Vol. 16 No. 5 (2019)
Published:
2 April 2019
Articles
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Understanding and promoting students’ well-being and performance in university studies
The aim of this study was to examine pharmacy students’ experiences of a small ACT-based intervention that was implemented as a 7-week course with weekly online modules. Students’ well-being, experiences of stress, organised studying and
The aim of this study was to examine pharmacy students’ experiences of a small ACT-based intervention that was implemented as a 7-week course with weekly online modules. Students’ well-being, experiences of stress, organised studying and psychological flexibility were measured with questionnaires at the beginning and end of the course. Students’ experiences of how the course affected their studying were analysed from open-ended responses and a reflective journal. The results show that students’ well-being and time and effort management increased during the course. Students experienced that the course affected their studying in various ways. This study showed that it is possible to foster students’ well-being and study skills with an online intervention course. More research is needed to identify the long-lasting effects of these kind of interventions.
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Transforming the first-year experience through self and peer assessment
The transition into higher education from secondary school is a challenging change for many students. This transition and the problems students face as a result, can affect their ability to succeed. Universities recognise the transition to
The transition into higher education from secondary school is a challenging change for many students. This transition and the problems students face as a result, can affect their ability to succeed. Universities recognise the transition to university as a significant feature of student engagement and learning. The current article explores an already established assessment model as a tool to help acculturate first-year students to tertiary assessment practices. The author has moulded a model of self and peer assessment that has been utilised at all levels of schooling, as a specific means to help students engage, not only with content, but also with the administrative processes of assessment. Over the course of a number of weeks, undergraduate education students, in their first semester of university study, were subjected to Authentic Self and Peer Assessment for Learning (ASPAL) model, which sought to illustrate study skills, encourage collaboration, promote autonomy and illustrate to students how assessment can drive learning. The current article presents a case for the use of the ASPAL model of assessment as a transition pedagogy that can help students better understand assessment at the tertiary level and enhance student success.
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An Investigation of Students’ Learning Achievement and Perception using Flipped Classroom in an Introductory Programming course: A Case Study of Thailand Higher Education
Computer programming is a difficult subject for most novice programming students which leads to a high rate of dropout or failure. Flipped classrooms have been increasingly used to teach programming students to practice their programming
Computer programming is a difficult subject for most novice programming students which leads to a high rate of dropout or failure. Flipped classrooms have been increasingly used to teach programming students to practice their programming skills in the class based on their knowledge acquired from outside the classroom. This study investigated students’ learning achievement which was measured by their performance on a coding test and an exam. We compared students’ programming test scores of the traditional classroom in semester 1 of the academic year 2016 with the flipped classroom in semester 1 in 2017. In addition, we studied students’ perception of flipped classrooms in a structured programming course. The population of this study consisted of 69 second-year students of the Information and Communication Technology programme in the Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. The research instrument for investigating students’ perception of flipped classrooms was a questionnaire. Students were positive in their perception of flipped classrooms and agreed that in-class activities improved their understanding of concepts. Moreover, students in the flipped classroom environment had a significantly higher test score compared to students in a traditional lecture class.
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Challenging Anzac myths in tertiary teaching: Engaging preservice teachers
Challenging the embedded mythologies that surround Anzac, especially as the centenary of First World War played out over the 2014 to 2018 commemoration period, can be confronting for tertiary students as well as a difficult space for
Challenging the embedded mythologies that surround Anzac, especially as the centenary of First World War played out over the 2014 to 2018 commemoration period, can be confronting for tertiary students as well as a difficult space for tutors to navigate. This is especially the case for teacher education students who form the majority cohort taking a first-year course in Australian History as part of their teaching education degree programs at a large New South Wales university outside Sydney. Experiences of student disruptions, confrontations and occasional anger prompted tutors to question whether the topic of Anzac should be covered at all. An alternative was sought, where careful interrogation of teaching practices was undertaken. Three pedagogical approaches were examined; the traditional lecture format, using documentary film to glimpse at deeper historiographical problems within lectures and tutorials that allowed for more intense critical thinking and analysis of historical resources via focused questions. The efficacy of these pedagogical approaches was systematically assessed through surveying students in the Australian History course prior and post teaching about Anzac. This paper examines the background of teaching Anzac in the tertiary space, the use of specific pedagogical approaches and the results of the survey. Students’ main preference for teaching methods about Anzac was through documentaries in both surveys. However, the second most preferred method was the lecture format more generally and this preference increased in the post survey. There was also evidence of less resistance to the contested nature of Anzac mythologies.
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Learner-Centered Teaching to Educate College Students about Rural Health Disparities
Geographically, rural U.S. communities have higher rates of disease and health problems, compared to urban areas. This encourages development of effective, learner-centred curricula to enable students to address disparate health outcomes
Geographically, rural U.S. communities have higher rates of disease and health problems, compared to urban areas. This encourages development of effective, learner-centred curricula to enable students to address disparate health outcomes as future health professionals. This three-year study evaluated the effect of an undergraduate rural public health course on health disparities-related perceptions among students at a rural Midwestern U.S. university. Students reported statistically significant increases in mean scores for several survey items pre- to post-survey. Post-survey response rate was 90%. This paper details the processes, outcomes, and lessons learned from incorporating learner-centred strategies to teach health disparities material in a rural public health course.
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Exploring LGBTQ Literature in Ecuador: Why it Matters
This study explored what university students in Ecuador learned in a first ever LGBTQ Literature course, as well as if the course helped to build LGBTQ allies. The research explores not only the pedagogical strategies used in the
This study explored what university students in Ecuador learned in a first ever LGBTQ Literature course, as well as if the course helped to build LGBTQ allies. The research explores not only the pedagogical strategies used in the development of and during the course, but also proposes a LBGTQ+ ally development teaching framework that can guide teachers in developing curricula around LGBTQ literature that will not only work against homophobia, heteronormativity, and heterosexism, but also provide teachers with an ultimate goal of developing LGBTQ allies in their schools. The results of the qualitative phenomenological research suggest that students not only learned by reading LGBTQ Literature, they also learned to become active, to use their voices, to embrace themselves and others, and to become stronger LGBTQ allies.