-01-01

    Quantum mechanics (QM) forms the most crucial ingredient of modern-era physical science curricula at undergraduate level. The abstract ideas involved in QM related concepts pose a challenge towards appropriate visualization as a consequence of their counter-intuitive nature and lack of experiment-assisted visualization tools. At the heart of the quantum mechanical formulation lies the concept of ‘wavefunction’, which forms the basis for understanding the behavior of physical systems. At undergraduate level, the concept of ‘wavefunction’ is introduced in an abstract framework using mathematical tools and therefore opens up an enormous scope for alternative conceptions and erroneous visualization. The present work is an attempt towards exploring the visualization models constructed by undergraduate students for appreciating the concept of ‘wavefunction’. We present a qualitative analysis of the data obtained from administering a questionnaire containing four visualization based questions on the topic of ‘wavefunction’ to a group of ten undergraduate-level students at an institute in India which excels in teaching and research of basic sciences. Based on the written responses, all ten students were interviewed in detail to unravel the exact areas of difficulty in visualization of ‘wavefunction’. The outcome of present study not only reveals the gray areas in students’ conceptualization, but also provides a plausible route to address the issues at the pedagogical level within the classroom.

  6. Awareness of Climate Change and Sustainable Development among Undergraduates from Two Selected Universities in Oyo State, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agboola, Omowunmi Sola; Emmanuel, Michael

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated awareness of climate change and sustainable development among undergraduates in two universities: University of Ibadan, Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso in Oyo State of Nigeria. This was aimed at increasing the knowledge of undergraduates on climate change and sustainable development. The study…

  7. Reading competency of first-year undergraduate students at University of Botswana: A case study

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    Beauty B. Ntereke

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The ability to read and interpret textbooks and other assigned material is a critical component of success at university level. Therefore, the aims of this study are twofold: to evaluate the reading levels of first-year students when they first enter the university to determine how adequately prepared they are for university reading. It is also to find out if there will be any significant improvement after going through the academic literacy course offered to first-year students. The participants were 51 first-year undergraduate humanities students enrolled in the Communication and Academic Literacy course at the University of Botswana. The data were collected through a reading test adopted from Zulu which was administered at the beginning of the first semester. The same test was administered at the end of the semester after the students had gone through the academic literacy course to see if there was any difference in performance. The findings of this study indicate that there is a mixed and wide variation of students reading competency levels when students first enter the university and that a significant number of first-year entrants are inadequately prepared for university reading.

  8. Evaluative Indices Assigned to Contraceptive Methods by University Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDermott, Robert J.; Malo, Teri L.; Dodd, Virginia J.; Daley, Ellen M.; Mayer, Alyssa B.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Preordinate attitudes and beliefs about contraception may influence acceptance or rejection of a particular method. Purpose: We examined the attitudes about contraception methods held by undergraduate students (N=792) at two large southeastern universities in the United States. Methods: Twelve methods were rated on 40 semantic…

  9. Adoption Assessment of Internet Usage Amongst Undergraduates In Nigeria Universities -A Case Study Approach

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    Michael Olusesan Awoleye

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available This study focused on the level of penetration of Internet usage among undergraduate students in Nigeria using Obafemi Awolowo University as a case study. Result showed that about 92% of undergraduate students have embraced the Internet and are using it consistently. The online mean time is 3.5hrs/week while on the average, undergraduate experience of Internet usage is about 4years. We found also that the students use the Internet mostly for e-mail, information search and online chatting; all of these were found to have significant impact on their academics and social life. Further analysis revealed that gender attitude is also an important issue; male students appear to use the Internet more than their female counterparts; just as science based students use it more than the non-science based students. The paper therefore recommends appropriate policies for all higher schools of learning in Nigeria to facilitate further diffusion and use of the Internet.

  10. Undergraduate courses in nuclear engineering in Italian universities: Cultural and practical aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guerrini, B.; Lombardi, C.; Naviglio, A.; Oliveri, E.; Panella, B.; Sobrero, E.

    1992-01-01

    The contents of the undergraduate courses given in Italian nuclear engineering faculties are analyzed, showing the validity of this professional profile also with reference to non-nuclear applications including relevant safety issues and the management of complex projects. The role of Italian universities is stressed, in the defense of knowledge and capability in the nuclear sector, also with reference to the years of the nuclear 'moratoria' decided at the political level after public consultation. The prospects of Italian nuclear engineers are examined, with reference to the European labour market

  11. The Recruitment and Retention of Hispanic Undergraduate Students in Public Universities in the United States, 2000-2006

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montalvo, Edris J.

    2013-01-01

    In many public U.S. universities, Hispanic undergraduates are underrepresented in terms of enrollment and graduation. This mixed-method geographical study investigated whether some public universities outperform others in recruiting and retaining Hispanic undergraduates. The quantitative findings showed that the effect of financial aid and…

  12. Awareness and Practices of Oral Hygiene among Female Undergraduates in a Malaysian University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waheed, Zarina; Saeed, Munazza; Jameel, Rafey Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of awareness and practices of oral hygiene among undergraduate female students in a residential college of a university at Malaysia and to assess the need for awareness programs about oral hygiene. The study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire. Hundred undergraduate female Malay…

  13. 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.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  15. 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...

  16. Understanding the Experience of Women in Undergraduate Engineering Programs at Public Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez, Jessica Ohanian

    2017-01-01

    Women earn bachelor's degrees in engineering at a rate of less than 17% at public universities in California. The purpose of this study was to understand how women experience undergraduate engineering programs at public universities. To understand this lack of attainment, a qualitative methodology and Feminist Poststructuralist perspective were…

  17. Assessing the Transition between School and University: Differences in Assessment between A Level and University in English

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Frances; Child, Simon; Suto, Irenka

    2017-01-01

    High stakes assessments are commonly used at the end of secondary school to select students for higher education. However, growing concerns about the preparedness of new undergraduates for university study have led to an increased focus on the form of assessments used at upper secondary level. This study compared the structure and format of…

  18. How diverse are physics instructors’ attitudes and approaches to teaching undergraduate level quantum mechanics?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siddiqui, Shabnam; Singh, Chandralekha

    2017-01-01

    Understanding instructors’ attitudes and approaches to teaching undergraduate-level quantum mechanics can be helpful in developing effective instructional tools to help students learn quantum mechanics. Here we discuss the findings from a survey in which 12 university faculty members reflected on various issues related to undergraduate-level quantum mechanics teaching and learning. Topics included faculty members’ thoughts on the goals of a college quantum mechanics course, general challenges in teaching the subject matter, students’ preparation for the course, views about foundational issues and the difficulty in teaching certain topics, reflection on their own learning of quantum mechanics when they were students versus how they teach it to their students and the extent to which they incorporate contemporary topics into their courses. The findings related to instructors’ attitudes and approaches discussed here can be useful in improving teaching and learning of quantum mechanics. (paper)

  19. Where Adults Go: A Multiple Case Study of Adult Serving Undergraduate Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dixon-Williams, Shelley B.

    2010-01-01

    This research is an exploratory multiple case study of adult serving undergraduate colleges and universities. Using the Council of Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Principles of Effective Practice for Serving Adult Learners, this study examines the differences of adult serving undergraduate colleges across the three sectors of higher…

  20. Engineering Undergraduates' Views of A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics as Preparation for Their Degree

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darlington, Ellie; Bowyer, Jessica

    2017-01-01

    An ongoing reform programme of the post-16 Advanced "A"-level qualifications in England and Wales means that pre-university mathematics content and assessment will change from 2017. Undergraduate engineering is a subject that relies heavily on mathematics, and applicants to engineering degree programmes in the UK are required to have…

  1. Integrative assessment of Evolutionary theory acceptance and knowledge levels of Biology undergraduate students from a Brazilian university

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavares, Gustavo Medina; Bobrowski, Vera Lucia

    2018-03-01

    The integrative role that Evolutionary theory plays within Biology is recognised by most scientific authors, as well as in governmental education policies, including Brazilian policies. However, teaching and learning evolution seems problematic in many countries, and Brazil is among those. Many factors may affect teachers' and students' perceptions towards evolution, and studies can help to reveal those factors. We used a conceptual questionnaire, the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument, and a Knowledge test to assess (1) the level of acceptance and understanding of 23 undergraduate Biology students nearing the end of their course, (2) other factors that could affect these levels, including course structure, and (3) the most difficult topics regarding evolutionary biology. The results of this study showed that the students, on average, had a 'Very High Acceptance' (89.91) and a 'Very Low Knowledge' (59.42%) of Evolutionary theory, and also indicated a moderate positive correlation between the two (r = 0.66, p = .001). The most difficult topics were related to the definition of evolution and dating techniques. We believe that the present study provides evidence for policymakers to reformulate current school and university curricula in order to improve the teachers' acceptance and understanding of evolution and other biological concepts, consequently, helping students reduce their misconceptions related to evolutionary biology.

  2. Career Development among Undergraduate Students of Madda Walabu University, South East Ethiopia

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    Abera Getachew

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Career guidance and counselling is a vaguely implemented concept in most educational institutions, governmental and non-governmental organisations. The severity of the problem and scarcity of relevant information among university students have prompted the undertaking of this study the aim of which was to assess career development among undergraduate students of Madda Walabu University. Crosssectional study design was employed to gather quantitative data through self-administered structured questionnaires. The participants in the study were 605 undergraduate students of Madda Walabu University who were recruited through multi-stage sampling. The analysis employed SPSS‑20.0 to calculate t‑test and ANOVA. The findings suggested that socio-demographic variables were important in determining the factors, levels and variances in career development. The participants’ perceived benefit of career development has shown that there is a statistically significant difference between the expected mean and the observed mean, t (604 =29.11, p<.01. However, they had only some unsatisfactory information on career development and most of them (47.4% did not have a bright future. The result of this study showed that career development is important in understanding students’ personal values, clarifying their goals, career choice directions and job-searching skills. Because the respondents’ reported information on career development is so poor, lack of future direction and decreased performance are inevitable. It is suggested that career counselling services are seen to be highly recommendable in advancing students’ career development in many aspects.

  3. 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.

  4. Individual and Technological Factors Affecting Undergraduates' Use of Mobile Technology in University of Ilorin, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olufunmilola Ogulande, Oyeronke; Oladimeji Olafare, Festus; Ayuba Sakaba, Dabo

    2016-01-01

    The proliferation and utilization of handheld mobile technology among undergraduates for mobile learning cannot be underestimated. This study was geared towards investigating individual and technological factors affecting the perceived usefulness of mobile technology by undergraduates in university of Ilorin, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive…

  5. Tobacco, Alcohol and Drug Use among Dental Undergraduates at One UK University in 2015

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    James Puryer

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was determine the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and illicit substance use among dental undergraduates at one UK university in 2015. A cross-sectional survey of all 344 dental undergraduates using an anonymous self-report questionnaire was carried out. The response rate was 77%, of which 29% were male and 71% female. Tobacco smoking was reported by 23.6% of males and 12.2% of females, with only 1.6% of females reporting to smoke ≥10 cigarettes per day. Alcohol consumption was reported by 85.5% of males and 84% of females, and reported levels of alcohol consumption increased since becoming undergraduates. Binge drinking was reported by 35.3% of males and 41% of female students. Only 2.6% of males and 0.5% of females reported to be current regular users of cannabis. The vast majority of respondents claimed to have never used any illicit substance. The only other reported regularly used substances by males was Ecstasy (1.3% and by females were LSD (0.5%, Ecstasy (1.5%, Cocaine (0.5%, Inhalants (0.5% and Ketamine (0.5%. These results are encouraging. Fewer students reported smoking than in the general population, levels of binge drinking were considerably lower than previously reported figures, as were the numbers of regular users of cannabis and other illicit substances.

  6. Academic Use of Internet among Undergraduate Students: A Preliminary Case Study in a Malaysian University

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    Balakrishnan Muniandy

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The year 1995 was considered the beginning of the Internet age in Malaysia. The growth in the number of Internet hosts in Malaysia began around 1996. Since then, the use of Internet has grown tremendously and, the use of Internet by students at universities now is common in Malaysia. Students use the Internet for social, entertainment, and educational purposes. This paper presents the findings from a preliminary study on how undergraduate students at a local university in Malaysia use the Internet for academic purposes. The research questions answered in this paper are: (i what is the level of Internet usage skill? (ii How is the Internet used for academic purposes? (iii To what extent are Internet facilities used for academic purposes? (iv What are the pathways and search engines used to find information? and (v What is the perception of students toward the quality of learning by using the Internet for academic purposes? The answers to these questions are obtained through the use of a questionnaire completed by 92 undergraduate students at a local university. The data collected were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The results obtained provide some information about the extent of Internet use for academic purposes by graduate students.

  7. University of Houston Undergraduate Student Instrumentation Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  8. Pre and Post Test Evaluations of Students in the Needs-Analysis Based EAP Course at Undergraduate Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nafissi, Zohreh; Rezaeipanah, Fariba; Monsefi, Roya

    2017-01-01

    Iran's education system is exam-based and to gain admission to universities at undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels, candidates have to sit a competitive examination. For this reason, developing an EAP course which prepares the candidates for these examinations is of crucial importance. The present study attempted to develop an EAP…

  9. Perceived Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Career Development among Undergraduates in South-South Universities in Nigeria: Implication for Counselling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akpochafo, Grace Omejevwe; Alika, Ijeoma Henrietta

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the perceived impact of entrepreneurship education on career development among undergraduates in south-south universities in Nigeria. To guide the study four research questions were generated and one hypothesis formulated, which was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study employed an expost facto research design.…

  10. Perceptions of Undergraduate University Students about Working Conditions of Women Academic Staff

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    Hatice YALÇIN

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Women constitute nearly 41%of academic staff in our country. Among all academic staff, the ratio of female academicians is increasing as it is approached to rural areas from suburbs. This study aims to reveal the perceptions of undergraduate education students about female academicians’ working life conditions. Considering available time and facilities, the universe of research was limited within a university; as it was primarily intended to reveal students’ individual perceptions on the conditions of women academics, the students’ being at the undergraduate level was at the fore front of study rather than the academic departments of the university. The survey data form were applied to 157 female and 104 male undergraduate students (N = 261 studying at faculties and schools of the university where the survey was applied excluding freshmen classes.. Descriptive tests were used to evaluate the data. The findings were evaluated by x ² test, which were formerly tested according to the desires of students on what to get on their education and whether they were willing to be academicians. 54%of female students involved in the research stated that they were “partially” satisfied with the female academics. While 74,3%of the students agreed on the question “Should women work as academicians?”, only 2.2%percent stated that women should not work as academicians. 47,8%consider that there is a partial discrimination between the male and female members of academic life. 47,1%mentioned that working as an academician was a barrier to being a good mother or a good wife and 69,7%stated that working as a female academician was a tough work. 23,7%of the students think that being an academician is mostly beneficial in terms of personal development for a woman. 79,6%stated that the biggest challenge for female academics is to sustain the academic studies as well as being a mother and a wife. The best advantage of being female academician was revealed

  11. Analysis of undergraduate cell biology contents in Brazilian public universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mermelstein, Claudia; Costa, Manoel Luis

    2017-04-01

    The enormous amount of information available in cell biology has created a challenge in selecting the core concepts we should be teaching our undergraduates. One way to define a set of essential core ideas in cell biology is to analyze what a specific cell biology community is teaching their students. Our main objective was to analyze the cell biology content currently being taught in Brazilian universities. We collected the syllabi of cell biology courses from public universities in Brazil and analyzed the frequency of cell biology topics in each course. We also compared the Brazilian data with the contents of a major cell biology textbook. Our analysis showed that while some cell biology topics such as plasma membrane and cytoskeleton was present in ∼100% of the Brazilian curricula analyzed others such as cell signaling and cell differentiation were present in only ∼35%. The average cell biology content taught in the Brazilian universities is quite different from what is presented in the textbook. We discuss several possible explanations for these observations. We also suggest a list with essential cell biology topics for any biological or biomedical undergraduate course. The comparative discussion of cell biology topics presented here could be valuable in other educational contexts. © 2017 The Authors. Cell Biology International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Cell Biology.

  12. Evaluation of the Undergraduate Physics Programme at Indira Gandhi National Open University: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arundhati Mishra

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The undergraduate science programme was launched at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU in 1991-92 with an enrolment of 1,210 students. The programme was well received, and enrolments increased over the years. However, the success rates have not kept pace with enrolment.In this paper, the authors report the results of an evaluation of the undergraduate Physics programme at IGNOU. The evaluation, the first of its type for this programme, adapted the major tenets of the CIPP model. The findings are based on the responses from a randomly chosen sample of 509 learners across India. The methods employed for the study include records, document, and database analysis, surveys, and case studies.Although the University has enhanced access to higher science education, the attrition rate is high (73%, and the success rate is low. The authors recommend that the University review and reorient its strategies for providing good quality, learner-centred higher education in science subjects. The programme should address the concerns of the learners about the effectiveness of the student support systems, the difficulty level, and the learner-friendliness of study materials with the goal of achieving long-term sustainability while maintaining parity with the conventional system. The need for improving the presentation of the courses and simplifying the mathematical details is emphasised.

  13. FINANCIAL LITERACYOF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS–A CASESTUDY OF A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gumani Ramavhea

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Lowfinancial literacylevels of students are receivingworldwideattention due tothe impact it has on financialdecision-makingduring the adult years. In line withthis international trendon lowfinancial literacy,South African studentsdemonstrate low levels of financial literacy, which is of great concern if one takesinto consideration that they are the future participants of an economy that ison theverge of arecession.Therefore, the aim of this study was to determineundergraduatestudents’financial literacyat a public university in South Africa. A cross-sectional studywas conducted of a sample of 300 undergraduate students.The findings of the study enabled a more in-depth understanding of thefinancialliteracyof undergraduate students, which holds important implications forfinancial literacy training.The participants’ knowledgeregardingthe issuesrelating to generalfinancial literacywasobserved to be low. They also performedpoorly in terms of banking and taxation andfinancial planning, interest rates andgeneral inflation.Itwasalso reported that thereis asignificantdifference betweenmany groupswithinthe biographical data.The research confirmed thatthere isa need for financial literacy trainingamongstudents. Thisshould focus on content areas where they lackfinancial literacy, in order to ensure that students experience financial well-beingduringtheadultyears.Better informed adults would make better financial decisions.

  14. 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 ...

  15. Schooling Effects on Undergraduate Performance: Evidence from the University of Barcelona

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora, Toni; Escardibul, Josep-Oriol

    2008-01-01

    This study analyzes the effects of several factors related to high school, such as the kind of school (public or private), the type of education (general or vocational), school location and peers on undergraduate performance from students of the University of Barcelona (Spain). Particular attention is given to the functional form and to the…

  16. Success of the Undergraduate Public Health Program At Tulane University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luann Ellis White

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (SPHTM launched the Bachelors of Science in Public Health (BSPH in 2005. The BSPH has steadily grown and comprises one third of the total enrollment in the school. A review of the organizational structure demonstrates that direct responsibility for undergraduate education by a school of public health is advantageous to the success of the program. The competency and skills-based curriculum attracts students. Outcome measures show the enrollment is steadily increasing. The majority of the BSPH graduates continue onto competitive graduate and professional degree programs. Those who seek jobs find employment related to their public health education, but outside of the traditional governmental public health agencies. The combined BSPH/MPH degree is a pipeline for students to pursue a MPH and increases the likelihood students will pursue careers in public health. The range and depth of study in the bachelors program is continually examined. Topics once within the purview of graduate education are now being incorporated into undergraduate courses. Undergraduate public health is one of a number of factors that is influencing changes in the MPH degree.

  17. Undergraduate Students' Satisfaction with Hostel and Sense of Attachment to Place: Case Study of University Sains Malaysia

    OpenAIRE

    Fatemeh Khozaei; Ahmad S. Hassan; Zahra Khozaei

    2010-01-01

    Problem statement: Unlike numerous studies have explored residents satisfaction and sense of attachment to housing, little discussion exists on this area addressing the relationship between sense of attachment to place and student housing satisfaction. To fill such a gap, this article was an attempt to investigate undergraduate students level of satisfaction and sense of attachment to place drawn from three ethnics (Malay, Chinese and Indian) living in the hostels of University Sains Malaysia...

  18. 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.

  19. The Value Paradox--Inducting Undergraduate University Students in a Time of Austerity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Tim; Upton, Penney; Wilkinson, Dean J.

    2013-01-01

    The challenges facing UK higher education are both well documented and controversial; however, pitted against this context is the requirement for psychology departments to provide an increasingly rich and diverse university experience for students, whilst ensuring progression and retention remain central to undergraduate provision. Despite the…

  20. A Collaborative Disability Studies-based Undergraduate Art Project at Two Universities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Derby

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In this manuscript, we discuss research findings from a collaborative visual arts curricular unit on ableism, which we implemented in non-Disability Studies undergraduate courses at two universities during the 2012-2013 academic year. Our project builds on previous research in which we (Derby, 2015, in press; Karr & Weida, 2013 began adding Disability Studies arts pedagogy to our undergraduate coursework. For this project, we developed a shared unit, which we implemented in a general freshman seminar course, an introductory art teaching methods course, and an upper level art education course on applied technology. Utilizing a pedagogy of transformation, we engaged students with shared resources, including lectures, readings, and videos on Disability Studies and ableism; the project culminated with each student producing and exhibiting both an artwork and an artist's statement. After reviewing the literature and describing the project and research methods, we provide a nuanced discussion of the data, especially the artwork. The data indicate that our students, who were previously unexposed to ableism, conceptualized ableism at least on an elementary level, with many students demonstrating advanced conceptualization of ableism in one or more of three categories. Our findings suggest that integrating Disability Studies into non-Disability Studies curricula on a small scale can be useful, but that results are limited by the complexities of disability. The success of the project indicates that incorporating Disability Studies into standard curricula through a pedagogy of transformation can reach typical college students who are unfamiliar with Disability Studies concepts.

  1. Utilization of Electronic Information Resources by Undergraduate Students of University of Ibadan: A Case Study of Social Sciences and Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owolabi, Sola; Idowu, Oluwafemi A.; Okocha, Foluke; Ogundare, Atinuke Omotayo

    2016-01-01

    The study evaluated utilization of electronic information resources by undergraduates in the Faculties of Education and the Social Sciences in University of Ibadan. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a study population of 1872 undergraduates in the Faculties of Education and the Social Sciences in University of Ibadan, from which a…

  2. A Prototype Two-tier Mentoring Program for Undergraduate Summer Interns from Minority-Serving Institutions at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gens, R.; Prakash, A.; Ozbay, G.; Sriharan, S.; Balazs, M. S.; Chittambakkam, A.; Starkenburg, D. P.; Waigl, C.; Cook, S.; Ferguson, A.; Foster, K.; Jones, E.; Kluge, A.; Stilson, K.

    2013-12-01

    The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is partnering with Delaware State University, Virginia State University, Elizabeth City State University, Bethune-Cookman University, and Morgan State University on a U.S. Department of Agriculture - National Institute for Food and Agriculture funded grant for ';Enhancing Geographic Information System Education and Delivery through Collaboration: Curricula Design, Faculty, Staff, and Student Training and Development, and Extension Services'. As a part of this grant, in summer 2013, UAF hosted a week long workshop followed by an intense two week undergraduate internship program. Six undergraduate students from partnering Universities worked with UAF graduate students as their direct mentors. This cohort of undergraduate mentees and graduate student mentors were in-turn counseled by the two UAF principal investigators who served as ';super-mentors'. The role of each person in the two-tier mentoring system was well defined. The super-mentors ensured that there was consistency in the way the internship was setup and resources were allocated. They also ensured that there were no technical glitches in the research projects and that there was healthy communication and interaction among participants. Mentors worked with the mentees ahead of time in outlining a project that aligned with the mentees research interest, provided basic reading material to the interns to get oriented, prepared the datasets required to start the project, and guided the undergraduates throughout the internship. Undergraduates gained hands-on experience in geospatial data collection and application of tools in their projects related to mapping geomorphology, landcover, geothermal sites, fires, and meteorological conditions. Further, they shared their research results and experiences with a broad university-wide audience at the end of the internship period. All participants met at lunch-time for a daily science talk from external speakers. The program offered

  3. Undergraduate Skills Laboratories at Sonoma State University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gill, Amandeep; Zack, K.; Mills, H.; Cunningham, B.; Jackowski, S.

    2014-01-01

    Due to the current economic climate, funding sources for many laboratory courses have been cut from university budgets. However, it is still necessary for undergraduates to master laboratory skills to be prepared and competitive applicants when entering the professional world and/or graduate school. In this context, student-led programs may be able to compensate for this lack of formal instruction and reinforce concepts from lecture by applying research techniques to develop hands-on comprehension. The Sonoma State University Chapter of Society of Physics Students has established a peer-led skills lab to teach research techniques in the fields of astronomy and physics. The goal is to alleviate the pressures of both independently learning and efficiently applying techniques to junior and senior-level research projects. These skill labs are especially valuable for nontraditional students who, due to work or family duties, may not get a chance to fully commit to research projects. For example, a topic such as Arduino programming has a multitude of applications in both astronomy and physics, but is not taught in traditional university courses. Although some programming and electronics skills are taught in (separate) classes, they are usually not applied to actual research projects, which combined expertise is needed. For example, in astronomy, there are many situations involving programming telescopes and taking data with electronic cameras. Often students will carry out research using these tools but when something goes wrong, the students will not have the skills to trouble shoot and fix the system. Another astronomical topic to be taught in the skills labs is the analysis of astronomical data, including running remote telescopes, analyzing photometric variability, and understanding the concepts of star magnitudes, flat fields, and biases. These workshops provide a setting in which the student teacher may strengthen his or her understanding of the topic by presenting

  4. Teaching Astrophysics to Upper Level Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Dorn Bradt, Hale

    2010-03-01

    A Socratic peer-instruction method for teaching upper level undergraduates is presented. Basically, the instructor sits with the students and guides their presentations of the material. My two textbooks* (on display) as well as many others are amenable to this type of teaching. *Astronomy Methods - A Physical Approach to Astronomical Observations (CUP 2004) *Astrophysics Processes-The Physics of Astronomical Phenomena (CUP 2008)

  5. DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ON GLOBAL WARMING

    OpenAIRE

    AYDIN, Fatih

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the levelof knowledge of undergraduate students on the formation, causes and results ofglobal warming and steps to be taken. Furthermore, this study investigated thelevel of knowledge of university students in terms of their genre anddepartment in which they study. This study was designed under survey model. Atotal of 472 final year undergraduate students studying in Karabuk UniversityFaculty of Letters in 2016-2017 education year participated in thi...

  6. Academic performance and student engagement in level 1 physics undergraduates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casey, M M; McVitie, S

    2009-01-01

    At the beginning of academic year 2007-08, staff in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow started to implement a number of substantial changes to the administration of the level 1 physics undergraduate class. The main aims were to improve the academic performance and progression statistics. With this in mind, a comprehensive system of learning support was introduced, the main remit being the provision of an improved personal contact and academic monitoring and support strategy for all students at level 1. The effects of low engagement with compulsory continuous assessment components had already been observed to have a significant effect on students sitting in the middle of the grade curve. Analysis of data from the 2007-08 class showed that even some nominally high-achieving students achieved lowered grades due to the effects of low engagement. Nonetheless, academic and other support measures put in place during 2007-08 played a part in raising the passrate for the level 1 physics class by approximately 8% as well as raising the progression rate by approximately 10%.

  7. Academic performance and student engagement in level 1 physics undergraduates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casey, M M; McVitie, S [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom)], E-mail: m.casey@physics.gla.ac.uk

    2009-09-15

    At the beginning of academic year 2007-08, staff in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow started to implement a number of substantial changes to the administration of the level 1 physics undergraduate class. The main aims were to improve the academic performance and progression statistics. With this in mind, a comprehensive system of learning support was introduced, the main remit being the provision of an improved personal contact and academic monitoring and support strategy for all students at level 1. The effects of low engagement with compulsory continuous assessment components had already been observed to have a significant effect on students sitting in the middle of the grade curve. Analysis of data from the 2007-08 class showed that even some nominally high-achieving students achieved lowered grades due to the effects of low engagement. Nonetheless, academic and other support measures put in place during 2007-08 played a part in raising the passrate for the level 1 physics class by approximately 8% as well as raising the progression rate by approximately 10%.

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

    OpenAIRE

    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...

  9. Learning analytics: Dataset for empirical evaluation of entry requirements into engineering undergraduate programs in a Nigerian university.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odukoya, Jonathan A; Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Omole, David O; Badejo, Joke A; John, Temitope M; Olowo, Olalekan O

    2018-04-01

    In Nigerian universities, enrolment into any engineering undergraduate program requires that the minimum entry criteria established by the National Universities Commission (NUC) must be satisfied. Candidates seeking admission to study engineering discipline must have reached a predetermined entry age and met the cut-off marks set for Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and the post-UTME screening. However, limited effort has been made to show that these entry requirements eventually guarantee successful academic performance in engineering programs because the data required for such validation are not readily available. In this data article, a comprehensive dataset for empirical evaluation of entry requirements into engineering undergraduate programs in a Nigerian university is presented and carefully analyzed. A total sample of 1445 undergraduates that were admitted between 2005 and 2009 to study Chemical Engineering (CHE), Civil Engineering (CVE), Computer Engineering (CEN), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Information and Communication Engineering (ICE), Mechanical Engineering (MEE), and Petroleum Engineering (PET) at Covenant University, Nigeria were randomly selected. Entry age, SSCE aggregate, UTME score, Covenant University Scholastic Aptitude Screening (CUSAS) score, and the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the undergraduates were obtained from the Student Records and Academic Affairs unit. In order to facilitate evidence-based evaluation, the robust dataset is made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file. On yearly basis, first-order descriptive statistics of the dataset are presented in tables. Box plot representations, frequency distribution plots, and scatter plots of the dataset are provided to enrich its value. Furthermore, correlation and linear regression analyses are performed to understand the relationship between the entry requirements and the

  10. Options for Online Undergraduate Courses in Biology at American Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varty, Alison K.

    2016-01-01

    I aimed to document the online undergraduate course supply in biology to evaluate how well biology educators are serving the diverse and growing population of online students. I documented online biology course offerings in the 2015-2016 academic year at 96 American colleges and universities. I quantified differences in variety, extent, and…

  11. Undergraduate otolaryngology education at the University of Toronto: a review using a curriculum mapping system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyewumi, Modupe; Isaac, Kathryn; Schreiber, Martin; Campisi, Paolo

    2012-02-01

    The aim of Canadian medical school curricula is to provide educational experiences that satisfy the specific objectives set out by the Medical Council of Canada. However, for specialties such as otolaryngology, there is considerable variability in student exposure to didactic and clinical teaching across Canadian medical schools, making it unclear whether students receive sufficient teaching of core otolaryngology content and clinical skills. The goal of this review was to assess the exposure to otolaryngology instruction in the undergraduate medical curriculum at the University of Toronto. Otolaryngology objectives were derived from objectives created by the Medical Council of Canada and the University of Toronto. The University of Toronto's recently developed Curriculum Mapping System (CMap) was used to perform a keyword search of otolaryngology objectives to establish when and to what extent essential topics were being taught. All (10 of 10) major topics and skills identified were covered in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Although no major gaps were identified, an uneven distribution of teaching time exists. The majority (> 90%) of otolaryngology education occurs during year 1 of clerkship. The amount of preclerkship education was extremely limited. Essential otolaryngology topics and skills are taught within the University of Toronto curriculum. The CMap was an effective tool to assess the otolaryngology curriculum and was able to identify gaps in otolaryngology education during the preclerkship years of medical school. As a result, modifications to the undergraduate curriculum have been implemented to provide additional teaching during the preclerkship years.

  12. A Phenomenological Study of Gay Male Undergraduate College Students' Experiences at a Jesuit Catholic University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willette, James M.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological study was to understand how male undergraduate students who identify as openly gay experience marginality and mattering at a Jesuit Catholic university. There were 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States as of this writing, each with its own varying approach towards the treatment…

  13. Undergraduate cancer education in Spain: The debate, the opportunities and the initiatives of the University Forum of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lara, Pedro; Calvo, Felipe A; Guedea, Ferran; Bilbao, Pedro; Biete, Alberto

    2013-11-09

    Most medical schools in Spain (80%) offer undergraduate training in oncology. This education is highly variable in terms of content (theory and practical training), number of credits, and the medical specialty and departmental affiliation of the professors. Much of this variability is due to university traditions in the configuration of credits and programmes, and also to the structure of the hospital-based practical training. Undergraduate medical students deserve a more coherent and modern approach to education with a strong emphasis on clinical practice. Oncology is an interdisciplinary science that requires the input of professors from multiple specialties to provide the primary body of knowledge and skills needed to obtain both a theoretical and clinical understanding of cancer. Clinical skills should be a key focus due to their importance in the current model of integrated medical management and care. Clinical radiation oncology is a traditional and comprehensive hospital-based platform for undergraduate education in oncology. In Spain, a significant number (n = 80) of radiation oncology specialists have a contractual relationship to teach university courses. Most Spanish universities (80%) have a radiation oncologist on staff, some of whom are department chairs and many others are full professors who have been hired and promoted under competitive conditions of evaluation as established by the National Agency for Quality Evaluation. The Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) has identified new opportunities to improve undergraduate education in oncology. In this article, we discuss proposals related to theoretical (20 items) and practical clinical training (9 items). We also describe the SEOR University Forum, which is an initiative to develop a strategic plan to implement and organize cancer education at the undergraduate level in an interdisciplinary teaching spirit and with a strong contribution from radiation oncologists.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  15. Law-Based Degree Programs in Business and Their Departments: What's in a Name? (A Comprehensive Study of Undergraduate Law-Based Degrees in AACSB-Accredited Universities)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Carol J.; Crain, Susan J.

    2007-01-01

    This study examines undergraduate law-based degree programs in the 404 U.S. universities with undergraduate degrees in business that had Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation in 2005. University Web sites were used to identify and compare law-based undergraduate programs inside business to law-related programs…

  16. Food-Related Environmental Beliefs and Behaviours among University Undergraduates: A Mixed-Methods Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell-Arvai, Victoria

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to document the food-related environmental beliefs and behaviours of undergraduate university students. More specifically, this research was focussed on determining if environmental sustainability is a consideration in students' food choices, identifying the specific choices and behaviours adopted to reduce…

  17. The Impact of Immersion Programs upon Undergraduate Students of Jesuit Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savard, John D.

    2010-01-01

    Statement of the problem: This research study examined the impact of international immersion programs upon undergraduate students at Jesuit colleges and universities. Students return from immersion experiences claiming that the experience changed their lives. This study offered an assessment strategy to give greater evidence as to the impact of…

  18. An Evaluation of Research Ethics in Undergraduate Health Science Research Methodology Programs at a South African University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coetzee, Tanya; Hoffmann, Willem A; de Roubaix, Malcolm

    2015-10-01

    The amended research ethics policy at a South African University required the ethics review of undergraduate research projects, prompting the need to explore the content and teaching approach of research ethics education in health science undergraduate programs. Two qualitative data collection strategies were used: document analysis (syllabi and study guides) and semi-structured interviews with research methodology coordinators. Five main themes emerged: (a) timing of research ethics courses, (b) research ethics course content, (c) sub-optimal use of creative classroom activities to facilitate research ethics lectures, (d) understanding the need for undergraduate project research ethics review, and (e) research ethics capacity training for research methodology lecturers and undergraduate project supervisors. © The Author(s) 2015.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  20. Undergraduate student drinking and related harms at an Australian university: web-based survey of a large random sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hallett Jonathan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is considerable interest in university student hazardous drinking among the media and policy makers. However there have been no population-based studies in Australia to date. We sought to estimate the prevalence and correlates of hazardous drinking and secondhand effects among undergraduates at a Western Australian university. Method We invited 13,000 randomly selected undergraduate students from a commuter university in Australia to participate in an online survey of university drinking. Responses were received from 7,237 students (56%, who served as participants in this study. Results Ninety percent had consumed alcohol in the last 12 months and 34% met criteria for hazardous drinking (AUDIT score ≥ 8 and greater than 6 standard drinks in one sitting in the previous month. Men and Australian/New Zealand residents had significantly increased odds (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.9-2.3; OR: 5.2; 95% CI: 4.4-6.2 of being categorised as dependent (AUDIT score 20 or over than women and non-residents. In the previous 4 weeks, 13% of students had been insulted or humiliated and 6% had been pushed, hit or otherwise assaulted by others who were drinking. One percent of respondents had experienced sexual assault in this time period. Conclusions Half of men and over a third of women were drinking at hazardous levels and a relatively large proportion of students were negatively affected by their own and other students' drinking. There is a need for intervention to reduce hazardous drinking early in university participation. Trial registration ACTRN12608000104358

  1. Implant dentistry curriculum in undergraduate education: part 2-program at the Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kroeplin, Birgit S; Strub, Joerg R

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the didactic and clinical undergraduate implant dentistry program of the Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany, with emphasis on the clinical implant experience. A detailed description of the implant curriculum at Albert-Ludwigs University is given with documented exemplary cases and additional flow charts. All students participate in 28 hours of lectures and approximately 64 hours of seminars with hands-on courses and gain clinical experience. All undergraduate students are eligible to place and restore oral implants. Emphasis is placed on prosthetic-driven planning of implant positions, three-dimensional imaging, and computer-guided implant placement. Implant restorations performed by undergraduate students comprise single crowns and small multiunit fixed dental prostheses in partially edentulous posterior maxillae and anterior or posterior mandibles, implant-retained overdentures (snap attachment) in edentulous patients, and telescopic fixed-removable dental prostheses on remaining teeth and strategically placed additional implants. Over the past 2.5 years, 51 patients were treated with 97 dental implants placed by students in the undergraduate program. Seventy-one restorations were inserted: 60.6% single crowns, 7% fixed dental protheses, 21.1% overdentures, and 11.3% telescopic fixed-removable dental prostheses. The implant survival rate was 98.9%. Because survival rates for dental implants placed and restored by students are comparable to those of experienced dentists, oral implant dentistry should be implemented as part of the undergraduate dental curriculum.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  3. The mobile application preferences of undergraduate university students: A longitudinal study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Potgieter

    2015-09-01

    Objective: The research problem of this article is centred on the preferences for smartphone apps by the growing market of smartphone users in South Africa. The study includes a demographic profile of the users to establish what attracts this market into downloading smartphone apps. Methodology: The study employed a mono-method, quantitative methodological framework with an online survey as the data collection instrument. The survey was conducted amongst undergraduate university students in 2013 and repeated again in 2014. Results: It was found that the ‘young adult’ demographic, of which the sample of undergraduate university students formed a part, was discerning about which apps they downloaded and that the frequency of downloads occurred less than once a month in most cases. Information and entertainment needs were amongst the top reasons users indicated as motivations for downloading apps. Conclusion: The study’s findings confirmed that the sample had definite preferences regarding which apps the users were downloading, and these preferences depended on the needs that they wished to fulfil. The study also revealed that, even though users were aware of security threats associated with downloading apps, this knowledge did not deter them from continuing to download apps. Future research recommendations also arose from the study, giving direction to prospective studies.

  4. SPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH LEVEL AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

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    Mouloud Kenioua

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: study of mental health level of university student, athletes and non-athletes. Material: The tested group consisted of 160 male and female undergraduates from Ouargla University, Algeria; 80 students-athletes from Institute of Physical Education and Sports and 80 students-non-athletes from Department of Psychology, English and Mathematics. In the study we used health mental scale, adapted by Diab (2006 to Arab version scale, formed from five dimensions (Competence and self-confidence, Capacity for social interaction, Emotional maturity, Freedom from neurotic symptoms, self rating and aspects of natural deficiencies. Results: the findings indicated that university students have high level of mental health. And the mean of the responses of students-athletes group by mental health scale reached (M = 32.40, with standard deviation (STD =5.83, while the mean of the responses of students-non athletes group by mental health scale has reached (M=27.47, with standard deviation (STD=7.88. T-value, required to know significance of differences between means of students-athletes and students-non athletes has reached (T=4.51, (DF=185, p -0.01. So there are significant statistical differences between student athletes and non-athletes in their responses by mental health scale in favor of the student athletes. Conclusion:sports are beneficial in respect to mental health among university students and emphasizing the importance of the mental health of university students through its integration in the various recreational and competitive activities. Future qualitative research, covering multi-variables’ tests on mental health and others psychological characteristics could be performed in sports area.

  5. 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.

  6. Reactor laboratory course for Korean under-graduate students in Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUGSiKUCA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyeon, Cheol Ho; Misawa, Tsuyoshi; Unesaki, Hironobu; Ichihara, Chihiro; Shiroya, Seiji; Whang, Joo Ho; Kim, Myung Hyun

    2005-01-01

    The Reactor Laboratory Course for Korean Under-Graduate Students has been carried out at Kyoto University Critical Assembly of Japan. This course has been launched from fiscal year 2003 and has been founded by Ministry of Science and Technology of Korean Government. Since then, the total number of 43 Korean under-graduate students, who have majored in nuclear engineering of 6 universities in all over the Korea, has been taken part in this course. The reactor physics experiments have been performed in this course, such as Approach to criticality, Control rod calibration, Measurement of neutron flux and power calibration, and Educational reactor operation. As technical tour of Japan, nuclear site tour has been taken during their stay in Japan, such as PWR, FBR, nuclear fuel company and some institutes

  7. An investigation into the impact of question structure on the performance of first year physics undergraduate students at the University of Cambridge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Valerie; Jardine-Wright, Lisa; Bateman, Elizabeth

    2015-07-01

    We describe a study of the impact of exam question structure on the performance of first year Natural Sciences physics undergraduates from the University of Cambridge. The results show conclusively that a student’s performance improves when questions are scaffolded compared with university style questions. In a group of 77 female students we observe that the average exam mark increases by 13.4% for scaffolded questions, which corresponds to a 4.9 standard deviation effect. The equivalent observation for 236 male students is 9% (5.5 standard deviations). We also observe a correlation between exam performance and A2-level marks for UK students, and that students who receive their school education overseas, in a mixed gender environment, or at an independent school are more likely to receive a first class mark in the exam. These results suggest a mis-match between the problem-solving skills and assessment procedures between school and first year university and will provide key input into the future teaching and assessment of first year undergraduate physics students.

  8. Investigating undergraduate students' ideas about the fate of the Universe

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-12-01

    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 introductory astronomy course sections (ASTRO 101) at three institutions. We also examine students' postinstruction ideas about the fate of the Universe in ASTRO 101 over five semester-long course sections at one institution. The data include precourse surveys given during the first week of instruction (N =264 ), postinstruction exam questions (N =59 ), and interviews. We find that, preinstruction, more than a quarter of ASTRO 101 students either do not respond or respond with "I don't know" when asked what the long-term fate of the Universe is. We also find that, though the term was not necessarily used, students tend to describe a "big chill" scenario in the preinstruction surveys, among a wide variety of other scenarios. A fraction of students describe the fate of smaller-scale systems, possibly due to confusion of the hierarchical nature of structure in the Universe. Preinstruction, students mention the Universe's expansion when describing how astronomers know the fate of the Universe but do not discuss how we know the Universe is expanding or the relationship between expansion and the fate of the Universe. Postinstruction, students' responses shift toward greater degrees of completeness and correctness.

  9. 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.

  10. How to Strengthen the Connection between Research and Teaching in Undergraduate University Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsen, Mariken (G.MF.); Visser-Wijnveen, Gerda J.; Van Der Rijst, Roeland M.; Van Driel, Jan H.

    2009-01-01

    This paper explores how to strengthen the research-teaching nexus in university education, in particular, how to improve the relation between policy and practice. The focus is on courses and curricula for undergraduate students. From a review of policy documents and research literature, it appeared that the research-teaching nexus can be shaped…

  11. 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.

  12. Unexpected Benefits of Pre-University Skills Training for A-Level Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, H. L.; Gaskell, E. H.; Prendergast, J. R.; Bavage, A. D.

    2017-01-01

    First-year undergraduates can find the transition from the prescriptive learning environment at school to one of self-directed learning at university, a considerable challenge. A Pre-university Skills Course (PSC) was developed to address this issue by preparing sixth formers for the university learning style. It was piloted with students in the…

  13. Gender Rationales in Selecting a Major in Information Technology at the Undergraduate Level of a University Program: A Focus Group Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Sushma; Draus, Peter; Caputo, Donald; Leone, Gregory; Kohun, Frederick; Repack, Diana

    2014-01-01

    Previous research studies of women applying to, enrolling and completing computing degrees at the undergraduate collegiate level suggest a significant underrepresentation of females in the Information Technology domain in the past decade. This study employs a focus group approach to the gender gap that encompasses forays into the qualitative…

  14. An Analysis of Students Enrolled to an Undergraduate University Course Offered Also Online

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarabottolo, Nello

    2016-01-01

    This paper analyzes the main characteristics of the students enrolled to a three-years undergraduate course on Security of Computer Systems and Networks, offered in traditional, classroom based fashion as well as online at the University of Milan (Italy). This allows to compare classroom and online students from several points of view, and gives…

  15. Peer Development of Undergraduate Astronomers and Physicists at the University of Wisconsin - Madison

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abler, Melissa; UW-Madison, Physics Club of

    2014-01-01

    The physics club at the University of Wisconsin - Madison is actively engaged in many peer-led activities that foster development of career-oriented skills. Peer mentoring through drop-in tutoring provides peer support to promote retention in the astronomy and physics majors, as well as developing valuable teaching and communication strategies. The physics club is also heavily involved in outreach and education through demonstrations on campus, strengthening student connections to and aiding in retention of classroom information. Public demonstrations also develop valuable communication skills which will be required as a professional. Application-oriented development of students is further enhanced by semiannual visits to research facilities in the surrounding area which provide interested students the opportunity to see non-university facilities firsthand. Close contact with faculty - a valuable resource for undergraduates - is achieved through faculty attendance at club events and presentation of faculty research to interested students. Undergraduates also have the opportunity through the physics club to speak with the weekly colloquium presenter, learning more about each presenter’s experiences with graduate school, research, and career path.

  16. Can We Talk? Employing Conversation to Ameliorate Undergraduate Distress at Catholic Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petro, Susannah J. P.

    2017-01-01

    This article addresses students' need for robust relationships to counteract the epidemic of loneliness, anxiety, and depression pervading contemporary undergraduate life, and proposes that Catholic colleges and universities can find in Catholic theological anthropology a warrant for recognizing relationship-building as central to their mission.…

  17. Psychological Type and Undergraduate Student Achievement in Pharmacy Course in Military Medical University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Ru; Shan, Shou-qin; Tian, Jian-quan

    2007-01-01

    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was given to 264 students in an undergraduate Pharmacy course at a military medical university. Selected MBTI personality types were compared for achievement in the course using a t-test to compare total points earned. High grades were earned by students stronger in the traits of introversion (I) and judgment…

  18. Factors Influencing the Choice of Anesthesia as a Career by Undergraduates of the University of Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Denise M; Wong, Rex; Runnels, Sean; Muhizi, Epaphrodite; McClain, Craig D

    2016-08-01

    Rwanda currently faces a severe shortage of trained medical personnel, including physician anesthesiologists. The recruitment of residents into the anesthesia program has been consistently low. This study aimed at determining the factors that influence undergraduates' decision to pursue anesthesia as a career choice. A questionnaire was created and administered to final year undergraduate medical students at the University of Rwanda. The questionnaire was created based on factors identified from literature review and key informant interviews. The questionnaire was translated, field-tested, and refined. The final survey questionnaire contains 27 4-point Likert scale items and 4 free-text questions. Seventy-nine final year undergraduate medical students responded to the survey. Only 2 students (2.5%) chose anesthesia as their top choice for postgraduate training. The most frequently named factors for not choosing anesthesiology were long work hours and high stress level, insufficient mentorship, and low job opportunity. The issues identified by our survey must be considered when making efforts toward increasing anesthesia recruitment in Rwanda. Factors such as lack of material resources and high workload will not be easily addressed. Others can be addressed through changes in medical student anesthesiology rotations and better mentorship by anesthesiologists during formative years. Focusing on factors that can be changed now may increase enrollment into anesthesiology. Future studies will include broadening the survey population and further investigating the influencing factors elucidated by this study.

  19. Trends in Alcohol Consumption among Undergraduate Students at a Northeastern Public University, 2002-2008

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bulmer, Sandra Minor; Irfan, Syed; Mugno, Raymond; Barton, Barbara; Ackerman, Louise

    2010-01-01

    Objective: This study examined alcohol consumption patterns and trends at a public university in the Northeast from 2002 to 2008. Participants: Stratified random sampling was used to select undergraduate students enrolled in courses during spring semesters in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008. Methods: Data were collected during regularly scheduled…

  20. Upper-Level Undergraduate Chemistry Students' Goals for Their Laboratory Coursework

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeKorver, Brittland K.; Towns, Marcy H.

    2016-01-01

    Efforts to reform undergraduate chemistry laboratory coursework typically focus on the curricula of introductory-level courses, while upper-level courses are bypassed. This study used video-stimulated recall to interview 17 junior- and senior- level chemistry majors after they carried out an experiment as part of a laboratory course. It is assumed…

  1. Radiochemistry course in the undergraduate nuclear science program at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sarmani, S.B.; Yahaya, R.B.; Yasir, M.S.; Majid, A.Ab.; Khoo, K.S.; Rahman, I.A.; Mohamed, F.

    2015-01-01

    Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia offered an undergraduate degree program in Nuclear Science since 1980 and the programme has undergone several modifications due to changes in national policy and priority. The programme covers nuclear sub-disciplines such as nuclear physics, radiobiology, radiochemistry, radiation chemistry and radiation safety. The radiochemistry component consists of radiochemistry, chemistry in nuclear industry, radiochemical analysis laboratory, radiopharmaceutical chemistry subjects and mini research project in radiochemistry. (author)

  2. Pattern of Smartphones Utilisation among Engineering Undergraduates

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    Muliati Sedek

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The smartphones ownership among the undergraduates in Malaysia was recorded as high. However, little was known about its utilization patterns, thus, the focus of this research was to determine the utilisation patterns of smartphones based on the National Education Technology Standard for Students (NETS.S among engineering undergraduates in Malaysia. This study was based on a quantitative research and the population comprised undergraduates from four Malaysian Technical Universities. A total of 400 questionnaires were analyzed. Based on the results, the undergraduates’ utilisation level of smartphones for communication and collaboration tool was at a high level. Meanwhile, utilisation for operations and concepts tool and research and information fluency tool were at moderate level. Finally, smartphones utilisation as digital citizenship tool and critical thinking, problem solving and creativity tool were both at a low level. Hence, more training and workshops should be given to the students in order to encourage them to fully utilise smartphones in enhancing the higher order thinking skills.

  3. ELECTRONIC EDUCATION IN UNDERGRADUATE RADIOLOGY: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAGA

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    Francisco Sendra Portero

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Since 1998, radiology teaching and learning electronic resources have been developed at the University of Málaga. Some experiences on undergraduate radiology education are presented in this paper: a self-conducted training on radiology called “A Walk through Radiology”, some projects to create and develop radiology consulting tools, a project about audio-recorded virtual lectures (AMERAM, started on 2005, and a Web portal to collect radiology education Internet resources. Finally, we conclude with some reflections about the experience along these years, which has contributed to improve the student’s radiology learning in our centre and has supplied educative tools to students and postgraduates of this and other cities. We consider that the European Space of Higher Education learning philosophy, student centered and self-learning based, gives a vital role to undergraduate electronic education tools.

  4. Investigating undergraduate students’ ideas about the fate of the Universe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mallory Conlon

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available 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 introductory astronomy course sections (ASTRO 101 at three institutions. We also examine students’ postinstruction ideas about the fate of the Universe in ASTRO 101 over five semester-long course sections at one institution. The data include precourse surveys given during the first week of instruction (N=264, postinstruction exam questions (N=59, and interviews. We find that, preinstruction, more than a quarter of ASTRO 101 students either do not respond or respond with “I don’t know” when asked what the long-term fate of the Universe is. We also find that, though the term was not necessarily used, students tend to describe a “big chill” scenario in the preinstruction surveys, among a wide variety of other scenarios. A fraction of students describe the fate of smaller-scale systems, possibly due to confusion of the hierarchical nature of structure in the Universe. Preinstruction, students mention the Universe’s expansion when describing how astronomers know the fate of the Universe but do not discuss how we know the Universe is expanding or the relationship between expansion and the fate of the Universe. Postinstruction, students’ responses shift toward greater degrees of completeness and correctness.

  5. Academic and Work-Related Burnout: A Longitudinal Study of Working Undergraduate University Business Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galbraith, Craig S.; Merrill, Gregory B.

    2012-01-01

    We examined the interaction between academic burnout and work-related burnout for a sample of working undergraduate university students. Using a longitudinal design we found that the factors of burnout (Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Efficacy) change significantly over the semester. In addition, the study suggests there are distinct differences in how…

  6. Consequences of Conservatism: Black Male Undergraduates and the Politics of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, Shaun R.; Gasman, Marybeth

    2008-01-01

    Previous research has highlighted numerous ways in which historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) offer more supportive educational environments for Black students than do predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Notwithstanding the consistency of these findings, persistence and graduation rates remain low for undergraduates,…

  7. Engaging Undergraduates in Economics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajwani, Kiran; Miron, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    Siegfried and Stock (2007) explore the undergraduate training of PhD economists. Their findings show that among U.S. undergraduate economics programs, the Harvard University Economics Department produces many eventual economics PhD recipients. In this article, the authors discuss Harvard's undergraduate economics program and highlight some key…

  8. Reactor Physics Experiments by Korean Under-Graduate Students in Kyoto University Critical Assembly Program (KUGSiKUCA Program)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pyeon, Cheol Ho; Misawa, Tsuyoshi; Unesaki, Hironobu; Ichihara, Chihiro; Shiroya, Seiji; Whang, Joo Ho; Kim, Myung Hyun

    2006-01-01

    The Reactor Laboratory Course for Korean Under-Graduate Students in Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUGSiKUCA) program has been launched from 2003, as one of international collaboration programs of Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI). This program was suggested by Department of Nuclear Engineering, College of Advanced Technology, Kyunghee University (KHU), and was adopted by Ministry of Science and Technology of Korean Government as one of among Nuclear Human Resources Education and Training Programs. On the basis of her suggestion for KURRI, memorandum for academic corporation and exchange between KHU and KURRI was concluded on July 2003. The program has been based on the background that it is extremely difficult for any single university in Korea to have her own research or training reactor. Up to this 2006, total number of 61 Korean under-graduate school students, who have majored in nuclear engineering of Kyunghee University, Hanyang University, Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Chosun University and Cheju National University in all over the Korea, has taken part in this program. In all the period, two professors and one teaching assistant on the Korean side led the students and helped their successful experiments, reports and discussions. Due to their effort, the program has succeeded in giving an effective and unique course, taking advantage of their collaboration

  9. 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.

  10. Confidence level in performing endodontic treatment among final year undergraduate dental students from the University of Medical Science and Technology, Sudan (2014

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    Elhadi Mohieldin Awooda

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study is aimed to evaluate the confidence level of undergraduate final year dental students in performing root canal treatment (RCT and how it may affect their performance and perception regarding endodontics. Materials and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the final year dental students, at the University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan (2013–2014. A total of 21 students were requested to participate voluntary and were asked to score their level of confidence using a 5-point Likert's scale. Results: Response rate was 100%, all the students (100% stated that the requirements set were enough, and 66.7% rated endodontic as average in terms of difficulty. When rating the mean of self-confidence for performing RCT in the dentition, maxillary teeth (2.43 ± 0.51 followed by mandibular teeth (2.71 ± 0.64 were higher, whereas the molars were the least. Higher scores of self-confidence were in administrating local anesthesia (4.24 ± 0.70, followed by root canal shaping by hand instrument (3.76 ± 0.54. No association was found between overall confidence level and the number of performed RCT (P = 0.721. No association was found between overall confidence level of students who were subjected to instrument fracture and their frequency of fracture (P = 0.507, supervisor' reaction (P = 0.587, and willingness to specialize in endodontics (P = 0.530. Conclusion: Students displayed high confidence in performing basic endodontic and treating single-rooted teeth. More exposure is recommended to enhance the students' self-confidence.

  11. Physical Fitness and Metabolic Profile among Malay Undergraduates of a Public University in Selangor Malaysia

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    M. Emad

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated health-related components of physical fitness consisting of morphological fitness (body fat % or BF %; Body Mass Index or BMI; and waist circumference or WC, metabolic fitness (blood glucose, lipid profiles and haemoglobin and aerobic capacity (VO2max. This crosssectional study involved 324 undergraduates recruited voluntarily by systematic random sampling from a public university in the city Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia. The respondents’ aerobic capacity was measured by field fitness tests and anthropometric measurements using standard protocols. The mean BMI of respondents was 22.51 ± 4.18 kg/m2, and majority of the respondents (93% are within normal range of WC. The prevalence of underweight was 13.5% and overweight/obese was 20.2%. The blood glucose levels of respondents were within the normal range (94.4% and about 5% of female respondents had moderate anaemia. More than 70% of the males and 25% of the females had poor VO2max levels (aerobic capacity. In summary, the present results suggest the necessity of health promotion programme focusing on physical activity and nutrition for university students.

  12. Investigating undergraduate students’ ideas about the curvature of the Universe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim Coble

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Astronomy Education Research.] As part of a larger project studying undergraduate students’ understanding of cosmology, we explored students’ ideas about the curvature of the Universe. We investigated preinstruction ideas held by introductory astronomy (ASTRO 101 students at three participating universities and postinstruction ideas at one. Through thematic analysis of responses to questions on three survey forms and preinstruction interviews, we found that prior to instruction a significant fraction of students said the Universe is round. Students’ reasoning for this included that the Universe contains round objects, therefore it must also be round, or an incorrect idea that the big bang theory describes an explosion from a central point. We also found that a majority of students think that astronomers use the term curvature to describe properties, such as dimensions, angles, or size, of the Universe or objects in the Universe, or that astronomers use the term curvature to describe the bending of space due to gravity. Students are skeptical that the curvature of the Universe can be measured, to a greater or lesser degree depending on question framing. Postinstruction responses to a multiple-choice exam question and interviews at one university indicate that students are more likely to correctly respond that the Universe as a whole is not curved postinstruction, though the idea that the Universe is round still persists for some students. While we see no evidence that priming with an elliptical or rectangular map of the cosmic microwave background on a postinstruction exam affects responses, students do cite visualizations such as diagrams among the reasons for their responses in preinstruction surveys.

  13. Female public Jordanian university undergraduate students' intentions and attitudes toward breastfeeding: application of self-objectification theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Ali, Nahla; Hatamleh, Reem; Khader, Yousef

    2013-11-01

    Breastfeeding is the natural way of feeding infants and an important public health issue. Representation women as sexual objects by highlighting their bodies as mainly for the desire of men causes women to prioritise their physical appearance and internalise sexual objectification of their bodies. Such ideologies make women less comfortable to accept other functions of their bodies such as the reproductive functions, including breastfeeding and childbirth. To describe, in a sample of female undergraduate students, attitudes toward breastfeeding, level of self-objectification and to examine whether women's attitudes and the intention of breastfeeding is related to the level of self-objectification. An exploratory, cross-sectional design was used. All female undergraduate university students, attending a large university in the Northern part of Jordan were eligible to participate. A convenience sample of 600 female students from both health professional and non-health professional schools were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire designed to collect data on students' intentions and attitudes toward breastfeeding and self-objectification, with a response rate of 82.6% (n=496). Ethical approval was obtained from the Scientific Research Board of the Jordan University of Science and Technology prior to the start of the study. The majority of the students gave favourable responses towards the attitude statements and reported a commitment to breastfeeding Students' attitudes toward breastfeeding correlated significantly with self-objectification. Participants with negative attitudes towards breastfeeding were more likely to internalise and accept the socio-cultural attitudes towards appearance (r = -0.098, p = 0.029). Participants' intention to breastfeed correlated negatively with self-objectification and those who intended to breastfeed were more likely to reject the socio-cultural attitudes towards the "apearance" subscale (r = 0.097, p = 0.031). The

  14. Counseling and Connecting with the Military Undergraduate: The Intersection of Military Service and University Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonar, Ted C.; Domenici, Paula L.

    2011-01-01

    The majority of military undergraduates at universities are National Guard and Reserve personnel and prior-service military veterans, all difficult to identify on campus. These students face unique cultural challenges. Though the academic literature primarily addresses disability services and administrative programs often focus on "wounded…

  15. Oral Academic Discourse Socialisation: Challenges Faced by International Undergraduate Students in a Malaysian Public University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahfoodh, Omer Hassan Ali

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports a qualitative study which examines the challenges faced by six international undergraduate students in their socialisation of oral academic discourse in a Malaysian public university. Data were collected employing interviews. Students' presentations were also collected. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim and…

  16. Introducing Research Methods to Undergraduate Majors Through an On-Campus Observatory with The University of Toledo's Ritter Observatory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Noel; Hardegree-Ullman, Kevin; Bjorkman, Jon Eric; Bjorkman, Karen S.; Ritter Observing Team

    2017-01-01

    With a 1-m telescope on the University of Toledo (OH) main campus, we have initiated a grad student-undergraduate partnership to help teach the undergraduates observational methods and introduce them to research through peer mentorship. For the last 3 years, we have trained up to 21 undergraduates (primarily physics/astronomy majors) in a given academic semester, ranging from freshman to seniors. Various projects are currently being conducted by undergraduate students with guidance from graduate student mentors, including constructing three-color images, observations of transiting exoplanets, and determination of binary star orbits from echelle spectra. This academic year we initiated a large group research project to help students learn about the databases, journal repositories, and online observing tools astronomers use for day-to-day research. We discuss early inclusion in observational astronomy and research of these students and the impact it has on departmental retention, undergraduate involvement, and academic success.

  17. 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 ...

  18. Knowledge and awareness of ocular allergy among undergraduate students of public universities in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyei, Samuel; Tettey, Bernard; Asiedu, Kofi; Awuah, Agnes

    2016-10-28

    Ocular allergy is a growing public health problem that greatly impacts the day-to-day life of sufferers and their families. Other aspects of their activities of daily living such as schooling, professional, and social life are affected hence an increased awareness and knowledge of ocular allergies, their detection and treatment is paramount. This study was to assess the level of knowledge and awareness of ocular allergy among undergraduate students of public universities in Ghana. A descriptive cross sectional survey was conducted among 1000 students from three selected public universities in Ghana. Each respondent completed a questionnaire that had questions concerning awareness and knowledge of ocular allergy. Out of the 1000 students, 347 (34.7 %) were aware of ocular allergy. Of these 347 students, the level of knowledge of ocular allergy was generally low. Majority of the students had their source of information about ocular allergy from the media and the internet. There was statistical significant association among awareness of ocular allergy, sources of information and programme of study (p students is generally low. Students' programmes of study influenced their knowledge of ocular allergy. Public health measures are recommended to help educate students on the prevention and control of ocular allergy as well as the complications associated with this condition.

  19. Perceptions of undergraduate pharmacy students on plagiarism in three major public universities in Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Moataz Ehab; Mohy, Nagla; Salah, Sarah

    2018-01-01

    The survey aimed to capture the perceptions of undergraduate pharmacy students towards plagiarism in three major public universities in Cairo, Egypt: Helwan, Ain-Shams, and Cairo Universities. This was a paper-based self-administrated survey study. The questionnaire was validated by both content and face validation. The final survey form captured the knowledge of the students on plagiarism in terms of definitions, attitudes, and practices. Four hundred and fourteen students, 320 females and 94 males, participated in the study. There was a significant difference between the students who knew the definition of plagiarism among the three universities with p-value = .01. More than half of the participants (67%) claimed that they had no previous education or training on plagiarism. However, after being informed about plagiarism, most of them agreed that plagiarism should be regarded as stealing and a punishment. Additionally, poor study skills and the ease of copying and pasting from the Internet were identified by the majority of the students to be the leading causes of plagiarism. Pharmacy students need to be more educated on plagiarism and its consequences on research and educational ethics. Finally, more strict policies should be incorporated to monitor and control plagiarism in undergraduate sections.

  20. English-assisted Teaching Pertaining to Pulp and Paper in Chinese Universities: An Undergraduate Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Shen

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Currently, about 20 universities in China offer undergraduate courses related to pulp and paper. This large number is congruent with the rapid development of the Chinese pulp and paper industry in the past several decades. In the context of ever-increasing internationalization and global cooperation, English-assisted teaching in Chinese universities has much potential. The wide-spread implementation of English-assisted teaching would promote the career development of students and help foster the advancement of the Chinese pulp and paper industry.

  1. University Students' Attitudes towards Cell Phone Learning Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wafa' N. Muhanna

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at investigating Jordanian university undergraduate and graduate students' attitudes towards the learning environment where cell phones are used as learning tools in classroom. To achieve this goal, the researchers distributed two questionnaires among two groups of two different levels of randomly chosen university students at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at Al-al-Bayt University. The first one addresses 30 undergraduate students, 12 male and 18 female. The other addresses 20 graduates, 7 male and 13 female. The study comprised two independent variables, level and gender, as covariates. The findings indicate that undergraduates are more favorable to cell phone environment than graduate students. The study also reveals that cell phone has more influence on male students than on female students.

  2. Collaboration and Community Building in Summer Undergraduate Research Programs in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nevle, R. J.; Watson Nelson, T.; Harris, J. M.; Klemperer, S. L.

    2012-12-01

    In 2012, the School of Earth Sciences (SES) at Stanford University sponsored two summer undergraduate research programs. Here we describe these programs and efforts to build a cohesive research cohort among the programs' diverse participants. The two programs, the Stanford School of Earth Sciences Undergraduate Research (SESUR) Program and Stanford School of Earth Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Program, serve different undergraduate populations and have somewhat different objectives, but both provide students with opportunities to work on strongly mentored yet individualized research projects. In addition to research, enrichment activities co-sponsored by both programs support the development of community within the combined SES summer undergraduate research cohort. Over the course of 6 to 9 months, the SESUR Program engages Stanford undergraduates, primarily rising sophomores and juniors, with opportunities to deeply explore Earth sciences research while learning about diverse areas of inquiry within SES. Now in its eleventh year, the SESUR experience incorporates the breadth of the scientific endeavor: finding an advisor, proposal writing, obtaining funding, conducting research, and presenting results. Goals of the SESUR program include (1) providing a challenging and rewarding research experience for undergraduates who wish to explore the Earth sciences; (2) fostering interdisciplinary study in the Earth sciences among the undergraduate population; and (3) encouraging students to major or minor in the Earth sciences and/or to complete advanced undergraduate research in one of the departments or programs within SES. The SURGE Program, now in its second year, draws high performing students, primarily rising juniors and seniors, from 14 colleges and universities nationwide, including Stanford. Seventy percent of SURGE students are from racial/ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields, and approximately one

  3. Investigation of Entrepreneurship Trends and General Competency Levels of University Students Studying at Faculty of Sports Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karabulut, Ebru Olcay; Dogan, Pinar Karacan

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the general competency beliefs and entrepreneurial levels of undergraduate students studying at faculty of sports sciences by different demographic variables. The sample group consists of total 1230 students, 541 women and 689 men, who have been educated in the sport sciences of five different universities and…

  4. EXAMINING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ COGNITIVE ABSORPTION LEVELS REGARDING TO WEB AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LOCUS OF CONTROL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cem CUHADAR

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The current study investigated university students’ cognitive absorption levels according to several variables, and presented the relationship between cognitive absorption and locus of control. This study resorted to a descriptive model. Participants were 374 undergraduate students. The Cognitive Absorption Scale and Locus of Control Scale were used to collect the data. Independent samples t-test, one-way between-groups ANOVA, correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze data. Findings suggested that university students had above average cognitive absorption. Moreover, the higher the general internal control/personal control was, the lesser the cognitive absorption level. It was plausible to infer that information and communication technologies served as sources of pleasure and curiosity for university students. However, for students with a higher internal locus of control, levels of pleasure and curiosity dropped.

  5. Understanding the learning styles of undergraduate physiotherapy ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. Undergraduate students at universities have different learning styles. To perform optimally, both they and their educators should be made aware of their preferred learning styles and problem-solving abilities. Students have different backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, interests, ambitions, levels of motivation ...

  6. The Career Intentions, Work-Life Balance and Retirement Plans of Dental Undergraduates at the University of Bristol

    OpenAIRE

    Puryer, James; Patel, Ashini

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To investigate the career intentions, work-life balance and retirement plans of dental undergraduates at the University of Bristol in 2015. Method: Cross-sectional survey of 210 clinical undergraduates using an anonymous self-report questionnaire.Results: The response rate was 79%. The majority (81.7%) were ‘satisfied’ or ‘extremely satisfied’ with their choice of career. The majority (78.7%) felt men and women are equally likely to succeed in dentistry, although 42.9% felt men had an ad...

  7. The educational environment of the undergraduate medical curriculum at Kuwait University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karim J

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Jumanah Karim,1 Becher Al-Halabi,2 Yousef Marwan,3 Hussain Sadeq,4 Ahmed Dawas,5 Dalia Al-Abdulrazzaq5 1Department of Pediatrics, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait; 2Department of Surgery, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait; 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Al-Razi Orthopaedic Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait; 4Department of Pediatrics, Al-Adan Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait; 5Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait Background: Educational environment of an institution affects the quality of learning. We aim to assess the educational environment of the undergraduate curriculum of Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University (FOMKU. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out during April 2014. The validated Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM questionnaire was e-mailed to 607 students. Mean scores of the main domains of the questionnaire, and for each item, were calculated, and their association with the students’ background information was measured using Student’s t-test (P-value of ≤0.05 was considered as the cut-off level of significance. Results: Of 607 students, 117 (19.3% completed the questionnaire. The total mean score for DREEM was 108.7/200 (54.3%. The mean score for students’ perception of teaching, perception of teachers, academic self-perception, perception of atmosphere, and social self-perception were 25.2/48 (52.5%, 24.6/44 (55.9%, 18.4/32 (57.5%, 26.2/48 (54.5%, and 14.3/28 (51.0%, respectively. The highest mean score for an item of DREEM questionnaire was for “my accommodation is pleasant” (3.48±0.75, while the lowest was for “there is a good support system for students who get stressed” (0.88±0.86. The total mean score was not significantly different between the two phases of the curriculum, or among males and females; however, few significant differences among the main domains and items were noted. Conclusion

  8. Iowa State University's undergraduate minor, online graduate certificate and resource center in NDE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowler, Nicola; Larson, Brian F.; Gray, Joseph N.

    2014-02-01

    Nondestructive evaluation is a `niche' subject that is not yet offered as an undergraduate or graduate major in the United States. The undergraduate minor in NDE offered within the College of Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate aspiring engineers to obtain a qualification in the multi-disciplinary subject of NDE. The minor requires 16 credits of course work within which a core course and laboratory in NDE are compulsory. The industrial sponsors of Iowa State's Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, and others, strongly support the NDE minor and actively recruit students from this pool. Since 2007 the program has graduated 10 students per year and enrollment is rising. In 2011, ISU's College of Engineering established an online graduate certificate in NDE, accessible not only to campus-based students but also to practicing engineers via the web. The certificate teaches the fundamentals of three major NDE techniques; eddy-current, ultrasonic and X-ray methods. This paper describes the structure of these programs and plans for development of an online, coursework-only, Master of Engineering in NDE and thesis-based Master of Science degrees in NDE.

  9. Undergraduate study in psychology: Curriculum and assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norcross, John C; Hailstorks, Robin; Aiken, Leona S; Pfund, Rory A; Stamm, Karen E; Christidis, Peggy

    2016-01-01

    The undergraduate curriculum in psychology profoundly reflects and shapes the discipline. Yet, reliable information on the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been difficult to acquire due to insufficient research carried out on unrepresentative program samples with disparate methods. In 2014, APA launched the first systematic effort in a decade to gather national data on the psychology major and program outcomes. We surveyed a stratified random sample of department chairs/coordinators of accredited colleges and universities in the United States that offer undergraduate courses and programs in psychology. A total of 439 undergraduate psychology programs (45.2%) completed the survey. This article summarizes, for both associate and baccalaureate programs, the results of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology. Current practices concerning the introductory course, the courses offered, core requirements, the psychology minor, and tracks/concentrations are presented. The frequency of formal program reviews and program-level assessment methods are also addressed. By extending prior research on the undergraduate curriculum, we chronicle longitudinal changes in the psychology major over the past 20 years. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  10. Investigating the Educational Use of Web2.0 Among Undergraduates in Nigerian Private Universities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akorede Muftau Diyaolu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This study reports findings from a survey on the use of web2.0 among the undergraduate students of two (2 private universities in Nigeria namely; Crescent university Abeokuta and Caleb university, Lagos. The research was aimed at finding the students current awareness about the use of web2.0, captures their pattern of usage, and also determines its relevance to the academic pursuits. To this end, about one hundred and sixty one (161 students representing 67.1% of the whole sample study took part in the survey by filling the opinion questionnaire. The paper provides detailed reports of the results together with the discussion of findings as well as recommendations.

  11. Leveraging Online Learning Resources to Teach Core Research Skills to Undergraduates at a Diverse Research University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFARLIN, Brian K; Breslin, Whitney L; Carpenter, Katie C; Strohacker, Kelley; Weintraub, Randi J

    2010-01-01

    Today's students have unique learning needs and lack knowledge of core research skills. In this program report, we describe an online approach that we developed to teach core research skills to freshman and sophomore undergraduates. Specifically, we used two undergraduate kinesiology (KIN) courses designed to target students throughout campus (KIN1304: Public Health Issues in Physical Activity and Obesity) and specifically kinesiology majors (KIN1252: Foundations of Kinesiology). Our program was developed and validated at the 2 nd largest ethnically diverse research university in the United States, thus we believe that it would be effective in a variety of student populations.

  12. The Role of Health Education on Breast Cancer Awareness among University of Calabar Female Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asuquo, I. M.; Olajide, T. E.

    2015-01-01

    The study sought to determine the role of health education on breast cancer awareness among University of Calabar female undergraduates. To achieve the purpose of the study, three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Related literature was reviewed, while a survey research design was adopted for the study. Appropriately develop and…

  13. Effective Utilization of ICT in English Language Learning--The Case of University of Botswana Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umunnakwe, Ngozi; Sello, Queen

    2016-01-01

    The study investigates the effective utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by first year undergraduates of the University of Botswana (UB) in their reading and writing skills. The first year students are not first language (L1) learners of English. They have not utilized computers for learning reading and writing in their…

  14. An Analysis of University of Ibadan Undergraduates' Attitudes Toward Issues Incidental to the Yoruba Culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awoniyi, Adede

    1986-01-01

    Presents data on Yoruba undergraduates' attitudes towards their traditional culture and the Western culture institutionalized at a Nigerian university. In general, the students are ambivalent towards both cultures--they adopt customs and values of both cultures, but not in any particular pattern. The students are caught up in the upheaval of a…

  15. Examination of Psychological Counselor Candidates' University Satisfaction: The Case of Uludag University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duran, Nagihan Oguz; Gökçe, Feyyat

    2017-01-01

    In the present study, Uludag University, Faculty of Education, Guidance and Psychological Counseling (GPC) undergraduate program students' expectations and satisfaction levels regarding the services and facilities provided by the university were investigated in a sample of 354 students (227 females and 127 males). The data collected by the…

  16. Students' Motivation toward English Language Learning at Undergraduate Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  17. A Study of Teacher Stereotypes: How Do Tuition-Free Teacher Candidates and General Undergraduates Think about Middle School and University Teachers in China?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Youxia; Zhao, Yufang; Peng, Chunhua; Chen, Youguo

    2017-01-01

    A tuition-free teacher candidate is an undergraduate who receives tuition-free teacher education and must work as a teacher in a middle school after their graduation. Tuition-free candidates are of the focus of many researchers; however, no study reports how tuition-free teacher candidates think about teachers. The present study explored stereotypes about middle school and university teachers held by teacher candidates. Specifically, we looked for the differences between the stereotypes held by the teacher candidates and general undergraduates. This study attempted to provide a potential tool to predict the actual willingness of teacher candidates to work as middle school teachers. University and middle school teachers were evaluated using descriptive phrases or words on a five-point Likert scale by 116 tuition-free teacher candidates and 155 general undergraduates. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a three-factor stereotype model including occupational cognition, occupational personality, and occupational emotion. Compared with general undergraduates, teacher candidates held more positive occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers; they held more negative occupational emotions toward university teachers. Further, the undergraduates' willingness to be middle school teachers positively correlated with positive occupational emotions and negatively correlated with negative occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers. This supported previous studies that individuals' professional willingness were influenced by their stereotypes about professions. PMID:28469587

  18. A Study of Teacher Stereotypes: How Do Tuition-Free Teacher Candidates and General Undergraduates Think about Middle School and University Teachers in China?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Youxia; Zhao, Yufang; Peng, Chunhua; Chen, Youguo

    2017-01-01

    A tuition-free teacher candidate is an undergraduate who receives tuition-free teacher education and must work as a teacher in a middle school after their graduation. Tuition-free candidates are of the focus of many researchers; however, no study reports how tuition-free teacher candidates think about teachers. The present study explored stereotypes about middle school and university teachers held by teacher candidates. Specifically, we looked for the differences between the stereotypes held by the teacher candidates and general undergraduates. This study attempted to provide a potential tool to predict the actual willingness of teacher candidates to work as middle school teachers. University and middle school teachers were evaluated using descriptive phrases or words on a five-point Likert scale by 116 tuition-free teacher candidates and 155 general undergraduates. Exploratory factor analyses revealed a three-factor stereotype model including occupational cognition, occupational personality, and occupational emotion. Compared with general undergraduates, teacher candidates held more positive occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers; they held more negative occupational emotions toward university teachers. Further, the undergraduates' willingness to be middle school teachers positively correlated with positive occupational emotions and negatively correlated with negative occupational personality and emotions toward middle school teachers. This supported previous studies that individuals' professional willingness were influenced by their stereotypes about professions.

  19. NSF Support for Physics at the Undergraduate Level: A View from Inside

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBride, Duncan

    2015-03-01

    NSF has supported a wide range of projects in physics that involve undergraduate students. These projects include NSF research grants in which undergraduates participate; Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) centers and supplements; and education grants that range from upper-division labs that may include research, to curriculum development for upper- and lower-level courses and labs, to courses for non-majors, to Physics Education Research (PER). The NSF Divisions of Physics, Materials Research, and Astronomy provide most of the disciplinary research support, with some from other parts of NSF. I recently retired as the permanent physicist in NSF's Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE), which supports the education grants. I was responsible for a majority of DUE's physics grants and was involved with others overseen by a series of physics rotators. There I worked in programs entitled Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI); Course and Curriculum Development (CCD); Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI); Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education (TUES); and Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE). NSF support has enabled physics Principal Investigators to change and improve substantially the way physics is taught and the way students learn physics. The most important changes are increased undergraduate participation in physics research; more teaching using interactive engagement methods in classes; and growth of PER as a legitimate field of physics research as well as outcomes from PER that guide physics teaching. In turn these have led, along with other factors, to students who are better-prepared for graduate school and work, and to increases in the number of undergraduate physics majors. In addition, students in disciplines that physics directly supports, notably engineering and chemistry, and increasingly biology, are better and more broadly prepared to use their physics education in these fields. I will describe NSF

  20. 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...

  1. Integrating Hands-On Undergraduate Research in an Applied Spatial Science Senior Level Capstone Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulhavy, David L.; Unger, Daniel R.; Hung, I-Kuai; Douglass, David

    2015-01-01

    A senior within a spatial science Ecological Planning capstone course designed an undergraduate research project to increase his spatial science expertise and to assess the hands-on instruction methodology employed within the Bachelor of Science in Spatial Science program at Stephen F Austin State University. The height of 30 building features…

  2. The constant threat of terrorism: stress levels and coping strategies amongst university students of Karachi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Ayesha Ejaz; Masood, Komal; Dean, Sohni Vicky; Shakir, Tanzila; Kardar, Ahmed Abdul Hafeez; Barlass, Usman; Imam, Syed Haider; Mohmand, Mohammad Ghawar Khan; Ibrahim, Hussain; Khan, Imad Saeed; Akram, Usman; Hasnain, Farid

    2011-04-01

    To assess the levels of stress in the face of terrorism and the adopted coping strategies, amongst the student population of universities in Karachi. A descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted on undergraduate students from four universities of Karachi. Self-administered questionnaires were filled out by 291 students. Pearson Chi-Square test was used to assess associations between stress levels and different variables at a level of significance of 0.05%. A total of 65.8% of the students had mild stress levels, 91.5% of university students were exposed to terrorism through television, while only 26.5% students reported personal exposure to terrorism. 67.4% students were forbidden by their parents to go out (p = 0.002). Most of those who had self exposure to an attack were the ones whose parents forbade them from going out (p = 0.00). Most commonly used coping strategy was increased faith in religion. Irritability was the most common stress symptom. A majority of students studying in universities of Karachi had mild stress levels due to the constant threat of terrorism whereas a minority had severe stress levels. Possible reasons for resilience and only mild stress levels could be the history of Karachi's internal conflicts and its prolonged duration of being exposed to terrorism. These students who are positive for stress need to be targeted for counseling either through the media or through their universities. More extensive research is needed in this area.

  3. Effectiveness of mathematics education in secondary schools to meet the local universities missions in producing quality engineering and science undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakar Hasan, Abu; Fatah Abdul, Abdul; Selamat, Zalilah

    2018-01-01

    Critical claims by certain quarters that our local undergraduates are not performing well in Mathematics, Statistics and Numerical Methods needs a serious thinking and actions. Yearly examinations results from the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM equivalent to A-Level) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM equivalent to O-Level) levels have been splendid whereby it is either increasing or decreasing in a very tight range. A good foundation in mathematics and additional mathematics will tremendously benefit these students when they enter their university education especially in engineering and science courses. This paper uses SPM results as the primary data, questionnaires as secondary, and apply the Fish Bones technique for analysis. The outcome shows that there is a clear correlation between the causes and effect.

  4. Perceptions of Faculty toward Integrating Technology in Undergraduate Higher Education Traditional Classrooms at Research-Focused Regional Universities in South Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shipman, Cheri Deann

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study examined the perceptions of faculty members who use technology in undergraduate higher education traditional classrooms in research-focused regional universities in South Texas. Faculty members at research-focused regional universities are expected to divide time judiciously into three major areas: research, service, and…

  5. Clinical experiences of undergraduate dental students in pediatric dentistry at Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Stewart, Christopher J

    2010-03-01

    The objectives of this study were to evaluate the number and range of clinical procedures completed by undergraduate dental students in pediatric dentistry in Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland, and to compare the number of procedures undertaken with the subsequent examination scores. The work comprised a retrospective audit of clinical logbooks for all of the undergraduate dental students in one cohort through their fourth and fifth clinical years between 2004 and 2006. Thirty-four quantitative logbooks were audited. Students had seen a total of 1,031 patients, and each student had completed a full course of dental treatment for an average of twenty-two children. Students completed means of 30.2 restorative procedures for children, fourteen in deciduous dentition (range six to twenty-eight), and seventeen in permanent dentition (range seven to twenty-eight). Continuity of education and care (measured through children having their treatment fully completed by the same student) was 72 percent. A moderate positive correlation between levels of clinical experience and exam score was identified. All students gained experience in management of child patients with students providing care for an average of thirty children and a minimum of nineteen.

  6. Undergraduates Perspectives on Sex Education and Teenage ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study examines undergraduates' perspective on sex education and teenage pregnancy in Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study population was 250 undergraduates of Covenant University. Frequency tables, linear regression analysis and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data collected ...

  7. Causes of Sexual Promiscuity Among Female Undergraduate ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated causes of sexual promiscuity among female undergraduate students in university of Lagos. The sample comprised 150 female undergraduate students randomly selected from all the five female hostels in University of Lagos. A researcher-constructed questionnaire was administered to test the three ...

  8. Perception of Undergraduates about Computer and Internet Ethics ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Computer and internet has brought innovative changes in education all over the world. In the universities of Pakistan, computer and IT related courses have recently been included as compulsory subjects in all disciplines at undergraduate level. Therefore, it was important to know the perceptual understanding and ...

  9. Online Distance Teaching of Undergraduate Finance: A case for Musashi University and Konan University, Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keiichi Kubota

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available We implemented a synchronous distance course entitled: Introductory Finance designed for undergraduate students. This course was held between two Japanese universities. Stable Internet connections allowing minimum delay and minimum interruptions of the audio-video streaming signals were used. Students were equipped with their own PCs with pre-loaded learning materials and Microsoft Excel exercises. These accompanying course and exercise materials helped students comprehend the mathematical equations and statistical numerical exercises that are indispensable to learning Introductory Finance effectively. The general tendency for students, not to raise questions during the class hours in Japan, however, was found to be a big obstacle. As such, motivational devices are needed and should ideally be combined to promote interaction between the e-classrooms.

  10. Analysis of Scientific Research Related Anxiety Levels of Undergraduate Students'

    Science.gov (United States)

    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,…

  11. 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.

  12. Undergraduate Research as a Process for STEM Teaching and Learning Systemic Change: Lessons Learned from the Council on Undergraduate Research NSF CCLI and TUES Projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambos, E. L.; Havholm, K. G.; Malachowski, M.; Osborn, J.; Karukstis, K.

    2013-12-01

    For more than seven years, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), the primary organization supporting programs, services, and advocacy for undergraduate research, has been working with support from the NSF's Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) to enhance, sustain, and institutionalize undergraduate research in diverse STEM disciplines and higher education settings. The Council on Undergraduate Research comprises more than 9000 individual and 670 institutional members within a divisional structure that includes geosciences, as well as 11 other thematic areas. Through its most recent grant: 'Transformational Learning through Undergraduate Research: Comprehensive Support for Faculty, Institutions, State Systems and Consortia' (NSF DUE CCLI III Award #09-20275), CUR has been collaborating with six higher education systems, each selected after a rigorous national application process in 2010 and 2011. These six systems, which collectively represent 79 individual institutions, are the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), University of Wisconsin System (UWS), California State University System (CSU), City University of New York (CUNY), Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), and Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The more than 350 participants of faculty and senior-level administrators from the six systems are engaged in shared multi-faceted and multi-year professional development experiences. Teams from each system attended customized institutes facilitated by CUR experts in 2011-2012, during which the teams developed specific action plans focused on institutionalizing undergraduate research on their campus and within their system. The systems were reconvened as a group a year after the first institute, to chart progress toward achieving their goals. Based on interviews and surveys with participants, campus teams are making substantial progress toward implementation of robust undergraduate research programs, and are making

  13. Research on Improving the Training Quality of Undergraduate Communists in Independent Colleges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lina Jiang

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Problems which undergraduate communists have in their motivations, ideal and faith to be members of Chinese Communist Party attach new trend and situation to the education and cultivation of undergraduate communists. The author has surveyed students of 14 departments in Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus. The questionnaire which is to learn the problems faced in the recruiting, cultivation and education of undergraduate communists, mainly concentrates on 5 aspects—motivations to be a party member, requirements for a party member, activities in students’ party branches, education of communists and recruiting of party members. At last, based on the analysis of the results and according to different groups, Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus, as an independent college, carries on multi-level party classes, delegates the authority of party class teaching and adopts popular mode of party classes. At the same time, she combines the classes with social work, enhances the evaluating work of party members and arouses the awareness of undergraduate communists, and also promotes the training quality of undergraduate communists.

  14. The expanding universe: an introduction

    OpenAIRE

    Pössel, Markus

    2017-01-01

    An introduction to the physics and mathematics of the expanding universe, using no more than high-school level / undergraduate mathematics. Covered are the basics of scale factor expansion, the dynamics of the expanding universe, various distance concepts and the generalized redshift-luminosity relation, among other topics.

  15. Graduate Attribute Attainment in a Multi-Level Undergraduate Geography Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mager, Sarah; Spronken-Smith, Rachel

    2014-01-01

    We investigated students' perceptions of graduate attributes in a multi-level (second and third year) geography course. A case study with mixed methodology was employed, with data collected through focus groups and a survey. We found that undergraduate geography students can identify the skills, knowledge and attributes that are developed through…

  16. Undergraduate Convexity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauritzen, Niels

    Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier-Motzkin elimin......Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier......-Motzkin elimination, the theory is developed by introducing polyhedra, the double description method and the simplex algorithm, closed convex subsets, convex functions of one and several variables ending with a chapter on convex optimization with the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions, duality and an interior point...... algorithm....

  17. Examining University Students’ Cognitive Absorption Levels Regarding To Web And Its Relationship With The Locus Of Control

    OpenAIRE

    CUHADAR, Cem

    2015-01-01

    The current study investigated university students’ cognitive absorption levels according to several variables, and presented the relationship between cognitive absorption and locus of control. This study resorted to a descriptive model. Participants were 374 undergraduate students. The Cognitive Absorption Scale and Locus of Control Scale were used to collect the data. Independent samples t-test, one-way between-groups ANOVA, correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze data....

  18. Academic level and student’s faculty as factors of test anxiety among undergraduates in Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel E. Oladipo

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Test anxiety as a prominent problem among students has been a focus of study for decades now, with studies focusing more on such factors as age, gender and study habit in relation to test anxiety. There is a dearth of literature in respect of such factors as academic level and student’s faculty in relation to test anxiety among undergraduates. The focus of the present study therefore, was to investigate academic level and students’ faculty as factors predicting test anxiety among undergraduates in Nigeria. Using simple random sampling technique, a total of 197(126 males and 71 females undergraduates participated in the study. Their ages ranged from 16 to 30years (M=21.6,SD=2.68.Four hypotheses were tested with Pearson Product moment correlation and Multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that academic level and students’ faculty had no correlation with test anxiety. Moreover, the result of the multiple regression analysis showed that academic level and students’ faculty have no independent and joint influence on test anxiety. It was concluded that irrespective of student’s academic level and faculty, test anxiety is unavoidable. Other factors might be responsible for student test anxiety especially among undergraduates Nigeria. It is therefore recommend that more research should be conducted in this area so as to determine the salient factors that predict test anxiety.

  19. [Undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the biological sciences in Chile (1985)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemeyer, H

    1986-01-01

    A study group of scientists was convened by the Sociedad de Biología de Chile (Biological Society of Chile) and the Regional Program for Graduate Training in Biological Sciences, PNUD-Unesco, RLA 78/024, to assess undergraduate and graduate studies in life sciences in Chile. The group presented this report at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Society. Discussion centered on the features that should characterize the studies leading to the academic degrees of Licenciado (Licenciate), Magíster (Master) and Doctor (Ph. D) in Sciences, and also on the qualifications that the universities should satisfy in order to grant them. After analyzing the present situation of undergraduate and graduate studies in Biological Sciences in Chilean universities, the group made the following main suggestions: 1. It is recommended that Chilean universities agree on a 4-year plan for the Licenciado degree, without the requirement of a thesis. The importance of providing the students with good laboratory exercises and field experience and with the opportunity to perform short research projects is stressed. In addition, a sound theoretical training on mathematics, physics and chemistry in the education of a modern Biologist is important. Licenciate studies ought to be the basis for professional careers and the universities should offer to the Licenciados free access to their professional schools. 2. It is considered appropriate for Chile and its universities to develop graduate programs in those disciplines that have reached a level of excellence. To accomplish this aim, adequate finance of the universities is necessary to permit them to provide the essential facilities for doing research, and to create a wide system of fellowships for graduate students. Direct government support for research and graduate student fellowships is requested. 3. Research experience of the kind needed for the preparation of a doctoral thesis is recommended as the academic level appropriate for those engaged in

  20. Symptomatic Dry Eye and Its Associated Factors: A Study of University Undergraduate Students in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asiedu, Kofi; Kyei, Samuel; Boampong, Frank; Ocansey, Stephen

    2017-07-01

    To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of symptomatic dry eye disease (DED) among undergraduate students in a Ghanaian university. This cross-sectional study included 700 undergraduate students of the University of Cape Coast, aged 18 to 34 years. Participants completed questionnaires delivered directly to randomly and systematically selected subjects to detect symptomatic dry eye and its predictive factors. Symptomatic dry eye was defined as any reported symptom on the Standard Patient Evaluation Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaire reported as often or constant or if any symptom on the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) was reported as most of the time or all of the time. Furthermore, OSDI ≥13 and SPEED ≥6 were used to defined symptomatic dry eye and prevalence were also estimated with these criteria as secondary measures. Current symptoms of dry eye and possible risk factors such as age, gender, current alcohol drinking, use of oral contraceptives, use of computer more than an hour daily, environmental conditions, allergies, and self-medication with over-the-counter eye drops were the main outcome measures. We used logistic regression analysis to examine the associations between dry eye and its predictive factors. Of the 700 participants, 650 completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eye was 44.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40.6%-48.2%). There was a significant association between symptomatic dry eye and discomfort with eyes in windy conditions (χ=110.1; df=4; Peye drops (OR 4.20; 95% CI, 2.61-6.74; Pdry eye. Sex was predictive in univariate analysis but was not significantly associated in multivariate analysis. The prevalence of symptomatic dry eye among undergraduate students in Ghana is high and it is associated with self-medication with over-the-counter eye drops, allergies, use of oral contraceptive, windy conditions, very low humid areas, air-conditioned rooms, and sex. Relevant input directed against modifiable risks

  1. The Contributions of the WIYN Observatory to Undergraduate Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooper, Eric; Consortium, WIYN

    2014-01-01

    Over its nearly 20 year history the WIYN Observatory has provided crucial data for numerous undergraduate research projects at the partner institutions (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, and Yale University) plus others who access the telescope via national time from NOAO. WIYN and its instruments have served both undergraduates who are local to each institution, as well as those who have a temporary tenure as Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) students. The topics of this work range widely, and only a few examples are listed here. Numerous studies of stars have been undertaken by undergraduates, from rotation velocities of pre-main sequence stars (Rhode et al.) to dynamical heating mechanisms in open clusters (Friel et al.). Extragalactic investigations range from a study of cold ISM in galaxies near the centers of rich clusters (Gallagher & Hooper, et al.) to the stellar populations of post-starburst galaxies hosting low-level AGN (Wolf & Hooper, et al.). Students have made wide use of WIYN's long established suite of facility instruments, which currently includes the Hydra multi-object fiber spectrograph, the SparsePak integral field unit fiber spectrograph, and the WHIRC near-infrared imager. A current undergraduate is a key player in final laboratory testing of two new integral field units that will come to WIYN soon. Finally, the new large format imager pODI currently is in science operation, soon to be followed by an upgrade to nearly four times the current imaging area, a powerful tool that will join the others in contributing to undergraduate research and education. This presentation is a continuation of the overview of WIYN contributions to education that began with a discussion of graduate education at the Indianapolis AAS (Hooper, AAS Meeting #222, #214.23).

  2. Trends in Marijuana Use Among Undergraduate Students at the University of Maryland. Research Report No. 3-70.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenzie, James D.

    Five hundred ninety-five students enrolled in undergraduate classes in psychology and business administration at the University of Maryland completed an anonymous questionnaire inquiring about their use or nonuse of marijuana, their reasons for using or not using the substance, and their attitudes toward the legal penalties for marijuana…

  3. Effectiveness of Analogy Instructional Strategy on Undergraduate Student's Acquisition of Organic Chemistry Concepts in Mutah University, Jordan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samara, Nawaf Ahmad Hasan

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of analogy instructional strategy on undergraduate students' acquisition of organic chemistry concepts in Mutah University, Jordan. A quasi-experimental design was used in the study; Participants were 97 students who enrolled in organic chemistry course at the department of chemistry during the…

  4. Depression in Asian-American and Caucasian undergraduate students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Christina B; Fang, Daniel Z; Zisook, Sidney

    2010-09-01

    Depression is a serious and often under-diagnosed and undertreated mental health problem in college students which may have fatal consequences. Little is known about ethnic differences in prevalence of depression in US college campuses. This study compares depression severity in Asian-American and Caucasian undergraduate students at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). Participants completed the nine item Patient Health Questionnaire and key demographic information via an anonymous online questionnaire. Compared to Caucasians, Asian-Americans exhibited significantly elevated levels of depression. Furthermore, Korean-American students were significantly more depressed than Chinese-American, other minority Asian-American, and Caucasian students. In general, females were significantly more depressed than males. Results were upheld when level of acculturation was considered. The demographic breakdown of the student population at UCSD is not representative to that of the nation. These findings suggest that outreach to female and Asian-American undergraduate students is important and attention to Korean-American undergraduates may be especially worthwhile. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Competition preparation guideline in undergraduate program of information system school of Industrial Engineering Telkom University based on knowledge conversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darmawan, F. R.; Soesanto, R. P.; Kurniawati, A.; Kurniawan, M. T.

    2017-12-01

    The role of higher education in the development of science and technology is not only from the contribution of the high-quality alumni but also from the research and relevant competition with the needs of development in such a country. In a competition, the student can improve their soft skill and academic skill such as analytical and critical thinking, communication skills and mental. The number of relevant competition by students is also included in accreditation clause, therefore student involvement in competition is seen as important for the undergraduate program in University. The most problem in university is the high turnover from the student. Bachelor program in Indonesia usually takes 4 years to complete, and the high turnover causes the student come and go as they are a graduate from the institution without preserving the knowledge and experience from the competition to other students. This research aims to develop a guidance for competition preparation in the university by using knowledge conversion. The object of this research is an information system undergraduate program in the school of industrial engineering Telkom University. The best practice selection is done by using factor rating method. Delphi method is used to identify the criteria, and AHP method is used to calculate the weight of each criterion. From the factor rating result it is known that from 3 respondent, best practice from respondent A (7.321) is used for preparing the programming competition in an undergraduate program of information system in the school of industrial engineering Telkom University. FGD is done to disseminate the selected best practice into the process stakeholder which is head of the student affair of the school of industrial engineering, students, and laboratory assistants. Future research can be done to create more comprehensive criteria for selecting the best practice.

  6. The Attitudes of Kuwait University Faculty Members and Undergraduate Students toward the Use of Distance Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    AL-Masoud, Fawzeah A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to examine the attitude of the faculty members and the undergraduate students of the College of Education at Kuwait University toward Distance of Education. The study illustrates a comparison in the attitude between the two groups toward Distance Education. In addition, the study tries to find if there are significant…

  7. Sources of Stress among Undergraduate Students in the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria: Implications for Counselling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alika, Ijeoma Henrietta

    2012-01-01

    The study examined the role of inadequate facilities/accommodation, poor health, emotional problems, socio-economic status and poor time management as sources of stress among University of Benin undergraduates. The research instrument used was a questionnaire. The survey method was adopted for the study. Seven hundred and fifty respondents were…

  8. STEERing an IDeA in Undergraduate Research at a Rural Research Intensive University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Donald A. Sens

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study documents outcomes, including student career choices, of the North Dakota Institutional Development Award Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence program that provides 10-week, summer undergraduate research experiences at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Program evaluation initiated in 2008 and, to date, 335 students have completed the program. Of the 335, 214 students have successfully completed their bachelor’s degree, 102 are still undergraduates, and 19 either did not complete a bachelor’s degree or were lost to follow-up. The program was able to track 200 of the 214 students for education and career choices following graduation. Of these 200, 76% continued in postgraduate health-related education; 34.0% and 20.5% are enrolled in or have completed MD or PhD programs, respectively. Other postbaccalaureate pursuits included careers in pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, public health, physical therapy, nurse practitioner, and physician’s assistant, accounting for an additional 21.5%. Most students electing to stop formal education at the bachelor’s degree also entered fields related to health care or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (19.5%, with only a small number of the 200 students tracked going into service or industries which lacked an association with the health-care workforce (4.5%. These student outcomes support the concept that participation in summer undergraduate research boosts efforts to populate the pipeline of future researchers and health professionals. It is also an indication that future researchers and health professionals will be able to communicate the value of research in their professional and social associations. The report also discusses best practices and issues in summer undergraduate research for students originating from rural environments.

  9. Organization of an undergraduate research group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, J.; Noteboom, E.

    1995-01-01

    Traditionally, research groups consist of senior physicists, staff members, and graduate students. The physics department at Creighton University has formed a Relativistic Heavy Ion physics research group consisting primarily of undergraduate students. Although senior staff and graduate students are actively involved, undergraduate research and the education of undergraduates is the focus of the group. The presentation, given by two undergraduate members of the group, will outline progress made in the group's organization, discuss the benefits to the undergraduate group members, and speak to the balance which must be struck between education concerns and research goals

  10. 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 ...

  11. English Language Proficiency Tests and Academic Achievement: A Study on the Malaysian University English Test as a Predictor of Technical Programme Undergraduates Academic Achievement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurhazlini Rahmat

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In the Malaysian education system, English has always played an important role. In acknowledging its importance, Malaysian University English Test (MUET has been introduced to enable continued emphasis on this role.  MUET has been made compulsory for those who wish to pursue a first degree programme in local universities. This study aims to examine the relationship between English language proficiency test (as measured by MUET bands to predict the undergraduates academic achievement (as measured by Cumulative Grade Point Average score. It also aims to determine the recommended MUET band as an entry requirement for prospective technical programme undergraduates in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM. The study was carried out among 225 final year undergraduates of five different faculties in UPM, namely Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.  The data used were obtained by administering a brief questionnaire and were quantitatively analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 19.  The study revealed that there is a medium positive correlation between English language proficiency and academic achievement where students who have scored higher bands for MUET are the ones who obtained higher CGPA in their study. Based on the findings, it is recommended that UPM and other local universities make changes towards the minimum MUET entry requirement to help prospective undergraduates excel in their academic study. Keywords: English language proficiency, academic achievement, technical programme, MUET, CGPA

  12. Physical Fitness and Metabolic Profile among Malay Undergraduates of a Public University in Selangor Malaysia

    OpenAIRE

    M. Emad; M. Kandiah; W. K. Lim; M. Y. Barakatun-Nisak; A. Rahmat; S. Norasruddin; M. Appukutty

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated health-related components of physical fitness consisting of morphological fitness (body fat % or BF %; Body Mass Index or BMI; and waist circumference or WC), metabolic fitness (blood glucose, lipid profiles and haemoglobin) and aerobic capacity (VO2max). This crosssectional study involved 324 undergraduates recruited voluntarily by systematic random sampling from a public university in the city Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia. The respondents’ aerobic capacity was measur...

  13. Predictive factors of premedical student retention and degree completion within a private undergraduate university

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carter, Frances E.

    Undergraduate retention and eventual graduation is of paramount importance to universities globally. Approximately 58% of students who began their college career at a four-year institution with the intention of receiving a bachelor's degree actually received that degree in a 6-year timeframe, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) annual report The Condition of Education 2009 (Planty, 2009). In certain subgroups of the undergraduate population, this graduation rate is even lower. This dissertation presents research into the academic integration of students in premedical programs subgroup based on Vincent Tinto's Integrationist Model of Student Departure. Pre-entry factors of interest for this study included incoming high school grade point average (GPA), incoming SAT total test scores, while post-matriculation factors included grade in organic chemistry, and the initial calculus course taken. A sample of 519 students from a private coeducational institution in the southeastern United States was examined. A logistic regression was performed to determine the effect of high school GPA, SAT total scores, organic chemistry grades, and calculus-readiness on graduation. A significant regression equation was found. The findings suggest that of the four predictor variables, high school GPA and organic chemistry grade were the only variables that showed significant predictive ability based on a significance level of p < .05. Further research should involve the examination of additional indicators of academic integration as well as information on the social integration of the student. Additionally, institutional leaders should continue to evaluate the premedical curriculum based on potential changes in medical school requirements.

  14. What Types of Instructional Shifts Do Students Experience? Investigating Active Learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Classes across Key Transition Points from Middle School to the University Level

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenneth Akiha

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite the need for a strong Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM workforce, there is a high attrition rate for students who intend to complete undergraduate majors in these disciplines. Students who leave STEM degree programs often cite uninspiring instruction in introductory courses, including traditional lecturing, as a reason. While undergraduate courses play a critical role in STEM retention, little is understood about the instructional transitions students encounter upon moving from secondary to post-secondary STEM courses. This study compares classroom observation data collected using the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM from over 450 middle school, high school, introductory-level university, and advanced-level university classes across STEM disciplines. We find similarities between middle school and high school classroom instruction, which are characterized by a large proportion of time spent on active-learning instructional strategies, such as small-group activities and peer discussion. By contrast, introductory and advanced university instructors devote more time to instructor-centered teaching strategies, such as lecturing. These instructor-centered teaching strategies are present in classes regardless of class enrollment size, class period length, or whether or not the class includes a separate laboratory section. Middle school, high school, and university instructors were also surveyed about their views of what STEM instructional practices are most common at each educational level and asked to provide an explanation of those perceptions. Instructors from all levels struggled to predict the level of lecturing practices and often expressed uncertainty about what instruction looks like at levels other than their own. These findings suggest that more opportunities need to be created for instructors across multiple levels of the education system to share their active-learning teaching practices and

  15. Undergraduate students' perceived academic environmental ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study examined the relationship between undergraduates' perception of the academic environment, their attitude to academic work and achievement. A total of 348 undergraduates who formed the sample were drawn from five departments in three universities in Nigeria. The study revealed that four dimensions of the ...

  16. "Epistemic Chaos": The Recontextualisation of Undergraduate Curriculum Design and Pedagogic Practice in a New University Business School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brady, Norman

    2015-01-01

    This paper is based on a qualitative case study of undergraduate curriculum design and pedagogic practice in the new University Business School (UBS). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 24 academics from across a range of business sub-disciplines together with an extensive documentary review of materials relating to two…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  19. Incorporating Primary Literature in Undergraduate Crop Science Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Lori K.; Simmons, Steve R.

    2006-01-01

    Primary literature is an underutilized learning resource for undergraduate courses in crop science. Reading assignments from scientific journals were utilized in an undergraduate University of Minnesota crop physiology course at Southwest Minnesota State University from 2002 to 2004. The subjects of the articles corresponded to the lecture topics.…

  20. Acceptance and use of e-learning systems by undergraduate students of Ecuador: The case of a state university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Ramirez-Anormaliza

    2017-07-01

    Originality/value: This paper presents empirical data on the use and acceptance of e-learning systems for undergraduate students of a particular university in Ecuador. No similar studies are evident in the country and the model can be considered for future studies of national scope.

  1. Hierarchical Mentoring: A Transformative Strategy for Improving Diversity and Retention in Undergraduate STEM Disciplines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Zakiya S.; Holmes, Lakenya; Degravelles, Karin; Sylvain, Monica R.; Batiste, Lisa; Johnson, Misty; McGuire, Saundra Y.; Pang, Su Seng; Warner, Isiah M.

    2012-02-01

    In the United States, less than half of the students who enter into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate curricula as freshmen will actually graduate with a STEM degree. There is even greater disparity in the national STEM graduation rates of students from underrepresented groups with approximately three-fourths of minority students leaving STEM disciplines at the undergraduate level. A host of programs have been designed and implemented to model best practices in retaining students in STEM disciplines. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program at Louisiana State University, under leadership of HHMI Professor Isiah M. Warner, represents one of these programs and reports on a mentoring model that addresses the key factors that impact STEM student attrition at the undergraduate level. By integrating mentoring and strategic academic interventions into a structured research program, an innovative model has been developed to guide STEM undergraduate majors in adopting the metacognitive strategies that allow them to excel in their programs of study, as they learn to appreciate and understand science more completely. Comparisons of the persistence of participants and nonparticipants in STEM curricular, at the host university and with other national universities and colleges, show the impact of the model's salient features on improving STEM retention through graduation for all students, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

  2. Undergraduate Students' Information Search Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolopoulou, Kleopatra; Gialamas, Vasilis

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates undergraduate students' information search practices. The subjects were 250 undergraduate students from two university departments in Greece, and a questionnaire was used to document their search practices. The results showed that the Web was the primary information system searched in order to find information for…

  3. Behavioral Health Risk Profiles of Undergraduate University Students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    El Ansari, Walid; Ssewanyana, Derrick; Stock, Christiane

    2018-01-01

    Background: Limited research has explored clustering of lifestyle behavioral risk factors (BRFs) among university students. This study aimed to explore clustering of BRFs, composition of clusters, and the association of the clusters with self-rated health and perceived academic performance. Method......: We assessed (BRFs), namely tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, unhealthy nutrition, and inadequate sleep, using a self-administered general Student Health Survey among 3,706 undergraduates at seven UK universities. Results: A two-step cluster analysis...... generated: Cluster 1 (the high physically active and health conscious) with very high health awareness/consciousness, good nutrition, and physical activity (PA), and relatively low alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use. Cluster 2 (the abstinent) had very low ATOD use, high health awareness, good...

  4. Burnout syndrome among undergraduate nursing students at a public university.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

    to investigate the burnout syndrome and its relationship with demographic and academic variables among undergraduate nursing students at a public university in Southern Brazil. 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. 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. the situations that lead students to Emotional Exhaustion need to be recognized, considering the specificity of their study environments.

  5. Geologic Wonders of Yosemite at Two Miles High: an Undergraduate, Learner-Centered, Team Research Program at the University of Southern California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, R.; Anderson, J. L.; Cao, W.; Gao, Y.; Ikeda, T.; Jacobs, R.; Johanesen, K.; Mai, J.; Memeti, V.; Padilla, A.; Paterson, S. R.; Seyum, S.; Shimono, S.; Thomas, T.; Thompson, J.; Zhang, T.

    2007-12-01

    This program is a multidisciplinary student research experience that is largely outside of the classroom, involving undergraduate students in an international-level research project looking at the magmatic plumbing systems formed underneath volcanoes. We bring together a blend of students across the disciplines, both from within and outside the sciences. Following a "learner-centered" teaching philosophy, we formed student teams where more advanced students worked with and taught those more junior, under the guidance of mentors, which include USC professors, graduate students, and visiting international scholars. This program truly covers the full breadth of the research process, from field work and data collection to analysis to presentation. In the summers of 2006 and 2007, research groups of undergraduates and mentors camped in the high Sierra backcountry and worked in small mapping groups by day, generating a detailed geologic map of the field area. Evenings consisted of student led science meetings where the group discussed major research problems and developed a plan to address them. Upon returning from the field, the research group transitions to more lab- based work, including rock dating, XRF geochemistry, microscope, and mineral microprobe analyses, and by spring semester the groups also begins writing up and presenting the results. The summer 2006 research group consisted of 5 undergraduate students and 5 mentors, and was a huge success resulting in presentations at a university undergraduate research symposium as well as the Cordilleran Section meeting of GSA. The summer 2007 group was even larger, with 10 undergraduates and 6 mentors, including two international scholars. Undergraduates also participated in research in China and Mongolia. Aside from rewarding research experiences, students learn rapidly through these research experiences, were much more engaged in the learning process, and benefited from teaching their peers. Several students expressed

  6. Does University Campus Experience Develop Motivation to Lead or Readiness to Lead among Undergraduate Students? "A Malaysian Perspective"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamid, Jamaliah Abdul; Krauss, Steven E.

    2013-01-01

    Do students' experiences on university campuses cultivate motivation to lead or a sense of readiness to lead that does not necessarily translate to active leadership? To address this question, a study was conducted with 369 undergraduates from Malaysia. Campus experience was more predictive of leadership readiness than motivation. Student…

  7. Determinants of Malaysian and Singaporean Economics Undergraduates' Academic Performance

    OpenAIRE

    Chang Da Wan; Roland K. Cheo

    2012-01-01

    This study examines the determinants of economics undergraduates' academic performance in the top national universities of Singapore and Malaysia: the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of Malaya (UM). Using three basic components of economics as the dependent variable, i.e. basic microeconomics, basic macroeconomics and statistics/econometrics, it was found that students' pre-university grade is the most important determinant in undergraduates' performance. However, un...

  8. Emergency Contraception: Awareness, Perception and Practice among Female Undergraduates in Imo State University, Southeastern Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojiyi, Ec; Anolue, Fc; Ejekunle, Sd; Nzewuihe, Ac; Okeudo, C; Dike, Ei; Ejikem, Ce

    2014-11-01

    Limited knowledge and practice of contraception is a global public health problem. Unintended pregnancies are the primary cause of induced abortion. When safe abortions are not available, as in Nigeria with restricted abortion laws, abortion can contribute significantly to maternal mortality and morbidity. Adequate information on the awareness and the use of emergency contraception is necessary for planning interventions in groups vulnerable to unwanted pregnancy. The aim of the following study is to access the awareness, perception and practice of emergency contraception among female undergraduates in Imo State University, South Eastern Nigeria. A questionnaire based cross-sectional survey using female undergraduates selected randomly from Imo State University, Owerri. A total of 700 students participated in the study. Awareness of emergency contraception was very high (85.1%) (596/700). The awareness was significantly higher amongst students in health related faculties than in the non-health related faculties (P = 0.01). The main sources of information were through friends (43.1%) (317/700) and lectures (22.1%) (192/700). High dose progestogen (postinor-2) was the most commonly known type of emergency contraception (70.8%) (422/596). Only 58.1% (346/596) of those who were aware of emergency contraception approved of their use. The major reasons given by the 41.9% (250/596) who disapproved of their use were religious reasons (50.4%) (126/250) and that they were harmful to health (49.2%) (123/250). Two-third (67%) (46 9/700) of the students were sexually active and only 39.9% (187/469) of them used emergency contraception. High dose progestogen (postinor-2) was again the most commonly used method (70.8%) (422/596). The most common situation in which emergency contraception was used was following unprotected sexual intercourse (45.5%) (85/144). Only 34.6% (206/596) of those who were aware of emergency contraception identified correctly the appropriate time interval

  9. Assessing the Conceptual Understanding about Heat and Thermodynamics at Undergraduate Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Vasudeo Digambar; Tambade, Popat Savaleram

    2013-01-01

    In this study, a Thermodynamic Concept Test (TCT) was designed to assess student's conceptual understanding heat and thermodynamics at undergraduate level. The different statistical tests such as item difficulty index, item discrimination index, point biserial coefficient were used for assessing TCT. For each item of the test these indices were…

  10. Teaching Epidemiology at the Undergraduate Level: Considerations and Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldmann, Emily; Stark, James H; Kapadia, Farzana; McQueen, Matthew B

    2018-06-01

    The rapid growth in undergraduate public health education has offered training in epidemiology to an increasing number of undergraduate students. Epidemiology courses introduce undergraduate students to a population health perspective and provide opportunities for these students to build essential skills and competencies such as ethical reasoning, teamwork, comprehension of scientific methods, critical thinking, quantitative and information literacy, ability to analyze public health information, and effective writing and oral communication. Taking a varied approach and incorporating active learning and assessment strategies can help engage students in the material, improve comprehension of key concepts, and further develop key competencies. In this commentary, we present examples of how epidemiology may be taught in the undergraduate setting. Evaluation of these approaches and others would be a valuable next step.

  11. Undergraduate Convexity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauritzen, Niels

    Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier-Motzkin elimin...

  12. The Experimental Teaching Reform in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for Undergraduate Students in Peking University Health Science Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaohan; Sun, Luyang; Zhao, Ying; Yi, Xia; Zhu, Bin; Wang, Pu; Lin, Hong; Ni, Juhua

    2015-01-01

    Since 2010, second-year undergraduate students of an eight-year training program leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) have been required to enter the "Innovative talent training project." During that time, the students joined a research lab and…

  13. Climate Literacy: Progress in AMS Climate Studies Undergraduate Course in Meteorology Program at Jackson State University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, S. R.

    2013-12-01

    AMS Climate Studies is an introductory college-level course developed by the American Meteorological Society for implementation at undergraduate institutions nationwide and increasing involvement of under-represented groups The course places students in a dynamic and highly motivational educational environment where they investigate Earth's climate system using real-world environmental data. The AMS Climate Studies course package consists of a textbook, investigations manual, course website, and course management system-compatible files. Instructors can use these resources in combinations that make for an exciting learning experience for their students. The AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project Workshop participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis as determined by the date-of-receipt of the License Order Form. To grow AMS Diversity Programs to their fullest extent, institutions are encouraged to nominate course instructors who did not previously attend Diversity Project workshops. Until three months before the workshop, two-thirds of the workshop positions would be reserved for institutions new to AMS Diversity Projects. The AMS five day course implementation workshop was held in Washington, DC, during May 24-29, 2012. It covered essential course topics in climate science and global climate change, and strategies for course implementation. Talks would feature climate science and sustainability experts from Federal agencies and area research institutions, such as NASA, NOAA, University of Maryland, Howard University, George Mason University, and other Washington, DC, area institutions. The workshop would also include visits to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. JSU Meteorology Program will be offering AMS Climate Studies undergraduate course under MET 210: Climatology in spring 2014. AMS Climate Studies is offered as a 3 credit hour laboratory course with 2 lectures and 1 lab sessions per week. Although this course places

  14. Predictors of self-reported academic performance among undergraduate medical students of Hawassa University, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gedefaw, Abel; Tilahun, Birkneh; Asefa, Anteneh

    2015-01-01

    This study was conducted to identify predictors of self-reported academic performance in undergraduate medical students at Hawassa University. An analytical cross-sectional study involving 592 undergraduate medical students was conducted in November 2012. The academic performance of the study subjects was measured by self-reported cumulative grade point average (GPA) using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software. Pearson's bivariate correlations, multiple linear regression, and multiple logistic regression were used to identify predictors of academic performance. The self-reported academic performance of students had been decreasing as the academic years progressed, with the highest and lowest performance being in the premedicine (mean GPA 3.47) and clinical I (mean GPA 2.71) years, respectively. One hundred and fifty-eight (26.7%) of the participants had ever been delayed, 37 (6.2%) had ever re-sat for examination, and two (0.3%) had ever been warned due to academic failure. The overall variation in self-reported academic performance of the students was 32.8%. Participant age alone explained 21.9% of the variation. On the other hand, university entrance examination results, substance use at university, and medicine as first choice by students were identified as predictors of variation in self-reported academic performance, accounting for 6.9%, 2.7%, and academic performance was explained by the studied variables. Hence, efficacious mechanisms should be designed to combat the intervenable determinants of self-reported academic performance, like substance use and a low medical school entrance examination result. Further studies should also be undertaken to gain a better understanding of other unstudied determinants, like personality, learning style, cognitive ability, and the system used for academic evaluation.

  15. The Zoology Department at Washington University (1944-1954): from undergraduate to graduate studies with Viktor Hamburger.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunnebacke, T H

    2001-04-01

    Beginning from an undergraduate's perspective and continuing through graduate school, this student's experiences in the Department of Zoology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri was a time of many rewarding experiences. Now, on this occasion of his 100th birthday, I wish to express my appreciation to the Chairman, Dr. Viktor Hamburger, for his teachings, his encouragement, and his friendship that has lasted over the past 56 years.

  16. Burnout syndrome among undergraduate nursing students at a public university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  17. Undergraduate Research as Engaged Student Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Lorraine W.

    2018-01-01

    This chapter discusses the impact of undergraduate research as a form of engaged student learning. It summarizes the gains reported in post-fellowship assessment essays acquired from students participating in the Auburn University Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. The chapter also discusses the program's efforts to increase opportunities…

  18. Mentored undergraduate research in the geosciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judge, Shelley; Pollock, Meagen; Wiles, Greg; Wilson, Mark

    2012-09-01

    There is little argument about the merits of undergraduate research, but it can seem like a complex, resource-intensive endeavor [e.g., Laursen et al., 2010; Lopatto, 2009; Hunter et al., 2006]. Although mentored undergraduate research can be challenging, the authors of this feature have found that research programs are strengthened when students and faculty collaborate to build new knowledge. Faculty members in the geology department at The College of Wooster have conducted mentored undergraduate research with their students for more than 60 years and have developed a highly effective program that enhances the teaching, scholarship, and research of our faculty and provides life-changing experiences for our students. Other colleges and universities have also implemented successful mentored undergraduate research programs in the geosciences. For instance, the 18 Keck Geology Consortium schools (http://keckgeology.org/), Princeton University, and other institutions have been recognized for their senior capstone experiences by U.S. News & World Report.

  19. [Health education from the perspective of nursing undergraduate students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colomé, Juliana Silveira; de Oliveira, Dora Lucia Leidens Corrêa

    2008-09-01

    In the field of health practices, there are different models of health education. The objective of this article was to identify undergraduates' concepts of health education. This descriptive exploratory study used a qualitative approach. It was developed in the Undergraduate Nursing Courses of the Federal University of Santa Maria and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Subjects were undergraduate students of the last semester before graduation. Data were collected using a semistructured interview, and submitted to thematic content analysis. The results suggest that the undergraduate nursing students' training as health educators is permeated by concepts that are a mixture of traditional and modern assumptions on health education.

  20. How does undergraduate college biology students' level of understanding, in regard to the role of the seed plant root system, relate to their level of understanding of photosynthesis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njeng'ere, James Gicheha

    This research study investigated how undergraduate college biology students' level of understanding of the role of the seed plant root system relates to their level of understanding of photosynthesis. This research was conducted with 65 undergraduate non-majors biology who had completed 1 year of biology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. A root probe instrument was developed from some scientifically acceptable propositional statements about the root system, the process of photosynthesis, as well as the holistic nature of the tree. These were derived from research reviews of the science education and the arboriculture literature. This was administered to 65 students selected randomly from class lists of the two institutions. Most of the root probe's items were based on the Live Oak tree. An in-depth, clinical interview-based analysis was conducted with 12 of those tested students. A team of root experts participated by designing, validating and answering the same questions that the students were asked. A "systems" lens as defined by a team of college instructors, root experts (Shigo, 1991), and this researcher was used to interpret the results. A correlational coefficient determining students' level of understanding of the root system and their level of understanding of the process of photosynthesis was established by means of Pearson's r correlation (r = 0.328) using the SAS statistical analysis (SAS, 1987). From this a coefficient of determination (r2 = 0.104) was determined. Students' level of understanding of the Live Oak root system (mean score 5.94) was not statistically different from their level of understanding of the process of photosynthesis (mean score 5.54) as assessed by the root probe, t (129) = 0.137, p > 0.05 one tailed-test. This suggests that, to some degree, level of the root system limits level of understanding of photosynthesis and vice versa. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative

  1. Enhancing undergraduate students’ communications skills

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Merete; Witt, Klaus; Fridorff-Jens, Peter Kindt

    2014-01-01

    ,Monika Bullinger,Matthias Rose, Sylke Andreas.Enhancing medical students' communication skills: development and evaluation of an undergraduate training program.Published online 2012 March 24. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-12-16 2.William T. Branch, Jr, MD; David Kern, MD; Paul Haidet, MD, MPH; Peter Weissmann, MD......19729 Abstract Title: Enhancing undergraduate students communications skills Abstract Authors: •Merete Jorgensen, Copenhagen University , Family Medicine , Copenhagen •Klaus Witt, Research Unit , Family Medicine , Copenhagen •Peter Kindt Fridorff-Jens, Copenhagen University , IT-unit , Copenhagen...... Abstract Presenter(s): •Merete Jorgensen, Copenhagen University , Family Medicine , Øster Farigmagsgade 5 , 1014 , K , Denmark , mejor@sund.ku.dk Abstract: Background Being teachers in Clinical Course of Family Medicine since 1995, we have developed two schemes for communication analysing purposes called...

  2. Graduate and undergraduate students’ reaction to the teaching procedures used in semipresential classes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henry Maia Peixoto

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the reactions of undergraduate and graduate students to the teaching procedures used in semipresential classes. This exploratory study was performed with a quantitative approach at a public university, with undergraduate and graduate students who had completed semipresential classes on health promotion education. Among the 19 evaluated teaching procedures, 15 (78.9% did not show any statistically significant differences between the two academic levels. The means and medians for most variables, for both undergraduate (78.9% and graduate (89.5% students, were above 7 in a scale ranging between 0 (awful and 10 (excellent. Therefore, it is concluded that both groups showed similar reactions to the teaching procedures and gave satisfactory opinions in this regard. Understanding these aspects can support designing class disciplines that use teaching procedures that are adequate to university students. Descriptors: Education, Distance; Education, Higher; Learning; Educational Measurement.

  3. Undergraduate topology a working textbook

    CERN Document Server

    McCluskey, Aisling

    2014-01-01

    This textbook offers an accessible, modern introduction at undergraduate level to an area known variously as general topology, point-set topology or analytic topology with a particular focus on helping students to build theory for themselves. It is the result of several years of the authors' combined university teaching experience stimulated by sustained interest in advanced mathematical thinking and learning, alongside established research careers in analytic topology. Point-set topology is a discipline that needs relatively little background knowledge, but sufficient determination to grasp i

  4. Stereotyping at the undergraduate level revealed during interprofessional learning between future doctors and biomedical scientists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewitt, Moira S; Ehrenborg, Ewa; Scheja, Max; Brauner, Annelie

    2010-01-01

    Interprofessional education (IPE) involving undergraduate health professionals is expected to promote collaboration in their later careers. The role of IPE between doctors and biomedical scientists has not been explored at the undergraduate level. Our aim was to introduce IPE sessions for medical and biomedical students in order to identify the benefits and barriers to these groups learning together. Medical and biomedical students together discussed laboratory results, relevant literature, and ideas for developing new diagnostic tools. The programme was evaluated with questionnaires and interviews. While there was general support for the idea of IPE, medical and biomedical students responded differently. Biomedical students were more critical, wanted more explicit learning objectives and felt that their professional role was often misunderstood. The medical students were more enthusiastic but regarded the way the biomedical students communicated concerns about their perceived role as a barrier to effective interprofessional learning. We conclude that stereotyping, which can impede effective collaborations between doctors and biomedical scientists, is already present at the undergraduate level and may be a barrier to IPE. Effective learning opportunities should be supported at the curriculum level and be designed to specifically enable a broad appreciation of each other's future professional roles.

  5. Undergraduate and graduate education in Volcanology at University of Bristol, UK

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ernst, G.; Mader, H.; Phillips, J.; Lejeune, A.; Sparks, S.

    2002-05-01

    Volcanology education at Bristol is unique for several reasons. The Bristol group operates within a University Research Centre in Environmental and Geophysical Flows (CEGF), involving over 30 staff-to-PhD-level researchers, centered around close collaboration between 4 depts including Earth Sciences and Applied Maths. The uniquely-multidisciplinary setting supports training in volcanology with strong emphasis on combining field-based physical volcanology, theoretical modelling and simple analogue lab experiments. PhD students gain expertise in at least 2 of these 3 aspects during the PhD. Our dept itself is one of the most multidisciplinary in Earth Sciences and is ranked among the 3 leading ES Depts for its research quality. At dept level, there is a strong focus on understanding physical and chemical processes of magmatic/volcanic systems. Teaching/training of students is thus supported by excellent research, and aims at providing profound insights and practical experience into research. At undergraduate level, key experiences of students include 1.) a week-long field class to textbook-quality field sections on one of the most studied active volcanoes (Santorini, Greece), 2.) an independent project where the aim is to learn about all aspects of research as part of a well-focused study including gaining the experience of producing one potentially-publishable paper, 3.) a hands-on research project centered on using the latest analytical methods to solve a problem - this is most successful for 2 reasons: a.) Bristol hosts the EU Geochemical Facility and coordinates an EU Marie Curie Training Centre and b.) the students operate the instruments themselves (ie. they are not run for them); 4.) fourth-year students are especially challenged on the quantitative front (computer programming, statistical data analyses and hypothesis testing -we have excellent computer labs support for teaching), advanced field work and several independent projects. Students are helped into

  6. Is That Graduate Degree Worth It? Comparing the Recruitment of Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Job Applicants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, R. M.

    2001-12-01

    One could argue from a business prospective that colleges and universities are not working hard enough to train students for life in the business and civic world, at either the undergraduate or graduate levels. What is it that employers are looking for in students? How different are the skills and attributes employers are looking for between undergraduate and graduate students? How unique are the geosciences in this respect? At the undergraduate level recruiters have spoken loud and clear about what they want. According to the dean of the business school here at the University of Arizona, recruiters at the undergraduate degree level in business base less than half of their hiring decision on specific content knowledge in the discipline, and correspondingly more than half on the so-called soft skills ... ability to apply knowledge in new situations, ability to think critically, ability to communicate with others in both written and oral forms, ability to work in teams, ability to work with a diverse set of employees and customers (especially, but not limited to, the global job market), etc. How true is this at the graduate level, where students have typically spent 4-6 years specializing in a discipline? Is there a set of fundamental knowledge that employers are looking for at the graduate level? Are the so-called soft skills correspondingly less important? I will present results from a survey of graduate programs and industry recruiters addressing these questions, and highlight the areas of overlap and difference between undergraduates and graduates looking for jobs. I will concentrate specifically on jobs in the oil industry and on both masters and Ph.D. programs.

  7. Factors influencing undergraduates' self-evaluation of numerical competence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tariq, Vicki N.; Durrani, Naureen

    2012-04-01

    This empirical study explores factors influencing undergraduates' self-evaluation of their numerical competence, using data from an online survey completed by 566 undergraduates from a diversity of academic disciplines, across all four faculties at a post-1992 UK university. Analysis of the data, which included correlation and multiple regression analyses, revealed that undergraduates exhibiting greater confidence in their mathematical and numeracy skills, as evidenced by their higher self-evaluation scores and their higher scores on the confidence sub-scale contributing to the measurement of attitude, possess more cohesive, rather than fragmented, conceptions of mathematics, and display more positive attitudes towards mathematics/numeracy. They also exhibit lower levels of mathematics anxiety. Students exhibiting greater confidence also tended to be those who were relatively young (i.e. 18-29 years), whose degree programmes provided them with opportunities to practise and further develop their numeracy skills, and who possessed higher pre-university mathematics qualifications. The multiple regression analysis revealed two positive predictors (overall attitude towards mathematics/numeracy and possession of a higher pre-university mathematics qualification) and five negative predictors (mathematics anxiety, lack of opportunity to practise/develop numeracy skills, being a more mature student, being enrolled in Health and Social Care compared with Science and Technology, and possessing no formal mathematics/numeracy qualification compared with a General Certificate of Secondary Education or equivalent qualification) accounted for approximately 64% of the variation in students' perceptions of their numerical competence. Although the results initially suggested that male students were significantly more confident than females, one compounding variable was almost certainly the students' highest pre-university mathematics or numeracy qualification, since a higher

  8. Training in radioprotection at undergraduate and postgraduate level at the school of pharmacy and biochemistry, Buenos Aires University

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergoc, R.; Caro, R.A.; Rivera, E.S.; Menossi, C.

    2000-01-01

    The advancement of knowledge in physics studies, medicine, pharmacology, cell biology and other disciplines that take place during the last 60 years is principally due to radioisotopes techniques. For this reason, the importance to teach radioisotopes methodologies at undergraduate and postgraduate levels kept growing. At the same time it was necessary to harmonize the use of these methodologies with environmental preservation. The School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires offers four different Courses on Methodology of Radioisotopes in which the Radiological Protection is focalized under different aspects: 1) A Course for students in the Biochemistry Cycle; 2) A Course for post-Graduate in Medicine, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemists or other disciplines related to the health. 3) Another one for professionals wishing to up-date their knowledge; and finally, 4) one for Technicians in Nuclear Medicine and/or Biomedicine. The aims for teaching Radiological Protection are different for the four levels; in 1), the subject was done from 1960, (optional or mandatory) and with a arrived number of students. In some aspects the teaching of radioprotection is formative and in others informative, because the approval of the a signature does not habitable to ask from the Nuclear Regulatory Authority the authorization to work with radioactive material; in 2), the Course begun in 1962 and 1520 professionals have approved it. In this case the training in radioprotection aspects is theoretical and practical and very intensive, encompassing: dosimetric magnitudes and units, internal and external dosimetry of 125 I, 131 I, 201 Tl, 99M Tc, 60 Co and other isotopes, qualification of area, working conditions, contamination barriers, shielding; justification, optimization and dose limits; radioactive wastes; legal aspects; national and international legislation. The intensity of the training is in accord with that required by each professional and their

  9. Cultures of Undergraduate Teaching at Research Universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serow, Robert C.; Van Dyk, Pamela B.; McComb, Errin M.; Harrold, Adrian T.

    2002-01-01

    Data from five campuses revealed an explicitly oppositional culture among faculty committed to undergraduate teaching, which questions both the Scholarship of Teaching model and the ethos of competitive achievement. The views echo the longstanding populist tradition within U.S. higher education and represent a potential counterforce to the recent…

  10. Prediction of Participation of Undergraduate University Students in a Music and Dance Master’s Degree Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evangelos Bebetsos

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was the investigation of students’ attitudes and intention towards their possible participation in a graduate Music and Dance Distance Learning Master’s Degree Program. The sample consisted of consisted of 229 undergraduate University students, between the ages of 20 to 63 yrs. of age (M=34.24, SD=10.70. More specifically, 134 were students of the Hellenic Open University and 95 were students of the School of Physical Education and Sport Science, of the Democritus University of Thrace. The sample completed the version the “Planned Behavior Theory” questionnaire. Results revealed differences among students of both Universities, between experienced and less experienced ones, and also among age groups. On the contrary, no sex differences in any of the questionnaire’s factors were indicated. In conclusion, the findings of this research allow a better understanding of the distance education process, which explains the attitudes and intention(s of students’ participation, and the factors that might influence theirparticular participation.

  11. Academic program models for undergraduate biomedical engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, Shankar M

    2014-01-01

    There is a proliferation of medical devices across the globe for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases. Biomedical engineering (BME) plays a significant role in healthcare and advancing medical technologies thus creating a substantial demand for biomedical engineers at undergraduate and graduate levels. There has been a surge in undergraduate programs due to increasing demands from the biomedical industries to cover many of their segments from bench to bedside. With the requirement of multidisciplinary training within allottable duration, it is indeed a challenge to design a comprehensive standardized undergraduate BME program to suit the needs of educators across the globe. This paper's objective is to describe three major models of undergraduate BME programs and their curricular requirements, with relevant recommendations to be applicable in institutions of higher education located in varied resource settings. Model 1 is based on programs to be offered in large research-intensive universities with multiple focus areas. The focus areas depend on the institution's research expertise and training mission. Model 2 has basic segments similar to those of Model 1, but the focus areas are limited due to resource constraints. In this model, co-op/internship in hospitals or medical companies is included which prepares the graduates for the work place. In Model 3, students are trained to earn an Associate Degree in the initial two years and they are trained for two more years to be BME's or BME Technologists. This model is well suited for the resource-poor countries. All three models must be designed to meet applicable accreditation requirements. The challenges in designing undergraduate BME programs include manpower, facility and funding resource requirements and time constraints. Each academic institution has to carefully analyze its short term and long term requirements. In conclusion, three models for BME programs are described based on large universities, colleges, and

  12. Theories of the Universe: A One Semester Course for Honors Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dimmock, John O.; Adams, Mitzi; Sever, Tom

    1999-01-01

    For the last two years The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has delivered a one semester course entitled Theories of The Universe as a seminar for undergraduate honors students. The enrollment is limited to fifteen students to encourage a maximum amount of interaction and discussion. The course has been team-taught enlisting the support of four scientists from the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center as well as UAH faculty from the history, philosophy, biology and physics departments. The course mixes history, mythology, philosophy, religion, and, of course, science and astronomy. The course traces mankind's view of the universe and how that has changed from about 30,000 years BCE to the current observations and models. Starting with a brief history of mankind we trace the evolution of ideas including Prehistoric European, Babylonian, Egyptian, Asian, North, Central and South American, African, Chinese, Greek, Middle Ages, Copernican, Galileo, Kepler, the Renaissance and Enlightenment, Newton, Einstein, and Hawking etc. Namely, we try to touch on just about every different view to puzzles of quantum cosmology, missing mass and the cosmological constant. By the end of the course, students should have a good understanding of: (1) the human desire and need for understanding; (2) the interplay between observations, modeling and theory development, and the need for revisions based on further observations; (3) the role of developing technology in advancing knowledge; (4) the evolution of our views of the universe and our relation to it; and (5) where we are today in our quest. Students are required to write two term papers and present them to the class. The final exam is a open discussion on our views of what we have learned.

  13. Using RUFDATA to guide a logic model for a quality assurance process in an undergraduate university program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Paul David

    2016-04-01

    This article presents a framework to identify key mechanisms for developing a logic model blueprint that can be used for an impending comprehensive evaluation of an undergraduate degree program in a Canadian university. The evaluation is a requirement of a comprehensive quality assurance process mandated by the university. A modified RUFDATA (Saunders, 2000) evaluation model is applied as an initiating framework to assist in decision making to provide a guide for conceptualizing a logic model for the quality assurance process. This article will show how an educational evaluation is strengthened by employing a RUFDATA reflective process in exploring key elements of the evaluation process, and then translating this information into a logic model format that could serve to offer a more focussed pathway for the quality assurance activities. Using preliminary program evaluation data from two key stakeholders of the undergraduate program as well as an audit of the curriculum's course syllabi, a case is made for, (1) the importance of inclusivity of key stakeholders participation in the design of the evaluation process to enrich the authenticity and accuracy of program participants' feedback, and (2) the diversification of data collection methods to ensure that stakeholders' narrative feedback is given ample exposure. It is suggested that the modified RUFDATA/logic model framework be applied to all academic programs at the university undergoing the quality assurance process at the same time so that economies of scale may be realized. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Procedural Influence on Internal and External Assessment Scores of Undergraduate Vocational and Technical Education Research Projects in Nigerian Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    A. C., John; Manabete, S. S.

    2015-01-01

    This study sought to determine the procedural influence on internal and external assessment scores of undergraduate research projects in vocational and technical education programmes in the university under study. A survey research design was used for the conduct of this study. The population consisted of 130 lecturers and 1,847 students in the…

  15. Socio-economic analysis of ICT use by undergraduates in Nigerian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The relationship among some socio-economic factors (gender, age and monthly allowance) and use of ICTs by 1,702 undergraduates in seven Nigerian universities was examined. The descriptive survey research was adopted for the study and the population was made up of undergraduates from seven universities in ...

  16. Pattern of Smartphones Utilisation among Engineering Undergraduates

    OpenAIRE

    Muliati Sedek

    2014-01-01

    The smartphones ownership among the undergraduates in Malaysia was recorded as high. However, little was known about its utilization patterns, thus, the focus of this research was to determine the utilisation patterns of smartphones based on the National Education Technology Standard for Students (NETS.S) among engineering undergraduates in Malaysia. This study was based on a quantitative research and the population comprised undergraduates from four Malaysian Technical Universities. A total ...

  17. Undergraduate mathematics competitions (1995–2016) Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

    CERN Document Server

    Brayman, Volodymyr

    2017-01-01

    Versatile and comprehensive in content, this book of problems will appeal to students in nearly all areas of mathematics. The text offers original and advanced problems proposed from 1995 to 2016 at the Mathematics Olympiads. Essential for undergraduate students, PhD students, and instructors, the problems in this book vary in difficulty and cover most of the obligatory courses given at the undergraduate level, including calculus, algebra, geometry, discrete mathematics, measure theory, complex analysis, differential equations, and probability theory. Detailed solutions to all of the problems from Part I are supplied in Part II, giving students the ability to check their solutions and observe new and unexpected ideas. Most of the problems in this book are not technical and allow for a short and elegant solution. The problems given are unique and non-standard; solving the problems requires a creative approach as well as a deep understanding of the material. Nearly all of the problems are originally authored by...

  18. Researching with undergraduate students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wulf-Andersen, Trine Østergaard; Mogensen, Kevin; Hjort-Madsen, Peder

    2013-01-01

    The article presents a particular case of undergraduate students working on subprojects within the framework of their supervisors' (the authors') research project during Autumn Semester 2012 and Spring Semester 2013. The article's purpose is to show that an institutionalized focus on students...... as "research learners" rather than merely curriculum learners proves productive for both research and teaching. We describe the specific university learning context and the particular organization of undergraduate students' supervision and assistantships. The case builds on and further enhances a well......-established and proven university model of participant-directed, problem-oriented project work. We explore students' and researchers' experiences of being part of the collaboration, focusing on learning potentials and dilemmas associated with the multiple roles of researcher and student that characterized...

  19. The influences and experiences of African American undergraduate science majors at predominately White universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blockus, Linda Helen

    The purpose of this study is to describe and explore some of the social and academic experiences of successful African American undergraduate science majors at predominately White universities with the expectation of conceptualizing emerging patterns for future study. The study surveyed 80 upperclass African Americans at 11 public research universities about their perceptions of the influences that affect their educational experiences and career interests in science. The mailed survey included the Persistence/ voluntary Dropout Decision Scale, the Cultural Congruity Scale and the University Environment Scale. A variety of potential influences were considered including family background, career goals, psychosocial development, academic and social connections with the university, faculty relationships, environmental fit, retention factors, validation, participation in mentored research projects and other experiences. The students' sources of influences, opportunities for connection, and cultural values were considered in the context of a research university environment and investigated for emerging themes and direction for future research. Results indicate that performance in coursework appears to be the most salient factor in African American students' experience as science majors. The mean college gpa was 3.01 for students in this study. Challenging content, time demands, study habits and concern with poor grades all serve to discourage students; however, for most of the students in this study, it has not dissuaded them from their educational and career plans. Positive course performance provided encouragement. Science faculty provide less influence than family members, and more students find faculty members discouraging than supportive. Measures of faculty relations were not associated with academic success. No evidence was provided to confirm the disadvantages of being female in a scientific discipline. Students were concerned with lack of minority role models

  20. 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),...

  1. Datasets on demographic trends in enrollment into undergraduate engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Badejo, Joke A; Odukoya, Jonathan A; Omole, David O; Ajayi, Priscilla

    2018-06-01

    In this data article, we present and analyze the demographic data of undergraduates admitted into engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria. The population distribution of 2649 candidates admitted into Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Information and Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering programs between 2002 and 2009 are analyzed by gender, age, and state of origin. The data provided in this data article were retrieved from the student bio-data submitted to the Department of Admissions and Student Records (DASR) and Center for Systems and Information Services (CSIS) by the candidates during the application process into the various engineering undergraduate programs. These vital information is made publicly available, after proper data anonymization, to facilitate empirical research in the emerging field of demographics analytics in higher education. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file is attached to this data article and the data is thoroughly described for easy reuse. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the demographic data are presented in tables, plots, graphs, and charts. Unrestricted access to these demographic data will facilitate reliable and evidence-based research findings for sustainable education in developing countries.

  2. A Social Capital Perspective on the Mentoring of Undergraduate Life Science Researchers: An Empirical Study of Undergraduate-Postgraduate-Faculty Triads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aikens, Melissa L.; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Eby, Lillian T.; Dolan, Erin L.

    2016-01-01

    Undergraduate researchers at research universities are often mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral researchers (referred to collectively as "postgraduates") and faculty, creating a mentoring triad structure. Triads differ based on whether the undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member interact with one another about the…

  3. Burnout syndrome among undergraduate nursing students at a public university1

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  4. Evaluation of an Intercultural Peer Training for Incoming Undergraduate Students at an International University in Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karina K. Kedzior

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available University education is increasingly becoming international. Therefore, it is important that universities prepare their new students for the challenges of an intercultural academic environment. The aim of the current study was to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of an intercultural peer-to-peer training offered to all new incoming students at Jacobs University Bremen, Germany. The training aims to facilitate the social and academic integration of students at this international university. A total of 117 first-year undergraduate students completed a pen-and-paper questionnaire with 47 items one semester (6 months after attending the intercultural training. The results suggest that participants liked the structure of the training and the use of senior students as peer trainers. It appears that the training improved the awareness of the effects of culture (own and other on the social life of students. However, the training was less adequate at preparing the participants for the student-centered academic culture at this university. In light of its cost-effectiveness, the intercultural training could be easily adopted for use at other universities as part of the campus-wide orientation activities. However, regardless of their culture, all new university students require more assistance to academically adapt to and succeed in multicultural classrooms.

  5. Analysis of the study skills of undergraduate pharmacy students of the University of Zambia School of Medicine

    OpenAIRE

    Ezeala, Christian Chinyere; Siyanga, Nalucha

    2015-01-01

    It aimed to compare the study skills of two groups of undergraduate pharmacy students in the School of Medicine, University of Zambia using the Study Skills Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ), with the goal of analysing students’ study skills and identifying factors that affect study skills. A questionnaire was distributed to 67 participants from both programs using stratified random sampling. Completed questionnaires were rated according to participants study skill. The total scores and scores ...

  6. Undergraduate Program Review Processes: A Case Study in Opportunity for Academic Libraries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costella, John; Adam, Tom; Gray, Fran; Nolan, Nicole; Wilkins, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    How can an academic library most effectively participate and expand its contributions to program reviews at the institutional level? By becoming involved in undergraduate reviews, college and university libraries can articulate new and enhanced roles for themselves on campus. Academic libraries have always contributed to a variety of institutional…

  7. Environmental Literacy of Undergraduate College Students: Development of the Environmental Literacy Instrument (ELI)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd-Strovas, Jenny; Moseley, Christine; Arsuffi, Tom

    2018-01-01

    As the world population continues to increase and natural resources become limited, environmental education (EE) in universities play an essential role in developing environmentally literate. This study measured the environmental literacy (EL) levels (familiar knowledge, factual knowledge, attitude, behavior) of undergraduate college students.…

  8. Perceptions of Academic Staff towards Accommodating Students with Disabilities in a Civil Engineering Undergraduate Program in a University in South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayat, Nafisa; Amosun, Seyi Ladele

    2011-01-01

    This study explored the perceptions of academic staff towards admission of students with disabilities, and their accommodation once accepted into an undergraduate Civil Engineering program in a South African university. Qualitative responses relating to the perceptions of five academic staff were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The…

  9. Development of undergraduate nuclear security curriculum at College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamid, Nasri A.; Mujaini, Madihah; Mohamed, Abdul Aziz

    2017-01-01

    The Center for Nuclear Energy (CNE), College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) has a great responsibility to undertake educational activities that promote developing human capital in the area of nuclear engineering and technology. Developing human capital in nuclear through education programs is necessary to support the implementation of nuclear power projects in Malaysia in the near future. In addition, the educational program must also meet the nuclear power industry needs and requirements. In developing a certain curriculum, the contents must comply with the university's Outcomes Based Education (OBE) philosophy. One of the important courses in the nuclear curriculum is in the area of nuclear security. Basically the nuclear security course covers the current issues of law, politics, military strategy, and technology with regard to weapons of mass destruction and related topics in international security, and review legal regulations and political relationship that determine the state of nuclear security at the moment. In addition, the course looks into all aspects of the nuclear safeguards, builds basic knowledge and understanding of nuclear non-proliferation, nuclear forensics and nuclear safeguards in general. The course also discusses tools used to combat nuclear proliferation such as treaties, institutions, multilateral arrangements and technology controls. In this paper, we elaborate the development of undergraduate nuclear security course at the College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional. Since the course is categorized as mechanical engineering subject, it must be developed in tandem with the program educational objectives (PEO) of the Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering program. The course outcomes (CO) and transferrable skills are also identified. Furthermore, in aligning the CO with program outcomes (PO), the PO elements need to be emphasized through the CO-PO mapping. As such, all assessments and distribution of Bloom Taxonomy

  10. Determinants of Malaria Prevention and Treatment Seeking Behaviours of Pregnant Undergraduates Resident in University Hostels, South-East Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthonia Ukamaka Chinweuba

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This cross-sectional descriptive survey investigated determinants of malaria prevention and treatment seeking behaviours of pregnant undergraduates resident in university hostels, South-East Nigeria. Purposive sampling was used to enrol 121 accessible and consenting undergraduates with self-revealed and noticeable pregnancy residing in twenty-three female hostels of four university campuses in Enugu State, Nigeria. Structured interview guide developed based on reviewed literature and WHO-recommended malaria prevention and treatment measures was used to collect students’ self-report data on malaria preventive health behaviours, sick role behaviours, and clinic use using mixed methods. The WHO-recommended malaria prevention measures were sparingly used. Some believed that pregnancy does not play any role in a woman’s reaction to malaria infection. Only 41 (50.6% visited a hospital for screening and treatment. Thirty-four (28.1% used antimalaria medicine bought from chemist shop or over-the-counter medicines, while 33 (27.3% used untreated net. The students were more likely to complete their antimalaria medicine when they were sick with malaria infection than for prevention (p=0.0186. Knowledge, academic schedule, cultural influence on perception and decision-making, and accessibility of health facility were key determinants of the women’s preventive and treatment seeking behaviours. Health education on malaria prevention and dangers of drug abuse should form part of orientation lectures for all freshmen. University health centres should be upgraded to provide basic antenatal care services.

  11. Student Perceptions of an Upper-Level, Undergraduate Human Anatomy Laboratory Course without Cadavers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Shirley J.

    2012-01-01

    Several programs in health professional education require or are considering requiring upper-level human anatomy as prerequisite for their applicants. Undergraduate students are confronted with few institutions offering such a course, in part because of the expense and logistical issues associated with a cadaver-based human anatomy course. This…

  12. The Effect of Note-Taking on University Students' Listening Comprehension of Lectures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiliçkaya, Ferit; Çokal Karadas, Derya

    2009-01-01

    The study investigated the effect of note-taking on comprehension of lectures by 44 undergraduate EFL students who are in the first year of their undergraduate level in the Department of Foreign Language Education in Middle East Technical University. The participants were divided into two groups, namely experimental and control groups. The…

  13. 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 ...

  14. Analysis of controversial items in the theoretical design of the undergraduate's thesis at the Cuban University of Informatics Sciences (UIS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rolando Quintana Aput

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The present paper encloses the analysis of some troubles related to the development of theoretical design concerning the undergraduate thesis at the Cuban University of Informatics Sciences (UIS. This analysis proves to be decisive due to the existing demand for improving professionals training in the fields of investigation related to computing world.

  15. Investigating the Target Language Usage in and outside Business English Classrooms for Non-English Major Undergraduates at a Chinese University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Qing

    2017-01-01

    This article reports an investigative study on the target language use in and outside business English classrooms for non-English major undergraduates in a Chinese university context. The aims of the study are to identify the actual situation of target language use in business English teaching and to suggest ways for improvements. The study uses…

  16. The undergraduate optics course at Millersville University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilani, Tariq H.; Dushkina, Natalia M.

    2009-06-01

    For many years, there was no stand alone course in optics at Millersville University (MU). In the fall of 2007, the Physics Department offered for the first time PHYS 331: Fundamentals in Optics, a discovery based lab course in geometrical, physical and modern optics. This 300-level, 2 credits course consists of four contact hours per week including one-hour lecture and three hours laboratory. This course is required for BS in physics majors, but is open also to other science majors, who have the appropriate background and have met the prerequisites. This course deals with fundamental optics and optical techniques in greater depth so that the student is abreast of the activities in the forefront of the field. The goal of the course is to provide hands-on experience and in-depth preparation of our students for graduate programs in optics or as a workforce for new emerging high-tech local industries. Students learn applied optics through sequence of discovery based laboratory experiments chosen from a broad range of topics in optics and lasers, as the emphasis is on geometrical optics, geometrical aberrations in optical systems, wave optics, microscopy, spectroscopy, polarization, birefringence, laser generation, laser properties and applications, and optical standards. The peer-guided but open-ended approach provides excellent practice for the academic model of science research. Solving problems is embedded in the laboratory part as an introduction to or a conclusion of the experiment performed during the lab period. The homework problems are carefully chosen to reflect the most important relations from the covered material. Important part of the student learning strategy is the individual work on a final mini project which is presented in the class and is included in the final grading. This new course also impacted the department's undergraduate research and training programs. Some of the individual projects were extended to senior research projects in optics as

  17. 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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  18. The level of emotional intelligence in undergraduate students of nursing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Majerníková Ľudmila

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim. The theory of emotional intelligence provides a framework to think about all of the non-technical skills you need in order to be a good nurse. It’s often described as the potential to feel, use, communicate, recognize, remember, describe, identify, learn from, manage, understand, and explain emotions. The aim of the study was to determine the level of total global Emotional Intelligence among undergraduate students of nursing and also to check the influence of factors (the year of study, type of completed high school education on Emotional Intelligence.

  19. Consensus-Based Palliative Care Competencies for Undergraduate Nurses and Physicians: A Demonstrative Process with Colombian Universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastrana, Tania; Wenk, Roberto; De Lima, Liliana

    2016-01-01

    A World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution adopted in 2014 strongly encourages member states to integrate palliative care (PC) in undergraduate training for health professionals. The study objective was to describe a consensus-based process workshop to develop PC competences for medical and nursing schools in Colombia and to present a summary of the findings. The workshop included 36 participants representing 16 medical and 6 nursing schools from 18 universities in Colombia. Participants were distributed in four thematic groups. Using the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) List of Essential Practices (LEP) as guidance, they were asked to discuss and define PC competencies at the undergraduate level. Participants provided feedback and approved each recommendation, and then were asked to complete an evaluation. The resulting competences were separated into six categories: (1) Definition and Principles of PC, (2) Identification and Control of Symptoms, (3) End-of-Life Care, (4) Ethical and Legal Issues, (5) Psychosocial and Spiritual Issues, and (6) Teamwork. A comparative analysis revealed that treatment of several symptoms in the IAHPC LEP (pain, dyspnea, constipation, nausea, vomit, diarrhea, delirium, and insomnia) were included in the competencies. All of the IAHPC LEP related to psychological/emotional/spiritual care was included. The evaluation rate of return was 80%. The assessment was very positive: total score of 4.7/5.0; SD = 0.426), with 89% considering the workshop to be helpful. The workshop provided an opportunity for individuals from different disciplines to discuss competencies and achieve consensus. The resulting competencies will be helpful in the development of PC curricula for physicians and nurses throughout schools in Colombia and other countries.

  20. Predictors of self-reported academic performance among undergraduate medical students of Hawassa University, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gedefaw A

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Abel Gedefaw,1 Birkneh Tilahun,2 Anteneh Asefa3 1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 2Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, 3School of Public and Environmental Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia Background: This study was conducted to identify predictors of self-reported academic performance in undergraduate medical students at Hawassa University. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study involving 592 undergraduate medical students was conducted in November 2012. The academic performance of the study subjects was measured by self-reported cumulative grade point average (GPA using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16 software. Pearson's bivariate correlations, multiple linear regression, and multiple logistic regression were used to identify predictors of academic performance. Results: The self-reported academic performance of students had been decreasing as the academic years progressed, with the highest and lowest performance being in the premedicine (mean GPA 3.47 and clinical I (mean GPA 2.71 years, respectively. One hundred and fifty-eight (26.7% of the participants had ever been delayed, 37 (6.2% had ever re-sat for examination, and two (0.3% had ever been warned due to academic failure. The overall variation in self-reported academic performance of the students was 32.8%. Participant age alone explained 21.9% of the variation. On the other hand, university entrance examination results, substance use at university, and medicine as first choice by students were identified as predictors of variation in self-reported academic performance, accounting for 6.9%, 2.7%, and <1% of the variation, respectively. Students who had never used tobacco, alcohol, or khat after starting university were twice as likely to score a self-reported cumulative GPA above 3.0 (adjusted odds ratio 1.95, 95

  1. Concepts of Information Literacy and Information Literacy Standards among Undergraduate Students in Public and Private Universities in the State of Kuwait

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Issa, Reham E.

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of undergraduate college students attending a public and a private university in the State of Kuwait to understand how they develop their understanding and valuing of information literacy and information literacy standards. Data from student and faculty interviews and student…

  2. Making Sense of the Information Seeking Process of Undergraduates in a Specialised University: Revelations from Dialogue Journaling on WhatsApp Messenger

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krubu, Dorcas Ejemeh; Zinn, Sandy; Hart, Genevieve

    2017-01-01

    Aim/Purpose: The research work investigated the information seeking process of undergraduates in a specialised university in Nigeria, in the course of a group assignment. Background: Kuhlthau's Information Search Process (ISP) model is used as lens to reveal how students interact with information in the affective, cognitive and physical realms.…

  3. DETERMINANT FACTORS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT’S DROPOUT IN AN ACCOUNTING STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF A BRAZILIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel de Oliveira Durso

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The purpose of this article was to identify explanatory factors for undergraduate student’s dropout from the Accounting program of a Brazilian public university. The theoretical platform that guided the study was formulated using three evasion models related to higher education. The survey database consisted of socioeconomic and demographic information of 371 students. The research used quantitative and qualitative methodologies to reach the proposed goal. Quantitative data analysis was performed through logistic regression. The model proposed by the study was able to accurately predict 77% of the cases of dropout/completion from the sample. The qualitative step was based on five semi-structured interviews with those in the sample who dropped out of their studies. The findings of the research have helped understand the phenomenon of undergraduate student dropout from the Accounting program and stresses the importance of rethinking public policies for the retention of talent and, especially, of those students who depend on their work to maintain their studies.

  4. Clinical audit teaching in record-keeping for dental undergraduates at International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chong, Jun A; Chew, Jamie K Y; Ravindranath, Sneha; Pau, Allan

    2014-02-01

    This study investigated the impact of clinical audit training on record-keeping behavior of dental students and students' perceptions of the clinical audit training. The training was delivered to Year 4 and Year 5 undergraduates at the School of Dentistry, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It included a practical audit exercise on patient records. The results were presented by the undergraduates, and guidelines were framed from the recommendations proposed. Following this, an audit of Year 4 and Year 5 students' patient records before and after the audit training was carried out. A total of 100 records were audited against a predetermined set of criteria by two examiners. An email survey of the students was also conducted to explore their views of the audit training. Results showed statistically significant improvements in record-keeping following audit training. Responses to the email survey were analyzed qualitatively. Respondents reported that the audit training helped them to identify deficiencies in their record-keeping practice, increased their knowledge in record-keeping, and improved their record-keeping skills. Improvements in clinical audit teaching were also proposed.

  5. Immediate field of intervention: undergraduate college Preparation ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ... field of intervention: undergraduate college Preparation: at research institutes and universities The challenge: to transform the disciplines themselves Make them relevant and responsive. First step: create innovative interactions across the higher education spectrum, between Research Institute-University-College.

  6. 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

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  8. Investigation of Undergraduate Students’ Environmental Attitudes

    OpenAIRE

    Sacit KÖSE; Ayse SAVRAN GENCER; Kudret GEZER; Gül Hanım EROL; Kadir BİLEN

    2011-01-01

    Environmental education has been viewed as an important way to educate students about environmental issues beginning from pre-school to higher education. This study is a part of this field- namely, undergraduate environmental education. The purpose of the study is to explore undergraduate students’ attitudes towards environment after the course “Environment, Human, and Society”. In direction of this basic aim, environmental attitudes of university students were e...

  9. Characteristics of undergraduate medical thesis of a Peruvian public university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Betty Castro Maldonado

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The undergraduate thesis rather than a requirement to graduate, are a way of doing research. Previous studies show a thesis published between 2.7% to 17.6% in indexed journals. Objective: Describe the characteristics of the undergraduate thesis of the Faculty of a medical school. Bibliometric study. 221 theses were reviewed, collecting: Year, number of authors, advisers, and references, study population, and national priorities for health research. A search was performed on Google Scholar to assess publication. Descriptive statistics were used. Results: Being lower production in the years 2008-2010 was observed. 91.6% had one advisor, 76% descriptive, 82.8% in hospital population, and 62.4% of adults. Theses displayed between 2010-2014 72.9% did not correspond to any national health research priority. Only 6.8% was based on literature of the last five years. Only 9 (4.1% were published in a scientific journal indexed. Conclusions: The undergraduate thesis were characterized as descriptive, hospital, adults, literature based on outdated and not in line with the national priorities for health research. The publication is low.

  10. College Slang Revisited: Language, Culture, and Undergraduate Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hummon, David M.

    1994-01-01

    Analysis of 642 slang terms that college students use to characterize peers at Holy Cross College (Massachusetts) and University of California, Davis suggests that undergraduate slang usage is socially complex, the language is reflective of campus and academic life, and that it portrays undergraduate life from the perspective of dominant student…

  11. Electronic learning readiness assessment of Nigerian Undergraduates

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    learning. Two hypotheses were evolved to give direction to this study. The study was a pilot study and the University of Lagos was purposively selected. It was targeted at undergraduate students of the University of Lagos. A simple random ...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nur, Naim; Kıbık, Ahmet; Kılıç, Esma; Sümer, Haldun

    2017-07-01

    The aims of this study were to explore factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among students of Cumhuriyet University, Turkey. 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. Place of residency (odds ratio (OR) = 3.947 for role emotion dimension), smoking status (OR = -2.756 for role physical dimension), received amount of pocket money (OR = 2.463 for mental health dimension), and body mass index (OR = 1.463 for mental health dimension) were the factors significantly associated with the HRQOL. Young students' HRQOL is affected by socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors. To improve student's HRQOL, any health-promoting strategies should focus on modifiable risk factors and socioeconomic supports for students.

  13. A new undergraduate course: Problems in nuclear engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larsen, Edward W.

    2011-01-01

    During the past five years, a new third-year undergraduate nuclear engineering course has been developed and taught at the University of Michigan. The course was created to correct certain deficiencies in the undergraduate nuclear engineering curriculum. Here we discuss the origins of the new course and our experience with it. (author)

  14. Undergraduate Research and Academic Archives: Instruction, Learning and Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krause, Magia G.

    2010-01-01

    Colleges and universities are increasingly investing resources to promote undergraduate research. Undergraduate research can be broadly defined to incorporate scientific inquiry, creative expression, and scholarship with the result of producing original work. Academic archives and special collections can play a vital role in the undergraduate…

  15. The Effect of Anomie on Academic Dishonesty among University Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caruana, Albert; Ramaseshan, B.; Ewing, Michael T.

    2000-01-01

    Following a review of the literature on anomie and academic dishonesty at the university level, this paper reports on a survey of 300 undergraduate business students in Australia which found the newly developed measure both reliable and valid for measuring actual cheating and plagiarism. Concludes that universities need to foster development of an…

  16. Integration of NASA Research into Undergraduate Education in Math, Science, Engineering and Technology at North Carolina A&T State University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroe, Joseph; Kelkar, Ajit

    2003-01-01

    The NASA PAIR program incorporated the NASA-Sponsored research into the undergraduate environment at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. This program is designed to significantly improve undergraduate education in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology (MSET) by directly benefiting from the experiences of NASA field centers, affiliated industrial partners and academic institutions. The three basic goals of the program were enhancing core courses in MSET curriculum, upgrading core-engineering laboratories to compliment upgraded MSET curriculum, and conduct research training for undergraduates in MSET disciplines through a sophomore shadow program and through Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs. Since the inception of the program nine courses have been modified to include NASA related topics and research. These courses have impacted over 900 students in the first three years of the program. The Electrical Engineering circuit's lab is completely re-equipped to include Computer controlled and data acquisition equipment. The Physics lab is upgraded to implement better sensory data acquisition to enhance students understanding of course concepts. In addition a new instrumentation laboratory in the department of Mechanical Engineering is developed. Research training for A&T students was conducted through four different programs: Apprentice program, Developers program, Sophomore Shadow program and Independent Research program. These programs provided opportunities for an average of forty students per semester.

  17. Learning analytics for smart campus: Data on academic performances of engineering undergraduates in Nigerian private university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Segun I. Popoola

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Empirical measurement, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of learning outcomes in higher institutions of developing countries may lead to sustainable education in the region. In this data article, data about the academic performances of undergraduates that studied engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria are presented and analyzed. A total population sample of 1841 undergraduates that studied Chemical Engineering (CHE, Civil Engineering (CVE, Computer Engineering (CEN, Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE, Information and Communication Engineering (ICE, Mechanical Engineering (MEE, and Petroleum Engineering (PET within the year range of 2002–2014 are randomly selected. For the five-year study period of engineering program, Grade Point Average (GPA and its cumulative value of each of the sample were obtained from the Department of Student Records and Academic Affairs. In order to encourage evidence-based research in learning analytics, detailed datasets are made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file attached to this article. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the academic performance data are presented in tables and graphs for easy data interpretations. In addition, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are performed to determine whether the variations in the academic performances are significant across the seven engineering programs. The data provided in this article will assist the global educational research community and regional policy makers to understand and optimize the learning environment towards the realization of smart campuses and sustainable education. Keywords: Smart campus, Learning analytics, Sustainable education, Nigerian university, Education data mining, Engineering

  18. Development of a Behavior Change Intervention to Improve Sexual Health Service Use Among University Undergraduate Students: Mixed Methods Study Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassidy, Christine; Steenbeek, Audrey; Langille, Donald; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Curran, Janet

    2017-11-02

    University students are at risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections and suffering other negative health outcomes. Sexual health services offer preventive and treatment interventions that aim to reduce these infections and associated health consequences. However, university students often delay or avoid seeking sexual health services. An in-depth understanding of the factors that influence student use of sexual health services is needed to underpin effective sexual health interventions. In this study, we aim to design a behavior change intervention to address university undergraduate students' use of sexual health services at two universities in Nova Scotia, Canada. This mixed methods study consists of three phases that follow a systematic approach to intervention design outlined in the Behaviour Change Wheel. In Phase 1, we examine patterns of sexual health service use among university students in Nova Scotia, Canada, using an existing dataset. In Phase 2, we identify the perceived barriers and enablers to students' use of sexual health services. This will include focus groups with university undergraduate students, health care providers, and university administrators using a semistructured guide, informed by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour Model and Theoretical Domains Framework. In Phase 3, we identify behavior change techniques and intervention components to develop a theory-based intervention to improve students' use of sexual health services. This study will be completed in March 2018. Results from each phase and the finalized intervention design will be reported in 2018. Previous intervention research to improve university students' use of sexual health services lacks a theoretical assessment of barriers. This study will employ a mixed methods research design to examine university students' use of sexual health service and apply behavior change theory to design a theory- and evidence-based sexual health service intervention. Our

  19. 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.

  20. Physical and mental health perspectives of first year undergraduate rural university students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Rafat; Guppy, Michelle; Robertson, Suzanne; Temple, Elizabeth

    2013-09-15

    University students are often perceived to have a privileged position in society and considered immune to ill-health and disability. There is growing evidence that a sizeable proportion experience poor physical health, and that the prevalence of psychological disorders is higher in university students than their community peers. This study examined the physical and mental health issues for first year Australian rural university students and their perception of access to available health and support services. Cross-sectional study design using an online survey form based on the Adolescent Screening Questionnaire modeled on the internationally recognised HEADSS survey tool. The target audience was all first-year undergraduate students enrolled in an on-campus degree program. The response rate was 41% comprising 355 students (244 females, 111 males). Data was analysed using standard statistical techniques including descriptive and inferential statistics; and thematic analysis of the open-ended responses. The mean age of the respondents was 20.2 years (SD 4.8). The majority of the students lived in on-campus residential college style accommodation, and a third combined part-time paid work with full-time study. Most students reported being in good physical health. However, on average two health conditions were reported over the past six months, with the most common being fatigue (56%), frequent headaches (26%) and allergies (24%). Mental health problems included anxiety (25%), coping difficulties (19.7%) and diagnosed depression (8%). Most respondents reported adequate access to medical doctors and support services for themselves (82%) and friends (78%). However the qualitative comments highlighted concerns about stigma, privacy and anonymity in seeking counselling. The present study adds to the limited literature of physical and mental health issues as well as barriers to service utilization by rural university students. It provides useful baseline data for the

  1. Attitudes among Brazilian University Undergraduates regarding Cinema with Contents on Sexual Diversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Angelo Brandelli; dos Santos, Camila Backes; Rodrigues, Manoela Carpenedo; Nardi, Henrique Caetano

    2009-01-01

    In this experience report we describe an event using cinema as a way to promote affirmative actions regarding sexual diversity among psychology undergraduates. As undergraduate students, we identify the need of a debate that could overcome the boundaries of the traditional notions of gender, sexuality and desire, in order to rethink what is…

  2. Patterns of Undergraduates' Use of Scholarly Databases in a Large Research University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbabu, Loyd Gitari; Bertram, Albert; Varnum, Ken

    2013-01-01

    Authentication data was utilized to explore undergraduate usage of subscription electronic databases. These usage patterns were linked to the information literacy curriculum of the library. The data showed that out of the 26,208 enrolled undergraduate students, 42% of them accessed a scholarly database at least once in the course of the entire…

  3. Reactor laboratory course for students majoring in nuclear engineering with the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishihara, H.; Shiroya, S.; Kanda, K.

    1996-01-01

    With the use of the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), a joint reactor laboratory course of graduate level is offered every summer since 1975 by nine associated Japanese universities (Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Musashi Institute of Technology, Tokai University, Nagoya University, Osaka University, Kobe University of Mercantile Marine and Kyushu University) in addition to a reactor laboratory course of undergraduate level for Kyoto University. These courses are opened for three weeks (two weeks for the joint course and one week for the undergraduate course) to students majoring in nuclear engineering and a total of 1,360 students have taken the course in the last 21 years. The joint course has been institutionalized with the background that it is extremely difficult for a single university in Japan to have her own research or training reactor. By their effort, the united faculty team of the joint course have succeeded in giving an effective, unique one-week course, taking advantage of their collaboration. Last year, an enquete (questionnaire survey) was conducted to survey the needs for the educational experiments of graduate level and precious data have been obtained for promoting reactor laboratory courses. (author)

  4. Beyond Discourse to Emancipatory Action: Lessons from an Undergraduate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasque, Penny A.; Neubauer, Hailey

    2013-01-01

    One undergraduate's transformational story of self-discovery and personal development frames this discussion of the importance of undergraduate involvement in social justice research. In this article, the authors first share a bit about the national landscape regarding community-university engagement initiatives. They also share research findings…

  5. Association Between Undergraduate Performance Predictors and Academic and Clinical Performance of Osteopathic Medical Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agahi, Farshad; Speicher, Mark R; Cisek, Grace

    2018-02-01

    Medical schools use a variety of preadmission indices to select potential students. These indices generally include undergraduate grade point average (GPA), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, and preadmission interviews. To investigate whether the admission indices used by Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine are associated with the academic and clinical performance of their students. Associations between the prematriculation variables of undergraduate science GPA, undergraduate total GPA, MCAT component scores, and interview scores and the academic and clinical variables of the first- and second-year medical school GPA, Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 and Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation (CE) total and discipline scores, scores in clinical rotations for osteopathic competencies, COMLEX-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation passage, and match status were evaluated. Two-tailed Pearson product-moment correlations with a Bonferroni adjustment were used to examine these relationships. The traditional predictors of science and total undergraduate GPA as well as total and component MCAT scores had small to moderate associations with first- and second-year GPA, as well as COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-CE total scores. Of all predictors, only the MCAT biological sciences score had a statistically significant correlation with failure of the COMLEX-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation examination (P=.009). Average interview scores were associated only with the osteopathic competency of medical knowledge (r=0.233; n=209; P=.001), as assessed by clerkship preceptors. No predictors were associated with scores in objective structured clinical encounters or with failing to match to a residency position. The data indicate that traditional predictors of academic performance (undergraduate GPA, undergraduate science GPA, and MCAT scores) have small to moderate association with medical school grades and

  6. [Level of teaching competence at the Undergraduate Medical Internship of UNAM's Faculty of Medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-González, Adrián; Lifshitz-Guinzberg, Alberto; González-Quintanilla, Eduardo; Monterrosas-Rojas, Ana María; Flores-Hernández, Fernando; Gatica-Lara, Florina; Martínez-Franco, Adrián Israel; Sánchez-Mendiola, Melchor

    2017-01-01

    There is no systematic evaluation of teaching performance in the clinical area at UNAM Faculty of Medicine. The study purpose is to assess the teaching competence level in the Undergraduate Medical Internship (UMI). The paper describes the process of psychometric validity for the instrument designed to evaluate teaching competence in the UMI. This instrument was constructed from two previously developed instruments. The final version with 54 items in a Likert scale was studied with exploratory factorial analysis. Four dimensions were obtained: Solution of clinical problems, Psychopedagogy, Mentoring, and Evaluation. The instrument had a reliability of 0.994, with an explained variance of 77.75%. To evaluate the teaching competence level, we administered 844 questionnaires to a sample of students with a response rate of 89%. We obtained an overall global score of 89.4 ± 9.6 (mean ± SD). The dimension Solution of clinical problems was the one with a greater value, in contrast with the dimension of Evaluation, which had a lower score. The teachers of the UMI are considered educators with high level of teaching competence, according to the perceptions of the undergraduate internal doctors. The evaluation of teaching competence level is very important for institutions that look for the continuous professional development of its faculty.

  7. Radiochemistry in chemistry and chemistry related undergraduate programmes in Argentina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fornaciari Iljadica, M.C.; Furnari, J.C.; Cohen, I.M.

    2006-01-01

    The evolution of education in Argentina at the university level is described. The detailed search of the educational offer shows that less than half of the universities (35 out of 92) include chemistry and chemistry related undergraduate programmes in their curriculum. The revision of the position of radiochemistry in these programmes reveals that only seven courses on radiochemistry are currently offered. Radiochemistry is included only in few programmes in chemistry and biochemistry. With respect to the programmes in chemical engineering the situation is worse. This offer is strongly concentrated in Buenos Aires and its surroundings. (author)

  8. Students' Views of A-Level Mathematics as Preparation for Degree-Level Economics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darlington, Ellie; Bowyer, Jessica

    2017-01-01

    As part of a large-scale survey of over 4000 undergraduates at British universities, 238 economics students reported on their experiences of studying post-compulsory secondary mathematics qualifications (A-levels) and the preparation they provided for their degrees. Participants were positive about their experience of post-compulsory mathematics…

  9. Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins Joint Center for Biomedical Engineering Research: scientific and cultural exchange in undergraduate engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wisneski, Andrew D; Huang, Lixia; Hong, Bo; Wang, Xiaoqin

    2011-01-01

    A model for an international undergraduate biomedical engineering research exchange program is outlined. In 2008, the Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing, China established the Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins Joint Center for Biomedical Engineering Research. Undergraduate biomedical engineering students from both universities are offered the opportunity to participate in research at the overseas institution. Programs such as these will not only provide research experiences for undergraduates but valuable cultural exchange and enrichment as well. Currently, strict course scheduling and rigorous curricula in most biomedical engineering programs may present obstacles for students to partake in study abroad opportunities. Universities are encouraged to harbor abroad opportunities for undergraduate engineering students, for which this particular program can serve as a model.

  10. Quality of Life of Students with Disabilites Attending Jordanian Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Zboon, Eman; Ahmad, Jamal Fathi; Theeb, Raied Sheikh

    2014-01-01

    In spite of increasing number of students with disabilities in universities, there is limited research on quality of life of these students. This study aimed to identify the quality of life level of undergraduate students with disabilities at Jordanian universities. The sample consisted of (147) students. A quality of life scale was constructed,…

  11. Attitude of Niger Delta university undergraduates towards HIV/AIDS

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Emeka Egbochuku

    that undergraduates had a positive attitude towards HIV/AIDS campaigns with the attitude of female .... print/audio media and also visual media. Also in the schools peer .... use. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 3(1), 53-58.

  12. Enlistment Propensities of University Students

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Moskos, Charles

    2004-01-01

    Enlistment propensities of undergraduates were assessed through surveys conducted at Northwestern University, University of Arizona, University of California-Los Angeles, and University of Illinois-Chicago...

  13. Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Evaluation: Focus on the Mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dongmei, Zeng; Jiangbo, Chen

    2009-01-01

    It is obvious to all that the National Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Evaluation plan for higher education institutions launched in 2003 has promoted undergraduate teaching at universities and colleges. At the same time, however, the authors have also witnessed problems with the evaluation work itself, for example, unified evaluation…

  14. Medical students perception of undergraduate ophthalmology training in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi Campus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onyekwe, L O; Nwosu, S N N

    2006-12-01

    To determine the perception and aspiration of medical students towards ophthalmology. Information for the study was obtained through forced-choice questionnaire set to 102 medical students in 2000/2001 graduating class in Nnamdi Azikiwe University. One hundred questionnaires were completed. As a specialty of choice ophthalmology ranked fourth {16.0%} as a first choice; second {21.0%} as a second choice and first {26.0%} as a third choice. Ninety-five of respondents found ophthalmology training useful. This cohort of medical students considered ophthalmic training in this institution essential and adequate. Undergraduate ophthalmic course should ensure an understanding of the basic principles of ophthalmology and should be designed to motivate the interest and confidence of the medical students in the specialty. Training period should be at least 4 weeks. With appropriate training ophthalmology can attract reasonable interest as a choice for specification.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naim Nur

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available 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 (odds ratio (OR = 3.947 for role emotion dimension, smoking status (OR = -2.756 for role physical dimension, received amount of pocket money (OR = 2.463 for mental health dimension, and body mass index (OR = 1.463 for mental health dimension were the factors significantly associated with the HRQOL. Conclusions: Young students’ HRQOL is affected by socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors. To improve student’s HRQOL, any health-promoting strategies should focus on modifiable risk factors and socioeconomic supports for students.

  16. Scenario-based teaching in undergraduate medical education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patel K

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Kunj Patel, Omar El Tokhy Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UKWe read with great interest the study by Frost et al1 which highlights the importance of scenario-based teaching (SBT of clinical communication in medical undergraduate pediatrics teaching. SBT involves students navigating a storyline based around a complex problem, running in parallel with case-based learning. We were impressed by the results of the SBT program at Cardiff University School of Medicine. As medical students currently on our pediatric rotation at Imperial College London, we have experienced at first hand the benefits of SBT. Throughout the placement, it continues to help us tackle the complexities which arise when communicating with children and their families. We have noted its particular benefit in breaking bad news to families. Without effective teaching on this particular scenario, a failure to grasp this skill could exacerbate patient and parent concerns. Much like the authors of this study highlight,1 we believe specific teaching on communication skills should be a mandatory part of medical undergraduate education at every institution. Imperial College School of Medicine has developed a similar teaching style which has been unparalleled in its benefit to us during our pediatric rotation. Although there is scant literature available specifically addressing communicating with children and parents at undergraduate level, the use of SBT throughout undergraduate medical teaching should not be underestimated. Read the original paper by Frost et al

  17. The Physiology Undergraduate Major in the University of Arizona College of Medicine: Past, Present, and Future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henriksen, Erik J.; Atwater, Anne E.; Delamere, Nicholas A.; Dantzler, William H.

    2011-01-01

    The American Physiological Society (APS) and APS Council encourage the teaching of physiology at the undergraduate, graduate, and medical school levels to support the continued prominence of this area of science. One area identified by the APS Council that is of particular importance for the development of future physiologists (the…

  18. Relationship of Psychological Well-Being with Perceived Stress, Coping Styles, and Social Support amongst University Undergraduates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arulrajah, Annette Ananthi; Harun, Lily Mastura Haji

    The aim of this study was to: (a) explore the levels of four factors (psychological well-being, perceived stress, coping styles, and social support) among undergraduates; (b) acquire an accurate description of the demographic variables; (c) explore the relationships among the four factors after controlling for the possible intervening demographic…

  19. Measuring Science Literacy in College Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Impey, Chris David; Buxner, S. R.; Antonellis, J.; King, C.; Johnson, E.; CATS

    2010-01-01

    Initial results from a major study of scientific literacy are presented, involving nearly 10,000 undergraduates in science classes at a large Southwestern Land Grant public university over a 20-year period. The science content questions overlap with those in the NSF's Science Indicators series. About 10% of all undergraduates in the US take a General Education astronomy course, and NSF data and the work of Jon Miller show that the number of college science courses taken is the strongest predictor of civic scientific literacy. Our data show that gains in knowledge on any particular item through the time students graduate are only 10-15%. Among students who have taken most or all of their science requirements, one-in-three think that antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria, one-in-four think lasers work by focusing sound waves, one-in-five think atoms are smaller than electrons, and the same fraction is unaware that humans evolved from earlier species of animals and that the Earth takes a year to go around the Sun. The fraction of undergraduates saying that astrology is "not at all” scientific increases from 17% to a still-low 34% as they move through the university. Equally worrying, half of all science majors say that astrology is "sort of” or "very” scientific. Education majors - the cohort of future teachers - perform worse than average on most individual questions and in terms of their overall scientific literacy. Assuming the study institution is representative of the nation's higher education institutions, our instruction is not raising students to the level we would expect for educated citizens who must vote on many issues that relate to science and technology. We acknowledge the NSF for funding under Award No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) Program.

  20. Associations between body weight status, psychological well-being and disordered eating with intuitive eating among Malaysian undergraduate university students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gan, Wan Ying; Yeoh, Wei Ching

    2017-09-13

    Intuitive eating, which can be defined as reliance on physiological hunger and satiety cues to guide eating, has been proposed as a healthy weight management strategy. To date, there has not been a published study on intuitive eating in the context of Malaysia. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aims to determine associations between body weight status, psychological well-being and disordered eating behaviors with intuitive eating among undergraduate university students. A total of 333 undergraduate respondents (21.3% males and 78.7% females) from three randomly selected faculties in a public university in Malaysia participated in this study. Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire which featured socio-demographic characteristics, intuitive eating, self-esteem, body appreciation, general unconditional acceptance, body acceptance by others, body function and disordered eating. Body weight, height, body fat percentage and waist circumference were measured. The results from this study revealed that there was no difference (t = 0.067, p = 0.947) in intuitive eating scores between males (75.69 ± 7.16) and females (75.62 ± 7.90). Multiple linear regression results have shown that body appreciation (β = 0.385, p < 0.001) and disordered eating (β = -0.168, p = 0.001) were significant predictors of intuitive eating, which accounted for 19.6% of the variance in intuitive eating. Health promotion programs should highlight the importance of enhancing body appreciation and preventing disordered eating behaviors among university students in order to promote intuitive eating as one of the healthy weight management approaches.

  1. Evaluation of Usage of Virtual Microscopy for the Study of Histology in the Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Undergraduate Programs of a UK University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatumu, Margaret K.; MacMillan, Frances M.; Langton, Philip D.; Headley, P. Max; Harris, Judy R.

    2014-01-01

    This article describes the introduction of a virtual microscope (VM) that has allowed preclinical histology teaching to be fashioned to better suit the needs of approximately 900 undergraduate students per year studying medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom. Features of the VM implementation…

  2. How to apply to a summer undergraduate research program

    OpenAIRE

    Jafree, D. J.; Koshy, K.

    2017-01-01

    Want to get more experience in research, but find it difficult as an undergraduate? A summer research project may be the answer and there are many ways to organize this. Various universities around the world offer summer undergraduate research programs. These tend to be very competitive; hundreds, even thousands of students can apply for only a handful of positions. However, with some proactivity and strong planning, diligent undergraduate students can get accepted onto these prestigious prog...

  3. Astronomical Data in Undergraduate courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarkson, William I.; Swift, Carrie; Hughes, Kelli; Burke, Christopher J. F.; Burgess, Colin C.; Elrod, Aunna V.; Howard, Brittany; Stahl, Lucas; Matzke, David; Bord, Donald J.

    2016-06-01

    We present status and plans for our ongoing efforts to develop data analysis and problem-solving skills through Undergraduate Astronomy instruction. While our initiatives were developed with UM-Dearborn’s student body primarily in mind, they should be applicable for a wide range of institution and of student demographics. We focus here on two strands of our effort.Firstly, students in our Introductory Astronomy (ASTR 130) general-education course now perform several “Data Investigations”, in which they interrogate the Hubble Legacy Archive to illustrate important course concepts. This was motivated in part by the realization that typical public data archives now include tools to interrogate the observations that are sufficiently accessible that introductory astronomy students can use them to perform real science, albeit mostly at a descriptive level. We are continuing to refine these investigations, and, most importantly, to critically assess their effectiveness in terms of the student learning outcomes we wish to achieve. This work is supported by grant HST-EO-13758, provided by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.Secondly, at the advanced-undergraduate level, students taking courses in our Astronomy minor are encouraged to gain early experience in techniques of astronomical observation and analysis that are used by professionals. We present two example projects from the Fall 2015 iteration of our upper-division course ASTR330 (The Cosmic Distance Ladder), one involving Solar System measurements, the second producing calibrated aperture photometry. For both projects students conducted, analysed, and interpreted observations using our 0.4m campus telescope, and used many of the same analysis tools as professional astronomers. This work is supported partly from a Research Initiation and Seed grant from the

  4. Study on Enterprise Education System for Undergraduates in Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Min

    2014-01-01

    This paper studies the higher school undergraduate entrepreneurship education system. Its architecture mainly includes five aspects of content: improve the students' entrepreneurial cognitive ability, adjust the teacher's education idea, carry out various kinds of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial training, carry out flexible forms of team…

  5. Undergraduate Groupwork Revisited: the Use of the Scrum Model to Create Agile Learning Environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jurado-Navas, Antonio; Munoz-Luna, Rosa

    2016-01-01

    The present paper aims to analyse the impact of an innovative teaching model in the learning outcomes of a group of undergraduate students at the University of Malaga (Spain). Based on agile scrum models adopted in the engineering industry, the authors have extraposed the scrum methodology...... to pedagogical contexts at university level. This paper describes the impact of the innovative Scrum model in relation to groupwork management in undergraduate education. The already existing communication problems when working in group yield slow cooperation among group members and therefore, poorer learning...... outcomes. Such communication deficiency can be alleviated with the introduction of short and frequent meetings in each group of 4-5 members so that learning objectives are short-termed and attainable. The scrum model offers the procedural framework where to insert those frequent meetings and where all...

  6. Teaching Culture and Improving Language Skills through a Cinematic Lens: A Course on Spanish Film in the Undergraduate Spanish Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephens, Julie L.

    2001-01-01

    Explores the role of a course on Spanish cinema in an undergraduate, university-level curriculum in terms of its potential to acquaint students with significant cultural issues and to develop language skills. (Author/VWL)

  7. Contraceptive knowledge, sexual behavior, and factors associated with contraceptive use among female undergraduate university students in Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sweya MN

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Mussa N Sweya,1 Sia E Msuya,2,3 Michael J Mahande,2 Rachel Manongi1,3 1Community Health Department, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, 2Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University, 3Community Health Department, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania Background: Previous studies have shown that knowledge of contraceptives, especially among the youth in universities, remains limited, and the rate of premarital sexual activity, unwanted pregnancies, and illegal abortions remains higher among university students. This study aimed to assess contraceptive knowledge, sexual behavior, and factors associated with contraceptive use among female undergraduate university students in Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted from May to June 2015 among undergraduate female students in four universities in Kilimanjaro region. A self-administered questionnaire was given to the participants. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. An odds ratio with 95% confidence interval for factors associated with modern contraceptive use was computed using multiple logistic regression models. A P-value of <5% (two-tailed was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 401 students were involved in the study. Two-thirds (260, 64.8% of the participants had had sexual intercourse. The majority (93.8% of the participants had knowledge of contraception. One hundred and seventy-five (43.6% sexually active women reported that they used contraceptives in the past, while 162 (40.4% were current contraceptive users. More than half (54.2% of the sexually active group started sexual activity between the ages of 20–24 years. The most popular methods of contraception used were condoms, withdrawal, and periodic abstinence. The main

  8. Undergraduate Research Opportunities in OSS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boldyreff, Cornelia; Capiluppi, Andrea; Knowles, Thomas; Munro, James

    Using Open Source Software (OSS) in undergraduate teaching in universities is now commonplace. Students use OSS applications and systems in their courses on programming, operating systems, DBMS, web development to name but a few. Studying OSS projects from both a product and a process view also forms part of the software engineering curriculum at various universities. Many students have taken part in OSS projects as well as developers.

  9. An analysis of the information technology discipline in archival sciences undergraduate courses of universities from the south of Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelma Camêlo Araujo

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available The present article is part of a research conducted at universities of the south of Brazil that offers disciplines of Information Technology in Archival Sciences undergraduate courses. The research objective to identify through the educational project of these courses the subjects which have emphasis in the Information Technology, as well as to identify the teachers’ perception about the condition of these subjects in enabling the student for the challenges of the work market

  10. Satisfaction and Academic Engagement among Undergraduate Students: A Case Study in Istanbul University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burcu Ozge Özaslan Caliskan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Academic engagement used to refer to the extent to which students identify with and value schooling outcomes, and participate in academic and non-academic school activities. This study aims to investigate the academic engagement and satisfaction from the school among the university students. The data is taken from the undergraduate students in School of Transportation & Logistics in Istanbul University. We used a questionnaire that consisted of two parts. First part of the questionnaire is about to measure the students’ academic engagement that is improved by Schaufeli et al. Second part of the questionnaire is about to measure the students’ satisfaction from the school. K-means cluster analysis is used to determine two groups of students, group the students in to two clusters based on their school satisfaction scores. We named these two groups as “satisfied” and “unsatisfied” students. Secondly we investigate the relationships between the satisfaction scores and the academic engagement. By means of T Test we investigate whether the academic engagement differs between the clusters that are determined according to the students’ satisfaction scores. Finally we found that academic engagement differs according to the identified clusters.

  11. Collaborative, Early-undergraduate-focused REU Programs at Savannah State University have been Vital to Growing a Demographically Diverse Ocean Science Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilligan, M. R.; Cox, T. M.; Hintz, C. J.

    2011-12-01

    Formal support for undergraduates to participate in marine/ocean science research at Savannah State University (SSU), a historically-Black unit of the University System of Georgia, began in 1989 with funding from the National Science Foundation for an unsolicited proposal (OCE-8919102, 34,935). Today SSU, which has offered B.S degrees since 1979 and M.S. degrees since 2001 in Marine Sciences, is making major contributions nationally to demographic diversity in ocean sciences. 33% of Master's degrees in marine/ocean sciences earned by African Americans in the U.S. from 2004-2007 were earned at SSU. 10% of African American Master's and Doctoral students in marine/ ocean sciences in 2007 were either enrolled in the Master's program at SSU or were former SSU students enrolled in Doctoral programs elsewhere. Collaborative REU programs that focus on early (freshman and sophomore) undergraduate students have been a consistent and vital part of that success. In the most recent iteration of our summer REU program we used six of the best practices outlined in the literature to increase success and retention of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields: early intervention, strong mentoring, research experience, career counseling, financial support, workshops and seminars. The early intervention with strong mentoring has proven successful in several metrics: retention in STEM majors (96%), progression to graduate school (50%), and continuation to later research experiences (75%). Research mentors include faculty at staff at SSU, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and Georgia Tech-Savannah. Formal collaborative and cooperative agreements, externally-funded grants, and contracts in support of student research training have proven to be critical in providing resources for growth and improvement marine science curricular options at the University. Since 1981 the program has had four formal partnerships and 36 funded grant awards

  12. Feasibility and outcomes of paid undergraduate student nurse positions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamroth, Lucia; Budgen, Claire; Lougheed, Mary

    2006-09-01

    new graduates and to retain existing nurses. Stakeholder groups were administrators, labour organizations, professional associations, educators and government. One idea to support job readiness and retention focussed on the feasibility of implementing cooperative education for nursing students. The effort was unsuccessful owing to lack of funding, but resulted in a review of the literature on cooperative education and other work-study programs. Cooperative education connects classroom learning with paid work experience for the purpose of enhancing students' education (Fitt and Heverly 1990; Heinemann and De Falco 1992; Ryder 1987). Reported benefits for students were improved job preparation and graduate retention (Ishida et al. 1998), additional staffing and reduction in orientation time (Cusack 1990; Ishida et al. 1998), increased practice judgment (Cusack 1990; Siedenberg 1989) and better workload management (Ross and Marriner 1985). A work-study model reported in the literature offered benefits similar to those of cooperative education, with greater flexibility in design. An example was the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's collaborative work-study scholarship program with local hospitals (Kee and Ryser 2001). Students in second clinical semesters were employed as unlicensed personnel by hospitals. The students, as unlicensed personnel, worked to the level of their nursing preparation. Reported benefits for students were academic credit, financial assistance, interaction with multidisciplinary teams, opportunity to refine clinical skills, understanding of nurses' roles and guaranteed interview for positions on graduation (Kee and Ryser 2001). Benefits for practice organizations were skilled help, the opportunity to recruit new nurses and increased interaction with a university nursing program. While nurse education stakeholders in British Columbia were exploring options, the concept of undergraduate student nurse employment was initiated by a

  13. The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR): Supporting Faculty that Mentor Undergraduate Researchers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, L. K.; Guertin, L. A.; Manley, P. L.; Fortner, S. K.

    2012-12-01

    Undergraduate research is a proven effective pedagogy that has a number of benefits including: enhancing student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty; increasing retention; increasing enrollment in graduate programs; developing critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and intellectual independence; and, developing an understanding of research methodology. Undergraduate research also has been demonstrated in preparing students for careers. In addition to developing disciplinary and technical expertise, participation in undergraduate research helps students improve communication skills (written, oral, and graphical) and time management. Early involvement in undergraduate research improves retention and, for those engaged at the 2YC level, helps students successfully transfers to 4YC. The Geosciences Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (GeoCUR) supports faculty in their development of undergraduate research programs at all levels. GeoCUR leads workshops for new and future faculty covering all aspects of undergraduate research including incorporating research into coursework, project design, mentoring students, sustaining programs, and funding sources. GeoCUR members support new faculty by providing a range of services including: peer-review of grant proposals; advice on establishing an undergraduate research program; balancing teaching and research demands; and networking with other geoscientist. GeoCUR has also developed web resources that support faculty and departments in development of undergraduate research programs (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/undergraduate_research/index.html). This presentation will describe the services provided by GeoCUR and highlight examples of programs and resources available to geoscientists in all career stages for effective undergraduate research mentoring and development.

  14. An Undergraduate Course in Modeling and Simulation of Multiphysics Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz-Rodriguez, Estanislao; Vazquez-Arenas, Jorge; Ricardez-Sandoval, Luis A.

    2010-01-01

    An overview of a course on modeling and simulation offered at the Nanotechnology Engineering undergraduate program at the University of Waterloo. The motivation for having this course in the undergraduate nanotechnology curriculum, the course structure, and its learning objectives are discussed. Further, one of the computational laboratories…

  15. Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies: An Opportunity for Seamless Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guthrie, Kathy L.; Bovio, Becka

    2014-01-01

    In working to develop undergraduate student leadership capacity, Florida State University created the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies. This program, grounded in leadership theory and framed by a seamless learning model, has been influential in development of student leadership perceptions and capacity. This article addresses the…

  16. Health Sciences undergraduate education at UCT: a story of transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman, Nadia; Kathard, Harsha; Perez, Gonda; Reid, Steve; Irlam, James; Gunston, Geney; Janse van Rensburg, Vicki; Burch, Vanessa; Duncan, Madeleine; Hellenberg, Derek; Van Rooyen, Ian; Smouse, Mantoa; Sikakane, Cynthia; Badenhorst, Elmi; Ige, Busayo

    2012-03-02

    Undergraduate education and training in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town has become socially responsive. A story of transformation that is consonant with wider societal developments since the 1994 democratic elections, outlining the changes in undergraduate curricula across the faculty, is presented.

  17. Showing the Love: Predictors of Student Loyalty to Undergraduate Institutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  18. A conference experience for undergraduates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collins, L.A.; Magee, N.H.; Bryant, H.C.; Zeilik, M.

    1999-01-01

    Programs launched by many universities and the federal government expose many undergraduate students in the physical sciences to research early in their careers. However, in their research experiences, undergraduates are not usually introduced to the modes by which scientific knowledge, which they may have helped gather, is communicated and evaluated by working scientists. Nor is it always made clear where the research frontiers really lie. To this end, we guided a selected group of undergraduates through a national scientific conference, followed by a week of tutorials and discussions to help them better understand what had transpired. The program complemented the basic undergraduate research endeavors by emphasizing the importance of disseminating results both to other scientists and to society in general. Tutors and discussion leaders in the second week were experts in their fields and included some of the invited speakers from the main meeting. A considerable improvement in the understanding of the issues and prospects for a career in physics was discernible among the students after their two-week experience. copyright 1999 American Association of Physics Teachers

  19. The Effect of Learning Strategies Instruction on the Oral Production Development of English Undergraduate Students from the Federal University of Pará: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly C. M. Gaignoux

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at investigating how learning strategies instruction may enhance the development of oral production. Instruments used to conduct this case study were field notes, questionnaires, interviews and class audio recordings. Seven female third level undergraduate students of the Curso de Letras of the Federal University of Pará were the subjects of this study. Since the oral production is the main concern of most foreign language learners, this investigation aims at contributing to a better understanding of this issue by suggesting that the explicit learning strategies teaching may conduct to more satisfactory outcomes. Results showed that there were changes in the learning strategies repertoire used by participants.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  1. Tuition and Living Accommodation Costs at Canadian Universities, 1978-79 and 1979-80.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulac, Claude

    Tuition and living accommodation costs for students at most Canadian universities are summarized in this publication from Statistics Canada. Extensive data tables include information on accommodation costs for university-operated residences and housing and tuition fees. The range of tuition fees at the undergraduate level reflects a fee structure…

  2. Prevalence and predictors of suicidality among medical students in a public university.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, S T; Sherina, M S; Rampal, L; Normala, I

    2015-02-01

    Undergraduate medical students have been the most distressed group among the student population. Depression and anxiety have been found to be more prevalent in this group of students compared to others. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and predictors of suicidality among undergraduate medical students in a public university. This was an analytical cross-sectional study, conducted in a public university in Selangor, Malaysia. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires from January to February 2013, and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Software (version 21). Out of 625 undergraduate medical students, 537 (85.9%) participated in the study. The prevalence of the suicidality among undergraduate medical students was 7.0%. The significant predictors of suicidality based on multiple logistic regression were the respondent's lifetime suicide attempts (Adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR 10.4, 95% CI 2.7 to 40.9); depression (AOR 5.9, 95% CI 1.5 to 23.0); breaking off a steady love relationship (AOR 5.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 22.4); hopelessness (AOR 4.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 21.6); and something valued being lost or stolen (AOR 4.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 15.9). These findings indicate that mental health care services should be strengthened at university level. The results show a need for an intervention programme to reduce suicidality among the undergraduate medical students.

  3. IGeneration: A Study in Challenge Based Learning at a Small Private University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hift, Jodi A.

    2013-01-01

    Faculty-buy in is an essential component of successful technology integration processes at the Higher Education level. The goal of this case study was to assess the University faculty's role in the utilization of Challenge Based Learning while teaching undergraduate students. Did the University have the faculty's support and buy-in concerning the…

  4. Graduate Students May Need Information Literacy Instruction as Much as Undergraduates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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

  5. Developing knowledge level scale of functional foods: Validity and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of the study was to develop a scale to determine the knowledge levels of University students on functional foods and to investigate the validity and reliability of the scale. The research was conducted on 417 (209 girls and 208 boys) undergraduate students in Selcuk University regarding functional foods.

  6. The career intentions, work-life balance and retirement plans of dental undergraduates at the University of Bristol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puryer, J; Patel, A

    2016-02-26

    Aim To investigate the career intentions, work-life balance and retirement plans of dental undergraduates at the University of Bristol in 2015.Method Cross-sectional survey of 210 clinical undergraduates using an anonymous self-report questionnaire.Results The response rate was 79%. The majority (81.7%) were 'satisfied' or 'extremely satisfied' with their choice of career. The majority (78.7%) felt men and women are equally likely to succeed in dentistry, although 42.9% felt men had an advantage over women with regards to career success. The majority (81.6%) intend on working within general practice, 11.3% within hospital dental services and 2.1% within community dental services. The majority (70.5%) intend to specialise within dentistry. Only 1.8% of participants intend on providing only National Health Service (NHS) dental treatment whereas the 86.5% would provide both NHS and private dental treatment. Fifteen years after qualifying, 52.2% plan to work part-time, and 37.8% intend on retiring at the age of 60 or below. The majority (86.6%) felt that childcare should be shared equally between both parents. Female students intend to take more time out of their career to concentrate on childcare and felt that having a child would affect their career more than males.Conclusion The anticipated career plans, work-life balance and retirement plans of undergraduates change over time, and further research should be carried out to monitor future career intentions of dental students in order to help with dental workforce planning.

  7. Internet Usage and Academic Performance of Undergraduate ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Internet Usage and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students in University of Ilorin, Nigeria. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH. AFRICAN JOURNALS ... This study adopted descriptive survey method. Six faculties ...

  8. A Blueprint for Expanding the Mentoring Networks of Undergraduate Women in the Earth and Environmental Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, E. V.; Adams, A. S.; Barnes, R.; Bloodhart, B.; Burt, M. A.; Clinton, S. M.; Godfrey, E. S.; Pollack, I. B.; Hernandez, P. R.

    2017-12-01

    Women are substantially underrepresented in the earth and environmental sciences, and that underrepresentation begins at the undergraduate level. In fall 2015, an interdisciplinary team including expertise in the broader geosciences as well as gender and quantitative educational psychology began a project focused on understanding whether mentoring can increase the interest, persistence, and achievement of undergraduate women in the geosciences. The program focuses on mentoring 1st and 2nd year female undergraduate students from five universities in Colorado and Wyoming and four universities in North and South Carolina. The mentoring program includes a weekend workshop, access to professional women across geoscience fields, and both in-person and virtual peer networks. We have found that undergraduate women with large mentoring networks, that include faculty mentors, are more likely to identify as scientists and are more committed to pursuing the geosciences. Our presentation will provide an overview of the major components of our effective and scalable program. We will include a discussion of our first published results in the context of larger social science research on how to foster effective mentoring relationships. We will offer a list of successes and challenges, and we will provide the audience with online links to the materials needed to adopt our model (https://geosciencewomen.org/materials/).

  9. Teaching Strategies for Personality Assessment at the Undergraduate Level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roche, Michael J; Jacobson, Nicholas C; Roche, Carley A

    2017-01-01

    Personality assessment is a crucial component of clinical practice, and the training and proficiency criteria to develop competence are complex and multifaceted. Like many advanced topics, the field of personality assessment would benefit from early exposure in undergraduate classroom settings. This research evaluates how an undergraduate personality course can be enhanced through 2 enrichment activities (self-assessments and a personality project). Students completed several self-assessments of their personality and wrote a comprehensive and integrative personality assessment about themselves. Results demonstrated that these activities increased interest in personality assessment, deepened understanding of course material, and promoted student growth and self-exploration. We discuss the benefits of these enrichment activities for the student, instructor, and field of personality science.

  10. STAIRSTEP -- a research-oriented program for undergraduate students at Lamar University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahrim, Cristian

    2011-03-01

    The relative low number of undergraduate STEM students in many science disciplines, and in particular in physics, represents a major concern for our faculty and the administration at Lamar University. Therefore, a collaborative effort between several science programs, including computer science, chemistry, geology, mathematics and physics was set up with the goal of increasing the number of science majors and to minimize the retention rate. Lamar's Student Advancing through Involvement in Research Student Talent Expansion Program (STAIRSTEP) is a NSF-DUE sponsored program designed to motivate STEM students to graduate with a science degree from one of these five disciplines by involving them in state-of-the-art research projects and various outreach activities organized on-campus or in road shows at the secondary and high schools. The physics program offers hands-on experience in optics, such as computer-based experiments for studying the diffraction and interference of light incident on nettings or electronic wave packets incident on crystals, with applications in optical imaging, electron microscopy, and crystallography. The impact of the various activities done in STAIRSTEP on our Physics Program will be discussed.

  11. Undergraduate paramedic students cannot do drug calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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%. CONCLUSIONS: 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. PMID:25215067

  12. 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.

  13. Combined Effect of Levels in Personal Self-Regulation and Regulatory Teaching on Meta-Cognitive, on Meta-Motivational, and on Academic Achievement Variables in Undergraduate Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de la Fuente, Jesús; Sander, Paul; Martínez-Vicente, José M; Vera, Mariano; Garzón, Angélica; Fadda, Salvattore

    2017-01-01

    The Theory of Self- vs . Externally-Regulated Learning™ (SRL vs. ERL) proposed different types of relationships among levels of variables in Personal Self-Regulation (PSR) and Regulatory Teaching (RT) to predict the meta-cognitive, meta-motivational and -emotional variables of learning, and of Academic Achievement in Higher Education. The aim of this investigation was empirical in order to validate the model of the combined effect of low-medium-high levels in PSR and RT on the dependent variables. For the analysis of combinations, a selected sample of 544 undergraduate students from two Spanish universities was used. Data collection was obtained from validated instruments, in Spanish versions. Using an ex-post-facto design, different Univariate and Multivariate Analyses (3 × 1, 3 × 3, and 4 × 1) were conducted. Results provide evidence for a consistent effect of low-medium-high levels of PSR and of RT, thus giving significant partial confirmation of the proposed rational model. As predicted, (1) the levels of PSR and positively and significantly effected the levels of learning approaches, resilience, engagement, academic confidence, test anxiety, and procedural and attitudinal academic achievement; (2) the most favorable type of interaction was a high level of PSR with a high level RT process. The limitations and implications of these results in the design of effective teaching are analyzed, to improve university teaching-learning processes.

  14. A study of knowledge beliefs and attitudes regarding aids and human sexuality among medical college, engineering college and university Undergraduates of gorakhpur.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puneet Misra

    1997-08-01

    Full Text Available Research Problem: i What is the level of knowledge and altitude of undergraduates about AIDS and human sexuality? ii What arc the preferred modes of obtaining such knowledge?.Objectives: To assess the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of undergraduate students regarding AIDS and human sexuality.Study Design: Self administered questionnaire.Setting and Participants: 1289 undergraduates from B.R.D. Medical College., M. M. M. Engineering College and University of Gorakhpur.                                                                  .Study Variables: Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes regarding AIDS and sexuality.Outcome Variables: Proportion of students having correct knowledge and positive attitudes.Statistical Analysis: By proportions.Result: l.evcl of knowledge about AIDS was generally high. Most of the students obtained knowledge about it through mass media. Few students had misconceptions about transmission of 1IIV infection. Knowledge about sex was obtained mainly from friends (36% and books (31.31%. Most of the students preferred doctors (44.15% and friends (43.66% for asking something about sex. and not their parents (4.37% or teachers (4.61%. 59.13% of boys and 34.49% of girls thought that students of their age had sex.Conclusion and Recommendations: The most peculiar fact in (his study is that students have no reliable means of obtaining correct information about subjects related to sex. Medical profession contributed very little in providing such knowledge. Most of them relied on their friends for such information. So. emphasis is to be given on recommending proper education material for the youth.

  15. Gender differences in body mass index, body weight perception and weight loss strategies among undergraduates in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuan, P X; Ho, H L; Shuhaili, M S; Siti, A A; Gudum, H R

    2011-04-01

    This study was carried out among undergraduate students in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak with the objective of examining gender differences in body mass index (BMI), body weight perception, eating attitudes and weightloss strategies. Subjects consisted of 600 undergraduates (300 males and 300 females) recruited from the various faculties between September 2008 until mid-November 2008. The Original Figure Rating Scale: Body Weight Perception, Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) were used as assessment tools. Overall, 52.8% of students had normal BMI, with approximately an equal number of both sexes. More males than females were overweight (33.7%), while more females were underweight (25.3%). Males were more likely to perceive themselves as overweight, and fail to see themselves as underweight. More than half of the females preferred their ideal figure to be underweight, whereas about 30% males chose an overweight figure as their ideal model. Females were generally more concerned about body weight, body shape and eating than males. They diet more frequently, had self-induced vomiting, and used laxatives and exercise as their weight-loss strategies. Issues pertaining to body weight perception, eating attitudes and weight-loss strategies exist with differences among male and female undergraduates. Thus, in order to correct misperceptions among young adults, a more tailored intervention programme and more in-depth studies into the various factors involved are required.

  16. A Study of Income and Test Anxiety among Turkish University Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Önem, E. E.

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the relationship between income level of Turkish university students studying at an English language teaching department and test anxiety levels as well as worry and emotionality components of test anxiety. 249 (60 male, 189 female) undergraduate students studying at an English Language Teaching Department of a…

  17. Teaching the Scientific Study of International Relations to Undergraduates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, D. Scott

    2002-01-01

    Discusses how theory and science are integrated into "Introduction to International Relations" and "International Relations Theory", two undergraduate courses at Pennsylvania State University (University Park). Highlights five issues that are used in the author's approach to teaching theory and science. (CMK)

  18. Final Report: An Undergraduate Minor in Wind Energy at Iowa State University

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    James McCalley

    2012-11-14

    This report describes an undergraduate minor program in wind energy that has been developed at Iowa State University. The minor program targets engineering and meteorology students and was developed to provide interested students with focused technical expertise in wind energy science and engineering, to increase their employability and ultimate effectiveness in this growing industry. The report describes the requirements of the minor program and courses that fulfill those requirements. Five new courses directly addressing wind energy have been developed. Topical descriptions for these five courses are provided in this report. Six industry experts in various aspects of wind energy science and engineering reviewed the wind energy minor program and provided detailed comments on the program structure, the content of the courses, and the employability in the wind energy industry of students who complete the program. The general consensus is that the program is well structured, the course content is highly relevant, and students who complete it will be highly employable in the wind energy industry. The detailed comments of the reviewers are included in the report.

  19. A Construction of Global Literacy Indicators for Undergraduates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lung-Sheng Lee

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In the era of glocalization and logloblization, only university graduates who are globally literate can effectively deal with international affairs or work overseas. Therefore, this study aimed to construct a set of global literacy indicators for undergraduates in Taiwan. The global literacy indicators can be used as a guide to assess undergraduates’ global literacy level and serve as the foundation for developing global education curriculums. Employing a theoretical framework, this study drafted global literacy dimensions and indicators from reviewing related literature, and invited 18 practitioners with international experience to participate in this study. During the item development process, fuzzy Delphi method (FDM and analytic hierarchy process (AHP were applied to select and weight global literacy indicators respectively. Consequently, a set of global literacy indicators for undergraduates were constructed, which include the following four dimensions: communication, context, career development, and culture. “Communication” is the most important dimension among them, while “communicate with foreign languages” and “use information and communication technology (ICT to communicate with others” are the most important indicators and items at the second and third hierarchical levels, respectively.

  20. 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 ...

  1. [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.

  2. Indiana State University Undergraduate Students' Channels of Knowledge of and Use of Cunningham Memorial Library's Public Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyle, Jack W.

    An application of the diffusion of innovations theory to library marketing, this study was designed to determine what channels of knowledge are more effective in persuading undergraduate students to adopt the use of library public services. To explore this topic at the local level, the following question was formulated: By what communication…

  3. Undergraduate Education with the WIYN 0.9-m Telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilachowski, Catherine A.

    2017-01-01

    Several models have been explored at Indiana University Bloomington for undergraduate student engagement in astronomy using the WIYN 0.9-m telescope at Kitt Peak. These models include individual student research projects using the telescope, student observations as part of an observational techniques course for majors, and enrichment activities for non-science majors in general education courses. Where possible, we arrange for students to travel to the telescope. More often, we are able to use simple online tools such as Skype and VNC viewers to give students an authentic observing experience. Experiences with the telescope motivate students to learn basic content in astronomy, including the celestial sphere, the electromagnetic spectrum, telescopes and detectors, the variety of astronomical objects, date reduction processes, image analysis, and color image creation and appreciation. The WIYN 0.9-m telescope is an essential tool for our program at all levels of undergraduate education

  4. Undergraduate Confidence When Undertaking Root Canal Treatment and Their Perception of the Quality of Their Endodontic Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James Puryer

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The General Dental Council expects graduating dentists to be competent at treating pulpal disease. Previous studies have found dental undergraduates to have low levels of confidence with respect to endodontic treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate the confidence of undergraduate dental students at the University of Bristol when performing root canal treatment, and to investigate their perception of the quality of their endodontic education. An anonymous questionnaire, based upon one used in a 2015 study at Cardiff University, was distributed to all (n = 204 undergraduate students in Years 3–5 at the University of Bristol. The results were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS. There was a 59% (n = 120 response rate and a significant (p < 0.01 difference in confidence levels for root canal treatments (RCTs completed between these students. All (100% Year-5 students felt confident in completing anterior RCTs, and 91% felt confident in completing posterior RCTs. The majority (93% of Year-4 students felt confident in completing anterior RCTs, and 77% felt confident in completing posterior RCTs. Over one-half (56% of Year-3 students felt confident in anterior RCTs and 17% in posterior RCTs. With respect to the individual stages of RCT (access cavity, cleaning and shaping of root canal system, and obturation/filling, results showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.01 in confidence levels between year groups. Many students thought the amount of time spent on endodontic teaching and the quality of teaching to be satisfactory. Improvements suggested for future endodontic teaching included higher numbers of staff supervision and additional endodontic practice on extracted teeth before seeing patients. There was a strong association between students’ clinical experience and their levels of confidence when completing RCT. Increasing the amount of clinical experience of RCTs could

  5. National Undergraduate Medical Core Curriculum in Turkey: Evaluation of Residents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Işıl İrem Budakoğlu

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: There is very little information available on self-perceived competence levels of junior medical doctors with regard to definitions by the National Core Curriculum (NCC for Undergraduate Medical Education. Aims: This study aims to determine the perceived level of competence of residents during undergraduate medical education within the context of the NCC. Study Design: Descriptive study. Methods: The survey was conducted between February 2010 and December 2011; the study population comprised 450 residents. Of this group, 318 (71% participated in the study. Self-assessment questionnaires on competencies were distributed and residents were asked to assess their own competence in different domains by scoring them on a scale of 1 to 10. Results: Nearly half of the residents reported insufficient experience of putting clinical skills into practice when they graduated. In the theoretical part of NCC, the lowest competency score was reported for health-care administration, while the determination of level of chlorine in water, delivering babies, and conducting forensic examinations had the lowest perceived levels of competency in the clinical skills domain. Conclusion: Residents reported low levels of perceived competency in skills they rarely performed outside the university hospital. They were much more confident in skills they performed during their medical education.

  6. Cross-Age Mentoring to Support A-Level Pupils' Transition into Higher Education and Undergraduate Students' Employability

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Alana I.

    2014-01-01

    Two challenges identified for psychology higher education are supporting entry students' transition, and supporting graduates' transition into employment. The evaluation of the first phase of a cross-age mentoring action research project targeting these issues is presented; eight psychology undergraduates mentored 20 A-level psychology pupils in…

  7. Risk Perception and Risk-Taking Attitude: A Comparison between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese Undergraduate Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Hoi Yan; Wu, Joseph; Tao, Jun

    2013-01-01

    This paper compares risk perception and risk-taking attitude between Hong Kong and mainland China undergraduate students using a Chinese version of the 30-item domain-specific risk-taking (DOSPERT) scale (Blais and Weber 2006b). Compared with their counterparts from mainland China, Hong Kong university students reported higher levels of risk…

  8. An Epistemological Inquiry into Organic Chemistry Education: Exploration of Undergraduate Students' Conceptual Understanding of Functional Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akkuzu, Nalan; Uyulgan, Melis Arzu

    2016-01-01

    This study sought to determine the levels of conceptual understanding of undergraduate students regarding organic compounds within different functional groups. A total of 60 students who were enrolled in the Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education of a Faculty of Education at a state university in Turkey and who had followed an…

  9. Nutrition guidelines for undergraduate medical curricula: a six-country comparison

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Crowley J

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Jennifer Crowley,1 Lauren Ball,2 Celia Laur,3 Clare Wall,1 Bruce Arroll,4 Phillippa Poole,5 Sumantra Ray3 1Discipline of Nutrition, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; 2Centre for Health Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia; 3Need for Nutrition Education/Innovation Programme, Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge, UK; 4Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, 5Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Aim: To assess nutrition curriculum guidelines for undergraduate medical education in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand to highlight potential opportunities for shared learning on the advancement of nutrition in medical education. Methods: A comprehensive list of professional bodies, councils, organizations, and other groups relevant to education or nutrition was compiled for each country after a review of relevant white and gray literature. All documents that were published from 2000 onwards, and that provided guidance on nutrition education within undergraduate medical education for one of the identified countries were included in the review. Each curriculum guideline was evaluated for 1 the organization's or group's role in undergraduate medical education; 2 the extent of nutrition-related recommendations; and 3 mandatory implementation. Results: In the countries reviewed, a total of six nutrition-related curriculum guidelines were identified. All countries, aside from the Republic of Ireland, currently have externally visible curriculum guidelines to inform medical schools in undergraduate nutrition education, yet there is little evidence of mandatory enforcement. Curriculum guidelines predominantly focus on basic nutrition principles, nutrition assessment, the role

  10. Effectiveness of E-Content Package on Teaching IUPAC Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry at Undergraduate Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devendiran, G.; Vakkil, M.

    2017-01-01

    This study attempts to discover the effectiveness of an e-content package when teaching IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry at the undergraduate level. The study consisted of a Pre-test-Post-test Non Equivalent Groups Design, and the sample of 71 (n = 71) students were drawn from two colleges. The overall study was divided into two groups, an…

  11. Coping self-efficacy of Chinese nursing undergraduates with their research projects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wei; Li, Kun; Zhang, XiuMin; Chen, Li

    2016-10-01

    Undergraduate nursing education includes both professional knowledge and research skills. With regard to training nursing professionals for future healthcare settings, the ability to conduct research is fundamental for nurses after they graduate from universities. However, how nursing students develop coping self-efficacy and scientific skills as a specific ability during their professional study has received little attention. We studied nursing undergraduates' scientific research ability and its associated factors in the Chinese context and evaluated their self-efficacy for coping with research tasks. A total of 134 nursing undergraduates participated in the study. A purposely designed 22-item questionnaire was used to quantify students' research ability in implementing their research projects and the associated factors. Coping self-efficacy was measured with a modified Chinese version. The mean total self-efficacy score was 50.78±6.604 (M±SD). The majority (63.4%) of the students' coping self-efficacy was at a moderate level. Having "the ability to write a manuscript before conducting research projects" (P=0.006) and "topics determined by instructors after discussion with group members" (P=0.005) were the two predictive factors of good coping self-efficacy in students. Nursing undergraduates' self-efficacy was high enough to cope with their scientific research projects, but the information on procedures needed for project application was not abundant, and new training programs might be needed to meet the needs of nursing undergraduates. We should make full use of the predictors of good coping self-efficacy and promote nursing undergraduates' research ability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  13. Basic abstract algebra for graduate students and advanced undergraduates

    CERN Document Server

    Ash, Robert B

    2006-01-01

    Geared toward upper-level undergraduates and graduate students, this text surveys fundamental algebraic structures and maps between these structures. Its techniques are used in many areas of mathematics, with applications to physics, engineering, and computer science as well. Author Robert B. Ash, a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Illinois, focuses on intuitive thinking. He also conveys the intrinsic beauty of abstract algebra while keeping the proofs as brief and clear as possible.The early chapters provide students with background by investigating the basic properties of groups

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  15. May I see your ID, please? An explorative study of the professional identity of undergraduate medical education leaders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundberg, Kristina; Josephson, Anna; Reeves, Scott; Nordquist, Jonas

    2017-02-01

    The mission of undergraduate medical education leaders is to strive towards the enhancement of quality of medical education and health care. The aim of this qualitative study is, with the help of critical perspectives, to contribute to the research area of undergraduate medical education leaders and their identity formation; how can the identity of undergraduate medical education leaders be defined and further explored from a power perspective? In this explorative study, 14 educational leaders at a medical programme in Scandinavia were interviewed through semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed through Moustakas' structured, phenomenological analysis approach and then pattern matched with Gee's power-based identity model. Educational leaders identify themselves more as mediators than leaders and do not feel to any larger extent that their professional identity is authorised by the university. These factors potentially create difficulties when trying to communicate with medical teachers, often also with a weaker sense of professional identity, about medical education. The perceptions of the professional identity of undergraduate medical education leaders provide us with important notions on the complexities on executing their important mission to develop medical education: their perceptions of ambiguity towards the process of trying to lead teachers toward educational development and a perceived lack of authorisation of their work from the university level. These are important flaws to observe and correct when improving the context in which undergraduate medical education leaders are trying to develop and improve undergraduate medical programmes. A practical outcome of the results of this study is the facilitation of design of faculty development programmes for educational leaders in undergraduate medial education.

  16. Incorporating technical analysis in undergraduate curricula

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael R. Melton

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce instruction of technical analysis on the undergraduate level that can coincide with traditional teachings of fundamental analysis. Design/methodology/approach – Through examples using the latest in security analysis technology, this paper illustrates the importance of technical security analysis. Findings – This research illustrates how technical analysis techniques may be used to make more significant investment decisions. Originality/value – Kirkpatrick and Dahlquist define technical analysis as a security analysis discipline for forecasting future direction of prices through the study of past market data primarily price and volume This form of analysis has stood in direct contrast to the fundamental analysis approach whereby actual facts of the company its industry and sector may be ignored. Understanding this contrast, much of academia has chosen to continue to focus its finance curricula on fundamental analysis techniques. As more universities implement trading rooms to reflect that of industry, they must recognize that any large brokerage trading group or financial institution will typically have both a technical analysis and fundamental analysis team. Thus, the need to incorporate technical analysis into undergraduate finance curricula.

  17. A Social Capital Perspective on the Mentoring of Undergraduate Life Science Researchers: An Empirical Study of Undergraduate-Postgraduate-Faculty Triads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aikens, Melissa L; Sadselia, Sona; Watkins, Keiana; Evans, Mara; Eby, Lillian T; Dolan, Erin L

    2016-01-01

    Undergraduate researchers at research universities are often mentored by graduate students or postdoctoral researchers (referred to collectively as "postgraduates") and faculty, creating a mentoring triad structure. Triads differ based on whether the undergraduate, postgraduate, and faculty member interact with one another about the undergraduate's research. Using a social capital theory framework, we hypothesized that different triad structures provide undergraduates with varying resources (e.g., information, advice, psychosocial support) from the postgraduates and/or faculty, which would affect the undergraduates' research outcomes. To test this, we collected data from a national sample of undergraduate life science researchers about their mentoring triad structure and a range of outcomes associated with research experiences, such as perceived gains in their abilities to think and work like scientists, science identity, and intentions to enroll in a PhD program. Undergraduates mentored by postgraduates alone reported positive outcomes, indicating that postgraduates can be effective mentors. However, undergraduates who interacted directly with faculty realized greater outcomes, suggesting that faculty interaction is important for undergraduates to realize the full benefits of research. The "closed triad," in which undergraduates, postgraduates, and faculty all interact directly, appeared to be uniquely beneficial; these undergraduates reported the highest gains in thinking and working like a scientist. © 2016 M. L. Aikens et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  18. Factor Responsible for Examination Malpractices as Expressed by Undergraduates of Osun State University, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusuf; Adeoti, Florence; Olufunke, Yinusa Rasheedat; Ruth, Bamgbose Oluwayemisi

    2015-01-01

    The study investigated perception of undergraduates on factors responsible for examination malpractices. The study is a descriptive study; a sample of two hundred (200) undergraduates formed the participants for the study. A questionnaire titled: "Factor responsible for examination malpractices was used for data collection. Data collected…

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  20. Undergraduate Convexity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauritzen, Niels

    -Motzkin elimination, the theory is developed by introducing polyhedra, the double description method and the simplex algorithm, closed convex subsets, convex functions of one and several variables ending with a chapter on convex optimization with the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions, duality and an interior point......Based on undergraduate teaching to students in computer science, economics and mathematics at Aarhus University, this is an elementary introduction to convex sets and convex functions with emphasis on concrete computations and examples. Starting from linear inequalities and Fourier...

  1. State test-anxiety, selective attention and concentration in university students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Castillo, Antonio; Caurcel, María J

    2015-08-01

    The principal aim of this study was to assess the level of selective attention and mental concentration before exams in a sample of university students and to determine a possible relationship between anxiety and reduction of levels of attention in this circumstance. A total of 403 university students, 176 men and 227 women, aged from 18 to 46 years, participated in the study. Of them, 169 were first-year undergraduates, 118 were second to fourth-year undergraduates and 116 were postgraduate Master's degree students. All of them completed the Spanish version of the Spielberger State-Anxiety Inventory and the D2 Attention Test just before taking an exam. Our results showed that participants with lower levels of anxiety had higher levels of selective attention and mental concentration before the exam. These results specifically indicate that when anxiety levels are very high, this could over-activate the orientating and alerting functions and to reduce the capacity of attentional control. These processes could have a negative impact on specific attentional processes and become a negative influence on performance in exams. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

  2. "Physiology in the News": Using Press Releases to Enhance Lay Communication and Introduce Current Physiology Research to Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Kevin L.; Poteracki, James M.; Steury, Michael D.; Wehrwein, Erica A.

    2015-01-01

    Michigan State University's senior-level undergraduate physiology capstone laboratory uses a simple exercise termed "Physiology in the News," to help students explore the current research within the field of physiology while also learning to communicate science in lay terms. "Physiology in the News" is an activity that charges…

  3. Use of antibiotics among non-medical students in a Nigerian university

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Antibiotic misuse is a major contributory factor to treatment failure, antibiotic resistance and high healthcare costs. Objectives: To evaluate level of self-reported antibiotic misuse among non-medical undergraduate students of a Nigerian university. Methods: Respondents' knowledge of antibiotics and disposal ...

  4. Use of antibiotics among non-medical students in a Nigerian university

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    EB

    Abstract. Background: Antibiotic misuse is a major contributory factor to treatment failure, antibiotic resistance and high healthcare costs. Objectives: To evaluate level of self-reported antibiotic misuse among non-medical undergraduate students of a Nigerian university. Methods: Respondents' knowledge of antibiotics and ...

  5. Transforming Spatial Reasoning Skills in the Upper-Level Undergraduate Geoscience Classroom Through Curricular Materials Informed by Cognitive Science Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ormand, C. J.; Shipley, T. F.; Dutrow, B. L.; Goodwin, L. B.; Hickson, T. A.; Tikoff, B.; Atit, K.; Gagnier, K. M.; Resnick, I.

    2014-12-01

    Spatial visualization is an essential skill in the STEM disciplines, including the geosciences. Undergraduate students, including geoscience majors in upper-level courses, bring a wide range of spatial skill levels to the classroom. Students with weak spatial skills may be unable to understand fundamental concepts and to solve geological problems with a spatial component. However, spatial thinking skills are malleable. As a group of geoscience faculty members and cognitive psychologists, we have developed a set of curricular materials for Mineralogy, Sedimentology & Stratigraphy, and Structural Geology courses. These materials are designed to improve students' spatial skills, and in particular to improve students' abilities to reason about spatially complex 3D geological concepts and problems. Teaching spatial thinking in the context of discipline-based exercises has the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education by removing one significant barrier to success in the STEM disciplines. The curricular materials we have developed are based on several promising teaching strategies that have emerged from cognitive science research on spatial thinking. These strategies include predictive sketching, making visual comparisons, gesturing, and the use of analogy. We have conducted a three-year study of the efficacy of these materials in strengthening the spatial skills of students in upper-level geoscience courses at three universities. Our methodology relies on a pre- and post-test study design, with several tests of spatial thinking skills administered at the beginning and end of each semester. In 2011-2012, we used a "business as usual" approach to gather baseline data, measuring how much students' spatial thinking skills improved in response to the existing curricula. In the two subsequent years we have incorporated our new curricular materials, which can be found on the project website: http://serc.carleton.edu/spatialworkbook/activities.html Structural Geology

  6. The Unwritten Rules of Engagement: Social Class Differences in Undergraduates' Academic Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yee, April

    2016-01-01

    Research has shown social class differences in undergraduate engagement, yet we know little about the reasons for these differences. Drawing on interviews and participant observation with undergraduates at an urban, public comprehensive university, this ethnographic study investigates the academic engagement strategies of students from different…

  7. Sexual Values of 783 Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richey, Emily; Knox, David; Zusman, Marty

    2009-01-01

    The sexual values of absolutism (abstinence until marriage), relativism (sexual decisions made in reference to the nature of the relationship), and hedonism ("if it feels good, do it") were assessed in a convenience sample of 783 undergraduate students at a large southeastern university. Results revealed that relativism (62.1%) was the predominate…

  8. Chesapeake Bay Climate Study Partnership: Undergraduate Student Experiential Learning on Microclimates at the University of Hawai'i, Hilo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozbay, G.; Sriharan, S.; Fan, C.; Adolf, J.

    2015-12-01

    Undergraduate student experiential learning activities focused on microclimates of Hawai'i Island, Hawai'i. Six students from Virginia State University, three students from Delaware State University and faculty advisors were hosted by the University of Hawai'i at Hilo (UHH) Department of Marine Science. This partnership provided integrated, cohesive, and innovative education and research capabilities to minority students on climate change science. Activities included a summer course, instrumentation training, field and laboratory research training, sampling, data collection, logging, analysis, interpretation, report preparation, and research presentation. Most training activities used samples collected during students' field sampling in Hilo Bay. Water quality and phytoplankton data were collected along a 220 degree line transect from the mouth of the Wailuku River to the pelagic zone outside of Hilo Bay into the Pacific Ocean to a distance of 15.5 km. Water clarity, turbidity, chlorophyll, physical water quality parameters, and atmospheric CO2 levels were measured along the transect. Phytoplankton samples were collected for analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Flow Cytometry. Data showed the extent of anthropogenic activity on water quality, with implications for food web dynamics. In addition, atmospheric CO2 concentration, island vegetation, and GPS points were recorded throughout the island of Hawai'i to investigate how variations in microclimate, elevation, and land development affect the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, vegetation, and water quality. Water quality results at locations near rivers were completely different from other study sites, requiring students' critical thinking skills to find possible reasons for the difference. Our data show a correlation between population density and CO2 concentrations. Anthropogenic activities affecting CO2 and ocean conditions in Hawaiian microclimates can potentially have deleterious effects on the life

  9. Undergraduate Usage of Mobile Phones and Its Implication of School Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dania, P. O.; Iwe-Ewenode, J.

    2016-01-01

    The study is a survey research intended to find out undergraduate usage of mobile phones and its implication of school application. The colloquium population is 27,650 at which two hundred and thirty-eight undergraduate students were randomly selected from two universities in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A questionnaire on "current trends…

  10. The Role of Residential Communities for the Academic and Social Success of Undergraduate Women in STEM Majors: The Case of a Public University in Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wuhib, Frehiwot Wondimu

    This study is an exploratory case study which explored the residential environment of an Ethiopian public university on its role for the social and academic integration of undergraduate women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. It also explained how the social and academic integration of the women contributed for their overall college success. There were three groups of participants; undergraduate women in STEM, female resident proctors, and relevant officials from the university and the Ministry of Education of the Ethiopian government. Each of the participants were interviewed on a one-on-one basis and the interviews were transcribed and coded for the analysis. Supportive quantitative data about the enrollment, performance and retention of students were also gathered from the university's registrar office and analyzed quantitatively to support the qualitative data obtained through interviews. The study was framed by Tinto's Integration Model and data were interpreted using Third World feminist theory. The findings showed that due to the fact that all same-sex, same-major women living in the same rooms, and all who live in one dorm take similar courses throughout their program, and dormitories serving multiple roles, including being collaboration spaces, played a big role for better social and academic integration of the women. It is also found that their social and academic integration helped them to better perform in their majors by enhancing their sense of belonging in the male-dominated STEM majors, enhancing their commitment, and promoting peer encouragement. On the other hand, the findings also showed that there were some factors which have negative influence in the integration process such as negative stereotypes against the presence and good performance of women in STEM, lack of support system, and limited interaction with faculty. So, the study recommends that working on improving the negatively influencing factors will

  11. Interdisciplinary Biomathematics: Engaging Undergraduates in Research on the Fringe of Mathematical Biology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Kathleen; Luttman, Aaron; Mondal, Sumona

    2013-01-01

    The US National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Undergraduate Biology and Mathematics (UBM) program significantly increased undergraduate research in the biomathematical sciences. We discuss three UBM-funded student research projects at Clarkson University that lie at the intersection of not just mathematics and biology, but also other fields. The…

  12. Should applicants to Nottingham University Medical School study a non-science A-level? A cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates, Janet; Smith, Jennifer; James, David; Ferguson, Eamonn

    2009-01-21

    It has been suggested that studying non-science subjects at A-level should be compulsory for medical students. Our admissions criteria specify only Biology, Chemistry and one or more additional subjects. This study aimed to determine whether studying a non-science subject for A-level is an independent predictor of achievement on the undergraduate medical course. The subjects of this retrospective cohort study were 164 students from one entry-year group (October 2000), who progressed normally on the 5-year undergraduate medical course at Nottingham. Pre-admission academic and socio-demographic data and undergraduate course marks were obtained. T-test and hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were undertaken to identify independent predictors of five course outcomes at different stages throughout the course. There was no evidence that the choice of science or non-science as the third or fourth A-level subject had any influence on course performance. Demographic variables (age group, sex, and fee status) had some predictive value but ethnicity did not. Pre-clinical course performance was the strongest predictor in the clinical phases (pre-clinical Themes A&B (knowledge) predicted Clinical Knowledge, p A-level requirements should specify the choice of third or fourth subject.

  13. An ideal teaching program of nuclear chemistry in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uenak, T.

    2009-01-01

    It is well known that several reports on the common educational problems of nuclear chemistry have been prepared by certain groups of experts from time to time. According to very important statements in these reports, nuclear chemistry and related courses generally do not take sufficient importance in undergraduate chemistry curricula and it was generally proposed that nuclear chemistry and related courses should be introduced into undergraduate chemistry curricula at universities worldwide. Starting from these statements, an ideal program in an undergraduate chemistry curriculum was proposed to be introduced into the undergraduate chemistry program at the Department of Chemistry, Ege University, in Izmir, Turkey during the regular updating of the chemistry curriculum. Thus, it has been believed that this Department of Chemistry has recently gained an ideal teaching program in the field of nuclear chemistry and its applications in scientific, industrial, and medical sectors. In this contribution, the details of this program will be discussed. (author)

  14. Astrology Beliefs among Undergraduate Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugarman, Hannah; Impey, Chris; Buxner, Sanlyn; Antonellis, Jessie

    2011-01-01

    A survey of the science knowledge and attitudes toward science of nearly 10000 undergraduates at a large public university over a 20-year period included several questions addressing student beliefs in astrology and other forms of pseudoscience. The results from our data reveal that a large majority of students (78%) considered astrology "very" or…

  15. Dental Anxiety among Medical and Paramedical Undergraduate Students of Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  16. Undergraduate Research Program Between SCU and SOFIA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulas, Kristin Rose; Andersson, B.-G.

    2018-06-01

    We present results on an undergraduate research program run in collaboration between Santa Clara University (SCU), a predominately undergraduate liberal arts college and the SOFIA Science Center/USRA. We have started a synergistic program between SCU and SOFIA (located at NASA Ames) where the students are able to be fully immersed in astronomical research; from helping to write telescope observing proposal; to observing at a world-class telescope; to reducing and analyzing the data that they acquired and ultimately to presenting/publishing their findings. A recently awarded NSF collaborative grant will allow us to execute and expand this program over the next several years. In this poster we present some of our students research and their success after the program. In addition, we discuss how a small university can actively collaborate with a large government-funded program like SOFIA, funded by NASA.

  17. The Mental Health of University Students in the United Kingdom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macaskill, Ann

    2013-01-01

    There are increasing concerns globally about the mental health of students. In the UK, the actual incidence of mental disturbance is unknown, although university counselling services report increased referrals. This study assesses the levels of mental illness in undergraduate students to examine whether widening participation in education has…

  18. 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…

  19. 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…

  20. An Examination of Soft Skills Listed in Texas Electronic Job Postings and Undergraduate Business Information Systems Syllabi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott-Bracey, Pamela

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the alignment of soft skills sought by current business IS entry-level employers in electronic job postings, with the integration of soft skills in undergraduate business information systems (IS) syllabi of public four-year universities in Texas. One hundred fifty job postings were extracted from two major…

  1. Undergraduate, Female, Nutrition Students' Perceptions of Curricular Influence on Attitudes toward Individuals with Obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwyer, John J M; Starr, Andrea; Mills, Christine; Haines, Jess

    2016-12-01

    This qualitative study, guided by a phenomenological approach, explored senior-level undergraduate, nutrition students' perceptions of how obesity and weight bias were addressed in the undergraduate curricula and how the curricula influenced their attitudes toward individuals with obesity. Twenty senior-level undergraduate, nutrition students from the University of Guelph participated in interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis entailed open, axial, and selective coding. Participants' sources of information about obesity in the curricula included nutrition courses, case studies, and non-nutrition courses. Regarding sources of information about weight bias in the curricula, they discussed nutrition courses, non-nutrition courses, and limited coverage of weight bias. Themes for curricular influence on attitudes toward people with obesity were increased knowledge of obesity, understanding the complexity of obesity, increased empathy toward individuals with obesity, and better ability to avoid stereotypes toward people with obesity. The perceptions among nutrition students varied regarding the amount and type of obesity and weight-bias information in the curricula, as well as the influence of the curricula on attitudes toward individuals with obesity, suggesting that obesity and weight bias warrant more coordinated coverage in the nutrition curricula.

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

    CERN Document Server

    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.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.

  4. Life Science Professional Societies Expand Undergraduate Education Efforts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matyas, Marsha Lakes; Ruedi, Elizabeth A.; Engen, Katie; Chang, Amy L.

    2017-01-01

    The "Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education" reports cite the critical role of professional societies in undergraduate life science education and, since 2008, have called for the increased involvement of professional societies in support of undergraduate education. Our study explored the level of support being provided by…

  5. 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…

  6. University Experiences and Women Engineering Student Persistence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayers, LoAnn Debra Gienger

    Riverside University (a pseudonym), like many universities, has not significantly increased the number of women who graduate with bachelor's degrees in engineering. The purpose of the study is to understand how the university experiences of women students influence the decision to persist in an undergraduate engineering degree and to understand the role of self-perception in how the students perceive experiences as supporting or hindering their persistence in the major. Archival data, documents and artifacts, observations, individual interviews, and a focus group with women engineering students provide insights into students' perceived barriers and supports of student success. Analysis of the data results in two major themes. First, students' self-confidence and self-efficacy influence how women assimilate university experiences as either supportive or diminishing of academic success. Second, university policies and practices shape the campus environment within which student experiences are formed and influence a student's level of institutional, academic, and social integration. The results of the study indicate opportunities for university leadership to enhance strategies that positively shape students' institutional, academic and social integration as precursors toward increasing the number of women students who successfully complete undergraduate engineering degrees at Riverside University. Future research is indicated to better understand how gender and gender identity intersects with other demographic factors, such as socio-economic status, immigration status, and life stage (e.g., traditional versus non-traditional students), to support or deter the persistence of engineering students to degree completion.

  7. A systematic review of the experiences of undergraduate nursing students choosing to study at an English speaking university outside their homeland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terwijn, Ruth; Pearce, Susanne; Rogers-Clark, Catherine

    Increasingly overseas students are attending university nursing programs in English-speaking countries to gain additional tertiary qualifications that may not be available in their homeland and also to fill the international nursing shortfall. For these students, some common issues identified and affirmed in qualitative research papers include loneliness, discriminatory experiences, developing communication, and academic skills. This systematic review will help identify and synthesise current issues through exploring the existing literature, giving an insight into the lives of international nursing students. Given the large and increasing number of these students, it is important to acknowledge and improve learning and other outcomes for them. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the best available evidence in relation to the experiences of undergraduate nursing students choosing to study at an English speaking university outside their homeland. This review sought high quality studies aimed at exploring the experience of undergraduate nursing students studying outside their homeland at an English speaking university. Both qualitative research studies and opinion-based text were considered for this review. An extensive search of the literature was conducted to identify research studies published between January 1990 and April 2011 in English and indexed in 37 major databases. All included articles were assessed independently by two reviewers (RT and SP), using the appropriate critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from included papers using appropriate standardised data extraction tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data from qualitative studies and textual and opinion papers were meta-synthesised separately using standardised instruments. Data synthesis of all included studies involved the pooling of findings and then grouping into categories on a basis of similarity of meaning. The categories

  8. Are psychology university student gamblers representative of non-university students and general gamblers? A comparative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gainsbury, Sally M; Russell, Alex; Blaszczynski, Alex

    2014-03-01

    Students recruited from psychology undergraduate university populations are commonly used in psychology research, including gambling studies. However, the extent to which the use of this subpopulation produces findings that can be extrapolated to other groups is questionable. The present study was designed to compare results from university-recruited psychology student gamblers to those obtained from a sample of gamblers recruited from the general population that also included students. An online survey measuring gambling behavior and Internet gambling, attitudes and knowledge about gambling and problem gambling severity was posted on websites accessed by gamblers. Participants were recruited from two sources, a psychology undergraduate university population (n = 461) and online websites (n = 4,801). Results showed university-recruited students differed significantly from both adults and students recruited from the general population in respect to demographic variables and gambling behavior. Psychology undergraduate students were younger, more likely to be female, and had lower incomes. When relevant demographic variables were controlled, psychology undergraduate students were found to gamble less frequently, at different times, and to be at lower-risk for gambling-related problems, but had more irrational beliefs and more negative attitudes towards gambling than gamblers recruited from the general population. Results suggest that caution should be used in extrapolating findings from research using university-recruited psychology student gamblers to wide community populations due to differences related to gambling thoughts, attitudes and behaviors.

  9. Depression, anxiety, and smartphone addiction in university students- A cross sectional study

    OpenAIRE

    Matar Boumosleh, Jocelyne; Jaalouk, Doris

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The study aims to assess prevalence of smartphone addiction symptoms, and to ascertain whether depression or anxiety, independently, contributes to smartphone addiction level among a sample of Lebanese university students, while adjusting simultaneously for important sociodemographic, academic, lifestyle, personality trait, and smartphone-related variables. Methods A random sample of 688 undergraduate university students (mean age = 20.64 ?1.88 years; 53% men) completed a survey co...

  10. Teaching Old French Literature to Undergraduates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Harry E.

    As a prelude to graduate-level work for French majors, medieval studies are proposed for undergraduate students. Problems inherent in the establishment of the undergraduate program are identified with some suggested solutions. Concepts related to historical grammar, teaching materials, literature, and linguistics are developed. A logical course…

  11. Assessment Practices in Undergraduate Accounting Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lusher, Anna L.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined accounting program assessment plans at 102 colleges and universities in the United States. The research focused on identifying assessment practices in undergraduate accounting programs by examining the skills and competencies assessed and determining the methods of assessment used. The study also investigated what course and/or…

  12. Instructional Podcasting with Undergraduate Digital Natives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Kevin M.; Willis, Dottie

    2013-01-01

    This paper analyzes the use of instructional podcasts with students in introductory computer application classes at a small, independent, private university. Participants were all undergraduates in the school of education. In an effort to model effective use of instructional technology for preservice teachers and to "meet digital native…

  13. Undergraduate Leadership Students' Self-Perceived Level of Moral Imagination: An Innovative Foundation for Morality-Based Leadership Curricula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Odom, Summer F.; Andenoro, Anthony C.; Sandlin, M'Randa R.; Jones, Jaron L.

    2015-01-01

    Leadership educators are faced with the challenge of preparing students to serve organizations and people in dynamic and ever changing contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate leadership students' self-perceived level of moral imagination to make recommendations for moral imagination curricula. Moral imagination is the…

  14. An Empirical Study of State University Students' Perceived Service Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sumaedi, Sik; Bakti, Gede Mahatma Yuda; Metasari, Nur

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to identify: university students' perceived service quality dimensions; the dimensions contributing most towards overall students' perceived service quality; and whether there is a difference in perceived quality level of each dimension based on students' year of study and gender in the context of undergraduate students of…

  15. University of Botswana Undergraduates Uses of the Internet: Implications on Academic Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adeyinka Tella

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available The recognized potential of technology to improve education has led to several initiatives to foster effective use and integration in the curriculum. The Internet as a new invented technology holds the greatest promise humanity has known for learning and universal access to quality education. It allows students to broaden their academic experience, access important information and communicate to others within academic community. In the light of these therefore, this study examined undergraduate’s uses of the Internet and its implications on their academic performance at the University of Botswana, Gaborone. Three hundred and six undergraduate students from thirteen systematically selected departments formed the study sample. A modified Internet Use scale was used to gather data for the study. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and Friedman test. The results indicate that: majority of the respondents (66% access the Internet 1-5 hours per week, 33.3% of respondents access the Internet 6-20 hours per week and 0.7% of respondents access the Internet between 21-25 hours per week. Moreover, most respondents use the Internet for the purpose of obtaining course related information. The results also reveal that Internet contributes significantly to academic performance of the respondents. To enhance and optimise the use of the Internet so that learning can take place at any time and anywhere, providing more access to computers and the Internet on campus constitutes the major recommendations. Future areas of research could include determining variations in Internet use by students from different disciplines, determining the nature and relationships between Internet use and academic performance.

  16. Knowledge and Awareness of Colorectal Cancer among Undergraduate Students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: a Survey-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imran, Muhammad; Sayedalamin, Zaid; Alsulami, Salhah S; Atta, Magdi; Baig, Mukhtiar

    2016-01-01

    This study explored the knowledge and awareness about colorectal cancer (CRC) among undergraduate students of one of the leading universities in Saudi Arabia, along with the mode of information access. The present cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, among students of different faculties. The study questionnaire, containing 28 items, was adapted from surveys identified in the relevant literature. The CRC awareness questionnaire consisted of an awareness section (early CRC signs and symptoms, and risk factors) and a knowledge section. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 21.0. A total of 525 undergraduate students participated in the study. The majority were females (63.0%) and approximately half (56.8%) were medical students. The majority of the students (82.3%) were aware of CRC, and 68% thought that CRC is a preventable disease. Regarding colorectal cancer screening tests, only one-third of students (33%) had actual knowledge, while the majority of the students (77.0%) thought that there are tests which help in early detection. Only 4% of the participants had a family history of CRC. The majority of the participants (84%) thought that CRC is a disease that can be cured. Almost 50-60% participants had good awareness level regarding risk factors, and signs and symptoms. Regarding knowledge, participant responses varied for family history (52%), age (59%), chronic infection of the colon (72%), obesity and lack of exercise (66%). More than one-third of the students had received information material regarding CRC from their curriculum followed by social media (20.4%), and nearly 40% from other sources such as TV, hospital and mass media. Female participants had significantly better awareness in a few questions regarding CRC awareness as compared to their male counterparts. There was a significant difference observed between medical and non-medical students (knowledge about CRC while no significant

  17. Reading Habits of University ESL Students at Different Levels of English Proficiency and Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokhtari, Kouider; Sheorey, Ravi

    1994-01-01

    Examines the degree to which the levels of English proficiency (high vs. low) and education (graduate vs. undergraduate) of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students were associated with differences in their reading behaviors. Finds that the subjects' level of education and English proficiency were associated with their reading behavior…

  18. Identifying the Computer Competency Levels of Recreation Department Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zorba, Erdal

    2011-01-01

    Computer-based and web-based applications are as major instructional tools to increase undergraduates' motivation at school. In the recreation field usage of, computer and the internet based recreational applications has become more prevalent in order to present visual and interactive entertainment activities. Recreation department undergraduates…

  19. Undergraduate Program: New Orleans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Betsock, Lori

    2008-03-01

    Undergraduate chemical science students—join us in New Orleans on April 6-7, 2008 for an educational program designed specifically for you. Attend symposia on chemistry in sports and health and learn how it impacts your life everyday; meet with graduate school recruiters. Focus on your professional future in chemistry by learning more about careers in public health and how to communicate and work effectively with cross-functional teams. Hear eminent scientist Richard B. Silverman (John Evans Professor of Chemistry, Northwestern University and author of The Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Drug Action 2004) speak about "Drug Discovery: Ingenuity or Serendipity?" All events will take place at the Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans, except the Undergraduate Research Poster Sessions and Sci-Mix, both of which will be held in Hall A of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

  20. Effects of Gender and Personality Differences on Twitter Addiction among Turkish Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kircaburun, Kagan

    2016-01-01

    In this study, it was aimed to examine the association between gender, personality traits and Twitter addiction (TA) among undergraduates. Study group consisted of 365 undergraduate students who are enrolled at the state university in western region of Black sea. Big Five Inventory, TA Scale and personal information form were used for data…

  1. Learning analytics for smart campus: Data on academic performances of engineering undergraduates in Nigerian private university.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popoola, Segun I; Atayero, Aderemi A; Badejo, Joke A; John, Temitope M; Odukoya, Jonathan A; Omole, David O

    2018-04-01

    Empirical measurement, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of learning outcomes in higher institutions of developing countries may lead to sustainable education in the region. In this data article, data about the academic performances of undergraduates that studied engineering programs at Covenant University, Nigeria are presented and analyzed. A total population sample of 1841 undergraduates that studied Chemical Engineering (CHE), Civil Engineering (CVE), Computer Engineering (CEN), Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Information and Communication Engineering (ICE), Mechanical Engineering (MEE), and Petroleum Engineering (PET) within the year range of 2002-2014 are randomly selected. For the five-year study period of engineering program, Grade Point Average (GPA) and its cumulative value of each of the sample were obtained from the Department of Student Records and Academic Affairs. In order to encourage evidence-based research in learning analytics, detailed datasets are made publicly available in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file attached to this article. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of the academic performance data are presented in tables and graphs for easy data interpretations. In addition, one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison post-hoc tests are performed to determine whether the variations in the academic performances are significant across the seven engineering programs. The data provided in this article will assist the global educational research community and regional policy makers to understand and optimize the learning environment towards the realization of smart campuses and sustainable education.

  2. 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…

  3. Approaching Gender Parity: Women in Computer Science at Afghanistan's Kabul University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plane, Jandelyn

    2010-01-01

    This study explores the representation of women in computer science at the tertiary level through data collected about undergraduate computer science education at Kabul University in Afghanistan. Previous studies have theorized reasons for underrepresentation of women in computer science, and while many of these reasons are indeed present in…

  4. Student Learning Outcomes and Attitudes When Biotechnology Lab Partners Are of Different Academic Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Heather B.; Witherow, D. Scott; Carson, Susan

    2012-01-01

    The North Carolina State University Biotechnology Program offers laboratory-intensive courses to both undergraduate and graduate students. In “Manipulation and Expression of Recombinant DNA,” students are separated into undergraduate and graduate sections for the laboratory, but not the lecture, component. Evidence has shown that students prefer pairing with someone of the same academic level. However, retention of main ideas in peer learning environments has been shown to be greater when partners have dissimilar abilities. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that there will be enhanced student learning when lab partners are of different academic levels. We found that learning outcomes were met by both levels of student, regardless of pairing. Average undergraduate grades on every assessment method increased when undergraduates were paired with graduate students. Many of the average graduate student grades also increased modestly when graduate students were paired with undergraduates. Attitudes toward working with partners dramatically shifted toward favoring working with students of different academic levels. This work suggests that offering dual-level courses in which different-level partnerships are created does not inhibit learning by students of different academic levels. This format is useful for institutions that wish to offer “boutique” courses in which student enrollment may be low, but specialized equipment and faculty expertise are needed. PMID:22949428

  5. A STUDY OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERNET USAGE AND SELF-REGULATED LEARNING OF UNDERGRADUATES

    OpenAIRE

    Dr. Meena Prakash Kute; SadhanaPote-Palsamkar

    2017-01-01

    The present paper is based on the descriptive correlational research study which aimed to study the relationship between internet usage and self-regulated learning of undergraduates. The survey method was employed to collect the data from commerce, science and arts undergraduates of Mumbai University. The findings of present study showed that, there is significant relationship between internet usage and self-regulated learning of undergraduates. The relationship was found to be positive and n...

  6. Undergraduate courses with an integral research year

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clough, A S; Regan, P H

    2003-01-01

    We present the details of the four year MPhys undergraduate degree provided by the University of Surrey. Integral to this course is a full year spent on a research placement, which in most cases takes place external to the university at a North American or European research centre. This paper outlines the basic rationale underlying the course and, by including a number of research student profiles, we discuss the triple benefits of this course for the students, the University of Surrey and the host institutions where the students spend their research year

  7. A cross-sectional study of the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese undergraduate males and females in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Wing Chi; Li, Mei Kuen; Chan, Wai Ying Veronica; Choi, Yuen Yu; Fong, Chi Hung Sandra; Lam, Ka Wah Kara; Sham, Wun Chi; So, Ping Ping; Wong, Kit; Yeung, Kuen Ha; Yeung, Tsz Yan

    2013-12-01

    To explore the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong and to compare those of (1) male and female undergraduates with those of (2) undergraduates studying health-related vs. nonhealth-related programmes. Menstruation is typically viewed as a forbidden topic or a troublesome experience. These negative beliefs and attitudes result from existing myths and taboos associated with cultural factors and health education levels. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in all universities in Hong Kong. Undergraduates were invited through convenience sampling to complete a questionnaire assessing their attitudes and beliefs towards menstruation. A questionnaire on 'beliefs about and attitudes towards menstruation' was adopted. Questionnaires were self-administered by the respondents. A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed, and a response rate of 96.6% was obtained; 416 completed questionnaires were collected and analysed. Many Chinese undergraduates agreed that menstruation is annoying, causes disability, involves prescription and proscription and is not pleasant. When comparing the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese male undergraduates with those of female undergraduates, females tended to disagree that menstruation should be maintained secret, but tended to agree that it was annoying. When comparing the beliefs and attitudes towards menstruation of Chinese undergraduates studying health-related programmes with those under nonhealth-related programmes, the latter group exhibited a higher level of belief in prescription and proscription for menstruation than the former group. Chinese undergraduates in Hong Kong were influenced by the traditional Chinese culture and social environment, resulting in negative attitudes towards menstruation. This study recommends that sex education, especially reproductive health education, be extended to tertiary education. This study provides relevant information on planning

  8. Research articles as a didatic tool in undergraduate chemistry teaching

    OpenAIRE

    Massi, Luciana; Santos, Gelson Ribeiro dos; Ferreira, Jerino Queiroz; Queiroz, Salete Linhares

    2009-01-01

    Chemistry teachers increasingly use research articles in their undergraduate courses. This trend arises from current pedagogical emphasis on active learning and scientific process. In this paper, we describe some educational experiences on the use of research articles in chemistry higher education. Additionally, we present our own conclusions on the use of such methodology applied to a scientific communication course offered to undergraduate chemistry students at the University of São Paulo, ...

  9. Desegregating undergraduate mathematics and biology--interdisciplinary instruction with emphasis on ongoing biomedical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robeva, Raina

    2009-01-01

    The remarkable advances in the field of biology in the last decade, specifically in the areas of biochemistry, genetics, genomics, proteomics, and systems biology, have demonstrated how critically important mathematical models and methods are in addressing questions of vital importance for these disciplines. There is little doubt that the need for utilizing and developing mathematical methods for biology research will only grow in the future. The rapidly increasing demand for scientists with appropriate interdisciplinary skills and knowledge, however, is not being reflected in the way undergraduate mathematics and biology courses are structured and taught in most colleges and universities nationwide. While a number of institutions have stepped forward and addressed this need by creating and offering interdisciplinary courses at the juncture of mathematics and biology, there are still many others at which there is little, if any, interdisciplinary interaction between the curricula. This chapter describes an interdisciplinary course and a textbook in mathematical biology developed collaboratively by faculty from Sweet Briar College and the University of Virginia School of Medicine. The course and textbook are designed to provide a bridge between the mathematical and biological sciences at the lower undergraduate level. The course is developed for and is being taught in a liberal arts setting at Sweet Briar College, Virginia, but some of the advanced modules are used in a course at the University of Virginia for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The individual modules are relatively independent and can be used as stand-alone projects in conventional mathematics and biology courses. Except for the introductory material, the course and textbook topics are based on current biomedical research.

  10. Modeling the mental health service utilization decisions of university undergraduates: A discrete choice conjoint experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Charles E; Zipursky, Robert B; Christensen, Bruce K; Bieling, Peter J; Madsen, Victoria; Rimas, Heather; Mielko, Stephanie; Wilson, Fiona; Furimsky, Ivana; Jeffs, Lisa; Munn, Catharine

    2017-01-01

    We modeled design factors influencing the intent to use a university mental health service. Between November 2012 and October 2014, 909 undergraduates participated. Using a discrete choice experiment, participants chose between hypothetical campus mental health services. Latent class analysis identified three segments. A Psychological/Psychiatric Service segment (45.5%) was most likely to contact campus health services delivered by psychologists or psychiatrists. An Alternative Service segment (39.3%) preferred to talk to peer-counselors who had experienced mental health problems. A Hesitant segment (15.2%) reported greater distress but seemed less intent on seeking help. They preferred services delivered by psychologists or psychiatrists. Simulations predicted that, rather than waiting for standard counseling, the Alternative Service segment would prefer immediate access to E-Mental health. The Usual Care and Hesitant segments would wait 6 months for standard counseling. E-Mental Health options could engage students who may not wait for standard services.

  11. Communication campaign for the selecting of a technical undergraduate degree at the Salesian Polytechnic University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Priscila Vallejo

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to make available to the scientific community, a communication campaign designed based on the factors involved in choosing a technical undergraduate degree at the Salesian Polytechnic University in Cuenca. Given the momentum that currently provided by the Ecuadorean government to technical and technological country institutes, must take measures to encourage the academic preparation of students opting not only for technical training but by engineering which ensures professionals that guarantee the rights stipulated in the Constitution of Ecuador and help boost the economy with innovation, research and entrepreneurship. The research is qualitative. It is based on focus groups and semi-structured interviews; its conceptual basis is defined by marketing approaches and public relations services; which means that the above factors constitute the main element for the development of a creative communicational approach to provide a more valuable study fields of the institution. 

  12. Teaching medical ethics to undergraduate students in post-apartheid South Africa, 2003 2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moodley, Keymanthri

    2007-11-01

    The apartheid ideology in South Africa had a pervasive influence on all levels of education including medical undergraduate training. The role of the health sector in human rights abuses during the apartheid era was highlighted in 1997 during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings. The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) subsequently realised the importance of medical ethics education and encouraged the introduction of such teaching in all medical schools in the country. Curricular reform at the University of Stellenbosch in 1999 presented an unparalleled opportunity to formally introduce ethics teaching to undergraduate students. This paper outlines the introduction of a medical ethics programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences from 2003 to 2006, with special emphasis on the challenges encountered. It remains one of the most comprehensive undergraduate medical ethics programmes in South Africa. However, there is scope for expanding the curricular time allocated to medical ethics. Integrating the curriculum both horizontally and vertically is imperative. Implementing a core curriculum for all medical schools in South Africa would significantly enhance the goals of medical education in the country.

  13. Sexual and Contraceptive Practices among Female Undergraduates ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    CONCLUSION: There is a high level of sexual activity and low contraceptive use among female undergraduate students in Southwest Nigeria. More reproductive health education and promotion is necessary to safeguard their sexual health. KEYWORDS: sexual behaviour, contraception, female undergraduates, Nigeria ...

  14. Undergraduate nursing students' level of assertiveness in Greece: a questionnaire survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deltsidou, Anna

    2009-09-01

    A number of studies of nursing and midwifery have found stress and bullying to be frequent problems. Those suffering from bullying and stress need to have high levels of assertiveness to resist and to cope successfully. Hence, it was considered vital to assess the assertiveness level of nursing students throughout their training curriculum. The study population was composed of nursing students in different semesters at one school in Central Greece (n=298) who agreed to complete a questionnaire on assertiveness level assessment, which had been translated into Greek and adapted to this population. All students present in class completed the questionnaire, representing 80% of the total population of active students. Mean assertiveness scores between semesters were compared by ANOVA and comparisons between the responses of the first semester students and responses of advanced semester students were done by Pearson's chi square. The main finding of this study was that the assertiveness levels displayed by students increase slightly in advanced semesters by comparison to those displayed by first-semester students. Assertive behavior should be encouraged through learning methods. Nurses should preferably obtain this training throughout their studies. Instructors have an essential role in the improvement and achievement of assertiveness training curriculums for undergraduate nursing students.

  15. Gender Inequality in Undergraduate Business Schools: The Glass Door Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Laura M.; Geyfman, Victoria

    2012-01-01

    This study examined female underrepresentation in business schools among undergraduate students and faculty in a sample of universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and compares the findings to other public universities in Pennsylvania. We found that during the 1995-2008 period, when compared with other academic…

  16. 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…

  17. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of the Experiences of Female African American Undergraduate Engineering Students at a Predominantly White and an Historically Black Institution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frillman, Sharron Ann

    2011-01-01

    This phenomenological study examined the experiences of twelve female African Americans enrolled as fulltime undergraduate engineering students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, an historically Black university, and seven female African Americans enrolled as undergraduate engineering students at Purdue University in…

  18. Not Too "College-Like," Not Too Normal: American Muslim Undergraduate Women's Gendered Discourses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mir, Shabana

    2009-01-01

    Building on an ethnographic study of American Muslim undergraduate women at two universities in Washington, D.C., I examine undergraduate Muslim women's construction of gendered discourses. Stereotypes feed into both majority and minority constructions of Muslim women's gendered identities. I highlight Muslim women's resistance to and adoption of…

  19. A Biosafety Level 2 Virology Lab for Biotechnology Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matza-Porges, Sigal; Nathan, Dafna

    2017-01-01

    Medical, industrial, and basic research relies heavily on the use of viruses and vectors. Therefore, it is important that bioscience undergraduates learn the practicalities of handling viruses. Teaching practical virology in a student laboratory setup presents safety challenges, however. The aim of this article is to describe the design and…

  20. Assessment of a new undergraduate module in musculoskeletal medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Queally, Joseph M; Cummins, Fionnan; Brennan, Stephen A; Shelly, Martin J; O'Byrne, John M

    2011-02-02

    Despite the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders seen by primary care physicians, numerous studies have demonstrated deficiencies in the adequacy of musculoskeletal education at multiple stages of medical education. The aim of this study was to assess a newly developed module in musculoskeletal medicine for use at European undergraduate level (i.e., the medical-school level). A two-week module in musculoskeletal medicine was designed to cover common musculoskeletal disorders that are typically seen in primary care. The module incorporated an integrated approach, including core lectures, bedside clinical examination, and demonstration of basic practical procedures. A previously validated examination in musculoskeletal medicine was used to assess the cognitive knowledge of ninety-two students on completion of the module. A historical control group (seventy-two students) from a prior course was used for comparison. The new module group (2009) performed significantly better than the historical (2006) control group in terms of score (62.3% versus 54.3%, respectively; p pass rate (38.4% versus 12.5%, respectively; p = 0.0002). In a subgroup analysis of the new module group, students who enrolled in the graduate entry program (an accelerated four-year curriculum consisting of students who have already completed an undergraduate university degree) were more likely to perform better in terms of average score (72.2% versus 57%, respectively; p pass rates (70.9% versus 21.4%, respectively; p paper represents an educational advance at undergraduate (i.e., medical-school) level as demonstrated by the improvement in scores in a validated examination. As pressure on medical curricula grows to accommodate advancing medical knowledge, it is important to continue to improve, assess, and consolidate the position of musculoskeletal medicine in contemporary medical education.

  1. University-level education in nuclear and radiochemistry in Slovenia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smodis, B.

    2006-01-01

    The status of education in nuclear and radiochemistry in Slovenia is reviewed and elucidated at both undergraduate and graduate levels. It is observed that both the quantity and the quality of studies have deteriorated during recent years/decades, thus following similar trends in the developed countries. Presently, no dedicated study of radioactivity is offered within the country. The main reason for this deterioration is a general decline of interest for studying nuclear sciences and the limited need for such specialization in a small country such as Slovenia. (author)

  2. Listening and Reading Proficiency Levels of College Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tschirner, Erwin

    2016-01-01

    This article examines listening and reading proficiency levels of U.S. college foreign language students at major milestones throughout their undergraduate career. Data were collected from more than 3,000 participants studying seven languages at 21 universities and colleges across the United States. The results show that while listening…

  3. Intermediate-Level Foreign Language Courses for BBA Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortuno, Manuel J.; Uber, David M.

    Following the early success of its inclusion of languages in the master's-level business administration curriculum, Baylor University began to emphasize foreign language study more heavily in its undergraduate business administration program. The revised program, to be fully implemented in 1989, encourages students to choose 11 hours of language…

  4. Study on diversified cultivation orientation and pattern of optoelectronic major undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhiying

    2017-08-01

    To improve the research quality preparation for graduate study and looking for job competition ability of undergraduates students, the education orientation objective need to be explicit. Universities need develop undergraduates' cultivation plan according to students' classification. Based on analysis of students export characteristic, there will be corresponding cultivation plan. Keep tracking study during the cultivation plan implantation process, the Curriculum system and related manage documents are revised corresponding to exist problems. There are mainly three kinds of undergraduates' career direction plan for opto-electronic major undergraduates. In addition to the vast majority university graduates opting for direct employment, nearly one third of university students choose to take part in the postgraduate entrance exams and other further education abroad, and also one-tenth choose their own businesses, university chooses are diversified. The exports are further studying as graduates, working and study abroad. Because national defense students are also recruited, the cultivation plan will be diversified to four types. For students, who go to work directly after graduation, the "Excellence engineers plan" is implemented to enhance their practice ability. For students, who will study further as graduate student, the scientific innovation research ability cultivation is paid more attention to make good foundation for their subsequent development. For students, who want to study abroad after graduation, the bilingual teaching method is introduced, and the English environment is built. We asked foreign professionals to give lectures for students. The knowledge range is extending, and the exchange and cooperation chance is provided at the same time. And the cultivation plan is revised during docking with Universities abroad. For national defense students, combat training and other defense theory courses are added to make them familiar with force knowledge. And

  5. Teaching evidence based practice and research through blended learning to undergraduate midwifery students from a practice based perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mary, Sidebotham; Julie, Jomeen; Jennifer, Gamble

    2014-03-01

    The international world of higher education is changing with universities now offering students flexible delivery options that allow them to study away from campus and at a time convenient to them. Some students prefer on line learning while others prefer face to face contact offered through a traditional lecture and tutorial delivery modes. The response by many universities is to offer a blend of both. While online and blended mode of delivery may be suitable for some subjects there is little knowledge of the efficacy of blended learning models to teach evidence based practice and research (EBPR) to undergraduate midwifery students. EBPR is a challenging, threshold level subject upon which deeper knowledge and skills are built. This paper describes the design, delivery, and evaluation of an undergraduate EBPR course delivered in blended mode to first year midwifery students. Components of the blended learning innovation included: novel teaching strategies, engaging practical activities, role play, and e-learning strategies to maintain engagement. University-based course evaluation outcomes revealed very positive scores and the course was rated within the top ten percent of all courses offered within the Health Group at the host University. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Eating Habits and Dietary Intake: Is Adherence to Dietary Guidelines Associated with Importance of Healthy Eating among Undergraduate University Students in Finland?

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ansari, Walid; Suominen, Sakari; Samara, Anastasia

    2015-12-01

    Poor eating habits among young adults are a public health concern. This survey examined the eating habits of undergraduate university students in Finland. We assessed students' dietary intake of a variety of food groups, their adherence to international dietary guidelines (whole sample and by gender), and the associations between importance of eating healthy and dietary guidelines adherence (whole sample and by gender). During the 2013-2014 academic year, 1,189 undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Turku in southwestern Finland completed an online self-administered questionnaire. Students reported their eating habits of 12 food groups, the number of daily servings of fruits/vegetables they consume and how important it is for them to eat healthy. For dietary adherence recommendations, we employed WHO guidelines. Chi-square statistic tested the differences in dietary guidelines adherence between males and females and also the associations between the gradients of importance of healthy eating and the self reported eating habits for each of the food groups, for the whole sample and by gender. We observed high levels of dietary adherence (>70%) for most of the 'unhealthy food' items (cake/cookies, snacks, fast food/canned food, and lemonade/soft drinks), and moderate adherence for most of the 'healthy food' items (>50%) (dairy/dairy products, fruit/vegetables servings/day, fresh fruit, salads/raw vegetables and cereal/cereal products). Fish/seafood, meat/sausage products and cooked vegetables had levels healthy food' items (p≤0.001), whereas men had better adherence for sweets (difference=12.8%, p≤0.001), lemonade/soft drinks (difference=16.7%, p≤0.001) and fish/seafood (difference=6.6%, p=0.040) compared to women. Most students considered important to eat healthy (78.8%). The importance of eating healthy was significantly associated with adherence for all food groups besides sweets and cake/cookies. These associations remained significant for women

  7. Measuring Confidence Levels of Male and Female Students in Open Access Enabling Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atherton, Mirella

    2015-01-01

    The study of confidence was undertaken at the University of Newcastle with students selecting science courses at two campuses. The students were enrolled in open access programs and aimed to gain access to undergraduate studies in various disciplines at University. The "third person effect" was used to measure the confidence levels of…

  8. A new model in teaching undergraduate research: A collaborative approach and learning cooperatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Neal, Pamela V; McClellan, Lynx Carlton; Jarosinski, Judith M

    2016-05-01

    Forming new, innovative collaborative approaches and cooperative learning methods between universities and hospitals maximize learning for undergraduate nursing students in a research course and provide professional development for nurses on the unit. The purpose of this Collaborative Approach and Learning Cooperatives (CALC) Model is to foster working relations between faculty and hospital administrators, maximize small group learning of undergraduate nursing students, and promote onsite knowledge of evidence based care for unit nurses. A quality improvement study using the CALC Model was implemented in an undergraduate nursing research course at a southern university. Hospital administrators provided a list of clinical concerns based on national performance outcome measures. Undergraduate junior nursing student teams chose a clinical question, gathered evidence from the literature, synthesized results, demonstrated practice application, and developed practice recommendations. The student teams developed posters, which were evaluated by hospital administrators. The administrators selected several posters to display on hospital units for continuing education opportunity. This CALC Model is a systematic, calculated approach and an economically feasible plan to maximize personnel and financial resources to optimize collaboration and cooperative learning. Universities and hospital administrators, nurses, and students benefit from working together and learning from each other. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Predicting intentions to seek help for depression among undergraduates in Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarasuriya, Santushi D; Jorm, Anthony F; Reavley, Nicola J

    2018-05-04

    Studies have found that although there are high rates of depression among university students, their help-seeking practices are poor. It is important to identify students who are less likely to seek the necessary help, to encourage better help-seeking among them. This study, which was conducted among undergraduates in Sri Lanka, examined the associations between personal characteristics of the undergraduates and their intentions to seek help for depression. This was a cross-sectional study in which 4461 undergraduates (Male: n = 1358, 30.4%, Female: n = 3099, 69.5%; Mean age = 22.18; SD = 1.47) indicated their intentions to seek help if personally affected by depression, which was described in a hypothetical vignette about a peer experiencing depression symptomatology. The predictors of the undergraduates' help-seeking intentions, including their sociodemographic characteristics, prior exposure to and recognition of the problem, and their stigma towards those with depression were examined using binary logistic regression analyses models. The undergraduates' ability to recognise the problem was one of the strongest predictors of their intentions to seek professional help. Those with higher levels of stigma were less likely to seek both professional and informal help. While females were less likely to consider professional help, they were more likely to consider the help of informal help-providers and to consider religious strategies. Medical undergraduates and those who had sought help for personal experiences of the problem were also more likely to consider informal help. However, all these associations resulted in small effect sizes, except for those between recognition of the problem and the undergraduates' intentions to seek professional help, where medium to very large effect sizes were observed in the case of some the associations examined. Improvement of problem-recognition may be a key strategy for improving help-seeking among these

  10. Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Environmental studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMillan, J. [ed.

    1994-12-31

    The purpose of the summer undergraduate internship program for research in environmental studies is to provide an opportunity for well-qualified students to undertake an original research project as an apprentice to an active research scientist in basic environmental research. The students are offered research topics at the Medical University in the scientific areas of pharmacology and toxicology, epidemiology and risk assessment, environmental microbiology, and marine sciences. Students are also afforded the opportunity to work with faculty at the University of Charleston, SC, on projects with an environmental theme. Ten well-qualified students from colleges and universities throughout the eastern United States were accepted into the program.

  11. Aligning Practice to Policies: Changing the Culture to Recognize and Reward Teaching at Research Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennin, Michael; Schultz, Zachary D.; Feig, Andrew; Finkelstein, Noah; Greenhoot, Andrea Follmer; Hildreth, Michael; Leibovich, Adam K.; Martin, James D.; Moldwin, Mark B.; O’Dowd, Diane K.; Posey, Lynmarie A.; Smith, Tobin L.; Miller, Emily R.

    2017-01-01

    Recent calls for improvement in undergraduate education within STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines are hampered by the methods used to evaluate teaching effectiveness. Faculty members at research universities are commonly assessed and promoted mainly on the basis of research success. To improve the quality of undergraduate teaching across all disciplines, not only STEM fields, requires creating an environment wherein continuous improvement of teaching is valued, assessed, and rewarded at various stages of a faculty member’s career. This requires consistent application of policies that reflect well-established best practices for evaluating teaching at the department, college, and university levels. Evidence shows most teaching evaluation practices do not reflect stated policies, even when the policies specifically espouse teaching as a value. Thus, alignment of practice to policy is a major barrier to establishing a culture in which teaching is valued. Situated in the context of current national efforts to improve undergraduate STEM education, including the Association of American Universities Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative, this essay discusses four guiding principles for aligning practice with stated priorities in formal policies: 1) enhancing the role of deans and chairs; 2) effectively using the hiring process; 3) improving communication; and 4) improving the understanding of teaching as a scholarly activity. In addition, three specific examples of efforts to improve the practice of evaluating teaching are presented as examples: 1) Three Bucket Model of merit review at the University of California, Irvine; (2) Evaluation of Teaching Rubric, University of Kansas; and (3) Teaching Quality Framework, University of Colorado, Boulder. These examples provide flexible criteria to holistically evaluate and improve the quality of teaching across the diverse institutions comprising modern higher education. PMID:29196430

  12. Engaging Undergraduates through Interdisciplinary Research in Nanotechnology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goonewardene, Anura U.; Offutt, Christine; Whitling, Jacqueline; Woodhouse, Donald

    2012-01-01

    To recruit and retain more students in all science disciplines at our small (5,000 student) public university, we implemented an interdisciplinary strategy focusing on nanotechnology and enhanced undergraduate research. Inherently interdisciplinary, the novelty of nanotechnology and its growing career potential appeal to students. To engage…

  13. Integrating evidence-based principles into the undergraduate ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. The research methodology module was reviewed as part of the overall revision of the undergraduate physiotherapy curriculum of Stellenbosch University. This created an ideal platform from which to assess how to align the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) with research methodology. Fostering the ...

  14. Time and space: undergraduate Mexican physics in motion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candela, Antonia

    2010-09-01

    This is an ethnographic study of the trajectories and itineraries of undergraduate physics students at a Mexican university. In this work learning is understood as being able to move oneself and, other things (cultural tools), through the space-time networks of a discipline (Nespor in Knowledge in motion: space, time and curriculum in undergraduate physics and management. Routledge Farmer, London, 1994). The potential of this socio-cultural perspective allows an analysis of how students are connected through extended spaces and times with an international core discipline as well as with cultural features related to local networks of power and construction. Through an example, I show that, from an actor-network-theory (Latour in Science in action. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1987), that in order to understand the complexities of undergraduate physics processes of learning you have to break classroom walls and take into account students' movements through complex spatial and temporal traces of the discipline of physics. Mexican professors do not give classes following one textbook but in a moment-to-moment open dynamism tending to include undergraduate students as actors in classroom events extending the teaching space-time of the classroom to the disciplinary research work of physics. I also find that Mexican undergraduate students show initiative and display some autonomy and power in the construction of their itineraries as they are encouraged to examine a variety of sources including contemporary research articles, unsolved physics problems, and even to participate in several physicists' spaces, as for example being speakers at the national congresses of physics. Their itineraries also open up new spaces of cultural and social practices, creating more extensive networks beyond those associated with a discipline. Some economic, historical and cultural contextual features of this school of sciences are analyzed in order to help understanding the particular

  15. Guided university debate: Effect of a new teaching-learning strategy for undergraduate nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrue, Marta; Unanue, Saloa; Merida, David

    2017-12-01

    A number of studies have shown that the traditional lecture suffers from limitations in the development of many important competencies such as reasoning ability for nursing professionals. In view of this issue, the authors present a promising alternative to the traditional lecture: the Guided University Debate (GUD). With regard to this aim a teaching-learning sequence of schizophrenia is described based on the GUD. Next, the improvement in the argumentative and declarative knowledge of the students who have participated in the said methodology is demonstrated. Quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design to measure differences in the improvement of declarative and argumentative knowledge. To determine if there is a statistically significant difference in the score obtained in the pre-test and in the post-test score a parametric t-tests was carried. 64 students participated in the study. Implementation of the study took place during the 2015-2016 academic year in the third year of the Nursing undergraduate degree course in the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) as part of the Mental Health class. The results showed a statistically-significant improvement in the students' scores for all learning outcomes analysed: Identifies symptoms of schizophrenia (p≤0.001), identifies the nursing interventions (p≤0.001), provides a rationale for nursing interventions (p≤0.001) and provides evidence of nursing interventions (p≤0.001). That is, the declarative and argumentative capacity of the group improved significantly with the Guided University Debate methodology. Although the teaching design feasibility and outcomes may vary in different contexts, based on this studies' positive outcome, the authors call today's educators to be able to use GUD as a teaching method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. 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 ...

  17. Nuclear analytical methods in teaching and research at the university of Illinois

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landsberger, S.

    1994-01-01

    An overview of the nuclear analytical methods opportunities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are given. Undergraduate and graduate level teaching and research are highlighted. The TRIGA reactor and neutron activation analysis facilities are described in the context of this role within an inter-disciplinary environment. (author)

  18. Transforming Passive Receptivity of Knowledge into Deep Learning Experiences at the Undergraduate Level: An Example from Music Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferenc, Anna

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses transformation of passive knowledge receptivity into experiences of deep learning in a lecture-based music theory course at the second-year undergraduate level through implementation of collaborative projects that evoke natural critical learning environments. It presents an example of such a project, addresses key features…

  19. Integrating Research-Informed Teaching within an Undergraduate Level 4 (Year 1) Diagnostic Radiography Curriculum: A Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgins, Robert; Hogg, Peter; Robinson, Leslie

    2013-01-01

    This article discusses the piloting and evaluation of the Research-informed Teaching experience (RiTe) project. The aim of RiTe was to link teaching and learning with research within an undergraduate diagnostic radiography curriculum. A preliminary pilot study of RiTe was undertaken with a group of level 4 (year 1) volunteer BSc (Hons) diagnostic…

  20. Florida Campus Visit & University Tour | Nova Southeastern University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography Law University School Undergraduate Academic Programs Explore all of the academic opportunities that SharkLink Student Portal Graduate & Professional Master's Over 60 degrees in fields like business

  1. Libraries at Nova Southeastern University | Nova Southeastern University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography Law University School Undergraduate Academic Programs Explore all of the academic opportunities that SharkLink Student Portal Graduate & Professional Master's Over 60 degrees in fields like business

  2. Education for Democracy at the University Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knoester, Matthew; Gichiru, Wangari P.

    2014-01-01

    The University of Evansville, like many universities, requires a seminar for all incoming first-year students to prepare students for college-level writing, along with the reading and discussion of challenging texts. Often, these courses share particular books to allow in-coming students to share a "common experience." This article…

  3. The Impact of Smart-phones Usage on Third-Year Undergraduates ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the impact of the use of smart-mobile phone by undergraduate students at the University of Dar es Salaam. Specifically, the study sought to establish the academic-related purposes for which university students use smart-phones and the impact of such usage on their academic life. To achieve these ...

  4. Analysis of the study skills of undergraduate pharmacy students of the University of Zambia School of Medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Chinyere Ezeala

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available It aimed to compare the study skills of two groups of undergraduate pharmacy students in the School of Medicine, University of Zambia using the Study Skills Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ, with the goal of analysing students’ study skills and identifying factors that affect study skills. A questionnaire was distributed to 67 participants from both programs using stratified random sampling. Completed questionnaires were rated according to participants study skill. The total scores and scores within subscales were analysed and compared quantitatively. Questionnaires were distributed to 37 students in the regular program, and to 30 students in the parallel program. The response rate was 100%. Students had moderate to good study skills: 22 respondents (32.8% showed good study skills, while 45 respondents (67.2% were found to have moderate study skills. Students in the parallel program demonstrated significantly better study skills (mean SSAQ score, 185.4±14.5, particularly in time management and writing, than the students in the regular program (mean SSAQ score 175±25.4; P<0.05. No significant differences were found according to age, gender, residential or marital status, or level of study. The students in the parallel program had better time management and writing skills, probably due to their prior work experience. The more intensive training to students in regular program is needed in improving time management and writing skills.

  5. Profile of brazilian dental students and its relationship to anxiety levels

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    Nayane Cavalcante Ferreira da Silva

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile of dental students and its relationship to anxiety levels. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was applied to 207 first- to fifth-year undergraduates enrolled in the dentistry program at the School of Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing, Federal University of Ceará, Brazil. Participants were aged 17 to 29 years, and the maiority were women (57.5%. Students had a weekly workload of up to 40 hours and performed at least two complementary activities, in addition to their undergraduate training. Almost all students (95.7% had attended private high schools and 80.6% lived with their parents or spouses. Regarding parental education, 59.4% of mothers and 55.6% of fathers had a higher education degree. Most students showed medium levels of anxiety according to measurements of state anxiety (53.1% and trait anxiety (81.6%. It can be concluded that more than 50% of students in the Dentistry graduation course of the Federal University of Ceará showed an average level of anxiety, and that the excessive workload and enrichment activities necessary to obtain the undergraduate degree in Dentistry probably can be influencing the anxiety levels of students, however, more studies and statistical tests should be performed to identify the root causes in order to preserve the mental health of these future dentists.

  6. German 450: Introduction to Business Operations in Germany. Initiating the Integration Process into the International Business Environment for German Majors at the Undergraduate and Graduate Levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Claudia A.

    The redesign of a course on German business, taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is described. The course, intended for both undergraduate and graduate German majors, initially described and defined German institutions and common business practices and explored differences in historical and cultural backgrounds. Course revision…

  7. Updating the Undergraduate Curriculum of the Department of Information Management of Hacettepe University (2009-2011

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    Yaşar Tonta

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Concomitant with the heavy use of the Internet, the Web and social Networks, scientific, technological and social changes speed up nowadays, resulting in the production of massive data and information. Information that is mostly discovered, organized, retrieved and used through the networks needs to be managed effectively. The curricula of the departments of Information Management educating information professionals should mirror such scientific, technological and social developments. In this paper, we review the process of the revision of the undergraduate curriculum of the Department of Information Management of Hacettepe University. First, we introduce the Department briefly, then we review the studies carried out between 2009 and 2011 to update the curriculum along with the conceptual model of education for information management developed during this process. Finally, we provide brief information on double major and minor programs that have been developed mutually with the Departments of Economics and Computer Engineering.

  8. Evaluating and Selecting Sport Management Undergraduate Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuneen, Jacquelyn; Sidwell, M. Joy

    1998-01-01

    States that the accelerated growth of sport management undergraduate programs that began in the 1980s has continued into the current decade. There are currently 180 sport management major programs in American colleges and universities. Describes the sports management approval process and suggests useful strategies to evaluate sport management…

  9. 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.

  10. Undergraduate Music Education Major Identity Formation in the University Music Department

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClellan, Edward

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine relationships among social identity, value of music education, musician-teacher orientation, selected demographic factors, and self-concept as a music educator. Participants (N = 968) were volunteer undergraduate music education majors enrolled at four-year institutions granting a bachelor of music…

  11. 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

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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…

  13. Teaching medical ethics to undergraduate students in post‐apartheid South Africa, 2003–2006

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moodley, Keymanthri

    2007-01-01

    The apartheid ideology in South Africa had a pervasive influence on all levels of education including medical undergraduate training. The role of the health sector in human rights abuses during the apartheid era was highlighted in 1997 during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings. The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) subsequently realised the importance of medical ethics education and encouraged the introduction of such teaching in all medical schools in the country. Curricular reform at the University of Stellenbosch in 1999 presented an unparalleled opportunity to formally introduce ethics teaching to undergraduate students. This paper outlines the introduction of a medical ethics programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences from 2003 to 2006, with special emphasis on the challenges encountered. It remains one of the most comprehensive undergraduate medical ethics programmes in South Africa. However, there is scope for expanding the curricular time allocated to medical ethics. Integrating the curriculum both horizontally and vertically is imperative. Implementing a core curriculum for all medical schools in South Africa would significantly enhance the goals of medical education in the country. PMID:17971474

  14. 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

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  16. Implementing the undergraduate mini-CEX: a tailored approach at Southampton University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Faith; Kendall, Kathleen; Galbraith, Kevin; Crossley, Jim

    2009-04-01

    The mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) is widely used in the UK to assess clinical competence, but there is little evidence regarding its implementation in the undergraduate setting. This study aimed to estimate the validity and reliability of the undergraduate mini-CEX and discuss the challenges involved in its implementation. A total of 3499 mini-CEX forms were completed. Validity was assessed by estimating associations between mini-CEX score and a number of external variables, examining the internal structure of the instrument, checking competency domain response rates and profiles against expectations, and by qualitative evaluation of stakeholder interviews. Reliability was evaluated by overall reliability coefficient (R), estimation of the standard error of measurement (SEM), and from stakeholders' perceptions. Variance component analysis examined the contribution of relevant factors to students' scores. Validity was threatened by various confounding variables, including: examiner status; case complexity; attachment specialty; patient gender, and case focus. Factor analysis suggested that competency domains reflect a single latent variable. Maximum reliability can be achieved by aggregating scores over 15 encounters (R = 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] +/- 0.28 based on a 6-point assessment scale). Examiner stringency contributed 29% of score variation and student attachment aptitude 13%. Stakeholder interviews revealed staff development needs but the majority perceived the mini-CEX as more reliable and valid than the previous long case. The mini-CEX has good overall utility for assessing aspects of the clinical encounter in an undergraduate setting. Strengths include fidelity, wide sampling, perceived validity, and formative observation and feedback. Reliability is limited by variable examiner stringency, and validity by confounding variables, but these should be viewed within the context of overall assessment strategies.

  17. Cyber Aggression among College Students: Demographic Differences, Predictors of Distress, and the Role of the University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauman, Sheri; Baldasare, Angela

    2015-01-01

    Using the Cyberbullying Experiences Survey, we collected data from 1,114 undergraduate students at a large public Southwestern university. In addition to inquiring about students' experiences with bullying, we inquired about the level of distress and the digital medium used. Results showed differences in types of experiences and level of distress…

  18. A Quasi-Experimental Study of Moral Reasoning of Undergraduate Business Students Using an Ethical Decision-Making Framework in a Basic Accounting Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilhelm, William J.; Czyzewski, Alan B.

    2006-01-01

    This study was designed to identify classroom interventions that can be used by core business course instructors (as opposed to trained business ethicists) to positively affect levels of moral reasoning in undergraduate business students. The quasi-experimental study conducted at a Midwestern university, focused on determining if the utilization…

  19. A Survey of Final-year Undergraduate Laboratory Projects in Biochemistry and Related Degrees in Great Britain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin, Caroline A.

    1997-01-01

    Analyzes undergraduate research projects in biochemistry and related subjects at British universities. Discusses the trend toward students doing less research as part of their undergraduate study. Reasons cited for this trend include increased student numbers and costs. (DDR)

  20. Cross-age mentoring to support A-level pupils’ transition into Higher Education and undergraduate students’ employability

    OpenAIRE

    James, Alana I.

    2014-01-01

    Two challenges identified for psychology higher education are supporting entry students’ transition, and supporting graduates’ transition into employment. The evaluation of the first phase of a cross-age mentoring action research project targeting these issues is presented; eight psychology undergraduates mentored 20 A-level psychology pupils in two schools. Mentors showed significant increases in two of nine psychological literacies, in self-efficacy but not self-esteem, were highly satisfie...

  1. Career unreadiness in relation to anxiety and authoritarian parenting among undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Chau-Kiu; Cheung, Hoi Yan; Wu, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    Career unreadiness, covering career indecision and career myth, is an issue for universities to address. Supposedly, career unreadiness is responsible for the university student's anxiety and partly results from authoritarian parenting during the student's childhood. This is an uncharted concern for this study to clarify. The study surveyed 229 undergraduates in two universities in Hong Kong, China. It employed structural equation modelling to clarify nexuses among career unreadiness, authoritarian parenting and anxiety, after minimising their measurement errors. Career unreadiness mediated the negative effect of authoritarian parenting on anxiety. Nevertheless, authoritarian parenting still maintained a negative direct effect on anxiety, after controlling for career unreadiness. The findings imply that reducing undergraduates' career unreadiness is justifiable to prevent their anxiety. Such a reduction would benefit from neutralising the demands of authoritarian parenting. More fundamentally, diverting authoritarian parenting is advisable. PMID:25431512

  2. Career unreadiness in relation to anxiety and authoritarian parenting among undergraduates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Chau-Kiu; Cheung, Hoi Yan; Wu, Joseph

    2014-07-03

    Career unreadiness, covering career indecision and career myth, is an issue for universities to address. Supposedly, career unreadiness is responsible for the university student's anxiety and partly results from authoritarian parenting during the student's childhood. This is an uncharted concern for this study to clarify. The study surveyed 229 undergraduates in two universities in Hong Kong, China. It employed structural equation modelling to clarify nexuses among career unreadiness, authoritarian parenting and anxiety, after minimising their measurement errors. Career unreadiness mediated the negative effect of authoritarian parenting on anxiety. Nevertheless, authoritarian parenting still maintained a negative direct effect on anxiety, after controlling for career unreadiness. The findings imply that reducing undergraduates' career unreadiness is justifiable to prevent their anxiety. Such a reduction would benefit from neutralising the demands of authoritarian parenting. More fundamentally, diverting authoritarian parenting is advisable.

  3. Undergraduates' Text Messaging Language and Literacy Skills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grace, Abbie; Kemp, Nenagh; Martin, Frances Heritage; Parrila, Rauno

    2014-01-01

    Research investigating whether people's literacy skill is being affected by the use of text messaging language has produced largely positive results for children, but mixed results for adults. We asked 150 undergraduate university students in Western Canada and 86 in South Eastern Australia to supply naturalistic text messages and to complete…

  4. Effectiveness of UK and International A-Level Assessment in Predicting Performance in Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birch, David M.; Rienties, Bart

    2014-01-01

    In many universities, admissions decisions are made based upon the advanced-level (A-Level) results. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of A-level and international equivalents as a predictor of early achievement in higher education. About 135 UK and 92 international undergraduate engineering students from 35 countries were assessed…

  5. Page 170 Use of Electronic Resources by Undergraduates in Two ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    undergraduate students use electronic resources such as NUC virtual library, HINARI, ... web pages articles from magazines, encyclopedias, pamphlets and other .... of Nigerian university libraries have Internet connectivity, some of the system.

  6. Prevalence of depression and anxiety among undergraduate university students in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    January, James; Madhombiro, Munyaradzi; Chipamaunga, Shalote; Ray, Sunanda; Chingono, Alfred; Abas, Melanie

    2018-04-10

    Depression and anxiety symptoms are reported to be common among university students in many regions of the world and impact on quality of life and academic attainment. The extent of the problem of depression and anxiety among students in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is largely unknown. This paper details methods for a systematic review that will be conducted to explore the prevalence, antecedents, consequences, and treatments for depression and anxiety among undergraduate university students in LMICs. Studies reporting primary data on common mental disorders among students in universities and colleges within LMICs will be included. Quality assessment of retrieved articles will be conducted using four Joanna Briggs critical appraisal checklists for prevalence, randomized control/pseudo-randomized trials, descriptive case series, and comparable cohort/case control. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of depression and anxiety will be conducted using a random effects model which will generate pooled prevalence with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The results from this systematic review will help in informing and guiding healthcare practitioners, planners, and policymakers on the burden of common mental disorders in university students in LMICs and of appropriate and feasible interventions aimed at reducing the burden of psychological morbidity among them. The results will also point to gaps in research and help set priorities for future enquiries. PROSPERO CRD42017064148.

  7. 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.

  8. Building an Undergraduate Book Approval Plan for a Large Academic Library

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    Denise Koufogiannakis

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The University of Alberta Libraries (UAL, working with two book vendors, created large-scale undergraduate book approval plans to deliver new publications. Detailed selections profiles were created for many subject areas, designed to deliver books that would have been obvious choices by subject selectors. More than 5800 monographs were received through the book approval plans during the pilot period. These volumes proved to be highly relevant to users, showing twice as much circulation as other monographs acquired during the same time period. Goals achieved through this project include: release of selectors’ time from routine work, systematic acquisition of a broadly based high-demand undergraduate collection and faster delivery of undergraduate materials. This successful program will be expanded and incorporated into UAL’s normal acquisitions processes for undergraduate materials.

  9. A mathematics content course and teaching efficacy beliefs of undergraduate majors in education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkhateeb, Haitham M; Abed, Adnan S

    2003-10-01

    This study was designed to assess the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of undergraduates in elementary education through a manipulative-based course in mathematics. Responses of 106 university undergraduates to the 21-item Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs administered as pre- and posttest without a control group showed a significant immediate postcourse change in their efficacy beliefs using dependent t test.

  10. Matrix groups for undergraduates

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    Tapp, Kristopher

    2016-01-01

    Matrix groups touch an enormous spectrum of the mathematical arena. This textbook brings them into the undergraduate curriculum. It makes an excellent one-semester course for students familiar with linear and abstract algebra and prepares them for a graduate course on Lie groups. Matrix Groups for Undergraduates is concrete and example-driven, with geometric motivation and rigorous proofs. The story begins and ends with the rotations of a globe. In between, the author combines rigor and intuition to describe the basic objects of Lie theory: Lie algebras, matrix exponentiation, Lie brackets, maximal tori, homogeneous spaces, and roots. This second edition includes two new chapters that allow for an easier transition to the general theory of Lie groups. From reviews of the First Edition: This book could be used as an excellent textbook for a one semester course at university and it will prepare students for a graduate course on Lie groups, Lie algebras, etc. … The book combines an intuitive style of writing w...

  11. Inter-Institutional Partnerships Propel A Successful Collaborative Undergraduate Degree Program In Chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Souza, Malcolm J; Wang, Qiquan

    2012-10-01

    Small private liberal arts colleges are increasingly tuition-dependent and mainly attract students by creating student-centered learning communities. On the other hand, larger universities tend to be trendsetters where its faculty tend to seek intellectual independence and are involved in career focused cutting-edge research. The Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) and Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) are federal-state-university partnerships that builds basic research infrastructure and coax the state-wide higher education institutions to collaborate with each other in order to enhance their competitiveness. As a result in Delaware, Wesley College instituted curricular and operational changes to launch an undergraduate program in biological chemistry where its students take three upper division chemistry courses and can choose to participate in annual summer undergraduate internships at nearby Delaware State University.

  12. 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…

  13. ChE Undergraduate Research Projects in Biomedical Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stroeve, Pieter

    1981-01-01

    Describes an undergraduate research program in biomedical engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Includes goals and faculty comments on the program. Indicates that 58 percent of projects conducted between 1976 and 1980 have been presented at meetings or published. (SK)

  14. An exploration of alcohol use amongst undergraduate female ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

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

  15. An in-depth study of undergraduate tutorial system based on education and teaching integration reform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fan Wenhui

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available As personalized development for undergraduate is the trend of higher education development, the undergraduate tutors should play their role in the establishment of personalized personnel training mode. Based on reform practice of university education integration, this article gives a deepening research on the essence and implement methods of undergraduate tutorial system. To implement and strengthen the function of undergraduate tutorial system, we need to increase teachers’ comprehensive quality training, build a multiple-dimension, full-process and whole-staff-participation educational concept, absorb the enterprise mentors to give guidance on students’ career planning and implement the scientific and reasonable undergraduate administrative evaluation system. With continuous theory exploration and practice research, the quality of undergraduate talent training has been gradually improved.

  16. Evaluation of the Assessment Plan for Undergraduate Clerkship in Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad M.S. Almrstani

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background The standards set by accreditation bodies for student assessment during higher education, such as those of the National Commission for Academic Accreditation & Assessment (NCAAA, are necessary in formulating educational programs. These serve as a benchmark for how colleges or universities are assessed and reflect students' learning. Following the implementation of these guidelines, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, within the Faculty of Medicine in King Abdulaziz University (KAU, established assessment strategies appropriate to their curriculum, which were valid and reliable, thus enabling students to be fairly assessed throughout their undergraduate course. Since KAU is currently preparing for accreditation by the NCAAA, this study was a necessary undertaking to ensure that the assessment strategies designed by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology are aligned and conform to the NCAAA student assessment guidelines, thereby outlining the standard of expected performance and learning outcomes for students. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the assessment plan of the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship for undergraduate medical students within the Faculty of Medicine, KAU, in comparison to the standard criteria for student assessment as implemented by the NCAAA. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, which employed two questionnaires containing questions based on the NCAAA guidelines. The surveys were distributed among the teaching staff and students rotating for 12 weeks within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KAU, from September to November 2013. In total, 100/116 (86.2% students and 26/36 (81.25% teaching staff participated in the study. Results Two sets of results were obtained regarding the student assessment practices in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KAU, one from fifth-year medical students and the second from the teaching staff. The results showed that

  17. Recreational Use of Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors and Its Associated Factors among Undergraduate Male Students in an Ethiopian University: A Cross-Sectional Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhagavathula, Akshaya Srikanth; Gebresillassie, Begashaw Melaku; Tefera, Yonas Getaye; Belachew, Sewunet Admasu; Erku, Daniel Asfaw

    2016-01-01

    Purpose To assess the prevalence of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor use and associated factors among University of Gondar undergraduate students. Materials and Methods An institution-based, cross-sectional study, using a survey questionnaire, was conducted from October to December 2015 to assess PDE5 inhibitor use and associated factors among male students at the University of Gondar. A Self-Esteem and Relationship questionnaire (14 items), an International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (15 items) and a questionnaire on PDE5 inhibitor use (14 items) were included in the survey. Results Across all respondents (age, 21.9±1.88 years), more than half (55.7%, n=233) had heard about PDE5 inhibitors, but only 23 men (5.5%) reported trying a PDE5 inhibitor drug at least once. Older students were more likely to use PDE5 inhibitors compared to younger students (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.109~1.768). Those students who were smokers were 5.15 times more likely to use PDE5 inhibitors as compared to their non-smoking counterparts (AOR, 5.15; 95% CI, 2.096~12.687). In addition, multivariate logistic regression showed that being in a relationship, alcohol use, greater number of cigarettes smoked per day, and more sexual partners were significantly associated with PDE5 inhibitor use. Conclusions The prevalence of PDE5 inhibitor use among undergraduate students was 5.5%. Cigarette smoking and other substance use, older age, and greater number of sexual partners were significantly associated factors for PDE5 inhibitor use. These findings suggest that restricting access to PDE5 inhibitor drugs is essential to curtailing misuse among university students. PMID:28053948

  18. Recreational Use of Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors and Its Associated Factors among Undergraduate Male Students in an Ethiopian University: A Cross-Sectional Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eyob Alemayehu Gebreyohannes

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To assess the prevalence of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5 inhibitor use and associated factors among University of Gondar undergraduate students. Materials and Methods: An institution-based, cross-sectional study, using a survey questionnaire, was conducted from October to December 2015 to assess PDE5 inhibitor use and associated factors among male students at the University of Gondar. A Self-Esteem and Relationship questionnaire (14 items, an International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (15 items and a questionnaire on PDE5 inhibitor use (14 items were included in the survey. Results: Across all respondents (age, 21.9±1.88 years, more than half (55.7%, n=233 had heard about PDE5 inhibitors, but only 23 men (5.5% reported trying a PDE5 inhibitor drug at least once. Older students were more likely to use PDE5 inhibitors compared to younger students (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.109∼1.768. Those students who were smokers were 5.15 times more likely to use PDE5 inhibitors as compared to their non-smoking counterparts (AOR, 5.15; 95% CI, 2.096∼12.687. In addition, multivariate logistic regression showed that being in a relationship, alcohol use, greater number of cigarettes smoked per day, and more sexual partners were significantly associated with PDE5 inhibitor use. Conclusions: The prevalence of PDE5 inhibitor use among undergraduate students was 5.5%. Cigarette smoking and other substance use, older age, and greater number of sexual partners were significantly associated factors for PDE5 inhibitor use. These findings suggest that restricting access to PDE5 inhibitor drugs is essential to curtailing misuse among university students.

  19. New Project System for Undergraduate Electronic Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Dirk M.; Chiu, Shen Y.

    2005-01-01

    A new approach to projects for undergraduate electronic engineering in an Australian university has been applied successfully for over 10 years. This approach has a number of projects running over three year period. Feedback from past graduates and their managers has confirmed that these projects train the students well, giving them the ability…

  20. Heat Exchanger Lab for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajala, Jonathan W.; Evans, Edward A.; Chase, George G.

    2015-01-01

    Third year chemical engineering undergraduate students at The University of Akron designed and fabricated a heat exchanger for a stirred tank as part of a Chemical Engineering Laboratory course. The heat exchanger portion of this course was three weeks of the fifteen week long semester. Students applied concepts of scale-up and dimensional…

  1. Centrifugal Pump Experiment for Chemical Engineering Undergraduates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderslice, Nicholas; Oberto, Richard; Marrero, Thomas R.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe a Centrifugal Pump Experiment that provided an experiential learning experience to chemical engineering undergraduates at the University of Missouri in the spring of 2010 in the Unit Operations Laboratory course. Lab equipment was used by senior students with computer-based data and control technology. In…

  2. Validation of a Tool to Assess and Track Undergraduate Attitudes toward Those Living in Poverty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blair, Kevin D.; Brown, Marlo; Schoepflin, Todd; Taylor, David B.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: This article describes the development and validation of the Undergraduate Perceptions of Poverty Tracking Survey (UPPTS). Method: Data were collected from 301 undergraduates at a small university in the Northeast and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis augmented by random qualitative validation. Results: The resulting survey…

  3. Electronic book and its use by undergraduate students of a federal university

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Bogliolo Sirihal Duarte

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Electronic books (e-books has been gaining notoriety in the market and in academic research. University libraries bet on loan contents, and do not believe on borrow devices for reading purposes. Purpose: Presents the results of a research carried out with undergraduate students and librarians of the Library System of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG designed to investigate how the students are using e-books and e-readers and if the library system is prepared to provide support in terms of services and collections. Methodology: Regarding the methodology, the research was conducted in three steps including literature review, qualitative research with librarians(conducting interviews and quantitative research with students (questionnaires. Results: The main results show that over 50% of students have made use of ebooks but about 75% prefer the p-books to perform their activities of reading and research. The main format used is PDF. The most used features include changing the font size, underline, consult the dictionary and annotate. The provision of e-books by the Library System of UFMG is still limited and occurs through isolated initiatives by units. Librarians point out advantages and disadvantages of e-book usage. Conclusions: The public has not demanded more than it is been offered. Given the choice, the vast preference of UFMG reader is still the book in the printed version.

  4. Socio-economic and schooling status of dental undergraduates from six French universities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hennequin, M; Tubert, S; Devillers, A; Müller, M; Michaïlesco, P; Peli, J F; Pouëzat, J

    2002-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the socio-economic status of French undergraduate dental students. A 46-item questionnaire was completed by the dental students of six universities between 1992 and 1995. Subjects related to family background, housing, schooling, income, expenditure and participation in student life were investigated. A total of 1192 out of 1207 questionnaires were returned. Both genders had equal access to dental training. The average overall cost of the four last years of the dental course was 30,302 French francs and varied greatly between faculties, as did the number of hours spent at the faculty for lectures, tutorials and practicals, and clinical work. Overall, the majority of students came from a well off social background, and had a relatively high quality of life while a small minority received no support from their families. Thirty-four per cent of students had never worked. One third of students smoked and one third regularly consumed medication of some sort. A third did not participate in any sport. Only 25% students bought dental text books and 42% of the students reported using the library regularly. This study offers an accurate description of the socio-economic status of French dental students that could be used as a reference for comparable studies in other European countries.

  5. Bayer Facts of Science Education XV: A View from the Gatekeepers—STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayer Corporation

    2012-06-01

    Diversity and the underrepresentation of women, African-Americans, Hispanics and American Indians in the nation's science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields are the subjects of the XV: A View from the Gatekeepers—STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students. Annual public opinion research project commissioned by Bayer Corporation, the Bayer Facts surveys examine science education and science literacy issues. The 15th in the series and the fifth to explore diversity and underrepresentation, this research is a direct outgrowth of last year's results which found 40 percent of the country's female and underrepresented minority (URM) chemists and chemical engineers working today were discouraged from pursuing their STEM career at some point in their lives. US colleges were cited as places where this discouragement most often happened and college professors as the individuals most likely responsible. Does such discouragement still occur in American colleges today? To answer this and other questions about the undergraduate environment in which today's students make their career decisions, the survey polls 413 STEM department chairs at the nation's 200 top research universities and those that produce the highest proportion of female and URM STEM graduates. The survey also asks the chairs about their institutions track record recruiting and retaining female and URM STEM undergraduates, preparedness of these students to study STEM, the impact of traditional introductory STEM courses on female and URM students and barriers these students face pursuing their STEM degrees.

  6. Resilience and well-being of university nursing students in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Ka Ming; Tang, Wing Ki Fiona; Chan, Wing Han Carmen; Sit, Wing Hung Janet; Choi, Kai Chow; Chan, Sally

    2018-01-12

    University nursing students experience higher levels of academic stress than those of other disciplines. Academic stress leads to psychological distress and has detrimental effects on well-being. The ability to overcome such adversity and learn to be stronger from the experience is regarded as resilience. Resilience is found to have an impact on learning experience, academic performance, course completion and, in the longer term, professional practice. Resilience and positive coping strategies can resist stress and improve personal well-being. However, the relationship between resilience and well-being remains unexplored in nursing students, which are significant attributes to their academic success and future career persistence. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design. Inclusion criteria for recruitment was students studying pre-registration nursing programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) and World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5) were used to measure resilience and psychological well-being respectively. A convenience sample of 678 university nursing students was recruited from a university. The mean score of CD-RISC-10 was 24.0. When comparing the resilience levels of undergraduate and postgraduate students, the total scores were found to be 23.8 and 24.9 respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups (p = .020). With regard to perceived well-being, the mean score of WHO-5 was 15.5. There was no significant difference between undergraduates and postgraduates (p = .131). Bivariate analysis showed that self-reported resilience had a medium, positive correlation with perceived well-being (r = .378, p = .000), and senior students had significantly higher level of perceived well-being than junior students (16.0 vs 15.1, p = .003). Multivariable regression analysis on perceived well-being indicated

  7. Undergraduate research opportunities in neutron activation analysis for local, regional and international students

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landsberger, S.; Tipping, T.; Lott, V.; Alexander, S.; Ban, G.

    2012-01-01

    Neutron activation analysis (NAA) remains an excellent technique to introduce undergraduate students to nuclear science and engineering coming from different academic areas. The NAA methods encompass an appreciation of basic reactor engineering concepts, radiation safety, nuclear instrumentation and data analysis. At the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Lab at the University of Texas at Austin we have continued to provide opportunities through outreach programs to Huston-Tillotson University in Austin and Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, both Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. Furthermore, in the past four years we have established a strong educational collaboration with the Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Ingenieurs de Caen (ENSICAEN), France. Undergraduate students at ENSICAEN are required to have an internship outside of France. While many of the students stay in neighboring European countries others have chosen the United States. The cornerstone of these programs is to secure a relationship with each institution through clear educational and research objectives and goals. (author)

  8. Information and communications technology facilities at the tertiary level education in some urban universities in Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. M. Shahriar

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available With the advent of digitalization, information and communications technology facilities have become an indispensable part of education especially at the universities. This study has been undertaken with dual purposes - to find the existing scenario of information and communications technology facilities and to gauge the perception of the students onthe quality of those facilities - at the universities in Bangladesh. To that end, a survey was conducted on the undergraduate and graduate students of 9 private and public universities. To assess the quality of information and communications technology services, participants’ views on various aspects like the sufficiency of computers, availability of required software, maintenance and troubleshooting, internet and data sharing facilities, etc. were collected and analyzed. The study finds that although students are on the happier side with the information and communications technology installations and equipment, they are fairly unhappy about the maintenance services and internet facilities available at their universities. It gives some valuable insights about the information and communications technology facilities scenario at the universities that can be taken into consideration while planning future action plan and development of information and communications technology at the universities in Bangladesh.

  9. Automatic, Multiple Assessment Options in Undergraduate Meteorology Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahl, Jonathan D. W.

    2017-01-01

    Since 2008, automatic, multiple assessment options have been utilised in selected undergraduate meteorology courses at the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee. Motivated by a desire to reduce stress among students, the assessment methodology includes examination-heavy and homework-heavy alternatives, differing by an adjustable 15% of the overall…

  10. University of New Mexico Undergraduate Breast Cancer Training Program: Pathway to Research Careers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Griffith, Jeffrey

    2003-01-01

    We have established a three-phase training program to motivate talented undergraduate students, especially students from under-represented southwester minorities, to pursue careers in breast cancer research...

  11. University of New Mexico Undergraduate Breast Cancer Training Program: Pathway to Research Careers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Griffith, Jeffrey K

    2005-01-01

    We have established a three-phase training program to motivate talented undergraduate students, especially students from under-represented Southwestern minorities, to pursue careers in breast cancer research...

  12. Frames for undergraduates

    CERN Document Server

    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...

  13. Developing an Undergraduate International Business Program: Context, Rationale, Process and Focus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Jim; Gray, Brendan; McNaughton, Rod

    2003-01-01

    This paper discusses the recent development of a new undergraduate international business program at the University of Otago in New Zealand. Firstly, it describes the context of the initiative in terms of the New Zealand business environment, the university sector in New Zealand and recent global trends in international business education.…

  14. Behavioral Health Risk Profiles of Undergraduate University Students in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland: A Cluster Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ansari, Walid; Ssewanyana, Derrick; Stock, Christiane

    2018-01-01

    Limited research has explored clustering of lifestyle behavioral risk factors (BRFs) among university students. This study aimed to explore clustering of BRFs, composition of clusters, and the association of the clusters with self-rated health and perceived academic performance. We assessed (BRFs), namely tobacco smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use, unhealthy nutrition, and inadequate sleep, using a self-administered general Student Health Survey among 3,706 undergraduates at seven UK universities. A two-step cluster analysis generated: Cluster 1 (the high physically active and health conscious) with very high health awareness/consciousness, good nutrition, and physical activity (PA), and relatively low alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use. Cluster 2 (the abstinent) had very low ATOD use, high health awareness, good nutrition, and medium high PA. Cluster 3 (the moderately health conscious) included the highest regard for healthy eating, second highest fruit/vegetable consumption, and moderately high ATOD use. Cluster 4 (the risk taking) showed the highest ATOD use, were the least health conscious, least fruit consuming, and attached the least importance on eating healthy. Compared to the healthy cluster (Cluster 1), students in other clusters had lower self-rated health, and particularly, students in the risk taking cluster (Cluster 4) reported lower academic performance. These associations were stronger for men than for women. Of the four clusters, Cluster 4 had the youngest students. Our results suggested that prevention among university students should address multiple BRFs simultaneously, with particular focus on the younger students.

  15. Undergraduate Research and Economic Development: A Systems Approach in Wisconsin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Galen, Dean; Schneider-Rebozo, Lissa; Havholm, Karen; Andrews, Kris

    2015-01-01

    This chapter presents the state of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin System as an ongoing case study for best practices in systematic, intentional, statewide programming and initiatives connecting undergraduate research and economic development.

  16. Evidence to Support Peer Tutoring Programs at the Undergraduate Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colver, Mitchell; Fry, Trevor

    2016-01-01

    The present study examined undergraduate peer tutoring in three phases. Phase I qualitatively surveyed students' perceptions about the effectiveness of tutoring. Phase II examined the usefulness of promoting regular use of services through a tutoring contract. Phase III utilized an archival, quasi-experimental approach to estimate the effect of…

  17. The Prevalence of Smoking among Undergraduates of Imo State ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The Prevalence of Smoking among Undergraduates of Imo State University Owerri, ... It is an addictive act with adverse effects on health and social life. ... More enlightenment of the students on the dangers of smoking is needed in order to ...

  18. University of New Mexico Undergraduate Breast Cancer Training Program: Pathway to Research Careers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Griffith, Jeffrey

    2004-01-01

    We have established a three-phase training program to motivate talented undergraduate students, especially students from under-represented Southwestern minorIties, to pursue careers in breast cancer research...

  19. German Castles, Customs and Culture: Introducing a New Approach to the Undergraduate Culture Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalande, John F., II

    2008-01-01

    Courses on the culture of the German-speaking world (GSW) have long dotted the landscape of undergraduate course offerings at North American colleges and universities. The primary purpose of this article is to share information about a new kind of undergraduate culture course that uses castles as a vehicle for introducing students to past and…

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    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.