Sample records for activity students study

  1. Students' Learning Activities While Studying Biological Process Diagrams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kragten, Marco; Admiraal, Wilfried; Rijlaarsdam, Gert

    2015-01-01

    Process diagrams describe how a system functions (e.g. photosynthesis) and are an important type of representation in Biology education. In the present study, we examined students' learning activities while studying process diagrams, related to their resulting comprehension of these diagrams. Each student completed three learning tasks. Verbal…

  2. Using Hierarchical Models of Studying To Evaluate the Character of Students' Study Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warkentin, Robert W.; And Others

    An instrument was developed to measure students' engagement in various classes of study activities within multiple study contexts. This instrument is to be used in a large, ongoing research project investigating the underpinnings of student study activities and effects on academic achievement. The computer-administered instrument used--the Study…

  3. A Study of Student Activism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baird, Leonard L.

    Available data on interests, achievement goals, competencies, self-concepts and personalities were used to survey 12, 432 college freshmen at 31 institutions in Spring 1964. The following spring a checklist which combined a Student Activism Scale with items relating to other extracurricular activities was presented to a sample of 5,129 of the…

  4. Participation Motivation for Extracurricular Activities: Study on Primary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Acar, Zeycan; Gündüz, Nevin

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to analyse the participation motivation for extracurricular activities; study on primary school students. It also analysed whether such factors as age and sex change on the basis of their participation motivation. The population of the study is composed of 797 students in primary school and, the sample is composed of 513…

  5. Literary Reading Activities of Good and Weak Students: A Think Aloud Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Janssen, Tanja; Braaksma, Martine; Rijlaarsdam, Gert

    2006-01-01

    In this study we examined how good and weak students of literature interact with short literary stories. We focused on differences in the use of cognitive and affective reading activities, and in the extent to which good and weak students adapt their activities to (parts of) the story they are reading. 19 Dutch tenth-grade students from 8 classes…

  6. Academic stress and active learning of nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Magnavita, Nicola; Chiorri, Carlo

    2018-06-08

    The active role of nursing students is particularly important in the delivery of health care, since playing an active role at the bedside and the use of active and collaborative engagement of students in the nursing activities has been associated with improved student learning. This is consistent with Karasek's learning hypothesis, but it has never been tested on nursing students. This study aimed at investigating whether nursing students in high control conditions reported lower levels of work impairment than students in the conditions with low control, compared them with a group of healthcare workers (HCWs), and tested the moderating role of social support at work. 633 nursing students and 160 HCWs completed the Nursing Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ), and the Demand-Control-Support questionnaire (DCS). Results showed that nursing students reported higher levels of work impairment and were less likely to be classified as active (high demand/high control) or low strain (low demand/high control) than HCWs, and that social support at work moderated the association between being in active or low strain condition and work impairment. Programs to enhance the learning of nursing students must not only fight strain and isolation but must also promote active learning, by increasing the control over the job, team work, and support from teachers. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Evaluation of active transition, a website-delivered physical activity intervention for university students: pilot study.

    PubMed

    Kwan, Matthew; Faulkner, Guy; Bray, Steven

    2013-04-29

    While physical activity in individuals tends to decline steadily with age, there are certain periods where this decline occurs more rapidly, such as during early adulthood. Interventions aimed at attenuating the declines in physical activity during this transition period appear warranted. The purpose of the study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of a theoretically informed, website-delivered physical activity intervention aimed at students entering university. Using a quasi-experimental design, 65 participants (44 females; mean age 18.51, SD 0.91) were assigned to either an intervention (receiving website access plus weekly prompts) or comparison condition (receiving unprompted website access only), completing questionnaires at baseline and follow-up 8 weeks later. The intervention website, "Active Transition", was specifically designed to target students' physical activity cognitions and self-regulatory skills. Intervention usage was low, with only 47% (18/38) of participants assigned to the intervention condition logging into the website 2 or more times. Among the broader student sample, there were significant declines in students' physical activity behaviors (F1,63=18.10, P<.001), attitudes (F1,62=55.19, P<.001), and perceived behavioral control (F1,62 =17.56, P<.001). In comparisons between intervention users (29/65, individuals logging in 2 or more times) and non-users (36/65, individuals logging in once or not at all), there was a significant interaction effect for intervention usage and time on perceived behavioral control (F1,62=5.13, P=.03). Poor intervention usage suggests that future efforts need to incorporate innovative strategies to increase intervention uptake and better engage the student population. The findings, however, suggest that a website-delivered intervention aimed at this critical life stage may have positive impact on students' physical activity cognitions. Future studies with more rigorous sampling designs are required.

  8. A Study of Lipscomb University Students' Internet Use and Involvement in Extracurricular Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Samuel Aarron

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze Lipscomb University students' Internet use and involvement in extracurricular activities. A survey of students at Lipscomb University was conducted. As confirmed by the data the research was able to determine that the type of extracurricular activity a student participates in most often is related to the…

  9. Extracurricular Activities and Their Effect on the Student's Grade Point Average: Statistical Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bakoban, R. A.; Aljarallah, S. A.

    2015-01-01

    Extracurricular activities (ECA) are part of students' everyday life; they play important roles in students' lives. Few studies have addressed the question of how student engagements to ECA affect student's grade point average (GPA). This research was conducted to know whether the students' grade point average in King Abdulaziz University,…

  10. Exploring Meaning of Active Learning with Millennial Nursing Students: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szoka, Amy

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this interpretive, phenomenological study was to explore and understand how millennial nursing students perceived their lived experiences of being active learners in an associate degree program and how it affected student learning outcomes and/or program satisfaction. The research questions guiding this study were based on…

  11. Students' Responses to Active Instructional Approaches in a Social Studies Methods Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Byer, John L.

    A study investigated the effects of actively involving students in a social studies methods class on instructor evaluations given by students. Subjects were 30 undergraduates who were all elementary education majors except for one special education major. Subjects (27 female and 3 male) ranged in age from 21 to 53 years old. The experimental…

  12. Does doctors' workload impact supervision and ward activities of final-year students? A prospective study.

    PubMed

    Celebi, Nora; Tsouraki, Rodoula; Engel, Corinna; Holderried, Friederike; Riessen, Reimer; Weyrich, Peter

    2012-06-11

    Hospital doctors face constantly increasing workloads. Besides caring for patients, their duties also comprise the education of future colleagues. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate whether the workload arising from increased patient care interferes with student supervision and is associated with more non-medical activities of final-year medical students. A total of 54 final-year students were asked to keep a diary of their daily activities over a three-week period at the beginning of their internship in Internal Medicine. Students categorized their activities--both medical and non-medical--according to whether they had: (1) only watched, (2) assisted the ward resident, (3) performed the activity themselves under supervision of the ward resident, or (4) performed the activity without supervision. The activities reported on a particular day were matched with a ward specific workload-index derived from the hospital information system, including the number of patients treated on the corresponding ward on that day, a correction factor according to the patient comorbidity complexity level (PCCL), and the number of admissions and discharges. Both students and ward residents were blinded to the study question. A total of 32 diaries (59 %, 442 recorded working days) were handed back. Overall, the students reported 1.2 ± 1.3 supervised, 1.8 ± 1.6 medical and 3.6 ± 1.7 non-medical activities per day. The more supervised activities were reported, the more the number of reported medical activities increased (p < .0001). No relationship between the ward specific workload and number of medical activities could be shown. There was a significant association between ward doctors' supervision of students and the number of medical activities performed by medical students. The workload had no significant effect on supervision or the number of medical or non-medical activities of final-year students.

  13. A Study of Student Engagement Activities, Discipline Referrals, and Student Achievement in Reading First Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fransen, Shelly Lynette

    2013-01-01

    High quality student engagement activities are essential if students are to be successful learners. Over the years, many instructional strategies and models have been devised to encourage teachers to develop student engagement activities that result in high achievement. The Reading First Model initiative was introduced as a part of the No Child…

  14. A Longitudinal Study of Principals' Activities and Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    May, Henry; Huff, Jason; Goldring, Ellen

    2012-01-01

    Although a substantial amount of research on school leadership has focused on what principals may do to improve teaching and learning, little of this research has explored how principals' time spent on leadership activities may relate to and possibly affect student performance. This article presents results from a 3-year longitudinal study of…

  15. Medical Student Perspectives of Active Learning: A Focus Group Study.

    PubMed

    Walling, Anne; Istas, Kathryn; Bonaminio, Giulia A; Paolo, Anthony M; Fontes, Joseph D; Davis, Nancy; Berardo, Benito A

    2017-01-01

    Phenomenon: Medical student perspectives were sought about active learning, including concerns, challenges, perceived advantages and disadvantages, and appropriate role in the educational process. Focus groups were conducted with students from all years and campuses of a large U.S. state medical school. Students had considerable experience with active learning prior to medical school and conveyed accurate understanding of the concept and its major strategies. They appreciated the potential of active learning to deepen and broaden learning and its value for long-term professional development but had significant concerns about the efficiency of the process, the clarity of expectations provided, and the importance of receiving preparatory materials. Most significantly, active learning experiences were perceived as disconnected from grading and even as impeding preparation for school and national examinations. Insights: Medical students understand the concepts of active learning and have considerable experience in several formats prior to medical school. They are generally supportive of active learning concepts but frustrated by perceived inefficiencies and lack of contribution to the urgencies of achieving optimal grades and passing United States Medical Licensing Examinations, especially Step 1.

  16. Dental Students' Study Habits in Flipped/Blended Classrooms and Their Association with Active Learning Practices.

    PubMed

    Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C; Redford, Gloria J; Bohaty, Brenda S

    2017-12-01

    In recognition of the importance for dental education programs to take a student-centered approach in which students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, a pediatric dentistry course redesign aimed at promoting greater active and self-directed learning was implemented at one U.S. dental school. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the students' self-reported study habits and active learning practices necessary for meaningful learning in the flipped/blended classroom. A convenience sample of two classes of second-year dental students in spring 2014 (SP14, n=106) and spring 2015 (SP15, n=106) was invited to participate in the study. Of the SP14 students, 84 participated, for a response rate of 79%; of the SP15 students, 94 participated, for a response rate of 87%. Students' self-reported responses to questions about study strategies with the prerecorded lecture materials and assigned reading materials were examined. Non-parametric analyses resulted in a cohort effect, so data are reported by class. In the SP15 class, 72% reported watching all/more than half of the prerecorded lectures versus 62% of the SP14 class, with a majority watching more than one lecture per week. In the SP15 cohort, 68% used active learning strategies when watching the lectures versus 58.3% of the SP14 cohort. The time of day preferred by the majority of both cohorts for interacting with course materials was 7-11 pm. Both SP14 and SP15 students reported being unlikely to read assigned materials prior to coming to class. Overall, the course redesign appeared to engage students in self-directed active learning. However, the degree to which active learning practices were taking place to achieve meaningful learning was questionable given students' self-reported study strategies. More work is needed to examine strategies for promoting study practices that will lead to meaningful learning.

  17. College Student Environmental Activism: How Experiences and Identities Influence Environmental Activism Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    King, Laura A. H.

    2016-01-01

    College student environmental activism is one way students civically engage in addressing social issues. This study explores the environmental activism of twelve college students and how their experiences outside of college and in college influenced their activism. In addition, how students' identities influenced their approach to activism was…

  18. Does doctors’ workload impact supervision and ward activities of final-year students? A prospective study

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Hospital doctors face constantly increasing workloads. Besides caring for patients, their duties also comprise the education of future colleagues. The aim of this study was to objectively investigate whether the workload arising from increased patient care interferes with student supervision and is associated with more non-medical activities of final-year medical students. Methods A total of 54 final-year students were asked to keep a diary of their daily activities over a three-week period at the beginning of their internship in Internal Medicine. Students categorized their activities – both medical and non-medical - according to whether they had: (1) only watched, (2) assisted the ward resident, (3) performed the activity themselves under supervision of the ward resident, or (4) performed the activity without supervision. The activities reported on a particular day were matched with a ward specific workload-index derived from the hospital information system, including the number of patients treated on the corresponding ward on that day, a correction factor according to the patient comorbidity complexity level (PCCL), and the number of admissions and discharges. Both students and ward residents were blinded to the study question. Results A total of 32 diaries (59 %, 442 recorded working days) were handed back. Overall, the students reported 1.2 ± 1.3 supervised, 1.8 ±1.6 medical and 3.6 ± 1.7 non-medical activities per day. The more supervised activities were reported, the more the number of reported medical activities increased (p < .0001). No relationship between the ward specific workload and number of medical activities could be shown. Conclusions There was a significant association between ward doctors’ supervision of students and the number of medical activities performed by medical students. The workload had no significant effect on supervision or the number of medical or non-medical activities of final-year students. PMID

  19. How can students contribute? A qualitative study of active student involvement in development of technological learning material for clinical skills training.

    PubMed

    Haraldseid, Cecilie; Friberg, Febe; Aase, Karina

    2016-01-01

    Policy initiatives and an increasing amount of the literature within higher education both call for students to become more involved in creating their own learning. However, there is a lack of studies in undergraduate nursing education that actively involve students in developing such learning material with descriptions of the students' roles in these interactive processes. Explorative qualitative study, using data from focus group interviews, field notes and student notes. The data has been subjected to qualitative content analysis. Active student involvement through an iterative process identified five different learning needs that are especially important to the students: clarification of learning expectations, help to recognize the bigger picture, stimulation of interaction, creation of structure, and receiving context- specific content. The iterative process involvement of students during the development of new technological learning material will enhance the identification of important learning needs for students. The use of student and teacher knowledge through an adapted co-design process is the most optimal level of that involvement.

  20. Study on Current Levels of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Middle School Students in Beijing, China

    PubMed Central

    Duan, Jiali; Hu, Huanhuan; Wang, Guan; Arao, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    Introduction This study aimed to determine current levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior in middle school students on the basis of grade, sex, student attitudes toward physical education, and residence location. Methods In 2013, a cross-sectional study of 1793 students aged 12 to 15 years was conducted across eight middle schools in Beijing, China. Four schools were selected from an urban district and another four schools were from a suburban district. Physical activity and sedentary behavior data were collected using the commonly used school-based Chinese version of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Results The mean age of sampled students was 13.3±1.0 years; 51.5% were boys. Approximately 76.6% of students reported having three 45-minute physical education classes every week. A total of 35.6% students spent ≥1 h/day performing moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school, and 34.9% spent ≥1 h/day in MVPA outside school time. Approximately half (49.7%) of the students engaged in reading, writing, or drawing for ≥2 h/day, and 42.9% reported screen time for ≥2 h/day. Although boys spent more time engaged in physical activity than girls did, they also spent more time exhibiting sedentary behavior. Each 10-unit increase in attitudes toward physical education was associated with an increased odds of 1.15 (95%CI: 1.09–1.20) for spending more than 1 h/day on MVPA. Students in suburban schools reported engaging in physical activity less when compared with those in urban schools. Conclusion The majority of our students did not meet the current physical activity recommendations, and about half of the students spent excessive time engaging in sedentary behaviors. Findings from this study highlight a positive association between student attitudes toward physical education and physical activity. Studies are needed to further explore the role of student attitudes toward physical education in promoting physical activity among Chinese

  1. Study on Current Levels of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior among Middle School Students in Beijing, China.

    PubMed

    Duan, Jiali; Hu, Huanhuan; Wang, Guan; Arao, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to determine current levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior in middle school students on the basis of grade, sex, student attitudes toward physical education, and residence location. In 2013, a cross-sectional study of 1793 students aged 12 to 15 years was conducted across eight middle schools in Beijing, China. Four schools were selected from an urban district and another four schools were from a suburban district. Physical activity and sedentary behavior data were collected using the commonly used school-based Chinese version of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. The mean age of sampled students was 13.3 ± 1.0 years; 51.5% were boys. Approximately 76.6% of students reported having three 45-minute physical education classes every week. A total of 35.6% students spent ≥ 1 h/day performing moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school, and 34.9% spent ≥ 1 h/day in MVPA outside school time. Approximately half (49.7%) of the students engaged in reading, writing, or drawing for ≥ 2 h/day, and 42.9% reported screen time for ≥ 2 h/day. Although boys spent more time engaged in physical activity than girls did, they also spent more time exhibiting sedentary behavior. Each 10-unit increase in attitudes toward physical education was associated with an increased odds of 1.15 (95%CI: 1.09-1.20) for spending more than 1 h/day on MVPA. Students in suburban schools reported engaging in physical activity less when compared with those in urban schools. The majority of our students did not meet the current physical activity recommendations, and about half of the students spent excessive time engaging in sedentary behaviors. Findings from this study highlight a positive association between student attitudes toward physical education and physical activity. Studies are needed to further explore the role of student attitudes toward physical education in promoting physical activity among Chinese students.

  2. A Case Study of International Students' Social Adjustment, Friendship Development, and Physical Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Shuang; Zizzi, Sam

    2018-01-01

    Previous literature has focused on international student's social transition and monocultural and bicultural ties. Little research has explored international students' multicultural friendship development and the role that physical activity plays in their social interaction. The current case study explored a group of international students'…

  3. Infusing a Global Perspective into the Study of Agriculture: Student Activities Volume II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Robert A., Ed.

    These student activities are designed to be used in a variety of places in the curriculum to provide a global perspective for students as they study agriculture. This document is not a unit of instruction; rather, teachers are encouraged to study the materials and decide which will be helpful in adding a global perspective to the learning…

  4. Active versus Passive Teaching Styles: An Empirical Study of Student Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michel, Norbert; Cater, John James, III; Varela, Otmar

    2009-01-01

    This study compares the impact of an active teaching approach and a traditional (or passive) teaching style on student cognitive outcomes. Across two sections of an introductory business course, one class was taught in an active or nontraditional manner, with a variety of active learning exercises. The second class was taught in a passive or…

  5. Springboards into Holocaust: Five Activities for Secondary Social Studies Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Rodney

    2000-01-01

    Explains that in a study of the Holocaust teachers must connect the stories of the Holocaust to the lives of their students. Provides five activities about the Holocaust that focus upon teaching tolerance. Addresses the children of the Holocaust, difference versus deviance, social identity, and The Night of Broken Glass. (CMK)

  6. Determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions.

    PubMed

    Deliens, Tom; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Clarys, Peter

    2015-02-28

    College or university is a critical period regarding unhealthy changes in energy related behaviours in students. The first objective of this explorative study was to identify determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Belgian university students. Secondly, we aimed to collect ideas and recommendations to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviours in university students. Using a semi-structured question guide, seven focus group discussions were conducted consisting of 17 male and 29 female university students from a variety of study disciplines, with a mean age of 20.7 ± 1.6 yrs. Using Nvivo9, an inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. Students reported that both physical and sedentary activities were influenced by individual factors (e.g. perceived enjoyment, self-discipline, time and convenience), their social networks (e.g. (lack of) parental control, modelling, social support), physical environment (e.g. availability and accessibility, travel time/distance, prices), and macro environment (e.g. media and advertising). Furthermore, the relationships between determinants and university students' physical activity and sedentary behaviour seemed to be moderated by university characteristics, such as residency, university lifestyle, exams and academic pressure. Recommendations for future physical activity interventions include improving information strategies regarding on-campus sports activities, cheaper and/or more flexible sports subscriptions and formulas, including 'sports time' into the curricula, and providing university bicycles around campus. Students also believed that increasing students' physical activity might decrease their sedentary behaviour at the same time. The recommendations and ideas discussed in this study may facilitate the development of effective and tailored (multilevel) intervention programs aiming to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviours in university students.

  7. Dissent by Design: Fostering Student Activism in Higher Education through a Case Study of Student Affairs in a Public University in the Philippines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bernardo, Maria Aurora Correa; Baranovich, Diana-Lea

    2016-01-01

    Student activism is a ubiquitous component in most democratic societies. Despite its disconcerting implications to the university's operations, it remains an important agenda to student development in higher education. This study presents the case of a university in the Philippines where student activism is a predominant ethos. The findings expose…

  8. The Impact of Institutional Culture on Student Activism: A Multi-Case Study in Christian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cole, Brian E.

    2013-01-01

    This study contributes to the description and meaning of student activism within the context of Christian college environments and cultures, and is interpreted through the sociological concept of symbolic interactionism. The purpose of this study is to help fill the void in the literature on student activism at Christian colleges and universities,…

  9. Back pain in physically inactive students compared to physical education students with a high and average level of physical activity studying in Poland.

    PubMed

    Kędra, Agnieszka; Kolwicz-Gańko, Aleksandra; Kędra, Przemysław; Bochenek, Anna; Czaprowski, Dariusz

    2017-11-28

    The aim of the study was (1) to characterise back pain in physically inactive students as well as in trained (with a high level of physical activity) and untrained (with an average level of physical activity) physical education (PE) students and (2) to find out whether there exist differences regarding the declared incidence of back pain (within the last 12 months) between physically inactive students and PE students as well as between trained (with a high level of physical activity) and untrained (with an average level of physical activity) PE students. The study included 1321 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-year students (full-time bachelor degree course) of Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Pedagogy as well as Tourism and Recreation from 4 universities in Poland. A questionnaire prepared by the authors was applied as a research tool. The 10-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to assess pain intensity. Prior to the study, the reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by conducting it on the group of 20 participants twice with a shorter interval. No significant differences between the results obtained in the two surveys were revealed (p < 0.05). In the group of 1311 study participants, 927 (70.7%) respondents declared having experienced back pain within the last 12 months. Physically inactive students declared back pain frequency similar to the frequency declared by their counterparts studying physical education (p > 0.05). Back pain was more common in the group of trained students than among untrained individuals (p < 0.05). Back pain was mainly located in the lumbar spine. A frequent occurrence of back pain (70.7%) was noted in the examined groups of students. The percentage of students declaring back pain increased in the course of studies (p < 0.05) and, according to the students' declarations, it was located mainly in the lumbar spine. No significant differences regarding the incidence of back pain were found between physically inactive

  10. Before-School Running/Walking Club and Student Physical Activity Levels: An Efficacy Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stylianou, Michalis; van der Mars, Hans; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges; Adams, Marc A.; Mahar, Matthew; Amazeen, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Before-school programs, one of the least studied student-related comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) components, may be a promising strategy to help youth meet the physical activity (PA) guidelines. This study's purpose was to examine: (a) how much PA children accrued during a before-school running/walking club and…

  11. Dog Ownership, Physical Activity, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Veterinary Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    PubMed

    Corrigan, Virginia K; Pierce, Bess J; Hosig, Kathy

    The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between dog ownership and physical activity in veterinary students. The secondary objective was to gain an understanding of veterinary students' health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and whether dog ownership and/or physical activity were associated with HRQOL measures. Veterinary students were invited to complete surveys between September and November 2015. The primary outcome for multivariate analyses was self-reported physical activity. Bivariate analyses and descriptive statistics were performed to assess student HRQOL. The survey response rate was 33% (152/460). Self-efficacy to exercise (p<.001, OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.46-3.44) and dog ownership (p=.01, OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.31-8.71) independently predicted meeting physical activity guidelines when controlling for other variables. About two thirds of respondents met physical activity guidelines. Veterinary students had significantly worse self-reported mental health scores when compared to both national and state averages. Neither dog ownership nor meeting physical activity guidelines were significantly associated with measures of HRQOL. The poor mental health status of veterinary students remains a significant issue for the profession to address. Longitudinal studies are needed that examine the relationship between physical activity and mental health outcomes in this population.

  12. Examining Students' Opinions about STEAM Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozkan, Gulbin; Topsakal, Unsal Umdu

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the opinions of students about STEAM activities. This qualitative study was conducted on the with 7th grade students (n = 37) who are studying at a public school in Istanbul. A purposeful sampling was used in this study. Nine STEAM activities were used while teaching Force and Energy unit. An evaluation…

  13. Participation Motivation and Student's Physical Activity among Sport Students in Three Countries.

    PubMed

    Kondric, Miran; Sindik, Joško; Furjan-Mandic, Gordana; Schiefler, Bernd

    2013-01-01

    The main aim of this study was to examine the differences in motivation to participate in sport activities among sports students from three different countries. On a sample of 390 sports students from Slovenia, Croatia and Germany we studied what motivates an interest in being sports active. The sample was stratified across the choice to attend table tennis lessons at all three institutions and all students have completed the Participation Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ). The results revealed that the latent structure of the types of sports students' motives consisted of six factors (sport action with friend, popularity, fitness & health, social status, sports events, relaxation through sports). We also found significant sex differences in motivation to participate in sport activities for all sports students from the three different countries. We did not find relevant age-based differences among the students, and this is the only initial hypothesis that we can reject. Key pointsThe potential implications of the result can be in better understanding the relationship between different motivational orientations - in particular, extrinsic motivation - and sport motivation among school-aged individuals.In the context of Self Determination Theory, students can be encouraged in developing more autonomous orientations for sport activity, rather than controlled and impersonal, especially in certain countries.Significant factors of differences have been found in motivation to participate in sport activities among sports students from three different countries and also some significant sex differences have been found in motivation to participate in sport activities for all sports students.

  14. Assessing Learning Styles of Graduate Entry Nursing Students as a Classroom Research Activity: A quantitative research study.

    PubMed

    Gonzales, Lucia K; Glaser, Dale; Howland, Lois; Clark, Mary Jo; Hutchins, Susie; Macauley, Karen; Close, Jacqueline F; Leveque, Noelle Lipkin; Failla, Kim Reina; Brooks, Raelene; Ward, Jillian

    2017-01-01

    A number of studies across different disciplines have investigated students' learning styles. Differences are known to exist between graduate and baccalaureate nursing students. However, few studies have investigated the learning styles of students in graduate entry nursing programs. . Study objective was to describe graduate entry nursing students' learning styles. A descriptive design was used for this study. The Index of Learning Styles (ILS) was administered to 202 graduate entry nursing student volunteers at a southwestern university. Descriptive statistics, tests of association, reliability, and validity were performed. Graduate nursing students and faculty participated in data collection, analysis, and dissemination of the results. Predominant learning styles were: sensing - 82.7%, visual - 78.7%, sequential - 65.8%, and active - 59.9%. Inter-item reliabilities for the postulated subscales were: sensing/intuitive (α=0.70), visual/verbal (α=0.694), sequential/global (α=0.599), and active/reflective (α=0.572). Confirmatory factor analysis for results of validity were: χ 2 (896)=1110.25, p<0.001, CFI=0.779, TLI=0.766, WRMR=1.14, and RMSEA =0.034. Predominant learning styles described students as being concrete thinkers oriented toward facts (sensing); preferring pictures, diagrams, flow charts, demonstrations (visual); being linear thinkers (sequencing); and enjoying working in groups and trying things out (active),. The predominant learning styles suggest educators teach concepts through simulation, discussion, and application of knowledge. Multiple studies, including this one, provided similar psychometric results. Similar reliability and validity results for the ILS have been noted in previous studies and therefore provide sufficient evidence to use the ILS with graduate entry nursing students. This study provided faculty with numerous opportunities for actively engaging students in data collection, analysis, and dissemination of results. Copyright

  15. Enhancing Student-Student Online Interaction: Exploring the Study Buddy Peer Review Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madland, Colin; Richards, Griff

    2016-01-01

    The study buddy is a learning strategy employed in a graduate distance course to promote informal peer reviewing of assignments before submission. This strategy promotes student-student interaction and helps break the social isolation of distance learning. Given the concern by Arum and Roksa (2011) that student-student interaction may be…

  16. Scholarship Awards, College Choice, and Student Engagement in College Activities: A Study of High-Achieving Low-Income Students of Color

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Shouping

    2010-01-01

    Using two-wave survey data on the 2001 cohort of the Gates Millennium Scholarship (GMS) recipients and comparison nonrecipients, this study examines the relationship between scholarship awards and student engagement in college activities. The results indicate that scholarship awards such as GMS directly affect student college choice decisions.…

  17. Clinical study of student learning using mastery style versus immediate feedback online activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gladding, Gary; Gutmann, Brianne; Schroeder, Noah; Stelzer, Timothy

    2015-06-01

    This paper is part of a series of studies to improve the efficacy of online physics homework activities by integrating narrated animated solutions with mastery inspired exercises. In a clinical study using first- and second-year university students, the mastery group attempted question sets in four levels, with animated solutions between each attempt, until mastery was achieved on each level. This combined elements of formative assessment, the worked example effect, and mastery learning. The homework group attempted questions with immediate feedback and unlimited tries. The two groups took a similar amount of time to complete the activity. The mastery group significantly outperformed the homework group on a free response post-test that required students to show their work in solving near and far transfer problems.

  18. Perception of Physical Activity Participation of Chinese Female Graduate Students: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yan, Zi; Cardinal, Bradley J.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Chinese female international students (CFIS) have been identified as one of the least physically active groups in the United States. In an effort to better understand this situation, this study's purpose was to examine CFIS in American higher education in terms of the meaning they assigned to physical activity and facilitators and…

  19. Students' Performance in Investigative Activity and Their Understanding of Activity Aims

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gomes, Alessandro Damasio Trani; Borges, A. Tarciso; Justi, Rosaria

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between the students' understanding of the aims of an investigative activity and their performance when conducting it. One hundred and eighty-one year nine students from a public middle school in Brazil took part in the study. Students working in pairs were asked to investigate two problems using a…

  20. An Action Research Study on the Effect of Interactive Technology and Active Learning on Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bear, Teresa J.

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative action science research study utilized a causal-comparative experimental research design in order to determine if the use of student response systems (clickers), as an active learning strategy in a community college course, improved student performance in the course. Students in the experimental group (n = 26) used clickers to…

  1. Pre-departure preparation and co-curricular activities for Students' intercultural exchange: A mixed-methods study.

    PubMed

    Chan, E Angela; Liu, Justina Yat Wa; Fung, Keith Hin Kee; Tsang, Pak Lik; Yuen, John

    2018-04-01

    Nurses are required to be culturally competent to provide quality care to an increasingly diverse and ageing population. International exchange programmes were developed to support the traditional nursing curriculum. These programmes have often overlooked the importance of pre-departure preparation and co-curricular activities to the development of intercultural competency. To explore the influence of pre-departure and co-curricular activities on the intercultural learning experiences of both exchange and host students in a short-term international summer programme. A mixed-methods study. Students were recruited from international and mainland exchange partners, with host students as ambassadors. The international summer programme involved a week of online pre-departure activities and two weeks of face-to-face meetings. A convenience sample of 62 students from diverse cultural backgrounds was recruited on a voluntary basis. The participants were aged between 19 and 27. Data were collected from students' pre- and post-visit questionnaires, discussions within the workshops, their online discussion threads, and focus group discussions. The quantitative findings suggested that students' cultural intelligence improved significantly after the exchange programme. Qualitatively, three themes emerged as: 1) Students' motivation to engage in intercultural learning; 2) Barriers to intercultural communication; 3) Enablers of intercultural communication. Pre-departure preparation enabled students to discuss their common goals and expectations, while exploring differences, asked for practical living information, and used the basic intercultural concepts in their discussion on the care of elderly. This virtual encounter has lay the foundation for students' subsequent discussions about the why and how the differences that inform their own practices and about global ageing and poverty issues during their co-curricular activities. While the pre-departure preparation could serve as a

  2. Physical Activity Participation and Nutrition and Physical Activity Knowledge in University Dance Students.

    PubMed

    Hanna, Katherine; Hanley, Anne; Huddy, Avril; McDonald, Michael; Willer, Fiona

    2017-03-01

    To assess participation in physical activity and knowledge of general nutrition and current public health messages about the health benefits of physical activity in university dance students, and to investigate differences between first-year and later-year students and between students in dance and dance performance course groups. This cross-sectional study recruited 67 participants from dance undergraduate degrees in a university in Australia. Nutrition knowledge was assessed using the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire. Physical activity participation and awareness of its benefits were assessed using the Active Australia Survey. Results indicate low nutrition knowledge among dance students, with 47% and 52% of responses correct in dance and dance performance students, respectively. Nutrition knowledge did not vary between students in first or later years. Self-reported participation in moderate and vigorous physical activity varied substantially and met or exceeded recommendations based upon duration and frequency for 98% of participants. However, awareness of physical activity messages varied, with dance students more likely to disagree about the level of activity needed for health benefits. Dance students report varying levels of physical activity that usually met or exceeded recommendations; however, knowledge of general nutrition and physical activity benefits was low. Improved knowledge could contribute to changes in behavior that improve health status in this population.

  3. Student Perceptions of Social Justice and Social Justice Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres-Harding, Susan R.; Steele, Cheronda; Schulz, Erica; Taha, Farah; Pico, Chantal

    2014-01-01

    Encouraging students to engage in activities that actively seek to promote social justice is a goal of many educators. This study analyzed college student perceptions around social justice and related activities in a medium-sized, urban university in the United States. Students' open-ended responses to questions assessing their perceptions of…

  4. Tobacco abuse and physical activity among medical students

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Objective This lifestyle is mainly determined during childhood and connected with poor public prophylactic health policy. The aim of this study was to estimate physical activity and level of tobacco abuse, as well as knowledge about health behaviours, among medical students. Methods Questionnaires were completed by Polish (243) and foreign medical students (80). Results It was stated that about 20% of the students smoked cigarettes. Female students from Norway took up smoking significantly more often than other participants, whereas there were more smokers among those from Poland. There was a significantly larger percentage of smoking males from Norway than among male Polish students. The same students presented a low level of physical activity. The smallest level of physical activity was characteristic of the Polish women. Conclusion This situation requires an intensification of activities aimed at supporting pro-health lifestyles and the elimination of unfavourable effects, especially among medical students. PMID:20156733

  5. Female university students' physical activity levels and associated factors--a cross-sectional study in southwestern Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Khalaf, Atika; Ekblom, Örjan; Kowalski, Jan; Berggren, Vanja; Westergren, Albert; Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa

    2013-08-09

    The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students. This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed the Arab Teens Life Style questionnaire. Data included measurements of anthropometric, socioeconomic and environmental factors, as well as self-reported PA. Ordinal regression was used to identify associated factors with low, moderate and high PA levels. The mean age of participants was 20.4 years (SD 1.5). Mean BMI of the students in relation to PA were 23.0, 22.9, 22.1 for high, moderate and low levels of activity, respectively. The analysis revealed significantly higher PA levels among married students, those with high educated mothers, and those who lived far from parks, and lower activity levels among underweight students. This study raises four important determinants for female university students' PA levels. These factors could be of great importance in the endeavor to prevent the health-threatening increase in physical inactivity patterns and thus non-communicable diseases and obesity where the focus should be on the specific situation and needs of women in Saudi Arabia.

  6. U.S. College Student Activism during an Era of Neoliberalism: A Qualitative Study of Students Against Sweatshops

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dominguez, Rachel Fix

    2009-01-01

    This article sets out to examine the experiences of college student activists involved in Students Against Sweatshops on the Beautiful River University campus. Based on observation and interview fieldwork, the paper explores how students negotiate and understand their activism against the backdrop of neoliberalism. The paper concludes that being a…

  7. Relevance of Student Teaching Skills and Activities from the Perspective of the Student Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smalley, Scott W.; Retallick, Michael S.; Paulsen, Thomas H.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this descriptive survey study was to determine the extent to which student teachers deem traditional student teaching skills and activities relevant as part of the capstone student teaching experience. The study population consisted of all (N = 140) fall 2012 and spring 2013 agricultural education student teachers in the North…

  8. Student profiling on university co-curricular activities using cluster analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rajenthran, Hemabegai A./P.; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd; Jamil, Jastini Mohd.

    2017-11-01

    In higher learning institutions, the co-curricular programs are needed for the graduation besides the standard academic programs. By actively participating in co-curricular, students can attain many of soft skills and proficiencies besides learning and adopting campus environment, community and traditions. Co-curricular activities are implemented by universities mainly for the refinement of the academic achievement along with the social development. This studies aimed to analyse the academic profile of the co-curricular students among uniform units. The main objective of study is to develop a profile of student co-curricular activities in uniform units. Additionally, several variables has been selected to serve as the characteristics for student co-curricular profile. The findings of this study demonstrate the practicality of clustering technique to investigate student's profiles and allow for a better understanding of student's behavior and co-curriculum activities.

  9. Clinical Study of Student Learning Using Mastery Style versus Immediate Feedback Online Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gladding, Gary; Gutmann, Brianne; Schroeder, Noah; Stelzer, Timothy

    2015-01-01

    This paper is part of a series of studies to improve the efficacy of online physics homework activities by integrating narrated animated solutions with mastery inspired exercises. In a clinical study using first- and second-year university students, the mastery group attempted question sets in four levels, with animated solutions between each…

  10. An Action Research Exploration Integrating Student Choice and Arts Activities in a Sixth Grade Social Studies Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kosky, Courtney; Curtis, Reagan

    2008-01-01

    We report on an action research study undertaken to explore how integrating the Arts in social studies education can increase student participation and motivation, and impact student achievement through that increased motivation and participation. Initial lesson plans addressed multiple intelligences while integrating Arts activities and were…

  11. Student Activities. Managing Liability.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, Barbara; And Others

    This monograph suggests ways that college or university administrations can undertake a systematic and careful review of the risks posed by students' activities. Its purpose is to provide guidance in integrating the risk management process into a school's existing approaches to managing student organizations and activities. It is noted that no…

  12. Problem Posing Based on Investigation Activities by University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    da Ponte, Joao Pedro; Henriques, Ana

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports a classroom-based study involving investigation activities in a university numerical analysis course. The study aims to analyse students' mathematical processes and to understand how these activities provide opportunities for problem posing. The investigations were intended to stimulate students in asking questions, to trigger…

  13. A learning activity to introduce undergraduate students to bioethics in human clinical research: a case study.

    PubMed

    Segarra, Ignacio; Gomez, Manuel

    2014-12-01

    We developed a pharmacology practicum assignment to introduce students to the research ethics and steps involved in a clinical trial. The assignment included literature review, critical analysis of bioethical situations, writing a study protocol and presenting it before a simulated ethics committee, a practice interview with a faculty member to obtain informed consent, and a student reflective assessment and self-evaluation. Students were assessed at various steps in the practicum; the learning efficiency of the activity was evaluated using an independent survey as well as students' reflective feedback. Most of the domains of Bloom's and Fink's taxonomies of learning were itemized and covered in the practicum. Students highly valued the translatability of theoretical concepts into practice as well as the approach to mimic professional practice. This activity was within a pharmacy program, but may be easily transferable to other medical or health sciences courses. © The Author(s) 2014.

  14. Nursing students' attendance at learning activities in relation to attainment and passing courses: A prospective quantitative study.

    PubMed

    Rejnö, Åsa; Nordin, Per; Forsgren, Susanne; Sundell, Yvonne; Rudolfsson, Gudrun

    2017-03-01

    Students' motivation and ways of engaging in their schoolwork are important for their performance, including passing exams. Attendance at learning activities has also been argued to be of major importance, although no causal relationship with passing exams has been established in nursing education. The aim of this study was to describe the impact of attendance at nonmandatory learning activities on attainment, in terms of passing or failing of exams, in nursing education courses including both mandatory and non-mandatory activities. A prospective quantitative design. The nursing education programme at a Swedish university. Nursing students (n=361) from two courses and four classes within the nursing programme. Attendance was registered at every non-mandatory teaching activity by asking the students to note their attendance on a list. Data such as sex, age, and whether the students had passed the exam were also collected for each course and each semester separately. Increased participation was associated with an increasing proportion of students passing the exam. The chance of passing the exam increased by 13% for every additional learning occasion attended. Logistic regression showed an OR of 5.4 for an attendance of 100%. An increase in attendance gave a higher proportion of exam passes. Encouraging students to attend non-mandatory learning activities could be of value, and potentially contribute to an increased graduation rate for nursing students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Active and Reflective Learning to Engage All Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCoy, Bryan

    2013-01-01

    This article describes how teachers effectively manage learning through active engagement of all students throughout each class period. A case study is presented which demonstrates how students learn through active and reflective engagement with ideas, the environment, and other learners (National Middle School Association, 2010). The case study…

  16. Working in Pharmacies. Instructor's Guide. Student's Manual. Student Learning Activities. Second Revised Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Driever, Carl W.; And Others

    This document combines three separately bound volumes, a student manual, an instructor's guide, and student learning activities designed for students who are either in beginning-level pharmacy technician courses or considering careers in pharmacy. The material is intended to relate training experience to information studied in the classroom. The…

  17. Student Activism: An Exploration of Pre-Service Teacher Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Tol, Jason

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated university student activism from both a theoretical and applied perspective. The aims were to explore some of the elements that might enable or constrain student activism and to facilitate the students' opportunity to act on an issue of their choice. The three elements of self-efficacy, group work, and time were reviewed in…

  18. Effects of curricular activity on students' situational motivation and physical activity levels.

    PubMed

    Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C; Newton, Maria; Huang, Chaoqun

    2011-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effects of three curricular activities on students'situational motivation (intrinsic motivation [IM], identified regulation [IR], external regulation, and amotivation [AM]) and physical activity (PA) levels, and (b) the predictive strength of situational motivation to PA levels. Four hundred twelve students in grades 7-9 participated in three activities (cardiovascular fitness, ultimate football, and Dance Dance Revolution [DDR]) in physical education. ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers were used to measure students' PA levels for three classes for each activity. Students also completed a Situational Motivation Scale (Guay, Vallerand, & Blanchard, 2000) at the end of each class. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that students spent significantly higher percentages of time in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in fitness and football classes than they did in DDR class. Students reported higher lM and IR toward fitness than DDR They also scored higher in IR toward fitness than football. In contrast, students displayed significantly lower AM toward fitness than football and DDR Hierarchical Linear Modeling revealed that IM was the only positive predictor for time in MVPA (p = .02), whereas AM was the negative predictor (p < .01). The findings are discussed in regard to the implications for educational practice.

  19. Reforming pathology teaching in medical college by peer-assisted learning and student-oriented interest building activities: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Grover, Sumit; Sood, Neena; Chaudhary, Anurag

    2017-01-01

    Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a teaching-learning method in which students act as peer teachers and help other students to learn while also themselves learning by teaching. PAL through modified interest building activities (MIBAs) is seldom tried in teaching pathology in medical colleges. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of peer teaching using MIBA, obtain feedback from students, and compare different activities with each other and with traditional teaching-learning methods. An interventional pilot study was conducted in 2 months on the 2nd MBBS undergraduates learning pathology at a medical college in North India. Students acted as peer teachers and performed different MIBAs including role plays, demonstration of pathogenesis through props, student-led seminars such as PowerPoint teaching, blackboard teaching, multiple choice question seminars, case-based learning (CBL) exercises, and quizzes before teaching sessions. Feedback was obtained through structured questionnaires on a 5-point Likert scale. Paired t-test was used to compare traditional teaching with MIBAs, and Friedman test was used to compare among different MIBAs. Students found ease of understanding and the interaction and involvement of students as the most important benefits of PAL. MIBAs increased voluntary participation, coordination, teamwork, shared responsibility, and group dynamics among students. Quiz sessions followed by PowerPoint seminars and prop demonstrations received highest mean scores from students on most of the parameters. Quizzes, blackboard teaching, prop activities, and CBL helped students understand topics better and generated interest. Learners advocated for making MIBAs and PAL compulsory for future students. PAL complemented by MIBAs may be adopted to make teaching-learning more interesting and effective through the active involvement and participation of students.

  20. Motivational activities based on previous knowledge of students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García, J. A.; Gómez-Robledo, L.; Huertas, R.; Perales, F. J.

    2014-07-01

    Academic results depend strongly on the individual circumstances of students: background, motivation and aptitude. We think that academic activities conducted to increase motivation must be tuned to the special situation of the students. Main goal of this work is analyze the students in the first year of the Degree in Optics and Optometry in the University of Granada and the suitability of an activity designed for those students. Initial data were obtained from a survey inquiring about the reasons to choose this degree, their knowledge of it, and previous academic backgrounds. Results show that: 1) the group is quite heterogeneous, since students have very different background. 2) Reasons to choose the Degree in Optics and Optometry are also very different, and in many cases were selected as a second option. 3) Knowledge and motivations about the Degree are in general quite low. Trying to increase the motivation of the students we designed an academic activity in which we show different topics studied in the Degree. Results show that students that have been involved in this activity are the most motivated and most satisfied with their election of the degree.

  1. Economics and Entrepreneurship: Student Activities. Master Curriculum Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Economic Education, New York, NY.

    Correlated to the Economics and Entrepreneurship Teaching Strategies Master Curriculum Guide, this book features 66 student activities, case studies, comprehension quizzes, and lessons related to economic concepts. Designed for high school students of economics, social studies, and business education, this curriculum guide combines study of basic…

  2. Active Learning Promoting Student Teachers' Professional Competences in Finland and Turkey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Niemi, Hannele; Nevgi, Anne; Aksit, Fisun

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates student teachers' active learning experiences in teacher education (TE) in Finnish and Turkish contexts and attempts to determine how active learning methods' impact student teachers' professional competences. Student teachers (N = 728) assessed their active learning experiences and the professional competences they…

  3. Using peer-mediated instruction to support communication involving a student with autism during mathematics activities: A case study.

    PubMed

    Tan, Paulo; Alant, Erna

    2018-01-01

    This study employed an A-B singled subject design to explore the extent to which a peer-mediated intervention supported a first-grade student with autism's usage both in purpose and frequency of a speech-generating device (SGD) during mathematics activities. The intervention involved teaching a peer without a disability to encourage the student with autism to use the SGD during partnered mathematics activities. Our analysis involved visual and descriptive examination of trends and patterns over time, and comparison of means between and within phases. We found during the course of this study that (1) the student with autism's level of overall communication, which included the relevancy of these communicative behaviors, increased; (2) the student with autism's level of spontaneous communication acts increased; and (3) the peer became more independent with supporting the student with autism's communication. Implications for future research and practice are provided.

  4. Using complexity theory to develop a student-directed interprofessional learning activity for 1220 healthcare students.

    PubMed

    Jorm, Christine; Nisbet, Gillian; Roberts, Chris; Gordon, Christopher; Gentilcore, Stacey; Chen, Timothy F

    2016-08-08

    More and better interprofessional practice is predicated to be necessary to deliver good care to the patients of the future. However, universities struggle to create authentic learning activities that enable students to experience the dynamic interprofessional interactions common in healthcare and that can accommodate large interprofessional student cohorts. We investigated a large-scale mandatory interprofessional learning (IPL) activity for health professional students designed to promote social learning. A mixed methods research approach determined feasibility, acceptability and the extent to which student IPL outcomes were met. We developed an IPL activity founded in complexity theory to prepare students for future practice by engaging them in a self-directed (self-organised) learning activity with a diverse team, whose assessable products would be emergent creations. Complicated but authentic clinical cases (n = 12) were developed to challenge student teams (n = 5 or 6). Assessment consisted of a written management plan (academically marked) and a five-minute video (peer marked) designed to assess creative collaboration as well as provide evidence of integrated collective knowledge; the cohesive patient-centred management plan. All students (including the disciplines of diagnostic radiology, exercise physiology, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physiotherapy and speech pathology), completed all tasks successfully. Of the 26 % of students who completed the evaluation survey, 70 % agreed or strongly agreed that the IPL activity was worthwhile, and 87 % agreed or strongly agreed that their case study was relevant. Thematic analysis found overarching themes of engagement and collaboration-in-action suggesting that the IPL activity enabled students to achieve the intended learning objectives. Students recognised the contribution of others and described negotiation, collaboration and creation of new collective knowledge after working

  5. Socializing Agents for Sport and Physical Activities in Teenage Students: Comparative Studies in Samples From Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain.

    PubMed

    Ruiz-Juan, Francisco; Baena-Extremera, Antonio; Granero-Gallegos, Antonio

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to analyze a set of socializing agents for sport and physical activities and to establish their relationship with leisure time sport and physical activities behaviors and practice patterns in samples of teenage students with different sociocultural backgrounds. The sample included 2168 students in their first year of secondary education, 423 of them being from Costa Rica, 408 from Mexico, and 1337 from Spain (1052 male students, 1037 female students, and 79 students who did not specify gender) aged 11-16 years old ( M = 12.49; SD = .81). A validated questionnaire with questions about leisure time sport and physical activities and socializing agents was used. Descriptive, inferential, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out with SPSS 17.0 to compare all three countries. Costa Rica had the most active students, best friends' inactivity, and unsupportive parents being the agents predicting inactivity and a low level of sport and physical activities. Mexico has a high dropout rate and inactive students exceed active ones; no agent predicts inactivity or sport and physical activities pattern. Spain has the highest level of sport and physical activities practice, and parents, siblings, and friends are predicting agents of inactivity together with unsupportive parents and friends.

  6. Feasibility online survey to estimate physical activity level among the students studying professional courses: a cross-sectional online survey

    PubMed Central

    Sudha, Bhumika; Samuel, Asir John; Narkeesh, Kanimozhi

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the study was to estimate the physical activity (PA) level among the professional college students in North India. One hundred three professional college students in the age group of 18–25 years were recruited by simple random sampling for this cross-sectional online survey. The survey was advertised on the social networking sites (Facebook, WhatsApp) through a link www.surveymonkey.com/r/MG-588BY. A Short Form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for this survey study. The questionnaire included total 8 questions on the basis of previous 7 days. The questionnaire consists of 3 main categories which were vigorous, moderate and high PA. Time spent in each activity level was multiplied with the metabolic equivalent of task (MET), which has previously set to 8.0 for vigorous activity, 4.0 for moderate activity, 3.3 for walking, and 1.5 for sitting. By multiplying MET with number of days and minutes performed weekly, amount of each activity level was calculated and measured as MET-min/wk. Further by adding MET minutes for each activity level, total MET-min/wk was calculated. Total number of 100 students participated in this study, and it was shown that all professional course students show different levels in PA. The total PA level among professional college students, which includes, physiotherapy, dental, medical, nursing, lab technician, pharmacy, management, law, engineering, were 434.4 (0–7,866), 170.3 (0–1,129), 87.7 (0–445), 102.8 (0–180), 469 (0–1,164), 0 (0–0), 645 (0–1,836), 337 (0–1,890), 396 (0–968) MET-min/wk respectively. PA levels among professional college students in North India have been established. PMID:29511653

  7. Feasibility online survey to estimate physical activity level among the students studying professional courses: a cross-sectional online survey.

    PubMed

    Sudha, Bhumika; Samuel, Asir John; Narkeesh, Kanimozhi

    2018-02-01

    The aim of the study was to estimate the physical activity (PA) level among the professional college students in North India. One hundred three professional college students in the age group of 18-25 years were recruited by simple random sampling for this cross-sectional online survey. The survey was advertised on the social networking sites (Facebook, WhatsApp) through a link www.surveymonkey.com/r/MG-588BY. A Short Form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for this survey study. The questionnaire included total 8 questions on the basis of previous 7 days. The questionnaire consists of 3 main categories which were vigorous, moderate and high PA. Time spent in each activity level was multiplied with the metabolic equivalent of task (MET), which has previously set to 8.0 for vigorous activity, 4.0 for moderate activity, 3.3 for walking, and 1.5 for sitting. By multiplying MET with number of days and minutes performed weekly, amount of each activity level was calculated and measured as MET-min/wk. Further by adding MET minutes for each activity level, total MET-min/wk was calculated. Total number of 100 students participated in this study, and it was shown that all professional course students show different levels in PA. The total PA level among professional college students, which includes, physiotherapy, dental, medical, nursing, lab technician, pharmacy, management, law, engineering, were 434.4 (0-7,866), 170.3 (0-1,129), 87.7 (0-445), 102.8 (0-180), 469 (0-1,164), 0 (0-0), 645 (0-1,836), 337 (0-1,890), 396 (0-968) MET-min/wk respectively. PA levels among professional college students in North India have been established.

  8. The effect of physical activity homework on physical activity among college students.

    PubMed

    Claxton, David; Wells, Gayle M

    2009-03-01

    This study examined the effect of using physical activity homework on physical activity levels of college students. Students in randomly assigned sections of a university health course were assigned 30 minutes of physical activity homework 3 days a week or no homework for 12 weeks. Participants completed self-reports of physical activity before the homework intervention and again at the conclusion of the 12 weeks of physical activity homework. Participants in all course sections reported significant increases in the number of days per week of moderate and vigorous physical activity. Participants in homework sections additionally showed significant increases in the days they engaged in muscular strength/endurance training and activities to manage weight. Participants in sections without homework showed a significant increase in the number of days engaged in flexibility training. Comparison of gain scores showed statistically significant increases by the homework group in the days they participated in activities designed to manage weight. Physical activity homework was deemed to be an effective method of increasing college students' levels of physical activity.

  9. Is There a Relationship between the Usage of Active and Collaborative Learning Techniques and International Students' Study Anxiety?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khoshlessan, Rezvan

    2013-01-01

    This study was designed to explore the relationships between the international students' perception of professors' instructional practices (the usage of active and collaborative learning techniques in class) and the international students' study anxiety. The dominant goal of this research was to investigate whether the professors' usage of active…

  10. An investigation of the impact of selected prereading activities on student content learning through laboratory activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kass, Jesse (Shaya)

    This study investigated whether two prereading activities impacted student learning from hands-on science activities. The study was based on constructivist learning theory. Based on the work of Piaget, it was hypothesized that students who activated prior knowledge would learn more from the activities. Based on the work of Vygotsky it was hypothesized that students who talk more and write more would learn more from the activity. The K-W-L chart and anticipation guide strategies were used with eighth grade students at Graves Middle School in Whittier, California before learning about levers and convection currents. D. M. Ogle (1986) created the three-column K-W-L chart to have students activate prior knowledge. In the first column, the students write what they already know about a subject, in the second column, the students write what they want to know about the subject, and the students complete the third column after learning about a subject by writing answers to the questions that they asked in the second column. Duffelmeyer (1994) created the anticipation guide based on Herber's (1978) reasoning guide. In the anticipation guide, the teacher creates three or four sentences that convey the major ideas of the topic and the students either agree or disagree with the statements. After learning about the topic, students revisit their answers and decide if they were correct or incorrect and they must defend their choices. This research used the Solomon (1947) four-square design and compared both the experimental groups to a control group that simply discussed the concepts before completing the activity. The research showed no significant difference between the control group and either of the treatment groups. The reasons for the lack of significant differences are considered. It was hypothesized that since the students were unfamiliar with the prereading activities and did not have much experience with using either writing-to-learn or talking-to-learn strategies, the

  11. Applying Student Team Achievement Divisions (STAD) Model on Material of Basic Programme Branch Control Structure to Increase Activity and Student Result

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akhrian Syahidi, Aulia; Asyikin, Arifin Noor; Asy’ari

    2018-04-01

    Based on my experience of teaching the material of branch control structure, it is found that the condition of the students is less active causing the low activity of the students on the attitude assessment during the learning process on the material of the branch control structure i.e. 2 students 6.45% percentage of good activity and 29 students percentage 93.55% enough and less activity. Then from the low activity resulted in low student learning outcomes based on a daily re-examination of branch control material, only 8 students 26% percentage reached KKM and 23 students 74% percent did not reach KKM. The purpose of this research is to increase the activity and learning outcomes of students of class X TKJ B SMK Muhammadiyah 1 Banjarmasin after applying STAD type cooperative learning model on the material of branch control structure. The research method used is Classroom Action Research. The study was conducted two cycles with six meetings. The subjects of this study were students of class X TKJ B with a total of 31 students consisting of 23 men and 8 women. The object of this study is the activity and student learning outcomes. Data collection techniques used are test and observation techniques. Data analysis technique used is a percentage and mean. The results of this study indicate that: an increase in activity and learning outcomes of students on the basic programming learning material branch control structure after applying STAD type cooperative learning model.

  12. Asian American Student Engagement in Student Leadership and Activism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manzano, Lester J.; Poon, OiYan A.; Na, Vanessa S.

    2017-01-01

    Conceptual models for understanding the ways in which Asian American students engage in leadership and activism are interrogated. The chapter provides a discussion of implications for student affairs professionals working with Asian American student leaders and activists.

  13. Student Technological Creativity Using Online Problem-Solving Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Yu-Shan

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of online (web-based) creative problem-solving (CPS) activities on student technological creativity and to examine the characteristics of student creativity in the context of online CPS. A pretest-posttest quasi-experiment was conducted with 107 fourth-grade students in Taiwan. The…

  14. Cohort Profile of the Goals Study: A Large-Scale Research of Physical Activity in Dutch Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Groot, Renate H. M.; van Dijk, Martin L.; Kirschner, Paul A.

    2015-01-01

    The GOALS study (Grootschalig Onderzoek naar Activiteiten van Limburgse Scholieren [Large-scale Research of Activities in Dutch Students]) was set up to investigate possible associations between different forms of physical activity and inactivity with cognitive performance, academic achievement and mental well-being. It was conducted at a…

  15. Examining of Model Eliciting Activities Developed by Mathematics Student Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dede, Ayse Tekin; Hidiroglu, Çaglar Naci; Güzel, Esra Bukova

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the model eliciting activities developed by the mathematics student teachers in the context of the principles of the model eliciting activities. The participants of the study conducted as a case study design were twenty one mathematics student teachers working on seven groups. The data collection tools were…

  16. Student Activities in Secondary Schools: A Bibliography.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Michael R., Comp.; And Others

    As an aid to school principals, student activities administrators, faculty members, student leaders, instructors at teacher education institutions, and researchers interested in extraclass activities, this annotated bibliography contains hundreds of articles, pamphlets, and books published on secondary students' extracurricular activities.…

  17. Horticulture Therapy Activities for Exceptional Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Airhart, Douglas L.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    The Tennessee Technological University's Program of Special Education sponsors a "Super Saturday" of enrichment activities for gifted and talented students as well as students with learning disabilities. A session on horticulture was planned and arranged by students in a class on horticultural therapy who designed learning activities of…

  18. Reducing Student Resistance to Active Learning: Strategies for Instructors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finelli, Cynthia J.; Nguyen, Kevin; DeMonbrun, Matthew; Borrego, Maura; Prince, Michael; Husman, Jennifer; Henderson, Charles; Shekhar, Prateek; Waters, Cynthia K.

    2018-01-01

    In spite of considerable evidence of the effectiveness of active learning and other contemporary teaching methods, barriers to adoption of those methods, such as possible student resistance, continue to exist. This study addresses student resistance by analyzing data from 1,051 students who completed our Student Response to Instructional Practices…

  19. The Relationship between Social Activities and School Performance for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities. Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newman, Lynn

    This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students to examine whether social activities had an impact on the academic performance of 832 youth with learning disabilities. More than one-third of the high-school youth were reported to see friends outside of school 6 or 7 days a week. These students had…

  20. Prospective study of the participation patterns of Grade 6 and Year 8 students in Victoria, Australia in activities outside of school.

    PubMed

    McMullan, Sarah; Chin, Rachel; Froude, Elspeth; Imms, Christine

    2012-06-01

    Positive participation outcomes are deemed the ultimate goal of health care and specifically of occupational therapy. Knowledge of the typical participation patterns of children in Australia will provide essential information to support our understanding of participation and the goal of maximising children's engagement. This study investigated the participation of Grade 6 and Year 8 Victorian students in activities outside school and explored differences between genders and between students in different year levels. Secondarily, we began to establish Australian normative data on the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children. This cross sectional survey methods study recruited students from a random selection of public schools. Participation was measured using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment and Preferences for Activities of Children questionnaires. Participants included 84 (37 female, 47 male) students in Grade 6 (n = 43) and Year 8 (n = 41). Differences between year levels were only evident for participation in Recreational and Active Physical activities. Grade 6 students did more activities, more intensely than Year 8 students, but with no difference in enjoyment. The mean number of Recreational activities done by Grade 6 students was 8.5 (95%CI: 7.9-9.1) compared to Year 8 students 6.9 (95%CI: 6.1-7.7; P = 0.001). Gender differences were evident in the participation patterns within Social, Skill-Based and Self-Improvement activities. The findings suggested that gender was a more important influence on participation patterns than a 2-year age gap, with participation patterns being relatively stable between Grade 6 and Year 8. © 2012 The Authors Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  1. Physical Activity among Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2015-01-01

    This exploratory study provides insight into the perceived physical activity levels of students attending a Midwestern 2-year community college. Over 60% of respondents were classified as overweight or obese based on a BMI measurement. The majority of respondents were not participating regularly in physical activity to gain any health benefits,…

  2. [Students' physical activity: an analysis according to Pender's health promotion model].

    PubMed

    Guedes, Nirla Gomes; Moreira, Rafaella Pessoa; Cavalcante, Tahissa Frota; de Araujo, Thelma Leite; Ximenes, Lorena Barbosa

    2009-12-01

    The objective of this study was to describe the everyday physical activity habits of students and analyze the practice of physical activity and its determinants, based on the first component of Pender's health promotion model. This cross-sectional study was performed from 2004 to 2005 with 79 students in a public school in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data collection was performed by interviews and physical examinations. The data were analyzed according to the referred theoretical model. Most students (n=60) were physically active. Proportionally, adolescents were the most active (80.4%). Those with a sedentary lifestyle had higher rates for overweight and obesity (21.1%). Many students practiced outdoor physical activities, which did not require any physical structure and good financial conditions. The results show that it is possible to associate the first component of Pender's health promotion model with the everyday lives of students in terms of the physical activity practice.

  3. Quantitative critical thinking: Student activities using Bayesian updating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Warren, Aaron R.

    2018-05-01

    One of the central roles of physics education is the development of students' ability to evaluate proposed hypotheses and models. This ability is important not just for students' understanding of physics but also to prepare students for future learning beyond physics. In particular, it is often hoped that students will better understand the manner in which physicists leverage the availability of prior knowledge to guide and constrain the construction of new knowledge. Here, we discuss how the use of Bayes' Theorem to update the estimated likelihood of hypotheses and models can help achieve these educational goals through its integration with evaluative activities that use hypothetico-deductive reasoning. Several types of classroom and laboratory activities are presented that engage students in the practice of Bayesian likelihood updating on the basis of either consistency with experimental data or consistency with pre-established principles and models. This approach is sufficiently simple for introductory physics students while offering a robust mechanism to guide relatively sophisticated student reflection concerning models, hypotheses, and problem-solutions. A quasi-experimental study utilizing algebra-based introductory courses is presented to assess the impact of these activities on student epistemological development. The results indicate gains on the Epistemological Beliefs Assessment for Physical Science (EBAPS) at a minimal cost of class-time.

  4. The Musician as (In)Active Athlete?: Exploring the Association Between Physical Activity and Musculoskeletal Complaints in Music Students.

    PubMed

    Baadjou, Vera A E; Verbunt, Jeanine A M C F; van Eijsden-Besseling, Marjon D F; Huysmans, Stephanie M D; Smeets, Rob J E M

    2015-12-01

    Musicians are often compared to athletes because of the physical exertion required to play music. The aim of this study was to explore the physical activity level of music students and to study its relationship with musculoskeletal complaints. A second goal was to assess associations between physical activity and pain, quality of life, and disability. This cross-sectional study among third- and fourth-year music students used an electronic survey including measures for physical activity (SQUASH-Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-enhancing physical activity), musculoskeletal complaints (DMQ-Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire), disability (DASH-Disability Arm, Shoulder, Hand questionnaire) and quality of life (Short Form-12). Students were classified as compliers or non-compliers with moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity recommendations. Statistical analysis was done using (non)parametric tests (t-test, Pearson chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test) and correlational testing. Participants were 132 students, 63.6% female, with a median age of 23 yrs (range 21.3-25.0). 67% reported musculoskeletal complaints in the past 7 days. Their median physical activity level was 6,390 MET-min/wk, and 62% and 10% of the students accomplished recommendations for moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity physical activity levels, respectively. No significant differences were found in prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints between students who met moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity recommendations and students who did not. Physical activity level was not associated with musculoskeletal complaints (r=0.12, p=0.26). Higher pain intensity was associated with a lower quality of life (r=-0.53 p<0.01) and higher disability (r=0.43, p<0.01). Music students are mainly involved in light- to moderate-intensity physical activities and rarely in vigorous-intensity activities. No correlation was found between physical activity level in the past months and

  5. 25 CFR 36.43 - Standard XVI-Student activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... activities that include special interest clubs, physical activities, student government, and cultural affairs... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Standard XVI-Student activities. 36.43 Section 36.43... § 36.43 Standard XVI—Student activities. All schools shall provide and maintain a well-balanced student...

  6. 25 CFR 36.43 - Standard XVI-Student activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... activities that include special interest clubs, physical activities, student government, and cultural affairs... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Standard XVI-Student activities. 36.43 Section 36.43... § 36.43 Standard XVI—Student activities. All schools shall provide and maintain a well-balanced student...

  7. 25 CFR 36.43 - Standard XVI-Student activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... activities that include special interest clubs, physical activities, student government, and cultural affairs... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Standard XVI-Student activities. 36.43 Section 36.43... § 36.43 Standard XVI—Student activities. All schools shall provide and maintain a well-balanced student...

  8. 25 CFR 36.43 - Standard XVI-Student activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... activities that include special interest clubs, physical activities, student government, and cultural affairs... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true Standard XVI-Student activities. 36.43 Section 36.43... § 36.43 Standard XVI—Student activities. All schools shall provide and maintain a well-balanced student...

  9. 25 CFR 36.43 - Standard XVI-Student activities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... activities that include special interest clubs, physical activities, student government, and cultural affairs... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Standard XVI-Student activities. 36.43 Section 36.43... § 36.43 Standard XVI—Student activities. All schools shall provide and maintain a well-balanced student...

  10. Sport and Other Motor Activities of Warsaw Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biernat, Elzbieta

    2011-01-01

    Study aim: To assess the engagement of students of Warsaw university schools in sports and in recreational motor activities. Material and methods: A cohort (n = 1100) of students attending B.S. or M.S. courses at 6 university schools in Warsaw were studied by applying questionnaire techniques. The questions pertained to participation in…

  11. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics.

    PubMed

    Freeman, Scott; Eddy, Sarah L; McDonough, Miles; Smith, Michelle K; Okoroafor, Nnadozie; Jordt, Hannah; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

    2014-06-10

    To test the hypothesis that lecturing maximizes learning and course performance, we metaanalyzed 225 studies that reported data on examination scores or failure rates when comparing student performance in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses under traditional lecturing versus active learning. The effect sizes indicate that on average, student performance on examinations and concept inventories increased by 0.47 SDs under active learning (n = 158 studies), and that the odds ratio for failing was 1.95 under traditional lecturing (n = 67 studies). These results indicate that average examination scores improved by about 6% in active learning sections, and that students in classes with traditional lecturing were 1.5 times more likely to fail than were students in classes with active learning. Heterogeneity analyses indicated that both results hold across the STEM disciplines, that active learning increases scores on concept inventories more than on course examinations, and that active learning appears effective across all class sizes--although the greatest effects are in small (n ≤ 50) classes. Trim and fill analyses and fail-safe n calculations suggest that the results are not due to publication bias. The results also appear robust to variation in the methodological rigor of the included studies, based on the quality of controls over student quality and instructor identity. This is the largest and most comprehensive metaanalysis of undergraduate STEM education published to date. The results raise questions about the continued use of traditional lecturing as a control in research studies, and support active learning as the preferred, empirically validated teaching practice in regular classrooms.

  12. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics

    PubMed Central

    Freeman, Scott; Eddy, Sarah L.; McDonough, Miles; Smith, Michelle K.; Okoroafor, Nnadozie; Jordt, Hannah; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

    2014-01-01

    To test the hypothesis that lecturing maximizes learning and course performance, we metaanalyzed 225 studies that reported data on examination scores or failure rates when comparing student performance in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses under traditional lecturing versus active learning. The effect sizes indicate that on average, student performance on examinations and concept inventories increased by 0.47 SDs under active learning (n = 158 studies), and that the odds ratio for failing was 1.95 under traditional lecturing (n = 67 studies). These results indicate that average examination scores improved by about 6% in active learning sections, and that students in classes with traditional lecturing were 1.5 times more likely to fail than were students in classes with active learning. Heterogeneity analyses indicated that both results hold across the STEM disciplines, that active learning increases scores on concept inventories more than on course examinations, and that active learning appears effective across all class sizes—although the greatest effects are in small (n ≤ 50) classes. Trim and fill analyses and fail-safe n calculations suggest that the results are not due to publication bias. The results also appear robust to variation in the methodological rigor of the included studies, based on the quality of controls over student quality and instructor identity. This is the largest and most comprehensive metaanalysis of undergraduate STEM education published to date. The results raise questions about the continued use of traditional lecturing as a control in research studies, and support active learning as the preferred, empirically validated teaching practice in regular classrooms. PMID:24821756

  13. Student Learning through Participation in Inquiry Activities: Two Case Studies in Teacher and Computer Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Damsa, Crina I.; Nerland, Monika

    2016-01-01

    The two case studies reported in this article contribute to a better understanding of how inquiry tasks and activities are employed as resourceful means for learning in higher professional education. An observation-based approach was used to explore characteristics of and challenges in students' participation in collaborative inquiry activities in…

  14. Active Learning and Self-Regulation Enhance Student Teachers' Professional Competences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virtanen, Päivi; Niemi, Hannele M.; Nevgi, Anne

    2017-01-01

    The study identifies the relationships between active learning, student teachers' self-regulated learning and professional competences. Further, the aim is to investigate how active learning promotes professional competences of student teachers with different self-regulation profiles. Responses from 422 student teachers to an electronic survey…

  15. PETE Students' Perceptions of a Healthy and Active Lifestyle

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilkinson, Carol; Pennington, Todd; Barney, David; Lockhart, Barbara; Hager, Ron; Prusak, Keven

    2014-01-01

    Participants were male and female students (n = 12) in a physical education teacher education (PETE) program with a healthy and active lifestyle management (HALM) focus, at a university in the Intermountain West. The purpose of the study was to examine PETE students' perceptions of a healthy and active lifestyle (HAL). Following inductive content…

  16. Active Gaming Among High School Students--United States, 2010.

    PubMed

    Song, MinKyoung; Carroll, Dianna D; Lee, Sarah M; Fulton, Janet E

    2015-08-01

    Our study is the first to describe the prevalence and correlates (demographics, body mass index [BMI], sedentary behaviors, and physical activity) of high school youth who report active videogame playing (active gaming) in a U.S. representative sample. The National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study of 2010 provided data for this study. Active gaming was assessed as the number of days in the 7 days prior to the survey that students in grades 9-12 (14-18 years of age) reported participating in active videogames (e.g., "Wii™ Fit" [Nintendo, Kyoto, Japan], "Dance Dance Revolution" [Konami, Osaka, Japan]). Students reporting ≥1 days were classified as active gamers. Logistic regression was used to examine the association among active gaming and demographic characteristics, BMI, sedentary behaviors, and physical activity. Among 9125 U.S. high school students in grades 9-12 surveyed, 39.9 percent (95 percent confidence interval=37.9 percent, 42.0 percent) reported active gaming. Adjusting for covariates, the following characteristics were positively associated (P<0.05) with active gaming: being in 9th and 10th grades compared with being in 12th grade; being of black, non-Hispanic race/ethnicity; being overweight or obese; watching DVDs >0 hours/day; watching TV >0 hours/day; and meeting guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity. Four out of 10 U.S. high school students report participating in active gaming. Active gamers tend to spend more time watching DVDs or TV, meet guidelines for physical activity, and/or be overweight or obese compared with nonactive gamers. These findings may serve to provide a baseline to track active gaming in U.S. youth and inform interventions that target sedentary behaviors and/or physical activity.

  17. Teaching physical activities to students with significant disabilities using video modeling.

    PubMed

    Cannella-Malone, Helen I; Mizrachi, Sharona V; Sabielny, Linsey M; Jimenez, Eliseo D

    2013-06-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of video modeling on teaching physical activities to three adolescents with significant disabilities. The study implemented a multiple baseline across six physical activities (three per student): jumping rope, scooter board with cones, ladder drill (i.e., feet going in and out), ladder design (i.e., multiple steps), shuttle run, and disc ride. Additional prompt procedures (i.e., verbal, gestural, visual cues, and modeling) were implemented within the study. After the students mastered the physical activities, we tested to see if they would link the skills together (i.e., complete an obstacle course). All three students made progress learning the physical activities, but only one learned them with video modeling alone (i.e., without error correction). Video modeling can be an effective tool for teaching students with significant disabilities various physical activities, though additional prompting procedures may be needed.

  18. Assessing Student Behaviors and Motivation for Actively Learning Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Michael Edward

    2017-01-01

    Vision and Change states that one of the major changes in the way we design biology courses should be a switch in approach from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning and identifies active learning as a recommended methods. Studies show performance benefits for students taking courses that use active learning. What is unknown is…

  19. Teaching with the Case Study Method to Promote Active Learning in a Small Molecule Crystallography Course for Chemistry Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Campbell, Michael G.; Powers, Tamara M.; Zheng, Shao-Liang

    2016-01-01

    Implementing the case study method in a practical X-ray crystallography course designed for graduate or upper-level undergraduate chemistry students is described. Compared with a traditional lecture format, assigning small groups of students to examine literature case studies encourages more active engagement with the course material and…

  20. [Study on relationship between outdoor activities and self-reported myopia among middle school students].

    PubMed

    Zhai, L L; Wu, X Y; Xu, S J; Wan, Y H; Zhang, S C; Xu, L; Liu, W; Ma, S S; Zhang, H; Tao, F B

    2017-09-06

    Objective: To examine the relationship between the prevalence of self-reported myopia and outdoor activities among middle school students and to explore the influence factors of the self-reported myopia. Methods: A total of 12 979 participants were recruited from junior and senior middle school students in in Shenzhen, Nanchang, Zhengzhou and Shenyang by random cluster sampling method between December 2015 and March 2016. All participants completed an anonymous questionnaire to collect the information of demographic characteristics, self-reported myopia, outdoor activities, etc. 12 603 out of 12 979 copies of questionnaire were valid. The prevalence of self-reported myopia was compared among middle school students with different characteristics. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between myopia and outdoor activities. Results: The prevalence of self-reported myopia among middle school students was 69.6% (8 766/12 603); which was separately 52.1% (1 216/2 335) in seventh grader, 61.6% (1 459/2 369) in eighth grader, 69.0%(1 470/2 129) in ninth grader, 80.0% (1 812/2 265) in freshmen, 79.4% (1 622/2 042) in sophomore, and 81.1%(1 187/1 463) in junior. The prevalence of self-reported myopia showed an increasing trend with the increase of grade (χ(2)=639.67, P< 0.001). The prevalence of self-reported myopia was separately 63.5%(4 927/7 756) in non-myopic parents group, 78.0%(2 664/3 415)in either myopic parent group, and 82.1%(1 175/1 432) in both myopic parents group(χ(2)=328.28, P< 0.001). Outdoor activities were associated with self-reported myopia. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of self-reported myopia was significantly increased by always staying at home in extracurricular time among the middle school students ( OR= 1.58, 95 %CI: 1.36-1.82). The risk of self-reported myopia were significantly decreased by always physical exercise and recreational activities after school among middle school students: the ORs

  1. Student Activity Funds: Procedures & Controls.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cuzzetto, Charles E.

    Student activity funds may create educational opportunities for students, but they frequently create problems for business administrators. The first part of this work reviews the types of organizational issues and transactions an organized student group is likely to encounter, including establishing a constitution, participant roles,…

  2. Political activism and mental health among Black and Latinx college students.

    PubMed

    Hope, Elan C; Velez, Gabriel; Offidani-Bertrand, Carly; Keels, Micere; Durkee, Myles I

    2018-01-01

    The current study investigates the utility of political activism as a protective factor against experiences of racial/ethnic (R/E) discrimination that negatively affect stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among Black and Latinx college freshmen at predominately White institutions. Data come from the Minority College Cohort Study, a longitudinal investigation of Black and Latinx college students (N = 504; 44% Black). We conducted multiple regression analyses for each mental health indicator and tested for interaction effects. For Black and Latinx students, the relationship between R/E microaggressions and end of freshman year stress varied by political activism. For Black students, the relationship between R/E microaggressions and end of the year anxiety varied by political activism. There was a significant interaction effect for depressive symptoms among Latinx students. Political activism serves as a protective factor to mitigate the negative effect of R/E discrimination on stress and depressive symptoms for Latinx students. For Black students, higher levels of political activism may exacerbate experiences of R/E microaggressions and relate to more stress and anxiety compared with Black students who are less politically involved. Findings point to the need for a deeper understanding of phenomenological variation in experiences of microaggressions among R/E minorities and how students leverage political activism as an adaptive coping strategy to mitigate race-related stress during college. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  3. Improving Physical Fitness and Cognitive Functions in Middle School Students: Study Protocol for the Chinese Childhood Health, Activity and Motor Performance Study (Chinese CHAMPS).

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zhixiong; Dong, Shanshan; Yin, Jun; Fu, Quan; Ren, Hong; Yin, Zenong

    2018-05-14

    Background : Sedentary lifestyles and their associated harmful consequences are public health concerns that impact more than half of the world's youth population in both developed and developing countries. Methods : The Chinese Childhood Health; Activity and Motor Performance Study (Chinese CHAMPS) was a cluster randomized controlled trial to modify school physical activity policies and the physical education (PE) curriculum; using teacher training and parent engagement to increase opportunities and support students' physical activity and healthy eating. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, the study tested the incremental effects of increasing the amount and intensity of physical activity, alongside adding support for healthy eating, on health-related and cognitive function outcomes in Chinese middle school students. Results : The intervention was implemented by PE teachers in 12 middle schools in three Chinese cities, with a targeted enrollment of 650 students from August 2015⁻June 2016. The assessment of the outcomes involved a test battery of physical fitness and cognitive functioning at both baseline and at the end of the intervention. Process information on implementation was also collected. Discussion : The Chinese CHAMPS is a multi-level intervention that is designed to test the influences of policy and environmental modifications on the physical activity and eating behaviors of middle school students. It also addresses some key weaknesses in school-based physical activity interventions.

  4. Sports Medicine. Instructor's Guide, Student's Manual, Student Learning Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fair, Helena J.

    The instructor's guide, the first of three documents in this package, is for a course designed for students investigating the activities within the sports medicine department or considering any of the areas of kinesiology as a career. The material is designed for individualized study and is competency based with educational outcomes stated for…

  5. Predictors of Political Activism among Social Work Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swank, Eric W.

    2012-01-01

    This article identifies factors inspiring greater political participation among undergraduate social work students (N=125). When separating students into self-identified liberals and conservatives, the study uses resource, mobilizing, and framing variables to explain greater levels of activism. After several multivariate regressions, this article…

  6. The relationship between meeting vigorous physical activity recommendations and burnout symptoms among adolescents: an exploratory study with vocational students.

    PubMed

    Elliot, Catherine; Lang, Christin; Brand, Serge; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Pühse, Uwe; Gerber, Markus

    2015-04-01

    This study examines how students who met the current recommendations for vigorous physical activity (VPA) of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) differ from peers who did not reach these standards with regard to self-reported burnout, before and after controlling for light physical activity and moderate physical activity. A sample of 144 vocational students (Mage =16.2 years, SD = 1.13, 98 males) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure, and the School Burnout Inventory. Bivariate correlations revealed that only VPA was associated with reduced burnout. Both the ACSM and CDC guidelines were useful to identify significant differences in burnout symptoms between students who met versus did not meet the standards. Health policy makers should develop strategies to integrate more VPA into the lives of adolescent students so as to reach a minimum of 60 min per week.

  7. Active commuting and sociodemographic factors among university students in Spain.

    PubMed

    Molina-García, Javier; Sallis, James F; Castillo, Isabel

    2014-02-01

    Commuting to university represents an opportunity to incorporate physical activity (walking or biking) into students' daily routines. There are few studies that analyze patterns of transport in university populations. This cross-sectional study estimated energy expenditure from active commuting to university (ACU) and examined sociodemographic differences in findings. The sample included 518 students with a mean age of 22.4 years (59.7% female) from 2 urban universities in Valencia, Spain. Time spent in each mode of transport to university and sociodemographic factors was assessed by self-report. Nearly 35% of the students reported walking or biking as their main mode of transport. ACU (min/wk) were highest for walkers (168) and cyclists (137) and lowest for motorbike riders (0.0) and car drivers (16). Public transport users, younger students, low socioeconomic status students, and those living ≤ 2 km from the university had higher energy expenditure from active commuting than comparison groups. Biking was highest among those living 2-5 km from the university. Our findings suggest that active commuting and public transit use generated substantial weekly energy expenditure, contributed to meeting physical activity recommendations, and may aid in obesity prevention.

  8. Getting Students To Read Actively.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitao, Kenji

    1994-01-01

    This article discusses Japanese students' difficulties in reading English, overviews some of the problems of college English textbooks, presents the results of research on the subject, and discusses characteristics of measures of readability. Teaching methods that have proven effective with Japanese students and activities for engaging students in…

  9. Making Meaning of Student Activism: Student Activist and Administrator Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrison, Laura M.; Mather, Peter C.

    2017-01-01

    College campuses have experienced a recent resurgence of student activism, particularly in response to some of President Donald Trump's executive orders as well as controversial speakers like Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulous. Student activism presents both challenges and opportunities for higher education leaders seeking to engage productively…

  10. Spitzer - Hot & Colorful Student Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McDonald, D.; Rebull, L. M.; DeWolf, C.; Guastella, P.; Johnson, C. H.; Schaefers, J.; Spuck, T.; McDonald, J. G., III; DeWolf, T.; Brock, S.; Boerma, J.; Bemis, G.; Paulsen, K.; Yueh, N.; Peter, A.; Wassmer, W.; Haber, R.; Scaramucci, A.; Butchart, J.; Holcomb, A.; Karns, B.; Kennedy, S.; Siegel, R.; Weiser, S.

    2009-01-01

    In this poster, we present the results of several activities developed for the general science student to explore infrared light. The first activity involved measuring infrared radiation using an updated version of Newton's experiment of splitting white light and finding IR radiation. The second used Leslie's cube to allow students to observe different radiators, while the third used a modern infrared thermometer to measure and identify IR sources in an enclosed box. The last activity involved students making false-color images from narrow-band filter images from data sets from Spitzer Space Telescope, STScI Digitized Sky Survey and other sources. Using computer programs like Adobe Photoshop and free software such as ds9, Spot and Leopard, poster-like images were created by the students. This research is funded by the Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Please see our companion poster, Johnson et al., on the science aspect of this program, and another poster on the educational aspects, Guastella et al.

  11. Factors related to meeting physical activity guidelines in active college students: A social cognitive perspective.

    PubMed

    Farren, G L; Zhang, T; Martin, S B; Thomas, K T

    2017-01-01

    To examine the relations of sex, exercise self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and social support with meeting physical activity guidelines (PAGs). Three hundred ninety-six college students participated in this study in the summer 2013. Students completed online questionnaires that assessed physical activity behaviors and psychosocial factors (ie, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and social support). Students' physical activity profile was categorized as meeting no PAGs, meeting aerobic PAGs only, meeting muscle-strengthening PAGs only, or meeting both PAGs. A multinomial logistic regression revealed that students' sex and psychosocial factors significantly affected the odds of meeting any and all PAGs. Sex significantly moderated the relationship between outcome expectancy and meeting aerobic PAGs and between outcome expectancy meeting muscle-strengthening PAGs. Results indicate that interventions designed to increase psychosocial factors may increase the likelihood of students meeting any and all PAGs. Social support may be especially beneficial for increasing muscle-strengthening activity.

  12. Quality of Life and Physical Activity among University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çiçek, Güner

    2018-01-01

    This study was to investigate the physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) of sports department students (SDS) and other department students (ODS) attending university. A total of 300 university students participated in this study. 150 SDS (age; 20.67 ± 1.65 years) including 89 males and 61 females and 150 ODS (age; 19.45 ± 1.22 years) 56…

  13. Targeting Efficient Studying--First-Semester Psychology Students' Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Öhrstedt, Maria; Scheja, Max

    2018-01-01

    Background: How students go about studying, including the learning activities that students engage in both during and between classes, is not easily understood. Previous research indicates that critical student features, such as approaches to learning and decisions of how to organise studying activities, develop in bidirectional interactions…

  14. Leisure Activities, the Social Weekend, and Alcohol Use: Evidence From a Daily Study of First-Year College Students

    PubMed Central

    Finlay, Andrea K.; Ram, Nilam; Maggs, Jennifer L.; Caldwell, Linda L.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to document within-person and between-persons associations between the duration of day-to-day activities (volunteering, spiritual activities, media use, socializing, entertainment/campus events and clubs, athletics, classes, working for pay) and alcohol use (quantity and heavy drinking) and to examine whether these associations differed by gender and the time of week. Method: First-semester college students (N=717 persons; 51.6% female) provided up to 14 consecutive days of data (N= 9,431 days) via daily web-based surveys. Multilevel analyses tested whether alcohol use was associated with activity duration, gender, and time of week. Results: Between-persons associations indicated that alcohol use was higher among individuals who spent more time involved in athletics and socializing and lower among students who spent more time in spiritual and volunteer activities. Within-person associations indicated that students consumed more alcohol and were more likely to drink heavily on weekends, on days they spent more time than usual socializing, and on days they spent less time than usual in spiritual activities and using media. Conclusions: Select activities and days were linked with less alcohol use at both the between- and within-person levels, suggesting that attention should be paid to both selection effects and social context to understand the mechanisms linking activity duration and student drinking. PMID:22333332

  15. Leisure activities, the social weekend, and alcohol use: evidence from a daily study of first-year college students.

    PubMed

    Finlay, Andrea K; Ram, Nilam; Maggs, Jennifer L; Caldwell, Linda L

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this study was to document within-person and between-persons associations between the duration of day-to-day activities (volunteering, spiritual activities, media use, socializing, entertainment/campus events and clubs, athletics, classes, working for pay) and alcohol use (quantity and heavy drinking) and to examine whether these associations differed by gender and the time of week. First-semester college students (N = 717 persons; 51.6% female) provided up to 14 consecutive days of data (N = 9,431 days) via daily web-based surveys. Multilevel analyses tested whether alcohol use was associated with activity duration, gender, and time of week. Between-persons associations indicated that alcohol use was higher among individuals who spent more time involved in athletics and socializing and lower among students who spent more time in spiritual and volunteer activities. Within-person associations indicated that students consumed more alcohol and were more likely to drink heavily on weekends, on days they spent more time than usual socializing, and on days they spent less time than usual in spiritual activities and using media. Select activities and days were linked with less alcohol use at both the between- and within-person levels, suggesting that attention should be paid to both selection effects and social context to understand the mechanisms linking activity duration and student drinking.

  16. Assessing Student Behaviors and Motivation for Actively Learning Biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moore, Michael Edward

    Vision and Change states that one of the major changes in the way we design biology courses should be a switch in approach from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning and identifies active learning as a recommended methods. Studies show performance benefits for students taking courses that use active learning. What is unknown is why active learning is such an effective instructional tool and the limits of this instructional method’s ability to influence performance. This dissertation builds a case in three steps for why active learning is an effective instructional tool. In step one, I assessed the influence of different types of active learning (clickers, group activities, and whole class discussions) on student engagement behavior in one semester of two different introductory biology courses and found that active learning positively influenced student engagement behavior significantly more than lecture. For step two, I examined over four semesters whether student engagement behavior was a predictor of performance and found participation (engagement behavior) in the online (video watching) and in-class course activities (clicker participation) that I measure were significant predictors of performance. In the third, I assessed whether certain active learning satisfied the psychological needs that lead to students’ intrinsic motivation to participate in those activities when compared over two semesters and across two different institutions of higher learning. Findings from this last step show us that student’s perceptions of autonomy, competency, and relatedness in doing various types of active learning are significantly higher than lecture and consistent across two institutions of higher learning. Lastly, I tie everything together, discuss implications of the research, and address future directions for research on biology student motivation and behavior.

  17. Measuring Students' Physical Activity Levels: Validating SOFIT for Use with High-School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Mars, Hans; Rowe, Paul J.; Schuldheisz, Joel M.; Fox, Susan

    2004-01-01

    This study was conducted to validate the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) for measuring physical activity levels of high-school students. Thirty-five students (21 girls and 14 boys from grades 9-12) completed a standardized protocol including lying, sitting, standing, walking, running, curl-ups, and push-ups. Heart rates and…

  18. Extracurricular activities associated with stress and burnout in preclinical medical students.

    PubMed

    Fares, Jawad; Saadeddin, Zein; Al Tabosh, Hayat; Aridi, Hussam; El Mouhayyar, Christopher; Koleilat, Mohamad Karim; Chaaya, Monique; El Asmar, Khalil

    2016-09-01

    This study aims to assess the prevalence of stress and burnout among preclinical medical students in a private university in Beirut, Lebanon, and evaluate the association between extracurricular involvement and stress and burnout relief in preclinical medical students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 165 preclinical medical students. Distress level was measured using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) while that of burnout was measured through the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). The MBI-SS assesses three interrelated dimensions: emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy. Extracurricular activities were divided into four categories: physical exercise, music, reading, and social activities. All selected participants responded. A substantial proportion of preclinical medical students suffered from stress (62%) and burnout (75%). Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed that being a female or a 1st year medical student correlated with higher stress and burnout. Music-related activities were correlated with lower burnout. Social activities or living with parents were associated with lower academic efficacy. The high stress and burnout levels call for action. Addressing the studying conditions and attending to the psychological wellbeing of preclinical medical students are recommendations made in the study. Copyright © 2015 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Relation between Academic Performance and Students' Engagement in Digital Learning Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bertheussen, Bernt Arne; Myrland, Øystein

    2016-01-01

    This study reports on the effect of student engagement in digital learning activities on academic performance for 120 students enrolled in an undergraduate finance course. Interactive practice and exam problem files were available to each student, and individual download activity was automatically recorded during the first 50 days of the course.…

  20. Exercise Participation Motives and Engaging In Sports Activity among University of Ljubljana Students

    PubMed Central

    Cerar, Katja; Kondrič, Miran; Ochiana, Nicolae; Sindik, Joško

    2017-01-01

    AIM: The main aim of this study was to examine differences in sport participation motives, the frequency of engaging in sports activities according to gender, region and field of study, but also the association between the incidence of engaging in sports activity and the motivation for sports activity of students at the University of Ljubljana. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Five thousand two hundred seventy-one students completed The Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI-2), with additional questions about 12 socio-demographic parameters. RESULTS: The results reveal that most of the students are engaged in unorganized sports activities. Male students engage in sports activity more often than female students do. For male students, dominant participation motives are enjoyment, challenge, social recognition, affiliation, competition and strength but also endurance, for female students these are: stress and weight management, revitalisation, ill-health avoidance, positive health, appearance and nimbleness. Gender differences in participation motives are partly reflected also in differences according to the field of study. The correlations between the frequency of engaging in sports activity and the participation motives are mainly statistically significant. We did not find any significant differences in participation motives by region. CONCLUSION: In spite of these discouraging findings, increasing physical activity among students continues to be a national priority. PMID:29104693

  1. Learning global health: a pilot study of an online collaborative intercultural peer group activity involving medical students in Australia and Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Ambrose, Mark; Murray, Linda; Handoyo, Nicholas E; Tunggal, Deif; Cooling, Nick

    2017-01-13

    There is limited research to inform effective pedagogies for teaching global health to undergraduate medical students. Theoretically, using a combination of teaching pedagogies typically used in 'international classrooms' may prove to be an effective way of learning global health. This pilot study aimed to explore the experiences of medical students in Australia and Indonesia who participated in a reciprocal intercultural participatory peer e-learning activity (RIPPLE) in global health. Seventy-one third year medical students (49 from Australia and 22 from Indonesia) from the University of Tasmania (Australia) and the University of Nusa Cendana (Indonesia) participated in the RIPPLE activity. Participants were randomly distributed into 11 intercultural 'virtual' groups. The groups collaborated online over two weeks to study a global health topic of their choice, and each group produced a structured research abstract. Pre- and post-RIPPLE questionnaires were used to capture students' experiences of the activity. Descriptive quantitative data were analysed with Microsoft Excel and qualitative data were thematically analysed. Students' motivation to volunteer for this activity included: curiosity about the innovative approach to learning; wanting to expand knowledge of global health; hoping to build personal and professional relationships; and a desire to be part of an intercultural experience. Afer completing the RIPPLE program, participants reported on global health knowledge acquisition, the development of peer relationships, and insight into another culture. Barriers to achieving the learning outcomes associated with RIPPLE included problems with establishing consistent online communication, and effectively managing time to simultaneously complete RIPPLE and other curricula activities. Medical students from both countries found benefits in working together in small virtual groups to complement existing teaching in global health. However, our pilot study

  2. The Effect of Active Learning Approach on Attitudes of 7th Grade Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demirci, Cavide

    2017-01-01

    Active learning is a student's active impact on learning and a student's involvement in the learning process which allows students to focus on creating knowledge with an emphasis on skills such as analytical thinking, problem-solving and meta-cognitive activities that develop students' thinking. The main purpose of this study is to determine…

  3. Physical Activity Patterns and Psychological Correlates of Physical Activity among Singaporean Primary, Secondary, and Junior College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, C. K. John; Koh, K. T.; Biddle, Stuart J. H.; Liu, W. C.; Chye, Stefanie

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to examine physical activity patterns and psychological correlates of physical activity among primary, secondary, and junior college students in Singapore. A sample of 3,333 school students aged 10 to 18 years took part in the study. Results showed that the younger students had significantly higher physical…

  4. Finance Students' Experiences of Lecture-Based Active Learning Tasks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCullough, Kerry; Munro, Nicholas

    2018-01-01

    Consistent with current higher education concerns with student engagement and the student experience, this study explored third-year undergraduate Finance students' experiences of lecture-based active learning tasks. Finance students from the 2012 and 2014 cohorts from a South African university were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire…

  5. Students' Educational Activities During Clerkship.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Sullivan, Patricia S.; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Logs completed by 201 medical students in third-year clerkships at nine community-based hospitals indicated students received 6.5 hours of teaching with an instructor daily, spending 4.9 more hours in clerkship-related learning. Most teaching was by full-time faculty and residents. In half their educational activities, students participated with…

  6. Motivating Students in Fitness Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilkinson, Carol; Hunter, Mike

    2008-01-01

    Physical educators have a responsibility to motivate students to develop personal fitness. This is a critical concept as physical education is the only part of the curriculum capable of meeting the health needs of students regarding physical activity. Current physical educators must promote fitness in ways that motivate students to engage in…

  7. STEM Related After-School Program Activities and Associated Outcomes on Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahin, Alpaslan; Ayar, Mehmet C.; Adiguzel, Tufan

    2014-01-01

    This study explores the characteristics of after-school program activities at a charter school in the Southeast US highlighting students' experiences with and gains from these after-school program activities. A qualitative case study design was employed to understand students' views and opinions regarding the activities and their learning…

  8. Cybernated Storytelling: Revitalising Storytelling Activities for Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosli, Roziana M.; Idrus, Faizah

    2017-01-01

    Storytelling is one of the most common activities used in teaching English proficiency to language students. It is widely accepted as a teaching technique by many educators because it engages students in learning. This study seeks to examine students' readiness in using technology-aided applications in telling their stories. It also investigates…

  9. Movement Activity Determination with Health-related Variables of University Students in Kosice.

    PubMed

    Bakalár, Peter; Zvonar, Martin; Sedlacek, Jaromir; Lenkova, Rut; Sagat, Peter; Vojtasko, Lubos; Liptakova, Erika; Barcalova, Miroslava

    2018-06-01

    There is currently a strong scientific evidence about the negative health consequences of physical inactivity. One of the potential tools for promoting physical activity at the institutional level of the Ecological model is to create conditions and settings that would enable pupils, students and employees engage in some form of physical activity. However, physical activities as a subject are being eliminated from the study programs at Slovak universities. The purpose of the study was to find current evidence about the level of structured physical activity and health-related variables in university students in Košice. The sample consisted of 1,993 or, more precisely, 1,398 students who attended two universities in Košice. To collect data, students completed a questionnaire and were tested for body height, body weight, circumferential measures and percentage body fat. The university students did not sufficiently engage in a structured physical activity. A large number of students had either low or high values of percentage body fat and BMI and high WHR values. Our findings have shown that the research into physical activity of university students should receive more attention.

  10. Barriers to Physical Activity on University Student

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jajat; Sultoni, K.; Suherman, A.

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of the research is to analyze the factors that become barriers to physical activity in university students based on physical activity level. An internet-based survey was conducted. The participants were 158 University students from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. Barriers to Physical Activity Quiz (BPAQ) were used to assessed the factors that become barriers to physical activity in university students. IPAQ (short form) were used to assessed physical activity level. The results show there was no differences BPAQ based on IPAQ level. But when analyzed further based on seven factors barriers there are differences in factors “social influence and lack of willpower” based IPAQ level. Based on this it was concluded that the “influence from other and lack of willpower” an inhibiting factor on students to perform physical activity.

  11. Physical Activity Breaks and Student Learning: A Teacher-Research Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camahalan, Faye Marsha G.; Ipock, Amanda R.

    2015-01-01

    This study is a teacher initiated action research. The purpose is to improve student learning in math using physical activity breaks during classroom lessons. The study was conducted by tracking the results of ten 5th grade students for a period of one week. Using anecdotal notes, students showed improvement on attentiveness during class…

  12. Spaced education activates students in a theoretical radiological science course: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Nkenke, Emeka; Vairaktaris, Elefterios; Bauersachs, Anne; Eitner, Stephan; Budach, Alexander; Knipfer, Christian; Stelzle, Florian

    2012-05-23

    The present study aimed at determining if the addition of spaced education to traditional face-to-face lectures increased the time students kept busy with the learning content of a theoretical radiological science course. The study comprised two groups of 21 third-year dental students. The students were randomly assigned to a "traditional group" and a "spaced education group". Both groups followed a traditional face-to-face course. The intervention in the spaced education group was performed in way that these students received e-mails with a delay of 14 days to each face-to-face lecture. These e-mails contained multiple choice questions on the learning content of the lectures. The students returned their answers to the questions also by e-mail. On return they received an additional e-mail that included the correct answers and additional explanatory material.All students of both groups documented the time they worked on the learning content of the different lectures before a multiple choice exam was held after the completion of the course. All students of both groups completed the TRIL questionnaire (Trierer Inventar zur Lehrevaluation) for the evaluation of courses at university after the completion of the course. The results for the time invested in the learning content and the results of the questionnaire for the two groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney-U test. The spaced education group spent significantly more time (216.2 ± 123.9 min) on keeping busy with the learning content compared to the traditional group (58.4 ± 94.8 min, p < .0005). The spaced education group rated the didactics of the course significantly better than the traditional group (p = .034). The students of the spaced education group also felt that their needs were fulfilled significantly better compared to the traditional group as far as communication with the teacher was concerned (p = .022). Adding spaced education to a face-to-face theoretical radiological

  13. Activism and Leadership Development: Examining the Relationship between College Student Activism Involvement and Socially Responsible Leadership Capacity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Page, Jeremy Dale

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in student activism and leadership development among college students. This study applied the social change model of leadership development (SCM) as the theoretical model used to measure socially responsible leadership capacity in students. The study utilized data…

  14. Student Perception of Metacognitive Activities in Entry-Level Science Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandall, Leah; Mamo, Martha; Speth, Carol; Lee, Don; Kettler, Timothy

    2014-01-01

    A research study investigated student perception of the use of metacognitive activities in the classroom. The courses were large enrollment (n greater than 100) introductory Plant and Soil Sciences courses taught in the fall semester. The courses implemented activities such as concept sketches or conceptual modeling to help students develop their…

  15. Student Activism within Christian College Cultures: A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cole, Brian E.

    2014-01-01

    This study contributes to the understanding of the structural and cultural influences of Christian college environments on student activism through the framework of symbolic interactionism (Blumer, 1969; Mead, 1934). The goal of this research was to examine how the students at Christian institutions understand and engage in activism within their…

  16. Bias in Student Survey Findings from Active Parental Consent Procedures

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Thérèse; Cross, Donna; Thomas, Laura T.; Zubrick, Stephen R.

    2015-01-01

    Increasingly, researchers are required to obtain active (explicit) parental consent prior to surveying children and adolescents in schools. This study assessed the potential bias present in a sample of actively consented students, and in the estimates of associations between variables obtained from this sample. Students (n = 3496) from 36…

  17. Students interest in learning science through fieldwork activity encourage critical thinking and problem solving skills among UPSI pre-university students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jamil, Siti Zaheera Muhamad; Khairuddin, Raja Farhana Raja

    2017-05-01

    Graduates with good critical thinking and problem solving (CTPS) skills are likely to boost their employability to live in 21st century. The demands of graduates to be equipped with CTPS skills have shifted our education system in focusing on these elements in all levels of education, from primary, the secondary, and up to the tertiary education, by fostering interesting teaching and learning activities such as fieldwork activity in science classes. Despite the importance of the CTPS skills, little is known about whether students' interests in teaching and learning activities, such as fieldwork activity, have any influence on the students CTPS skills. Therefore, in this investigation, firstly to examine students interests in learning science through fieldwork activity. Secondly, this study examined whether the students' interest in learning science through fieldwork activity have affect on how the students employ CTPS skills. About 100 Diploma of Science students in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) were randomly chosen to participate in this study. All of the participants completed a survey on how they find the fieldwork activity implemented in their science classes and it relevents towards their CTPS skills development. From our findings, majority of the students (91%) find that fieldwork activity is interesting and helpful in increasing their interest in learning science (learning factor) and accommodate their learning process (utility). Results suggest that students' interest on the fieldwork activity in science classes does have some influence on the students development of CTPS skills. The findings could be used as an initial guideline by incorporating students' interest on other teaching and learning activities that being implemented in science classes in order to know the impacts of these learning activities in enhancing their CTPS skills.

  18. Facebook, Twitter Activities Sites, Location and Students' Interest in Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Igbo, J. N.; Ezenwaji, Ifeyinwa; Ajuziogu, Christiana U.

    2018-01-01

    This study was carried out to ascertain the influence of social networking sites activities (twitter and Facebook) on secondary school students' interest in learning It also considered the impact of these social networking sites activities on location of the students. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Mean and…

  19. Feasibility and efficacy of the Great Leaders Active StudentS (GLASS) program on children's physical activity and object control skill competency: A non-randomised trial.

    PubMed

    Nathan, Nicole; Sutherland, Rachel; Beauchamp, Mark R; Cohen, Kristen; Hulteen, Ryan M; Babic, Mark; Wolfenden, Luke; Lubans, David R

    2017-12-01

    This study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of the Great Leaders Active StudentS (GLASS) program, a school-based peer-led physical activity and object control skill intervention. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. The study was conducted in two elementary schools, one intervention and one comparison, in Newcastle, New South Wales (NSW), Australia from April to June 2015 (N=224 students). Peer leaders (n=20) in the intervention school received training to deliver two 30-min object control skill sessions per week to students in Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2 (5-8 years, n=83) over one school term (10 weeks). The primary outcome was pedometer assessed physical activity during school hours. Secondary outcomes included students' object control skill competency and peers' leadership self-efficacy and teacher ratings of peers' leadership skills. Almost all (19/20) GLASS sessions were delivered by peer leaders who reported high acceptability of the program. The treatment-by-time interaction for students' physical activity during school hours was not significant (p=0.313). The intervention effect on students' overall object control skills was statistically significant (mean difference 5.8 (95% CI 4.1, 7.4; p<0.001)). Teacher-rated peer leadership significantly improved (0.70; 95% CI 0.38-1.01); p<.001)). The GLASS program was found to be both feasible and acceptable. The intervention also resulted in improvements in students' overall object control skills as well as teacher-rated peers' leadership behaviours. Future fully powered trials using peer leaders to deliver fundamental movement skill (FMS) programs are warranted. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Astronomical Activities for students-Motivating students interest in Physical Science through Astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matthaiou, Alexis

    2010-05-01

    Astronomical Activities for students Motivating students interest in Physical Science through Astronomy Alexis Matthaiou Philekpaideftiki Etaireia, Arsakeio Lyceum Patron, Patras, Greece,(alexiosmat@yahoo.gr) School education aims not only to providing the necessary knowledge to the students but also to inspire and motivate them to realize their special abilities and inclinations and use their potential for making a joyful future for their lives. In this direction we present some activities held in the Arsakeio School of Patras during the years 2005-2008 in the field of Astronomy and Astrophysics, in order to share our experience with the teachers' community. Students from all grades of primary and secondary education participated with enthusiasm. In particular, they observed the Partial Solar Eclipse of October 3rd, 2005,and the Total Solar Eclipse of March 29th, 2006. They took part in observing and registering Solar Spots, using Astronomical equipments like different types of telescopes with filters and solar scopes. Students studied further the nature of Solar Phenomena and their effects on life, participating in the Environmental Program "Sun and Life"(2006-2007). Moreover, students took part in the International Program for measuring the Light Pollution "Globe at Night" (2006-2007) with observing and registering the luminosity of the Orion constellation in the night sky above their residence. Finally, the students participated in the European program "Hands on Universe" (HOU) (2005-2008) working on a project, which was the Greek contribution to HOU, developed from "Philekpaideftiki Etaireia". In particular, they studied the stars' spectrum and acquired information about the stars' life and age of stellar systems, using interactive multimedia technology.

  1. Effect of Learning Activity on Students' Motivation, Physical Activity Levels and Effort/Persistence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gao, Zan; Lee, Amelia M.; Xiang, Ping; Kosma, Maria

    2011-01-01

    The type of learning activity offered in physical education may influence students' motivational beliefs, physical activity participation and effort/persistence in class. However, most empirical studies have focused on the individual level rather than on the learner-content interactions. Accordingly, the potential effects of learning activities on…

  2. Explaining Students' Appraisal of Lectures and Student-Activating Teaching: Perceived Context and Student Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Struyven, Katrien; Dochy, Filip; Janssens, Steven

    2012-01-01

    During lectures, some students are continuously focused and attentive, whereas others tend to be bored, jittery, or inattentive. The same might happen when students are given student-activating assignments. Some students simply love one type of instruction, whereas others tend to resent it. Moreover, it is not the context itself, but the context…

  3. Influence of High School Physical Education on University Student's Physical Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimball, Jessica; Jenkins, Jayne; Wallhead, Tristan

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to use the Lifelong Physical Activity (LLPA) framework to examine the influence of high school physical education (PE) on university students' level of physical activity (PA). Participants included 365 undergraduate students from the Rocky Mountain West of the USA enrolled in a university physical activity course.…

  4. The Relationship of Participation in Extracurricular Activities to Student Achievement, Student Attendance, and Student Behavior in a Nebraska School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dick, Andrew D.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine possible relationships between participation in extracurricular activities and student achievement, participation in extracurricular activities and attendance, and participation in extracurricular activities and behavior. The setting for this study was a high school in western Nebraska. Data for 275 of the…

  5. Promoting Student-Centered Active Learning in Lectures with a Personal Response System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gauci, Sally A.; Dantas, Arianne M.; Williams, David A.; Kemm, Robert E.

    2009-01-01

    We investigated whether an active learning approach, facilitated by a personal response system, would lead to improved student engagement and learning outcomes in large-group physiology lectures for undergraduate science students. We focused on encouraging students' active learning in lectures, whereas previous studies have made more use of…

  6. Physical Activity Patterns and Self-Efficacy of Selected College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hutchins, Matt; Drolet, Judy C.; Ogletree, Roberta J.

    2010-01-01

    Much attention has been given to the fact that Americans are becoming less active. This study was designed to examine the levels of exercise-specific self-efficacy and physical activity rates in a selected group of college students. Students were recruited as they entered a fitness facility. Participation consisted of completing a survey that…

  7. Graduate Students' Attitudes in an Activity-Based Statistics Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy, Robert L.; McCallister, Corliss Jean

    This study investigated graduate students' attitudes toward statistics in a class in which the focus of instruction was the use of a computer program that made possible an individualized, self-paced student-centered, activity-based course. The six sections involved in the study were offered in 2001 and 2002. There were 43 participants for whom…

  8. University Students Meeting the Recommended Standards of Physical Activity and Body Mass Index

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deng, Xiaofen; Castelli, Darla; Castro-Pinero, Jose; Guan, Hongwei

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated student physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) in relation to the "Healthy Campus 2010" objectives set by the American College Health Association in 2002. Students (N = 1125) at a U.S. southern state university participated in the study. The percentages of students who were physically active and whose…

  9. Effects of Curricular Activity on Students' Situational Motivation and Physical Activity Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gao, Zan; Hannon, James C.; Newton, Maria; Huang, Chaoqun

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the effects of three curricular activities on students' situational motivation (intrinsic motivation [IM], identified regulation [IR], external regulation, and amotivation [AM]) and physical activity (PA) levels, and (b) the predictive strength of situational motivation to PA levels. Four hundred twelve…

  10. Engaging Engineering Students in Geoscience through Case Studies and Active Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holley, Elizabeth A.

    2017-01-01

    This study reports on a case study-based curricular intervention designed to help undergraduate engineering students make connections between geoscience and its applications. Teaching through case studies resulted in a measurable and significant improvement in the confidence that students had in their ability to apply geoscience concepts in an…

  11. Academic Spheres, Students' Identity Formation, and Social Activism among Palestinian Arab Students in Israeli Campuses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arar, Khalid

    2017-01-01

    This article discusses the influence of studies in Israeli academic campuses on the formation of Palestinian Arab students' identity and social activism. Narrative life-story interviews with 14 Palestinian Arab students studying in Israeli academic campuses revealed that these campuses create the first opportunity for daily encounters between…

  12. Exercise motivation of college students in online, face-to-face, and blended basic studies physical activity and wellness course delivery formats.

    PubMed

    Sidman, Cara Lynn; Fiala, Kelly Ann; D'Abundo, Michelle Lee

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess exercise motivation among college students self-selected into 4 online (OL) and face-to-face (F2F) basic studies' physical activity and wellness course delivery formats. Out of 1,037 enrolled students during the Spring 2009 semester, 602 responded online to demographic questions and to the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire, which assessed exercise motivation on 5 subscales. There were no significant differences (p > .05) in exercise motivation for students across course delivery formats, but there was a significant difference in age and employment status between the completely OL and F2F course formats. Health and physical educators can utilize these findings to better understand that physical activity and wellness students are not necessarily trying to avoid physical activity when selecting the OL course format, but are more likely trying to balance work and school responsibilities and need greater flexibility in time and location.

  13. Investigation the Scientific Creativity of Gifted Students through Project-Based Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karademir, Ersin

    2016-01-01

    In this research, it is aimed to identify the scientific creativity of gifted students through project-based activities. In accordance with this purpose, a study has been carried out with 13 gifted students studying in third and fifth grade. In the study, students have been informed about the project development stages and they have been asked…

  14. Examining Participation of University Students in Recreational Entertainment Marketing Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pala, Adem

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine participation of university students in recreational entertainment marketing activities. The survey population consisted of university student in Marmara University Province of Istanbul. The sample constituted a total of 272 students (150 male and 122 female), determined by circumstantial method. The survey…

  15. Propelling Students into Active Grammar Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jurhill, Dennis A.

    2011-01-01

    "O! this learning, what a thing it is." -W. Shakespeare, "The Taming of the Shrew." The aim of this action research was to find out if active grammar involvement amongst students might lead to better results. My approach was to activate my students during grammar instruction by using cooperative learning: that is a form of…

  16. The influence of activities and nutrition status to university students' achievements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fathonah, Siti

    2018-03-01

    The purpose of this research is to analyse the influence of activity and nutrition status to the achievement of students from Engineering Faculty of UNNES. The subject of this research is the students of Engineering Faculty of UNNES. Using proportional random sampling, there are 5% (214 students of 2015 batch) taken as the samples of the research. The methods of collecting the data were using documentation from akademik.unnes.ac.id on students' achievement, questionnaire to ask upon students' activity, and BMI measurement for nutrition status. The data analysis was using percentage description, chi-square analysis, and regression. The data obtained that the average grade points of engineering students are satisfying in the level of 3.29 with light activities with the energy of 2.220 kkal. The average sleeping time of the students were 5.68 hours, whereas the total of their studying and private activity were 18.18 hours. The status of students' nutrition is Normal weight with the details of 64.2% of students are Normal weight, 23.5% of them are wasting, 4.0% are overweight, and 5.2% are obesity. The activity and nutrition status were proven not significantly influencing students grade point of achievements. The suggestions proposed by the researcher are 1) the students need to increase their sleeping time to be 6-9 hours, and they need to habituate themselves in working out at least 3 times a week in 30 - 45 minutes, and 2) further research on nutrition status and students' achievements can focus on the influence of food consumption and students' clean lifestyle.

  17. Students Active in Leadership.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brutcher, Robert

    2001-01-01

    Describes SAIL (Students Active in Leadership) as a school-based, youth-directed group. States that the program helps teenagers learn leadership skills by developing and implementing community service activities. SAIL finds partners with whom to collaborate among local businesses, government, and health associations, and these partners provide the…

  18. Parental Involvement, Student Active Engagement and the "Secondary Slump" Phenomenon--Evidence from a Three-Year Study in a Barbadian Secondary School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Ian A.; Jackman, Grace-Anne

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between parental involvement and a proximal student academic outcome-active engagement, for a cohort of 160 students on their transition to secondary school and at three subsequent time periods. The student-reported measures were assessed using the Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler (2005) instrument. Results provide…

  19. Student profiling on university co-curriculum activities using data visualization tools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jamil, Jastini Mohd.; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd

    2017-11-01

    Co-curricular activities are playing a vital role in the development of a holistic student. Co-curriculum can be described as an extension of the formal learning experiences in a course or academic program. There are many co-curriculum activities such as students' participation in sports, volunteerism, leadership, entrepreneurship, uniform body, student council, and other social events. The number of student involves in co-curriculum activities are large, thus creating an enormous volume of data including their demographic facts, academic performance and co-curriculum types. The task for discovering and analyzing these information becomes increasingly difficult and hard to comprehend. Data visualization offer a better ways in handling with large volume of information. The need for an understanding of these various co-curriculum activities and their effect towards student performance are essential. Visualizing these information can help related stakeholders to become aware of hidden and interesting information from large amount of data drowning in their student data. The main objective of this study is to provide a clearer understanding of the different trends hidden in the student co-curriculum activities data with related to their activities and academic performances. The data visualization software was used to help visualize the data extracted from the database.

  20. Science Teaching and Learning Activities and Students' Engagement in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hampden-Thompson, Gillian; Bennett, Judith

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this analysis is to describe the variation in students' reports of engagement in science across science teaching and learning activities. In addition, this study examines student and school characteristics that may be associated with students' levels of engagement in science. Data are drawn from the Programme for International…

  1. Developing and evaluating effective bioscience learning activities for nursing students.

    PubMed

    Salvage-Jones, Judith; Hamill, Jessie; Todorovic, Michael; Barton, Matthew J; Johnston, Amy N B

    2016-07-01

    Effective engagement of nursing students in the study of biosciences remains a challenge for many tertiary institutes. In this study we attempted to implement and then evaluate a simple hands-on intervention, consisting of a series of hands-on games and puzzles, to increase nursing student engagement with core concepts and anatomical learning involved in clinical anatomy and physiology. The study used a quazi-experimental longitudinal before and after design, to explore the effect of a learning intervention on student performance. Set across three different campuses of the same University, it included 1320 first year undergraduate nursing students from 2013 to 2014 who were studying Anatomy and Physiology. Students were exposed to the interventions or not, and concomitant academic performance, weekly quiz scores, performance in fortnightly worksheets and, across the semester, exam performance were compared. The results show that while the intervention appeared to increase academic performance in students on one campus (2013) compared to the other two, this difference was not sustained into 2014 when a bigger cohort was examined. Despite significant subjective student satisfaction and enthusiasm about these learning and teaching interventions, the data does not support the capacity of these activities to enhance student academic performance. Tertiary entrance scores, being a non-native English speakers and socio-economic status all had a bigger impact on student performance than engagement with fun anatomy and physiology activities. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Student Activities Programs: Their Status and the Impact of the Reform Movement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vornberg, James A.

    Research studies have consistently indicated that participation in school activities benefits both students and schools. Since the school reform movement began in 1983, the importance of school activities and student time commitment to such programs are increasingly being scrutinized. This paper summarizes a study to determine: (1) the current…

  3. Health status, physical activity, and orthorexia nervosa: A comparison between exercise science students and business students.

    PubMed

    Malmborg, Julia; Bremander, Ann; Olsson, M Charlotte; Bergman, Stefan

    2017-02-01

    Orthorexia nervosa is described as an exaggerated fixation on healthy food. It is unclear whether students in health-oriented academic programs, highly focused on physical exercise, are more prone to develop orthorexia nervosa than students in other educational areas. The aim was to compare health status, physical activity, and frequency of orthorexia nervosa between university students enrolled in an exercise science program (n = 118) or a business program (n = 89). The students completed the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and ORTO-15, which defines orthorexia nervosa as a sensitive and obsessive behavior towards healthy nutrition. The SF-36 showed that exercise science students scored worse than business students regarding bodily pain (72.8 vs. 82.5; p = 0.001), but better regarding general health (83.1 vs. 77.1; p = 0.006). Of 188 students, 144 (76.6%) had an ORTO-15 score indicating orthorexia nervosa, with a higher proportion in exercise science students than in business students (84.5% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.002). Orthorexia nervosa in combination with a high level of physical activity was most often seen in men in exercise science studies and less often in women in business studies (45.1% vs. 8.3%; p < 0.000). A high degree of self-reporting of pain and orthorexia nervosa in exercise science students may cause problems in the future, since they are expected to coach others in healthy living. Our findings may be valuable in the development of health-oriented academic programs and within student healthcare services. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Empowering Students in Science through Active Learning: Voices From Inside the Classroom

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erickson, Sabrina Ann

    Preparing students for success in the 21st century has shifted the focus of science education from acquiring information and knowledge to mastery of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teacher and student perspectives of the relationship between (a) active learning, problem solving, and achievement in science and (b) the conditions that help facilitate this environment. Adapting a social constructivist theoretical framework, high school science teachers and students were interviewed, school records analyzed, curriculum documents studied, and classes observed. The findings revealed that students were engaged with the material in an active learning environment, which led to a sense of involvement, interest, and meaningful learning. Students felt empowered to take ownership of their learning, developed the critical thinking skills necessary to solve problems independently and became aware of how they learn best, which students reported as interactive learning. Moreover, student reflections revealed that an active environment contributed to deeper understanding and higher skills through interaction and discussion, including questioning, explaining, arguing, and contemplating scientific concepts with their peers. Recommendations are for science teachers to provide opportunities for students to work actively, collaborate in groups, and discuss their ideas to develop the necessary skills for achievement and for administrators to facilitate the conditions needed for active learning to occur.

  5. Developing design-based STEM education learning activities to enhance students' creative thinking

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pinasa, Siwa; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    Creative thinking on applying science and mathematics knowledge is required by the future STEM career. The STEM education should be provided for the required skills of future STEM career. This paper aimed to clarify the developing STEM education learning activities to enhance students' creative thinking. The learning activities were developed for Grade 10 students who will study in the subject of independent study (IS) of Khon Kaen Wittayayon School, Khon Kaen, Thailand. The developing STEM education learning activities for enhancing students' creative thinking was developed regarding on 6 steps including (1) providing of understanding of fundamental STEM education concept, (2) generating creative thinking from prototype, (4) revised ideas, (5) engineering ability, and (6) presentation and discussion. The paper will clarify the 18 weeks activities that will be provided based these 6 steps of developing learning activities. Then, these STEM learning activities will be discussed to provide the chance of enhancing students' creative thinking. The paper may have implication for STEM education in school setting.

  6. Student Service Learning and Student Activities--A Perfect Fit.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Craig, Deborah

    1990-01-01

    The coordination and purpose of a student service learning program fits appropriately within the mission of a student activities center. Some national associations that focus on community volunteerism are identified and the volunteer program at East Tennessee State University is described. Volunteer experiences included campus blood drive,…

  7. Characteristics of Selected Anthropometric Foot Indicators in Physically Active Students.

    PubMed

    Bac, Aneta; Bogacz, Gabriela; Ogrodzka-Ciechanowicz, Katarzyna; Kulis, Aleksandra; Szaporów, Tomasz; Woźniacka, Renata; Radlińska, Natalia

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the type of medial longitudinal arch (MLA) in students of Krakow universities, investigate the relationship between physical activity and the shaping of the feet, and examine the relationship between hallux valgus angle and the type of footwear chosen most often. The study group consisted of 120 students, of which 56 respondents were students of the University School of Physical Education in Krakow, whereas the remaining 64 respondents were students of the Pedagogical University of Krakow. To evaluate the MLA, a podoscope was used, which allowed us to determine the length and width of the foot, and calculation of the Clarke angle, heel angle γ, and the angle of hallux valgus. All students were also subjected to a measurement of body weight and height. There was a statistically significant relationship between physical activity and the Clarke angle in the group of women studying at the University School of Physical Education. There was no correlation between the hallux valgus angle and the type of footwear chosen most often in the research groups. The most frequently diagnosed type of longitudinal and transverse arch foot in the research group was normal MLA. There was no relationship between physical activity and transverse arch foot in any of the research groups.

  8. Twenty Activities to Expand Your Students' Knowledge of the World While Studying Your State. A Global Perspectives Experimental Unit.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cleveland, Alice Ann; Lewis, Nancy G.

    This unit contains 20 classroom activities which have a global approach and will enable junior or high school students to learn about their state and the world. Student materials and teaching procedures are provided for each activity. Some examples of the activities follow. In one activity students compare the size of New Mexico with another area…

  9. Wiki technology enhanced group project to promote active learning in a neuroscience course for first-year medical students: an exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Mi, Misa; Gould, Douglas

    2014-01-01

    A Wiki group project was integrated into a neuroscience course for first-year medical students. The project was developed as a self-directed, collaborative learning task to help medical students review course content and make clinically important connections. The goals of the project were to enhance students' understanding of key concepts in neuroscience, promote active learning, and reinforce their information literacy skills. The objective of the exploratory study was to provide a formative evaluation of the Wiki group project and to examine how Wiki technology was utilized to enhance active and collaborative learning of first-year medical students in the course and to reinforce information literacy skills.

  10. The Effectiveness of Student Extracurricular Activities in Evaluating Violent Behavior among Students in the Preparatory Year at Hail University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aleid, Alkhamsah Saleh

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of student extracurricular activities in evaluating violent behavior among students in the preparatory year at Hail University. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method, and used two tools for the purpose of the study, the study sample consisted of 104 (violent) female students from the…

  11. Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities in Electrochemistry: High School Students' Achievements and Attitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Acar Sesen, Burcin; Tarhan, Leman

    2013-02-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effects of inquiry-based laboratory activities on high school students' understanding of electrochemistry and attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory work. The participants were 62 high school students (average age 17 years) in an urban public high school in Turkey. Students were assigned to experimental ( N = 30) and control groups ( N = 32). The experimental group was taught using inquiry-based laboratory activities developed by the researchers and the control group was instructed using traditional laboratory activities. The results of the study indicated that instruction based on inquiry-based laboratory activities caused a significantly better acquisition of scientific concepts related to electrochemistry, and produced significantly higher positive attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory. In the light of the findings, it is suggested that inquiry-based laboratory activities should be developed and applied to promote students' understanding in chemistry subjects and to improve their positive attitudes.

  12. Physical Education Students' Ownership, Empowerment, and Satisfaction With PE and Physical Activity.

    PubMed

    Moore, E Whitney G; Fry, Mary D

    2017-12-01

    Individuals experiencing a highly caring, task-involving, and low ego-involving exercise climate have reported greater ownership in exercise class and empowerment to exercise in general. This study examined the relationship between ownership and empowerment in exercise, with 2 context-specific outcomes, satisfaction with physical education (PE) and physical activity, respectively. Given the mission of PE to foster individuals' lifelong physical activity habit, the perceptions of high school students were collected for this study. Ownership in exercise was hypothesized to be significantly, positively correlated with students reporting satisfaction in PE more than their satisfaction in physical activity, whereas empowerment in exercise was hypothesized to be more strongly, positively correlated with students' physical activity satisfaction. A second purpose of this study was to test the measurement quality of the updated Empowerment in Exercise Scale (EES; now 13 items). High school students (N = 502, 43% female) in a Midwestern U.S. school district completed a survey. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the internal measurement structure of the EES (λ = .62-.91; McDonald's omega = .89) across student gender (strong invariance). Additionally, the structural equation modeling analysis revealed only 1 parameter moderated by the students' gender (latent mean of ownership). The hypotheses were supported, such that ownership in exercise was more strongly correlated with PE satisfaction (r = .87) and empowerment in exercise had a stronger correlation with physical activity satisfaction (r = .92). These results support the beneficial effect a satisfying experience in PE can have on students' satisfaction with physical activity outside of school.

  13. Guidelines to Student Activity Fund Accounting. Revised.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of School Business Officials International, Reston, VA.

    This booklet provides guidelines to help school business officials develop sound procedures for keeping proper accounts of and managing the money raised and spent in the course of conducting student activity programs. The booklet notes the roles of the administrators and activity advisers related to management of the student activity fund, then…

  14. Bridging the Gap: Linking Co-Curricular Activities to Student Learning Outcomes in Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Storey, Katie Lauren

    2010-01-01

    This study investigated the extent to which participation in co-curricular events enhances the achievement of student-learning outcomes in community college students. One community college in Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area Community College (CMACC), a pseudonym--was selected to research based on its robust co-curricular activity programming.…

  15. Active Learning via Student Karaoke Videos

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grossman, Gary D.; Richards, Travis

    2016-01-01

    We evaluated students' perceptions and reactions to an active learning Karaoke Video project in both a large (104 student) undergraduate class in Natural History of Georgia and a small graduate seminar in Fish Ecology. Undergraduate responses were evaluated with both questionnaires and triangulation interviews and graduate student responses…

  16. Medical students' opportunities to participate and learn from activities at an internal medicine ward: an ethnographic study

    PubMed Central

    Hägg-Martinell, A; Hult, H; Henriksson, P; Kiessling, A

    2017-01-01

    Objectives To optimise medical students’ early clerkship is a complex task since it is conducted in a context primarily organised to take care of patients. Previous studies have explored medical students’ perceptions of facilitation and hindrance of learning. However, the opportunities for medical student to learn within the culture of acute medicine care have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore how medical students approach, interact and socialise in an acute internal medicine ward context, and how spaces for learning are created and used in such a culture. Design and setting Ethnographic observations were performed of medical students' interactions and learning during early clerkship at an acute internal medicine care ward. Field notes were taken, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Data analysis was guided by Wenger's theory of communities of practice. Participants 21 medical students and 30 supervisors participated. Results Two themes were identified: Nervousness and curiosity—students acted nervously and stressed, especially when they could not answer questions. Over time curiosity could evolve. Unexplored opportunities to support students in developing competence to judge and approach more complex patient-related problems were identified. Invited and involved—students were exposed to a huge variation of opportunities to learn, and to interact and to be involved. Short placements seemed to disrupt the learning process. If and how students became involved also depended on supervisors' activities and students' initiatives. Conclusions This study shed light on how an acute internal medicine ward culture can facilitate medical students' possibilities to participate and learn. Medical students' learning situations were characterised by questions and answers rather than challenging dialogues related to the complexity of presented patient cases. Further, students experienced continuous transfers between learning situations where the

  17. Student Perceptions of a Conceptual Physical Education Activity Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins, Jayne M.; Jenkins, Patience; Collums, Ashley; Werhonig, Gary

    2006-01-01

    Conceptual physical education (CPE) courses are typically included in university course work to provide students knowledge and skills to engage in physical activity for life. The purpose of this study was to identify CPE course characteristics that contributed to positive and negative student perceptions. Participants included 157 undergraduates…

  18. Student Activism in Junior Colleges.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaddy, Dale; And Others

    1970-01-01

    The first article in this review examines research on student rights, administrator and faculty attitudes, and administrative remedies. The next analyzes student unrest and protest activities in terms of cause and degree, extent of government involvement, and institutional characteristics. The third article considers new and revised legislation,…

  19. Active Students in Webinars

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kolås, Line; Nordseth, Hugo; Yri, Jørgen Sørlie

    2015-01-01

    To ensure student activity in webinars we have defined 10 learning tasks focusing on production and communication e.g. collaborative writing, discussion and polling, and investigated how the technology supports the learning activities. The three project partners in the VisPed-project use different video-conferencing systems, and we analyzed how it…

  20. Electronic Learning Courses as a Means to Activate Students' Independent Work in Studying Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shurygin, Viktor Yurjevich; Krasnova, Lyubov Alekseevna

    2016-01-01

    Currently, there are special requirements to the system of higher education, focused not only on imparting knowledge to students, but also on the formation of the continuous need for independent self-education, self-creative approach to getting knowledge throughout their active life. In this regard, the role of students' independent work with its…

  1. Undergraduate Student Construction and Interpretation of Graphs in Physics Lab Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2016-01-01

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

  2. Transformational Processes and Learner Outcomes for Online Learning: An Activity Theory Case Study of Spanish Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Terantino, Joseph M.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the actions of online language learners from an activity theoretical perspective. It also attempted to explain how the students' learning outcomes evolved from their online learning experiences. This explanation placed an emphasis on the learners' previous experiences, defining their activity…

  3. Predictors of physical activity and barriers to exercise in nursing and medical students.

    PubMed

    Blake, Holly; Stanulewicz, Natalia; Mcgill, Francesca

    2017-04-01

    To investigate physical activity levels of nursing and medicine students, examine predictors of physical activity level and examine the most influential benefits and barriers to exercise. Healthcare professionals have low levels of physical activity, which increases their health risk and may influence their health promotion practices with patients. We surveyed 361 nursing (n = 193) and medicine (n = 168) students studying at a UK medical school. Questionnaire survey, active over 12 months in 2014-2015. Measures included physical activity level, benefits and barriers to exercise, social support, perceived stress and self-efficacy for exercise. Many nursing and medicine students did not achieve recommended levels of physical activity (nursing 48%; medicine 38%). Perceived benefits of exercise were health related, with medicine students identifying additional benefits for stress relief. Most notable barriers to exercise were as follows: lack of time, facilities having inconvenient schedules and exercise not fitting around study or placement schedules. Nursing students were less active than medicine students; they perceived fewer benefits and more barriers to exercise and reported lower social support for exercise. Physical activity of nursing and medicine students was best predicted by self-efficacy and social support, explaining 35% of the variance. Physical activity should be promoted in nursing and medicine students. Interventions should aim to build self-efficacy for exercise and increase social support. Interventions should be developed that are targeted specifically to shift-working frontline care staff, to reduce schedule-related barriers to exercise and to increase accessibility to workplace health and well-being initiatives. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Beyond Lecture and Non-Lecture Classrooms: LA-student interactions in Active Learning Classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gonzalez, Dayana; Kornreich, Hagit; Rodriguez, Idaykis; Monslave, Camila; Pena-Flores, Norma

    Our expanded multi-site study on active learning classrooms supported by Learning Assistants (LAs) aims to understand the connections between three classroom elements: the activity, student learning, and how LAs support the learning process in the classroom. At FIU, LAs are used in a variety of active learning settings, from large auditorium settings to studio classroom with movable tables. Our study uses the COPUS observation protocol as a way to characterize LAs behaviors in these classrooms. With a focus on LA-student interactions, our analysis of how LAs interact with students during a 'learning session' generated new observational codes for specific new categories of LA roles. Preliminary results show that LAs spend more time interacting with students in some classes, regardless of the classroom setting, while in other classrooms, LA-student interactions are mostly brief. We discuss how LA-student interactions contribute to the dynamics and mechanism of the socially shared learning activity.

  5. Monitoring Social Media: Students Satisfaction with University Administration Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koshkin, Andrey Petrovich; Rassolov, Ilya Mihajlovich; Novikov, Andrey Vadimovich

    2017-01-01

    The paper presents an original method of identifying satisfaction of students with the activities of their university administration based on studying the content of comments on the social networks. The analysis of student opinions revealed areas of concern and priority areas in the work of the university administration. The paper characterizes…

  6. Impact of problem-based, active learning on graduation rates for 10 generations of Dutch medical students.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Henk G; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Arends, Lidia R

    2009-03-01

    We aimed to study the effects of active-learning curricula on graduation rates of students and on the length of time needed to graduate. Graduation rates for 10 generations of students enrolling in the eight Dutch medical schools between 1989 and 1998 were analysed. In addition, time needed to graduate was recorded. Three of the eight schools had curricula emphasising active learning, small-group instruction and limited numbers of lectures; the other five had conventional curricula to varying degrees. Overall, the active-learning curricula graduated on average 8% more students per year, and these students graduated on average 5 months earlier than their colleagues from conventional curricula. Four hypotheses potentially explaining the effect of active learning on graduation rate and study duration were considered: (i) active-learning curricula promote the social and academic integration of students; (ii) active-learning curricula attract brighter students; (iii) active-learning curricula retain more poor students, and (iv) the active engagement of students with their study required by active-learning curricula induces better academic performance and, hence, lower dropout rates. The first three hypotheses had to be rejected. It was concluded that the better-learning hypothesis provides the most parsimonious account for the data.

  7. Effects of Active Learning Classrooms on Student Learning: A Two-Year Empirical Investigation on Student Perceptions and Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiu, Pit Ho Patrio; Cheng, Shuk Han

    2017-01-01

    Recent studies on active learning classrooms (ACLs) have demonstrated their positive influence on student learning. However, most of the research evidence is derived from a few subject-specific courses or limited student enrolment. Empirical studies on this topic involving large student populations are rare. The present work involved a large-scale…

  8. Effectiveness of School-Initiated Physical Activity Program on Secondary School Students' Physical Activity Participation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gråstén, Arto; Yli-Piipari, Sami; Watt, Anthony; Jaakkola, Timo; Liukkonen, Jarmo

    2015-01-01

    Background: The promotion of physical activity and health has become a universal challenge. The Sotkamo Physical Activity as Civil Skill Program was implemented to increase students' physical activity by promoting supportive psychological and physical school environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the…

  9. Online Collaborative Learning Activities: The Perceptions of Culturally Diverse Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kumi-Yeboah, Alex; Yuan, Guangji; Dogbey, James

    2017-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the perceptions of minority graduate students toward online collaborative learning activities. The participants were 20 minority graduate students from diverse cultural backgrounds (10 African Americans, 5 Hispanics, and 5 international students from Africa) enrolled in online graduate instructional technology and…

  10. Medical students' opportunities to participate and learn from activities at an internal medicine ward: an ethnographic study.

    PubMed

    Hägg-Martinell, A; Hult, H; Henriksson, P; Kiessling, A

    2017-02-14

    To optimise medical students' early clerkship is a complex task since it is conducted in a context primarily organised to take care of patients. Previous studies have explored medical students' perceptions of facilitation and hindrance of learning. However, the opportunities for medical student to learn within the culture of acute medicine care have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore how medical students approach, interact and socialise in an acute internal medicine ward context, and how spaces for learning are created and used in such a culture. Ethnographic observations were performed of medical students' interactions and learning during early clerkship at an acute internal medicine care ward. Field notes were taken, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Data analysis was guided by Wenger's theory of communities of practice. 21 medical students and 30 supervisors participated. Two themes were identified: Nervousness and curiosity- students acted nervously and stressed, especially when they could not answer questions. Over time curiosity could evolve. Unexplored opportunities to support students in developing competence to judge and approach more complex patient-related problems were identified. Invited and involved -students were exposed to a huge variation of opportunities to learn, and to interact and to be involved. Short placements seemed to disrupt the learning process. If and how students became involved also depended on supervisors' activities and students' initiatives. This study shed light on how an acute internal medicine ward culture can facilitate medical students' possibilities to participate and learn. Medical students' learning situations were characterised by questions and answers rather than challenging dialogues related to the complexity of presented patient cases. Further, students experienced continuous transfers between learning situations where the potential to be involved differed in a wide variety of ways. Published

  11. Do networking activities outside of the classroom protect students against being bullied? A field study with students in secondary school settings in Germany.

    PubMed

    Blickle, Gerhard; Meurs, James A; Schoepe, Christine

    2013-01-01

    Research has shown that having close relationships with fellow classmates can provide a buffer for students against bullying and the negative outcomes associated with it. But, research has not explicitly examined the potential benefits of social networking behaviors outside of the classroom for those who could be bullied. This study addresses this gap and finds that, although a bullying climate in the classroom increases overall bullying, students high on external networking activities did not experience an increase in the bullying they received when in a classroom with a high bullying climate. However, the same group of students reported the largest degree of received bulling under conditions of a low bullying climate. We discuss the implications of our results and provide directions for future research.

  12. Factors Related to Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines in Active College Students: A Social Cognitive Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farren, G. L.; Zhang, T.; Martin, S. B.; Thomas, K. T.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To examine the relations of sex, exercise self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and social support with meeting physical activity guidelines (PAGs). Participants: Three hundred ninety-six college students participated in this study in the summer 2013. Methods: Students completed online questionnaires that assessed physical activity…

  13. Hospitality Services. Student Activity Book.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock. Home Economics Curriculum Center.

    This student activity book contains pencil-and-paper activities for use in a hospitality services course focusing on the food and lodging segments of the hospitality and tourism industry. The activities are organized into 29 chapters on the following topics: hospitality services industry; professional ethics; organization/management structures in…

  14. High School Students' Affective Reaction to English Speaking Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jorquera Torres, Oliver Camilo; Mendoza Zapata, Jhon Eliot; Díaz Larenas, Claudio Heraldo

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to measure fifty-two high school students' affective reactions after doing individual and pair-based speaking activities then completing a semantic differential scale of nine bipolar adjectives. Results do not show significant statistical differences between the two types of activities or the schools involved in this study, but…

  15. University students' emotions, interest and activities in a web-based learning environment.

    PubMed

    Nummenmaa, Minna; Nummenmaa, Lauri

    2008-03-01

    Within academic settings, students experience varied emotions and interest towards learning. Although both emotions and interest can increase students' likelihood to engage in traditional learning, little is known about the influence of emotions and interest in learning activities in a web-based learning environment (WBLE). This study examined how emotions experienced while using a WBLE, students' interest towards the course topic and interest towards web-based learning are associated with collaborative visible and non-collaborative invisible activities and 'lurking' in the WBLE. Participants were 99 Finnish university students from five web-based courses. All the students enrolled in the courses filled out pre- and post-test questionnaires of interest, and repeatedly completed an on-line questionnaire on emotions experienced while using the WBLE during the courses. The fluctuation of emotional reactions was positively associated with both visible collaborative and invisible non-collaborative activities in the WBLE. Further, interest towards the web-based learning was positively associated with invisible activity. The results also demonstrated that students not actively participating in the collaborative activities (i.e. lurkers) had more negative emotional experiences during the courses than other students. The results highlight the distinct impacts that emotions and interest have on different web-based learning activities and that they should be considered when designing web-based courses.

  16. The Effect of Project-Based Activities on Intermediate EFL Students' Reading Comprehension Ability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shiraz, Mona Poorverdi; Larsari, Ebrahim Ezati

    2014-01-01

    The present study investigates the relationship between the use of Project-based activities and intermediate EFL students' reading comprehension. The study addresses the questions of whether students' reading comprehension differs after implementing Project-based activities, and whether different projects lead to different degrees of reading…

  17. Physical Activity Patterns in University Students: Do They Follow the Public Health Guidelines?

    PubMed Central

    Clemente, Filipe Manuel; Nikolaidis, Pantelis Theodoros; Martins, Fernando Manuel Lourenço; Mendes, Rui Sousa

    2016-01-01

    Physical activity is associated with health. The aim of this study was (a) to access if Portuguese university students meet the public health recommendations for physical activity and (b) the effect of gender and day of the week on daily PA levels of university students. This observational cross-sectional study involved 126 (73 women) healthy Portuguese university students aged 18–23 years old. Participants wore the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer for seven consecutive days. Number of steps, time spent sedentary and in light, moderate and vigorous physical activity were recorded. The two-way MANOVA revealed that gender (p-value = 0.001; η2 = 0.038; minimum effect) and day of the week (p-value = 0.001; η2 = 0.174; minimum effect) had significant main effects on the physical activity variables. It was shown that during weekdays, male students walked more steps (65.14%), spent less time sedentary (6.77%) and in light activities (3.11%) and spent more time in moderate (136.67%) and vigorous activity (171.29%) in comparison with weekend days (p < 0.05). The descriptive analysis revealed that female students walked more steps (51.18%) and spent more time in moderate (125.70%) and vigorous (124.16%) activities during weekdays than in weekend days (p < 0.05). Women students did not achieve the recommended 10,000 steps/day on average during weekdays and weekend days. Only male students achieved this recommendation during weekdays. In summary, this study showed a high incidence of sedentary time in university students, mainly on weekend days. New strategies must be adopted to promote physical activity in this population, focusing on the change of sedentary behaviour. PMID:27022993

  18. Staff and Student Experiences of Dialogue Days, a Student Engagement Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asghar, Mandy

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports the findings from a descriptive phenomenological exploration of the lived experience of dialogue days, a student engagement activity, from the perspectives of staff and students. I suggest that dialogue days enhance the relational and emotional aspects of learning with the potential to impact on future student engagement and…

  19. The effect of disability empathy activity on the attitude of nursing students towards disabled people: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Geçkil, Emine; Kaleci, Elanur; Cingil, Dilek; Hisar, Filiz

    2017-02-01

    Nurses care for disabled people in society. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of disability empathy activities on strengthening the positive attitudes of nursing students towards disabled people. An experimental study. Pretest-Posttest control group arrangement was used. This research has been conducted with 116 nursing students (53 experimental and 63 control). The data were collected with "Attitudes Towards Disabled Persons Scale" (ATDP). Before the experiment, there was no significant difference between ATDP scores of experimental and control groups (p > 0.05). After the experiment, second ATDP scores of experimental group (66.81 ± 14.27) were found to be significantly higher than the scores of control group (59.02 ± 11.71) (p = 0.002). After six months, third ATDP scores of experimental group (63.58 ± 13.46) were also found to be higher than the scores of control group (58.43 ± 11.03) (p = 0.025). Empathy activities applied to understand disabled people affected the attitudes of student nurses towards disabled people positively.

  20. Student Activity and Learning Outcomes in a Virtual Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romanov, Kalle; Nevgi, Anne

    2008-01-01

    The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between degree of participation and learning outcomes in an e-learning course on medical informatics. Overall activity in using course materials and degree of participation in the discussion forums of an online course were studied among 39 medical students. Students were able to utilise the…

  1. Burnout and its association with extracurricular activities among medical students in Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Almalki, Sami A; Almojali, Abdullah I; Alothman, Ali S; Masuadi, Emad M; Alaqeel, Meshal K

    2017-04-26

    To assess levels of burnout in medical students, and to explore the influence of extracurricular activities on burnout at a medical school in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted with first to fourth year medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Socio-demographic, burnout level (the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, MBI-SS) and participation in extracurricular activities data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using the Pearson's chi-square test and binary logistic regression. From the 306 medical students approached, 249 (81.4%) completed the questionnaire. The level of high burnout was 67.1% (n=167). The study revealed that the majority (62.3%, n=155) of students had high levels of cynicism, 58.6% (n=146) had high levels of emotional exhaustion, and 60.2% (n=150) had low levels of professional efficacy. Most of the students (73.5%, n=183) participated in extracurricular activities, and 112 (45%) students were organizers of extracurricular activities. No significant association was found between burnout levels and the frequency of involvement in extracurricular activities (χ 2 =2.2, df=2, p=0.333). However, students who were organizing extracurricular activities were less likely to have low professional efficacy (OR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.27- 0.96). High levels of burnout were reported at this medical school. Although the burnout level is not significantly associated with the frequency of involvement in extracurricular activities, leading and organizing extracurricular activities might result in lower levels of burnout. Therefore, improving the students' leadership skills should be considered in curriculum planning, and greater emphasis should be placed on the quality of involvement in extracurricular activities rather than the quantity.

  2. A university system-wide qualitative investigation into student physical activity promotion conducted on college campuses.

    PubMed

    Milroy, Jeffrey J; Wyrick, David L; Bibeau, Daniel L; Strack, Robert W; Davis, Paul G

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed to examine college student physical activity promotion. A cross-sectional approach to qualitative research was used. Southeastern state university system. Fourteen of 15 (93%) universities recruited were included in this study; 22 university employees participated in a semistructured interview. Nonprobabilistic purposive and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit individuals who were likely to be engaged in physical activity promotion efforts on their respective campuses. Thematic analyses lead to the identification of emerging themes that were coded and analyzed using NVivo software. Themes informed three main areas: key personnel responsible for promoting physical activity to students, actual physical activity promotion efforts implemented, and factors that influence student physical activity promotion. Results suggest that ecological approaches to promote physical activity on college campuses are underused, the targeting of mediators of physical activity in college students is limited, and values held by university administration influence campus physical activity promotion. Findings support recommendations for future research and practice. Practitioners should attempt to implement social ecological approaches that target scientifically established mediators of physical activity in college students. Replication of this study is needed to compare these findings with other types of universities, and to investigate the relationship between promotion activities (type and exposure) and physical activity behaviors of college students.

  3. Student Use of Facebook for Organizing Collaborative Classroom Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lampe, Cliff; Wohn, Donghee Yvette; Vitak, Jessica; Ellison, Nicole B.; Wash, Rick

    2011-01-01

    Social network sites such as Facebook are often conceived of as purely social spaces; however, as these sites have evolved, so have the ways in which students are using them. In this study, we examine how undergraduate students use the social network site Facebook to engage in classroom-related collaborative activities (e.g., arranging study…

  4. Gifted and Talented Students' Views about Biology Activities in a Science and Art Center

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özarslan, Murat; Çetin, Gülcan

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the study was to determine gifted and talented students' views about biology activities in a science and art center. The study was conducted with 26 gifted and talented students who studied at a science and art center in southwestern Turkey. Students studied animal and plant genus and species in biology activities. Data were collected…

  5. Students' Satisfaction on Their Learning Process in Active Learning and Traditional Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyun, Jung; Ediger, Ruth; Lee, Donghun

    2017-01-01

    Studies have shown Active Learning Classrooms [ALCs] help increase student engagement and improve student performance. However, remodeling all traditional classrooms to ALCs entails substantial financial burdens. Thus, an imperative question for institutions of higher education is whether active learning pedagogies can improve learning outcomes…

  6. Using Expectancy Value Theory as a Framework to Reduce Student Resistance to Active Learning: A Proof of Concept.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Katelyn M; Ashley, Michael; Brownell, Sara E

    2017-01-01

    There has been a national movement to transition college science courses from passive lectures to active learning environments. Active learning has been shown to be a more effective way for students to learn, yet there is concern that some students are resistant to active learning approaches. Although there is much discussion about student resistance to active learning, few studies have explored this topic. Furthermore, a limited number of studies have applied theoretical frameworks to student engagement in active learning. We propose using a theoretical lens of expectancy value theory to understand student resistance to active learning. In this study, we examined student perceptions of active learning after participating in 40 hours of active learning. We used the principal components of expectancy value theory to probe student experience in active learning: student perceived self-efficacy in active learning, value of active learning, and potential cost of participating in active learning. We found that students showed positive changes in the components of expectancy value theory and reported high levels of engagement in active learning, which provide proof of concept that expectancy value theory can be used to boost student perceptions of active learning and their engagement in active learning classrooms. From these findings, we have built a theoretical framework of expectancy value theory applied to active learning.

  7. Physical activity and health promotion in Italian university students.

    PubMed

    Teleman, Adele Anna; de Waure, Chiara; Soffiani, Valentina; Poscia, Andrea; Di Pietro, Maria Luisa

    2015-01-01

    Physical activity, diet plans, the mantainment of a certain Body Mass Index (BMI) and the use of various types of supplementation are common elements in the search for disease prevention, health promotion and well-being. We analyzed the data regarding Italian university students' BMI, dieting behaviour, personal body perception, exercise habits, and use of dietary supplements and of doping substances. 13.7% resulted being underweight, 75.1% was in the normal range, 9.8% was overweight, and 1.4% was obese. 11.0% were on a diet. 25.8% of the students reported never doing any type of physical activity. 0.9% admitted consuming doping substances. The percentage of overweight/obese students increases from 8.8% of the 18-21 year olds to 18.1% of the 25-30 year olds. Similarly, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was 18.5% among male population and 7.5% among the female one. The data deriving from this questionnaire showed that while the majority of university students has a BMI in the normal range, 11.2% of the study population is overweight/obese. Males present a higher risk of being overweight or obese. An important part of the population showed to be sedentary even though data coming from our study are aligned to further evidence. The most important concern arising from the questionnaire is represented by physical inactivity. Indeed, it is necessary to encourage and plan initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity in university students.

  8. The Room Itself is Active: How Classroom Design Impacts Student Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rands, Melissa L.; Gansemer-Topf, Ann M.

    2017-01-01

    A responsive case study evaluation approach utilizing interviews and focus groups collected student and faculty perspectives on examined how instructors and students utilized a newly redesigned active learning space at Iowa State University and the relationship of this design with environmental and behavioral factors of student engagement. The…

  9. A Classroom-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Urban Kindergarten and First-Grade Students: A Feasibility Study

    PubMed Central

    Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Kim, Mimi; Ozuah, Philip O.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Background: Urban elementary schools in minority communities with high obesity prevalence may have limited resources for physical education (PE) to achieve daily activity recommendations. Little is known whether integrating physical activity (PA) into classrooms can increase activity levels of students attending such schools. Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized, controlled trial among kindergarten and first-grade students from four Bronx, New York, schools to determine feasibility and impact of a classroom-based intervention on students' PA levels. Students in two intervention schools received the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Joining Academics and Movement (CHAM JAM), an audio CD consisting of 10-minute, education-focused aerobic activities led by teachers three times a day. PA was objectively measured by pedometer. Each subject wore a sealed pedometer during the 6-hour school day for 5 consecutive days at baseline (Time 1) and 8 weeks postintervention (Time 2). Hierarchical linear models were fit to evaluate differences in mean number of steps between the two groups. Results: A total of 988 students participated (intervention group, n=500; control group, n=488). There was no significant difference at baseline between the two groups on mean number of steps (2581 [standard deviation (SD), 1284] vs. 2476 [SD, 1180]; P=0.71). Eight weeks post–CHAM JAM, intervention group students took significantly greater mean number of steps than controls (2839 [SD, 1262] vs. 2545 [SD, 1153]; P=0.0048) after adjusting for baseline number of steps and other covariates (grade, gender, recess, and PE class). CHAM JAM was equally effective in gender, grade level, and BMI subgroups. Conclusions: CHAM JAM significantly increased school-based PA among kindergarten and first-grade students in inner-city schools. This approach holds promise as a cost-effective means to integrate the physical and cognitive benefits of PA into high-risk schools. PMID:25747719

  10. Undergraduate research in medical education: a descriptive study of students' views.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Cristiano C; de Souza, Renata C; Abe, Erika H Sassaki; Silva Móz, Luís E; de Carvalho, Lidia R; Domingues, Maria A C

    2014-03-17

    Medical students engage in curricular and extracurricular activities, including undergraduate research (UR). The advantages, difficulties and motivations for medical students pursuing research activities during their studies have rarely been addressed. In Brazil, some medical schools have included undergraduate research into their curriculum. The present study aimed to understand the reality of scientific practice among medical students at a well-established Brazilian medical school, analyzing this context from the students' viewpoint. A cross-sectional survey based on a questionnaire applied to students from years one to six enrolled in an established Brazilian medical school that currently has no curricular UR program. The questionnaire was answered by 415 students, 47.2% of whom were involved in research activities, with greater participation in UR in the second half of the course. Independent of student involvement in research activities, time constraints were cited as the main obstacle to participation. Among students not involved in UR, 91.1% said they favored its inclusion in the curriculum, since this would facilitate the development of such activity. This approach could signify an approximation between the axes of teaching and research. Among students who had completed at least one UR project, 87.7% said they would recommend the activity to students entering the course. Even without an undergraduate research program, students of this medical school report strong involvement in research activities, but discussion of the difficulties inherent in its practice is important to future developments.

  11. Activities of the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oba, A.; Miyazaki, H.

    2012-07-01

    This reports a history and future prospects of the activities by the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan. For growths of academic fields, active communications among students and young scientists are indispensable. Several academic communities in geoinformation fields are established by youths and play important roles of building networks over schools and institutes. The networks are expected to be innovative cooperation after the youths achieve their professions. Although academic communities are getting fixed growth particularly in Japan, youths had gotten little opportunities to make contacts with youths themselves. To promote gotten youth activities among geoinformation fields, in 1998, we started a series of programs that named the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan involving students and young scientists within the annual conferences, Geoinformation Forum Japan. The programs have provided opportunities to do presentation their studies by posters, some events, and motivations to create networks among students and young scientists. From 2009, some members of our activities set additional conference in west area of Japan. Thus our activities are spread within Japan. As a result of these achievements, the number of youth dedicating to the programs keeps growing. From 2009, it's getting international gradually, however, almost all the participants are still Japanese. To keep and expand the network, we are planning to make some nodes with some Asian youth organizations in the field of geoinformation. This paper is concluded with proposals and future prospects on the Student Forum of the Geoinformation Forum Japan.

  12. Introduction of active learning method in learning physiology by MBBS students.

    PubMed

    Gilkar, Suhail Ahmad; Lone, Shabiruddin; Lone, Riyaz Ahmad

    2016-01-01

    Active learning has received considerable attention over the past several years, often presented or perceived as a radical change from traditional instruction methods. Current research on learning indicates that using a variety of teaching strategies in the classroom increases student participation and learning. To introduce active learning methodology, i.e., "jigsaw technique" in undergraduate medical education and assess the student and faculty response to it. This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology in a Medical College of North India. A topic was chosen and taught using one of the active learning methods (ALMs), i.e., jigsaw technique. An instrument (questionnaire) was developed in English through an extensive review of literature and was properly validated. The students were asked to give their response on a five-point Likert scale. The feedback was kept anonymous. Faculty also provided their feedback in a separately provided feedback proforma. The data were collected, compiled, and analyzed. Of 150 students of MBBS-first year batch 2014, 142 participated in this study along with 14 faculty members of the Physiology Department. The majority of the students (>90%) did welcome the introduction of ALM and strongly recommended the use of such methods in teaching many more topics in future. 100% faculty members were of the opinion that many more topics shall be taken up using ALMs. This study establishes the fact that both the medical students and faculty want a change from the traditional way of passive, teacher-centric learning, to the more active teaching-learning techniques.

  13. Family influences on physical activity and sedentary behaviours in Chinese junior high school students: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xin; Liu, Qing-Min; Ren, Yan-Jun; Lv, Jun; Li, Li-Ming

    2015-03-25

    Family influence plays an important role in a child's physical activity (PA). This study aimed to describe the level of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behaviours among Chinese junior high school students and examine the associations between different types of family influence and MVPA or sedentary behaviours. Participants of two independent cross-sectional surveys, conducted in 2009 and 2011, were students in Grade 7 and 9 from all junior high schools in Hangzhou, China. The daily duration and frequency of MVPA, amount of sedentary time and frequency of family support were self-reported. Multi-level mixed-effects logistic regression was used to examine the associations between different types or levels of family influence and MVPA or sedentary behaviours. A total of 7286 students were analysed finally. Overall, only 9.0% of the students participated in MVPA at least 60 minutes/day; 63.9% spent no more than 2 hours/day in sedentary behaviours. Frequent verbal encouragement and watching were associated with less leisure-time sedentary behaviours. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for verbal encouragement and watching were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.55) and 1.19 (95% CI, 0.97 to 1.45) for 5-7 days per week. The involvement of family in the children's activity in most days of the week was associated with both higher level of MVPA and less leisure-time sedentary behaviours. The respective ORs among students who reported familial support 5-7 days per week, were 1.50 (95% CI, 1.21 to 1.86) for engaging in seven days of MVPA per week, 1.67 (95% CI, 1.19 to 2.32) for at least 60 minutes of MVPA daily, and 1.48 (95% CI, 1.19 to 1.84) for no more than 2 hours of leisure-time sedentary behaviours daily. This study found that less than 10.0% of urban Chinese adolescents engaged in MVPA at least 60 minutes/day. Family involving themselves in the children's activity exerted the most significant influence on children's behaviours

  14. Relations among school students' self-determined motivation, perceived enjoyment, effort, and physical activity behaviors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tao

    2009-12-01

    Guided by the self-determination theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the predictive strength of self-determined motivation toward motivational outcomes (perceived enjoyment, perceived effort, physical activity behaviors) for 286 middle school students in physical education. Analyses indicated that intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and introjected regulation were positively related to students' enjoyment, perceived effort, and physical activity, whereas amotivation was negatively associated with students' enjoyment and perceived effort. The findings highlighted the importance of higher self-determined motivation (intrinsic motivation and identified regulation) in students' perceived enjoyment, effort, and physical activity behaviors. This study supports the use of self-determination theory to investigate students' motivational outcomes in school physical education.

  15. Activity Preferences of Middle School Physical Education Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenwood, Michael; Stillwell, Jim; Byars, Allyn

    2001-01-01

    Investigated the physical education activity preferences of middle school students who completed a checklist featuring a variety of activities. Overall, middle school boys and girls both differed and agreed on their interests for specific activities. Most students liked basketball, bicycling, roller skating, soccer, swimming, and volleyball but…

  16. Instructor-Created Activities to Engage Undergraduate Nursing Research Students.

    PubMed

    Pierce, Linda L; Reuille, Kristina M

    2018-03-01

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

  17. Physical activity, nutritional status, and dietary habits of students of a medical university.

    PubMed

    Grygiel-Górniak, Bogna; Tomczak, Andrzej; Krulikowska, Natalia; Przysławski, Juliusz; Seraszek-Jaros, Agnieszka; Kaczmarek, Elżbieta

    Nutritional habits and physical activity influence the health status of young adults. In this study, we engaged a group of 151 students from a medical university (90 female and 61 male subjects). Anthropometric parameters, dietary habits (a 7-day dietary recall), and level of physical activity were measured. It was found that the daily food rations of female (F) and male (M) students were improperly balanced and characterized by high amount of total and animal protein, phosphorus, vitamin A, cholesterol, and insufficient intake of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. Female subjects consumed low amounts of total fat and calcium. The intake of protein (total and animal), fat, phosphorus, and cholesterol correlated with higher body mass. The physical activity of the students was found to be higher than the average physical activity of the European Union populations, and a general tendency of lowering level of physical activity with age was observed. Students with the highest level of physical activity (MET > 1500) consumed lower amounts of simple carbohydrates (galactose and saccharose) when compared to students with lower physical activity (MET < 600, p  < 0.05). Therefore, this study concluded that the dietary habits should be modified to prevent the development of diet-dependent diseases. Various forms of physical activity should be proposed to students and they should be encouraged to participate in high level of physical activity so as to promote good health status.

  18. Physical Activity Behaviors, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pauline, Jeffrey S.

    2013-01-01

    Despite the well documented benefits of an active lifestyle, lack of physical activity is a significant health problem in college students. The purpose of this descriptive study was to attain baseline physical activity behaviors, motivation factors, and self-efficacy levels to assist with developing tailored physical activity programs and…

  19. Burnout and its association with extracurricular activities among medical students in Saudi Arabia

    PubMed Central

    Almojali, Abdullah I.; Alothman, Ali S.; Masuadi, Emad M.; Alaqeel, Meshal K.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives To assess levels of burnout in medical students, and to explore the influence of extracurricular activities on burnout at a medical school in Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with first to fourth year medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Socio-demographic, burnout level (the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, MBI-SS) and participation in extracurricular activities data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using the Pearson’s chi-square test and binary logistic regression. Results From the 306 medical students approached, 249 (81.4%) completed the questionnaire. The level of high burnout was 67.1% (n=167). The study revealed that the majority (62.3%, n=155) of students had high levels of cynicism, 58.6% (n=146) had high levels of emotional exhaustion, and 60.2% (n=150) had low levels of professional efficacy. Most of the students (73.5%, n=183) participated in extracurricular activities, and 112 (45%) students were organizers of extracurricular activities. No significant association was found between burnout levels and the frequency of involvement in extracurricular activities (χ2=2.2, df=2, p=0.333). However, students who were organizing extracurricular activities were less likely to have low professional efficacy (OR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.27- 0.96). Conclusions High levels of burnout were reported at this medical school. Although the burnout level is not significantly associated with the frequency of involvement in extracurricular activities, leading and organizing extracurricular activities might result in lower levels of burnout. Therefore, improving the students’ leadership skills should be considered in curriculum planning, and greater emphasis should be placed on the quality of involvement in extracurricular activities rather than the quantity. PMID:28454079

  20. Curriculum Activities Guide for Severely Retarded Deaf Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Elizabeth A., Ed.

    The curriculum activities guide for severely retarded deaf children describes activities appropriate for preschool and primary students (7-to-11-years-old), for intermediate and vocational students (12-to-24-years-old), or for both. Activities which incorporate the method of total communication, are focused on communications skills,…

  1. Using Expectancy Value Theory as a Framework to Reduce Student Resistance to Active Learning: A Proof of Concept

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Katelyn M.; Ashley, Michael; Brownell, Sara E.

    2017-01-01

    There has been a national movement to transition college science courses from passive lectures to active learning environments. Active learning has been shown to be a more effective way for students to learn, yet there is concern that some students are resistant to active learning approaches. Although there is much discussion about student resistance to active learning, few studies have explored this topic. Furthermore, a limited number of studies have applied theoretical frameworks to student engagement in active learning. We propose using a theoretical lens of expectancy value theory to understand student resistance to active learning. In this study, we examined student perceptions of active learning after participating in 40 hours of active learning. We used the principal components of expectancy value theory to probe student experience in active learning: student perceived self-efficacy in active learning, value of active learning, and potential cost of participating in active learning. We found that students showed positive changes in the components of expectancy value theory and reported high levels of engagement in active learning, which provide proof of concept that expectancy value theory can be used to boost student perceptions of active learning and their engagement in active learning classrooms. From these findings, we have built a theoretical framework of expectancy value theory applied to active learning. PMID:28861130

  2. The Influence of Physical Education on Physical Activity Levels of Urban Elementary Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dauenhauer, Brian D.; Keating, Xiaofen D.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the role of physical education in shaping physical activity patterns. Seventy-one Hispanic and African American elementary students participated in the study. Students attended one 30- and one 60-min physical education class weekly. Pedometer steps were used to estimate physical activity. Data suggest that…

  3. Secondary Students' Considerations of Variability in Measurement Activities Based on Authentic Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dierdorp, Adri; Bakker, Arthur; Ben-Zvi, Dani; Makar, Katie

    2017-01-01

    Measurement activities were designed in this study on the basis of authentic professional practices in which linear regression is used, to study considerations of variability by students in Grade 12 (aged 17-18). The question addressed in this article is: In what ways do secondary students consider variability within these measurement activities?…

  4. Promoting physical activity using a wearable activity tracker in college students: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Kim, Youngdeok; Lumpkin, Angela; Lochbaum, Marc; Stegemeier, Steven; Kitten, Karla

    2018-08-01

    This study examined the effects of utilizing a wearable activity tracker in a credit-based physical activity instructional program (PAIP) for promoting physical activity (PA) in college students. Fourteen PAIP courses in a large public university were randomly assigned into intervention (k = 7; n = 101) and control (k = 7; n = 86) groups. All courses focused on a core curriculum that covers basic exercise and behavioral science contents through lectures and activity sessions. A Misfit Flash activity tracker was provided to students in the intervention group. Objective PA assessments occurred at baseline, mid-, and end-of-semester during a 15-week academic semester. The control group showed a significant reduction in moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) minutes from baseline to the end-of-semester (P <.05), whereas the intervention group showed no changes in MVPA minutes over time. However, the intervention group also showed increased sedentary time and decreased time spent in light-intensity PA during the intervention period. Taken together, the present study found null effects of utilizing the wearable activity tracker in promoting PA in college students suggesting that intervention of primary using the wearable activity tracker as a behavior change strategy may not be effective to increase in PA in this setting.

  5. The New Student Activism: Supporting Students as Agents of Social Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacoby, Barbara

    2017-01-01

    The "new student activism," as it is often called, is a hot topic in higher education as well as in the popular press and social media. As a college student in the late '60s and early '70s, a long-time student affairs professional, a scholar and practitioner of service-learning, and an academic teaching a course on social change, the…

  6. The Attitude of Medical and Pharmacy Students towards Research Activities: A Multicenter Approach

    PubMed Central

    Bandari, Deepak Kumar; Tefera, Yonas Getaye; Elnour, Asim Ahmed; Shehab, Abdulla

    2017-01-01

    Aim: To assess the attitude of medical and pharmacy students in Asian and African universities towards scholarly research activities. Methods: An anonymous, cross-sectional, self-reported online survey questionnaire was administered to medical and pharmacy students studying in various Asian and African universities through social media between May and July 2016. A 68-item close-ended questionnaire consisting of Likert-scale options assessed the students’ research-specific experiences, and their attitudes towards scholarly research publications. Results: A total of 512 questionnaires were completed, with a response rate of 92% from Asia and 94% from Africa. More pharmacy students (70.8%) participated than medical students (29.2%). Overall 52.2% of the pharmacy students and 40% of medical students believed that research activities provided a means of gaining respect from their faculty members. Lack of encouragement, paucity of time, gaps in research activities and practices, and lack of research funding were some of the most common barriers acknowledged by the students. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney test showed that a statistically significant difference was observed, in that more than 80% of the pharmacy students viewed scientific writing and research activities as valuable experiences (p = 0.001) and would like to involve their co-students in scholarly research activities (p = 0.002); whereas the majority of the medical students desired to be involved more in scholarly research publications (p = 0.033). Conclusion: Pharmacy students had good attitudes towards research activities and a higher number of medical students desired to be involved more in research publications. Faculties may consider taking special research initiatives to address the barriers and improve the involvement of medical and pharmacy students in scholarly research activities. PMID:29019923

  7. The influence of extracurricular activities on middle school students' science learning in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Danhui; Tang, Xing

    2017-07-01

    Informal science learning has been found to have effects on students' science learning. Through the use of secondary data from a national assessment of 7410 middle school students in China, this study explores the relationship among five types of extracurricular science activities, learning interests, academic self-concept, and science achievement. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the influence of students' self-chosen and school-organised extracurricular activities on science achievement through mediating interests and the academic self-concept. Chi-square tests were used to determine whether there was an opportunity gap in the student's engagement in extracurricular activities. The students' volunteer and school-organised participation in extracurricular science activities had a positive and indirect influence on their science achievement through the mediating variables of their learning interests and academic self-concept. However, there were opportunity gaps between different groups of students in terms of school location, family background, and especially the mother's education level. Students from urban areas with better-educated mothers or higher socioeconomic status are more likely to access diverse science-related extracurricular activities.

  8. Assisting in the Medical Laboratory. Instructor's Guide, Students' Manual, and Student Learning Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fair, Helena J.

    The instructor's guide, the first of three documents in this package, is for a course to help students who are investigating the activities within a hospital, clinic, or physician's office. The material is designed to relate training experience to information studied in the classroom. The course is intended for individualized study and is…

  9. Assessing a Broad Teaching Approach: The Impact of Combining Active Learning Methods on Student Performance in Undergraduate Peace and Conflict Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sjöstedt, Roxanna

    2015-01-01

    Teaching introductory International Relations (IR) and peace and conflict studies can be challenging, as undergraduate teaching frequently involves large student groups that limit student activity to listening and taking notes. According to pedagogic research, this is not the optimal structure for learning. Rather, although a teacher can pass on…

  10. Nursing students collaborating to develop multiple-choice exam revision questions: A student engagement study.

    PubMed

    Craft, Judy A; Christensen, Martin; Shaw, Natasha; Bakon, Shannon

    2017-12-01

    Nursing students find bioscience subjects challenging. Bioscience exams pose particular concerns for these students, which may lead to students adopting a surface-approach to learning. To promote student collective understanding of bioscience, improve their confidence for the final exam, and improve deeper understanding of bioscience. In order to address exam anxiety, and improve student understanding of content, this student engagement project involved nursing students collaborating in small groups to develop multiple-choice questions and answers, which became available to the entire student cohort. This study was conducted at two campuses of an Australian university, within a first year bioscience subject as part of the undergraduate nursing programme. All students enrolled in the subject were encouraged to attend face-to-face workshops, and collaborate in revision question writing. Online anonymous questionnaires were used to invite student feedback on this initiative; 79 respondents completed this feedback. Students collaborated in groups to write revision questions as part of in-class activities. These questions were made available on the student online learning site for revision. An online feedback survey was deployed at the conclusion of all workshops for this subject, with questions rated using a Likert scale. Participants indicated that they enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate in this activity, and almost all of these respondents used these questions in their exam preparation. There was strong agreement that this activity improved their confidence for the final exam. Importantly, almost two-thirds of respondents agreed that writing questions improved their understanding of content, and assisted in their active reflection of content. Overall, this initiative revealed various potential benefits for the students, including promoting bioscience understanding and confidence. This may improve their long-term understanding of bioscience for nursing practice

  11. Physical activity and mental well-being in student nurses.

    PubMed

    Hawker, Clare L

    2012-04-01

    There is strong evidence that suggests physical activity can enhance mental well-being. However, this relationship has not been widely investigated in student nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between physical activity and mental well-being in undergraduate student nurses (n=215). Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Other outcomes included self-esteem, anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, outcome expectations and self-efficacy. Almost, a quarter (23.8%) of the total sample, were meeting the Department of Health's physical activity guideline. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.0 with 40% being in the overweight to morbidly obese category. Self-esteem was significantly positively correlated with total physical activity (r=0.16, p=0.038) and moderate intensity activity (r=0.17, p=0.021). No other significant relationships were found between anxiety, depression and satisfaction with life and physical activity. Outcome expectations for exercise and self-efficacy were significantly positively correlated with moderate (r=0.17, p=0.019) and vigorous (r=0.28, p=0.000) intensity activity and total physical activity (r=0.29, p=0.000). BMI was significantly positively correlated with age (r=0.242, p=0.001), significantly negatively correlated with self-efficacy for exercise (r=0.257, p=0.000) and satisfaction with life (r=-0.144, p=0.041). Regression analysis showed that low self efficacy for exercise and increasing age were significant predictors of BMI with a small effect size r(2)=0.126, adjusted r(2)=0.112. BMI and physical activity variables collectively explained only 2% of the variance for anxiety, 4% for depression, 5% for self esteem and 6% for satisfaction with life. BMI was a significant predictor of satisfaction with life (Beta=-0.171, p=0.027). Participation in physical activity may be influential in improving mental well-being in student nurses. Promoting physical

  12. Participation Motivation and Student’s Physical Activity among Sport Students in Three Countries

    PubMed Central

    Kondric, Miran; Sindik, Joško; Furjan-Mandic, Gordana; Schiefler, Bernd

    2013-01-01

    The main aim of this study was to examine the differences in motivation to participate in sport activities among sports students from three different countries. On a sample of 390 sports students from Slovenia, Croatia and Germany we studied what motivates an interest in being sports active. The sample was stratified across the choice to attend table tennis lessons at all three institutions and all students have completed the Participation Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ). The results revealed that the latent structure of the types of sports students’ motives consisted of six factors (sport action with friend, popularity, fitness & health, social status, sports events, relaxation through sports). We also found significant sex differences in motivation to participate in sport activities for all sports students from the three different countries. We did not find relevant age-based differences among the students, and this is the only initial hypothesis that we can reject. Key points The potential implications of the result can be in better understanding the relationship between different motivational orientations - in particular, extrinsic motivation - and sport motivation among school-aged individuals. In the context of Self Determination Theory, students can be encouraged in developing more autonomous orientations for sport activity, rather than controlled and impersonal, especially in certain countries. Significant factors of differences have been found in motivation to participate in sport activities among sports students from three different countries and also some significant sex differences have been found in motivation to participate in sport activities for all sports students. PMID:24149720

  13. Reasoning about Energy. An Activity Booklet for Middle and High School Science and Social Studies Students... and Their Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Rodney F., Ed.

    This booklet is a collection of energy activities to be infused into existing science and social studies courses at the seventh and ninth grade levels. The activities were written for students at different levels of problem solving ability, emphasizing the learning and use of knowledge about energy. By using energy knowledge in these…

  14. Active Learning through Student Film: A Case Study of Cultural Geography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Jon

    2013-01-01

    This study contributes to the debate over the potential of film as a pedagogical aid. It argues that integrating film production into the assessment of undergraduate modules secures advantages for student learning: students connect their ideas more explicitly to "real world" examples; new voices and understandings are introduced to…

  15. A Student Activity on Visual Resolving Power

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warren, T. H.; Henriksen, P. N.; Ramsier, R. D.

    2003-01-01

    We present a simple activity in which students measure the resolving power of their eyes. The approach can be used at various levels of sophistication with students having a wide variety of skills and scientific training. We discuss our experiences using this activity with a class of non-science majors as well as with a group of pre-engineering…

  16. Assessment of a simulated contraceptive prescribing activity for pharmacy students.

    PubMed

    Lynch, Sarah E; Griffin, Brooke L; Vest, Kathleen M

    2018-02-01

    The role of the pharmacist has been shifting rapidly. One example of change is the passage of legislation allowing pharmacists to independently initiate self-administered hormonal contraceptives in several states. There is no evidence of this specific topic being covered in pharmacy school curricula, and many states are requiring additional post-graduate training. This activity was designed to determine the utility of a contraceptive prescribing simulation activity for pharmacy students. Pharmacy students enrolled in a women's health elective learned about relevant state legislation and attended a clinical skills center simulation activity where they utilized an available prescribing algorithm. Students completed two scenarios and received grades based on their clinical decision-making and patient interaction skills. An electronic survey was distributed post-activity to assess student satisfaction and confidence when prescribing contraceptives. Responses and grades on the assignment were analyzed to determine the activity's utility. Students finished with median scores of 15, 14.8, and 14.5 out of 15 possible points for the three scenarios. Students reported overall satisfaction with the activity, with general agreement that the activity was realistic and made them feel like they were prepared to prescribe contraceptives. Independently initiating contraceptives is a novel practice area for pharmacists. This activity introduced students to the process of prescribing using realistic forms and scenarios. The utility of the activity was twofold - it introduced students to the changing environment of pharmacy practice and allowed students to apply their knowledge of contraceptives and women's health. Students performed well on the activity and reported high levels of satisfaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Initial Outcomes of a Participatory-Based, Competency-Building Approach to Increasing Physical Education Teachers' Physical Activity Promotion and Students' Physical Activity: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weaver, R. Glenn; Webster, Collin A.; Beets, Michael W.; Brazendale, Keith; Chandler, Jessica; Schisler, Lauren; Aziz, Mazen

    2018-01-01

    This study examined the initial effects of a participatory-based, competency-/skill-building professional development workshop for physical education (PE) teachers on the use of physical activity (PA) promotion practices (e.g., eliminating lines, small-sided games) and students' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). A total of 823…

  18. Ethical Development through Student Activities Programming.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brock, Carol S.

    1991-01-01

    Student activities programing, viewed as essential to the college experience, is defended by outlining some of the values and growth opportunities it provides for students. Several specific programing strategies useful as catalysts in values development are described, including values clarification exercises, multicultural programing, and…

  19. Health Awareness, Motor Performance and Physical Activity of Female University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Konczos, Csaba; Bognar, Jozsef; Szakaly, Zsolt; Barthalos, Istvan; Simon, Istvan; Olah, Zsolt

    2012-01-01

    Study aim: To assess body composition, health awareness and cardiorespiratory fitness in female university students differing in volume of obligatory physical activity classes. Material and methods: 109 female students of the University of West Hungary volunteered to participate in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups according to…

  20. Experiences of nursing students and educators during the co-construction of clinical nursing leadership learning activities: A qualitative research and development study.

    PubMed

    Ha, Laurence; Pepin, Jacinthe

    2017-08-01

    Student voice posits that students' unique perspectives on teaching and learning can be used in conjunction with those of educators to create meaningful educational activities. The study aimed to describe nursing students' and educators' experiences during the co-construction of educational activities involving clinical nursing leadership. Qualitative research and development model. The study was conducted at a French-Canadian nursing faculty that provides a 3-year undergraduate program. Five undergraduate nursing students, four nursing educators, and the principal investigator formed the co-construction team. Data collected included all documents (written and audio) related to the co-construction process: three 2-hour team meetings, PI's fieldnotes and a focus group discussion that occurred once the co-construction process was completed. Thematic analysis was performed guided by Paillé and Muchielli's (2010) method. Data analysis revealed two interrelated themes: (1) unique, purposeful collaboration and (2) change that makes a difference. A space described as safe, without hierarchy and that included the "right" people helped the team achieve their objective of creating new educational activities on clinical nursing leadership. The two new learning activities developed by the team were perceived as useful for future nursing students. At the individual level, team members appreciated how co-construction helped them understand teaching and learning from new perspectives. A structured, efficient co-construction process contributed to positive changes in the nursing program and participants. Additional research is required to enhance understanding of the factors that facilitate and hinder student-educator collaboration outside the classroom. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Evaluation of Classroom Active Engagement in Elementary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sparapani, Nicole; Morgan, Lindee; Reinhardt, Vanessa P.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Wetherby, Amy M.

    2016-01-01

    This study evaluated the classroom measure of active engagement (CMAE), an observational tool designed to measure active engagement in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants included 196 students with ASD and their educators (n = 126) who were video-recorded at the beginning of the school year. Findings documented limited…

  2. Effect of Different Types of Small-Group Activities on Students' Conversations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Krista K.; Talanquer, Vicente

    2013-01-01

    Teaching reform efforts in chemistry education often involve engaging students in small-group activities of different types. This study focused on the analysis of how activity type affected the nature of group conversations. In particular, we analyzed the small-group conversations of students enrolled in a chemistry course for nonscience majors.…

  3. Medicine and Physiotherapy students: are they physically active? Comparative research on Spanish and German population.

    PubMed

    Zeńczak-Praga, Krystyna; Pluto-Prondzinska, Joanna; Zgorzalewicz-Stachowiak, Małgorzata

    2017-05-23

    Despite the fact that regular physical activity is beneficial to human life, there are still more and more overweight and obese people throughout the world today. Healthy habits taken from home or socioeconomic situation are factors which might influence on regular physical activity. People who lead a healthy lifestyle in childhood are also active during adulthood. On the other hand academic life might promote less healthy lifestyle. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the level of physical activity of both German and Spanish students of Medicine and Physiotherapy. The study involved 100 Spanish and 100 German students aged from 19 to 24 years. Based on Eurobarometer 72.3, the respondents were asked a set of questions regarding physical activity. The chi-squared test (χ2) and Mann-Whitney U test were used for the statistical analysis. The vast majority of students presented a normal BMI value, but it was not related to high physical activity. More than one-third of all students seldom practised any sports. The Spanish students usually did some form of physical activity outdoors, whereas the German students exercised in a fitness centre. Lack of time was to the Medicine and Physiotherapy students the most significant factor that did not allow them to be more physically active. Medicine and Physiotherapy students should be more physically active in order to promote a good, healthy lifestyle model to society and there should be more physical activity education to encourage more students to practise sports.

  4. Faculty and second-year medical student perceptions of active learning in an integrated curriculum.

    PubMed

    Tsang, Alexander; Harris, David M

    2016-12-01

    Patients expect physicians to be lifelong learners who are able to interpret and evaluate diagnostic tests, and most medical schools list the development of lifelong learning in their program objectives. However, lecture is the most often utilized form of teaching in the first two years and is considered passive learning. The current generation of medical students has many characteristics that should support active learning pedagogies. The purpose of this study was to analyze student and faculty perceptions of active learning in an integrated medical curriculum at the second-year mark, where students have been exposed to multiple educational pedagogies. The first hypothesis of the study was that faculty would favor active learning methods. The second hypothesis was that Millennial medical students would favor active learning due to their characteristics. Primary faculty for years 1 and 2 and second-year medical students were recruited for an e-mail survey consisting of 12 questions about active learning and lecture. Students perceived that lecture and passive pedagogies were more effective for learning, whereas faculty felt active and collaborative learning was more effective. Students believed that more content should be covered by lecture than faculty. There were also significant differences in perceptions of what makes a good teacher. Students and faculty both felt that lack of time in the curriculum and preparation time were barriers for faculty. The data suggest that students are not familiar with the process of learning and that more time may be needed to help students develop lifelong learning skills. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

  5. The association between ambient fine particulate air pollution and physical activity: a cohort study of university students living in Beijing.

    PubMed

    Yu, Hongjun; Yu, Miao; Gordon, Shelby Paige; Zhang, Ruiling

    2017-10-05

    Air pollution has become a substantial environmental issue affecting human health and health-related behavior in China. Physical activity is widely accepted as a method to promote health and well-being and is potentially influenced by air pollution. Previous population-based studies have focused on the impact of air pollution on physical activity in the U.S. using a cross-sectional survey method; however, few have examined the impact on middle income countries such as China using follow-up data. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of ambient fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) air pollution on physical activity among freshmen students living in Beijing by use of follow-up data. We conducted 4 follow-up health surveys on 3445 freshmen students from Tsinghua University from 2012 to 2013 and 2480 freshmen completed all 4 surveys. Linear individual fixed-effect regressions were performed based on repeated-measure physical activity-related health behaviors and ambient PM 2.5 concentrations among the follow-up participants. An increase in ambient PM 2.5 concentration by one standard deviation (44.72 μg/m 3 ) was associated with a reduction in 22.32 weekly minutes of vigorous physical activity (95% confidence interval [CI] = 24.88-19.77), a reduction in 10.63 weekly minutes of moderate physical activity (95% CI = 14.61-6.64), a reduction in 32.45 weekly minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (95% CI = 37.63-27.28), and a reduction in 226.14 weekly physical activity MET-minute scores (95% CI = 256.06-196.21). The impact of ambient PM 2.5 concentration on weekly total minutes of moderate physical activity tended to be greater among males than among females. Ambient PM 2.5 air pollution significantly discouraged physical activity among Chinese freshmen students living in Beijing. Future studies are warranted to replicate study findings in other Chinese cities and universities, and policy interventions are urgently needed to reduce air

  6. Relations of Physical Activity and Stress Vulnerability in University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xu, Furong; Liu, Wenhao; Chepyator-Thomson, Jepkorir Rose; Schmidlein, Robert

    2018-01-01

    There are increased concerns about depression and anxiety among college students. Thus in need of actions to find proper intervention strategies to target this issue. The purpose of this study was to examine association between leisure-time physical activity and stress vulnerability among college students. A modified survey including physical…

  7. Examining Student Agency in an Active-Learning Business Calculus Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higgins, Abigail L.

    2017-01-01

    This study explored student agency in an active-learning business calculus course. The lecture-style instructional practices typically used in this course at this institution allow few opportunities for students to interact with their peers, interface with the instructor one-on-one, or do mathematics during class time. Additionally, this course…

  8. Factors Shaping Students' Opportunities to Engage in Argumentative Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayalon, Michal; Even, Ruhama

    2016-01-01

    This study examines how students' opportunities to engage in argumentative activity are shaped by the teacher, the class, and the mathematical topic. It compares the argumentative activity between two classes taught by the same teacher using the same textbook and across two beginning algebra topics--investigating algebraic expressions and…

  9. Sitting Behavior and Physical Activity of College Students: Implications for Health Education and Promotion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Abundo, Michelle Lee; Sidman, Cara L.; Fiala, Kelly A.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to provide a baseline assessment of sitting behaviors and physical activity among college students in a physical activity and wellness course. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to measure the physical activity and sitting behaviors of college students. Independent t-tests and ANOVAs…

  10. Improving Student Engagement in Learning Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Nancy; And Others

    Engaging students seriously in their own academic learning is a persistent difficulty for teachers. The goal of this action research project was to actively involve elementary school students in their learning. The program was implemented at three elementary schools in northern Illinois serving multicultural populations; special education…

  11. Interprofessional pharmacy observation activity for third-year dental students.

    PubMed

    Conway, Susan E; Smith, Winter J; Truong, Teresa H; Shadid, Jill

    2014-09-01

    Interprofessional learning is a key component of today's health sciences education. Within a two-course series in dental pharmacology and therapeutics, a dental curriculum was revised to provide an interprofessional activity to expose dental students to a community pharmacy setting. The objectives of this activity were to augment students' learning about drug laws and prescription writing, as well as to foster interprofessional relationships and collaboration between pharmacists and dentists. Dental students were scheduled for one-hour observations at community pharmacies on campus. Learning objectives to guide this activity focused on demonstrating community pharmacy operating procedures, identifying ways to minimize prescribing and dosing errors, and understanding how pharmacists can assist dentists in prescribing. Following the observation, students were required to submit a written assignment, which accounted for 14 percent of their course grade. All 119 dental students (100 percent) enrolled in the course for the summers of 2012 and 2013 completed the activity. The average grade on the written assignment was 96.2 out of 100. At the end of the course, students were asked to participate in an online course evaluation survey, for which response rates were 37 percent and 43 percent for 2012 and 2013, respectively. The students rated the pharmacy observation activity favorably on this course evaluation. The pharmacy observation activity provided a successful interprofessional component to the didactic pharmacy course and was well received by the dental students as well as the community pharmacists.

  12. The Role of Extracurricular Activity Involvement on Athletic Training Students' Retention and Success: A Qualitative Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewis, Melanie Leanor

    2017-01-01

    Higher education research has focused more attention recently on student involvement in extracurricular activities. Student involvement in extracurricular activities has been linked to decreased levels of stress, degree attainment, increased college satisfaction, retention, and positive academic performance. Due to the limited research on the…

  13. Assisting in Radiology/Imaging. Instructor's Guide, Student's Manual, and Student Learning Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fair, Helena J.

    The instructor's guide, the first of three documents in this package, is designed for a course to help students who are investigating the activities within a radiology department or considering any of the imaging technologies as a career. The material is designed to relate training experience to information studied in the classroom. This…

  14. The role of students' activities in Indonesian realistic mathematics education in primary schools of Aceh

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zubainur, Cut Morina; Veloo, Arsaythamby; Khalid, Rozalina

    2015-05-01

    This study aims to explore the implementation of the Indonesian Realistic Mathematics Education (PMRI) in Aceh primary schools, Indonesia. This study investigates the students' mathematics activities involved in the implementation of PMRI and for this purpose; students' mathematics activities in the classroom were observed. Students were observed three times within five weeks during mathematics class, based on PMRI. A total of 25 year five students from a public school participated in this study. Observation check list was used in this study based on ten items. The observation conducted was based on two different time periods which were 105 minutes for group A and 70 minutes for group B. The observation was conducted every 5 minutes. The results show that PMRI is being practised in Aceh, but not completely. This study shows that mathematics activities for those who were taught using PMRI are higher than for those using the traditional approach. Overall, the findings showed that the number of student activities undertaken in PMRI achieved 90.56%. The higher percentage of activities suggests that the Aceh Education Office expands the implementation of PMRI in all primary schools so that learning of mathematics is more effective. This indirectly increases the mathematics achievement of students in Aceh to a higher level on par with Indonesia's national achievement.

  15. Social Cognitive Theory and Physical Activity Among Korean Male High-School Students.

    PubMed

    Lee, Chung Gun; Park, Seiyeong; Lee, Seung Hwan; Kim, Hyunwoo; Park, Ji-Won

    2018-02-01

    The most critical step in developing and implementing effective physical activity interventions is to understand the determinants and correlates of physical activity, and it is strongly suggested that such effort should be based on theories. The purpose of this study is to test the direct, indirect, and total effect of social cognitive theory constructs on physical activity among Korean male high-school students. Three-hundred and forty-one 10th-grade male students were recruited from a private single-sex high school located in Seoul, South Korea. Structural equation modeling was used to test the expected relationships among the latent variables. The proposed model accounted for 42% of the variance in physical activity. Self-efficacy had the strongest total effect on physical activity. Self-efficacy for being physically active was positively associated with physical activity ( p < .01). Self-efficacy also had positive indirect effects on physical activity through perceived benefits ( p < .05) and goal setting ( p < .01). The results of this study indicated that the social cognitive theory is a useful framework to understand physical activity among Korean male adolescents. Physical activity interventions targeting Korean male high-school students should focus on the major sources of efficacy.

  16. Coal Activities for Secondary Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Coal Foundation, Washington, DC.

    This collection of lesson plans designed for teachers of 4th- through 12th-grade students utilizes an assortment of teaching strategies for topics related to coal and the coal industry. Activities cover the following topics: coal formation; coal identification; "the geologist's dilemma" (a supply and demand activity); geologic time and…

  17. Student Perceptions of Active Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lumpkin, Angela; Achen, Rebecca M.; Dodd, Regan K.

    2015-01-01

    A paradigm shift from lecture-based courses to interactive classes punctuated with engaging, student-centered learning activities has begun to characterize the work of some teachers in higher education. Convinced through the literature of the values of using active learning strategies, we assessed through an action research project in five college…

  18. Elements of Design-Based Science Activities That Affect Students' Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Brett D.; Chittum, Jessica R.; Akalin, Sehmuz; Schram, Asta B.; Fink, Jonathan; Schnittka, Christine; Evans, Michael A.; Brandt, Carol

    2015-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which a 12-week after-school science and engineering program affected middle school students' motivation to engage in science and engineering activities. We used current motivation research and theory as a conceptual framework to assess 14 students' motivation through questionnaires,…

  19. [The significance of extracurricular activities in the life of junior high school students].

    PubMed

    Sumiya, S; Muto, T

    2001-06-01

    In this study, the significance of extracurricular activities in the life of junior high school students were examined. Seventh and eighth graders participated in a two-stage questionnaire survey, administered in May and October. Based on developmental stage-environment fit theory (Eccles, Wigfield, & Schiefele, 1998), how well extracurricular activity settings fit needs of the students was analyzed. In support of the theory's hypothesis, results indicated that whether an extracurricular activity satisfied the student's developmental needs affected his/her sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in school life. In addition, the effect of seventh graders' commitment to extracurricular activities on their satisfaction of school life was stronger in October than in May. The findings suggested that for students who felt uneasy in class for whatever reasons, extracurricular activities provided an opportunity for relief.

  20. Motivating Students to Write: Community Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pettigrew, B. Joye

    This paper describes two activities used in a course that implemented the "Foxfire" approach for studying the local community of Rock Hill, South Carolina. The first activity, a unit on the family, encouraged discussion of students' families, presented poems exploring the details of family experience, and provided the opportunity for…

  1. Students as Doers: Examples of Successful E-Learning Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tammelin, Maija; Peltonen, Berit; Puranen, Pasi; Auvinen, Lis

    2012-01-01

    This paper discusses learning language and communication activities that focus on students' concrete involvement in their learning process. The activities first deal with student-produced blogs and digital videos in business Spanish. They then present student-produced podcasts for Swedish business communication learners that are meant for speakers…

  2. Student Buy-In to Active Learning in a College Science Course

    PubMed Central

    Cavanagh, Andrew J.; Aragón, Oriana R.; Chen, Xinnian; Couch, Brian; Durham, Mary; Bobrownicki, Aiyana; Hanauer, David I.; Graham, Mark J.

    2016-01-01

    The benefits of introducing active learning in college science courses are well established, yet more needs to be understood about student buy-in to active learning and how that process of buy-in might relate to student outcomes. We test the exposure–persuasion–identification–commitment (EPIC) process model of buy-in, here applied to student (n = 245) engagement in an undergraduate science course featuring active learning. Student buy-in to active learning was positively associated with engagement in self-regulated learning and students’ course performance. The positive associations among buy-in, self-regulated learning, and course performance suggest buy-in as a potentially important factor leading to student engagement and other student outcomes. These findings are particularly salient in course contexts featuring active learning, which encourage active student participation in the learning process. PMID:27909026

  3. Evaluation of Emotional Literacy Activities: A Phenomenological Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oksuz, Yucel

    2016-01-01

    The present study aims to evaluate impact of the emotional literacy activities through participant student's experiences. Emotional literacy activities, including social-emotional skills Goleman's emotional intelligence and Fapuel's emotional literacy model designed and conducted for 2 months on primary school students, who study in 4th grade. The…

  4. Evaluation of a student participatory, low-intensity program to improve school wellness environment and students' eating and activity behaviors.

    PubMed

    Hoelscher, Deanna M; Moag-Stahlberg, Alicia; Ellis, Karen; Vandewater, Elizabeth A; Malkani, Raja

    2016-05-13

    Most schools have not fully implemented wellness policies, and those that have rarely incorporate meaningful student participation. The aim of the Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP60) program is to help schools implement wellness policies by engaging students in activities to improve access to healthful, good tasting food and drinks, and increase the number and type of opportunities for students to be physically active. The aim of this paper is to present initial student-level results from an implementation of FUTP60 in 72 schools, grades 6-9. The study used a non-controlled pretest/posttest with serial cross-sectional data. School process data and student-level data were collected in fall 2009 (pre-intervention) and spring 2010 (post-intervention). School wellness practices were captured during a baseline needs assessment survey. Validated self-administered questionnaires assessing dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviors were administered to students in grades 6-9 in the 72 pilot schools. Mixed-effects logistic regression controlling for clustering of schools and demographics was used to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals to evaluate changes pre- and post- intervention. All 72 schools implemented FUTP60 during the 2009-2010 school year. Action strategies most frequently chosen by the schools included increasing breakfast participation and new activities before and after school. Positive and significant changes in students' behaviors (n = 32,482 at pretest and 29,839 at post-test) were noted for dairy, whole grains, fruit, and vegetable consumption and PA levels pre- and post-intervention (OR 1.05 to 1.27). Students aware of the program at post-test were significantly more likely to report healthier eating and PA behaviors than students unaware of the program (OR 1.1 to 1.34). FUTP60 pilot findings indicate that a low intensity program focused on wellness policy implementation is associated with small positive changes in student behaviors, especially

  5. Analysis of College Students' Personal Health Information Activities: Online Survey.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sujin; Sinn, Donghee; Syn, Sue Yeon

    2018-04-20

    With abundant personal health information at hand, individuals are faced with a critical challenge in evaluating the informational value of health care records to keep useful information and discard that which is determined useless. Young, healthy college students who were previously dependents of adult parents or caregivers are less likely to be concerned with disease management. Personal health information management (PHIM) is a special case of personal information management (PIM) that is associated with multiple interactions among varying stakeholders and systems. However, there has been limited evidence to understand informational or behavioral underpinning of the college students' PHIM activities, which can influence their health in general throughout their lifetime. This study aimed to investigate demographic and academic profiles of college students with relevance to PHIM activities. Next, we sought to construct major PHIM-related activity components and perceptions among college students. Finally, we sought to discover major factors predicting core PHIM activities among college students we sampled. A Web survey was administered to collect responses about PHIM behaviors and perceptions among college students from the University of Kentucky from January through March 2017. A total of 1408 college students were included in the analysis. PHIM perceptions, demographics, and academic variations were used as independent variables to predict diverse PHIM activities using a principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical regression analyses (SPSS v.24, IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). Majority of the participants were female (956/1408, 67.90%), and the age distribution of this population included an adequate representation of college students of all ages. The most preferred health information resources were family (612/1408, 43.47%), health care professionals (366/1408, 26.00%), friends (27/1408, 1.91%), and the internet (157/1408, 11.15%). Organizational or

  6. College Students' Perceptions of Wellness and Physical Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klepfer, Shaley DePolo

    2013-01-01

    College students are increasingly less physically active. Investigation into this problem is important because individuals develop lifelong habits during the college time period. College students' perceptions regarding physical activity and overall wellness are important factors in creating positive change toward healthier lifestyle habits. Based…

  7. Speaking Activities for the Advanced College-Bound Student.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henderson, Don

    Three activities for developing speaking skills of advanced English as second language students are presented. Impromptu speaking, extemporaneous speaking, and debate activities are designed to train students to organize concepts, develop spontaneous oral skills, and enhance confidence and clarity of thought. Impromptu speaking develops…

  8. A Didactical Framework for Studying Students' and Teachers' Activities when Learning and Teaching Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robert, Aline

    2012-01-01

    This paper draws an Activity Theoretical frame specific to mathematics at school with reference to both Vygotskian and Piagetian approaches. At a local point of view, the frame is oriented toward analysis of students' mathematical activities in the classroom. This local point of view is extended to a global point of view, to gain access to what…

  9. Exploring the daily activities associated with delayed bedtime of Japanese university students.

    PubMed

    Asaoka, Shoichi; Komada, Yoko; Fukuda, Kazuhiko; Sugiura, Tatsuki; Inoue, Yuichi; Yamazaki, Katuo

    2010-07-01

    University students show delayed sleep-wake patterns, i.e., later bed- and rise-times, and this pattern is known to be associated with various malfunctions. There may be a variety of daily activities associated with their delayed sleep patterns, such as watching TV. However, it is unclear to what extent each activity possesses an impact on their sleep patterns. The purpose of this study was to determine the daily activities associated with delayed bedtime in Japanese university students who live with or without their families. Three hundred and thirty-one participants were required to record the timing and duration of their sleep and daily activities, and the data from the 275 students (160 men and 115 women; 19.01 +/- 1.66 years) who completely filled forms were used for analysis. The results of multiple regression analyses suggested that interpersonal communication late at night is one of the major factors leading to the delayed bedtime of students living away from home. Among those living with their families, indoor activities such as watching TV and using the Internet were related to their delayed bedtimes. Attending classes and having a morning meal were related to the earlier bedtimes of the students living away from home, but there were no activities associated with those of the students living with their families. These results suggest that ensuring attendance at morning classes and having appropriate mealtimes, as well as restricting the use of visual media and socializing activities at night, are necessary for preventing late bedtimes in university students.

  10. The Ideal Science Student: Exploring the Relationship of Students' Perceptions to Their Problem Solving Activity in a Robotics Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, Florence; Lin, Xiadong

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of middle school students' perceptions of the ideal science student to their problem solving activity and conceptual understanding in the applied science area of robotics. Twenty-six 11 and 12 year-olds (22 boys) attending a summer camp for academically advanced students participated in the…

  11. The Effect of Mastery Learning Model with Reflective Thinking Activities on Medical Students' Academic Achievement: An Experimental Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elaldi, Senel

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the effect of mastery learning model supported with reflective thinking activities on the fifth grade medical students' academic achievement. Mixed methods approach was applied in two samples (n = 64 and n = 6). Quantitative part of the study was based on a pre-test-post-test control group design with an experiment…

  12. Assessment of weight status, dietary habits and beliefs, physical activity, and nutritional knowledge among university students.

    PubMed

    Yahia, Najat; Wang, Daniel; Rapley, Melyssa; Dey, Rajarshi

    2016-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess weight status, dietary habits, physical activity, dietary beliefs, and nutrition knowledge among a sample of students from Central Michigan University. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a sample of undergraduate students in Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 at Central Michigan University. Participating students completed an online questionnaire that included questions related to their eating habits, physical activity and lifestyle, dietary beliefs, and nutritional knowledge. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Percentage body fat and visceral fat score were determined using a Tanita body composition analyser (SC-331S). Outcomes of this study indicated that 78% of female students were within the healthy weight range compared to 52% of male students. Visceral body fat and waist circumference scores were higher in males than in females. Most students showed 'satisfactory' dietary habits. Almost half of the students reported drinking two glasses of milk and consuming two cups of fruits and vegetables daily. Physical activity and lifestyle score indicated that most of the students were not physically active. Only 7% of students reported having a very active lifestyle, and 4% had quite good nutritional knowledge. The majority of students, particularly females, were within the healthy body weight range. Students' dietary habits were satisfactory. However, physical activity, students' knowledge of healthy and unhealthy diet habits, and nutritional knowledge needed improvement. Developing gender-specific programmes for promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours among students is recommended. © Royal Society for Public Health 2015.

  13. Student Activism and Democratic Quality in Ghana's Fourth Republic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Gyampo, Ransford Edward

    2013-01-01

    Student activism has been pivotal in Ghana's political and democratic history. Prior to Ghana's Fourth Republic, student activism was highly confrontational and entailed student support or opposition to the various regimes depending on the extent to which the regimes were accepted by all as being rightful or legitimate. After 23 years of…

  14. Contemporary Student Activism Context as a Vehicle for Leader Identity Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivester, Stephen B.

    2013-01-01

    Contemporary college student activism efforts are growing. Little research has been conducted on student activism and leadership development. As student affairs educators consider leadership an important part of an undergraduate education it is important to consider how the context of activism actually influences student leader identity…

  15. Correlates of School-Day Physical Activity in Preschool Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Leah E.; Wadsworth, Danielle D.; Peoples, Christina M.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the relationship among sex, body mass index, motor skill competence (MSC), perceived physical competence (PPC), and school-day physical activity in preschool students (N = 34). Physical activity was assessed by steps accumulated during the school day, while MSC and PPC were assessed with the Test of Gross Motor Development--2nd…

  16. Promoting Physical Activity through Student Life and Academics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDaniel, Tyler; Melton, Bridget F.; Langdon, Jody

    2014-01-01

    Objective: A physical activity passport (PAP) was developed to increase student's physical activity through the collaboration of student life and academics. The purpose was to measure the effectiveness of the PAP. Design: The research design used was a quantitative, descriptive, quasi-experimental design with experimental and control groups.…

  17. Assessing High School Student Learning on Science Outreach Lab Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Courtney L.

    2012-01-01

    The effect of hands-on laboratory activities on secondary student learning was examined. Assessment was conducted over a two-year period, with 262 students participating the first year and 264 students the second year. Students took a prequiz, performed a laboratory activity (gas chromatography of alcohols, or photosynthesis and respiration), and…

  18. Number Wonders: 171 Activities to Meet Math Standards & Inspire Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuhns, Catherine Jones

    2006-01-01

    In this book, author Catherine Jones Kuhns introduces student- and teacher-friendly math activities designed to get students thinking like mathematicians and loving mathematics, while addressing content standards through grade 2. She also shows how to make math fun for students, get children actively engaged in learning, create a student-centered…

  19. Simulation Activities and Student Learning Characteristics in a College Economics Survey Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraas, John W.; Rafeld, Frederick J.

    The paper describes a study involving simulation activities in a college level survey course in economics. In addition, it compares student learning in an economics course based on simulation with student learning in a lecture discussion course. The hypothesis was that certain types of students would benefit from the simulation-gaming approach…

  20. Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities in Electrochemistry: High School Students' Achievements and Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sesen, Burcin Acar; Tarhan, Leman

    2013-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effects of inquiry-based laboratory activities on high school students' understanding of electrochemistry and attitudes towards chemistry and laboratory work. The participants were 62 high school students (average age 17 years) in an urban public high school in Turkey. Students were assigned to experimental (N =…

  1. Social competence and collaborative guided inquiry science activities: Experiences of students with learning disabilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taylor, Jennifer Anne

    This thesis presents a qualitative investigation of the effects of social competence on the participation of students with learning disabilities (LD) in the science learning processes associated with collaborative, guided inquiry learning. An inclusive Grade 2 classroom provided the setting for the study. Detailed classroom observations were the primary source of data. In addition, the researcher conducted two interviews with the teacher, and collected samples of students' written work. The purpose of the research was to investigate: (a) How do teachers and peers mediate the participation of students with LD in collaborative, guided inquiry science activities, (b) What learning processes do students with LD participate in during collaborative, guided inquiry science activities, and (c) What components of social competence support and constrain the participation of students with LD during collaborative, guided inquiry science activities? The findings of the study suggest five key ideas for research and teaching in collaborative, guided inquiry science in inclusive classrooms. First, using a variety of collaborative learning formats (whole-class, small-group, and pairs) creates more opportunities for the successful participation of diverse students with LD. Second, creating an inclusive community where students feel accepted and valued may enhance the academic and social success of students with LD. Third, careful selection of partners for students with LD is important for a positive learning experience. Students with LD should be partnered with academically successful, socially competent peers; also, this study suggested that students with LD experience more success working collaboratively in pairs rather than in small groups. Fourth, a variety of strategies are needed to promote active participation and positive social interactions for students with and without LD during collaborative, guided inquiry learning. Fifth, adopting a general approach to teaching

  2. Promoting Female Students' Learning Motivation towards Science by Exercising Hands-On Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wen-jin, Kuo; Chia-ju, Liu; Shi-an, Leou

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to design different hands-on science activities and investigate which activities could better promote female students' learning motivation towards science. This study conducted three types of science activities which contains nine hands-on activities, an experience scale and a learning motivation scale for data…

  3. Student Perceptions of Information Literacy Instruction: The Importance of Active Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Detlor, Brian; Booker, Lorne; Serenko, Alexander; Julien, Heidi

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the merits of employing active learning strategies in the delivery of information literacy instruction (ILI). Traditional approaches to the teaching of information literacy skills--where students are passive recipients of the information they receive--are challenged. Rather, methods that encourage students to actively…

  4. Elementary School Students' Spoken Activities and Their Responses in Math Learning by Peer-Tutoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baiduri

    2017-01-01

    Students' activities in the learning process are very important to indicate the quality of learning process. One of which is spoken activity. This study was intended to analyze the elementary school students' spoken activities and their responses in joining Math learning process by peer-tutoring. Descriptive qualitative design was piloted by means…

  5. Activism or Slacktivism? The Potential and Pitfalls of Social Media in Contemporary Student Activism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cabrera, Nolan L.; Matias, Cheryl E.; Montoya, Roberto

    2017-01-01

    The emergence of social media has greatly influenced 21st-century student activism. It has also given rise to the birth of "slacktivism," an online form of self-aggrandizing, politically ineffective activism. This theoretical article delves into the conceptualizations of what constitutes student activism versus slacktivism in a digital…

  6. Do Active Learning Approaches in Recitation Sections Improve Student Performance? A Case Study from an Introductory Mechanics Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tobin, R. G.

    2018-01-01

    Abundant research leaves little question that pedagogical approaches involving active student engagement with the material, and opportunities for student-to-student discussions, lead to much better learning outcomes than traditional instructor-led, expository instructional formats, in physics and in many other fields. In introductory college…

  7. Hypothetical biotechnology companies: A role-playing student centered activity for undergraduate science students.

    PubMed

    Chuck, Jo-Anne

    2011-01-01

    Science students leaving undergraduate programs are entering the biotechnology industry where they are presented with issues which require integration of science content. Students find this difficult as through-out their studies, most content is limited to a single subdiscipline (e.g., biochemistry, immunology). In addition, students need knowledge of the ethical, economic, and legal frame work in which the industry operates. This article presents an approach to deliver these outcomes in a collaborative and active learning modality which promotes deep learning. In the model, groups of final year undergraduate students form hypothetical biotechnology companies and identify real issues of interest to industry, make integrative team decisions, use professional level technology, and develop appropriate communication skills. The final successful teaching paradigm was based on self reflection, observation, and student feedback to ensure appropriate attainment of content, group work skills and increased confidence in professional decision-making. It is these outcomes which will facilitate life long learning skills, a major outcome applicable for all tertiary education. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. How does participation in inquiry-based activities influence gifted students' higher order thinking?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reger, Barbara H.

    Inquiry-based learning is considered a useful technique to strengthen the critical thinking skills of students. The National Science Standards emphasize its use and the complexities and challenge it provides are well suited for meeting the needs of the gifted. While many studies have documented the effectiveness of this type of instruction, there is a lack of research on growth in higher-order thinking through participation in science inquiry. This study investigated such growth among a small group of gifted fifth-grade students. In this study a group of fifth-grade gifted science students completed a series of three forensics inquiry lessons, and documented questions, ideas and reflections as they constructed evidence to solve a crime. From this class of students, one small group was purposely selected to serve as the focus of the study. Using qualitative techniques, the questions and statements students made as they interacted in the activity were analyzed. Videotaped comments and student logs were coded for emerging patterns and also examined for evidence of increased levels of higher-order thinking based on a rubric that was designed using the six levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Evidence from this study showed marked increase in and deeper levels of higher-order thinking for two of the students. The other boy and girl showed progress using the inquiry activities, but it was not as evident. The social dynamics of the group seemed to hinder one girl's participation during some of the activities. The social interactions played a role in strengthening the exchange of ideas and thinking skills for the others. The teacher had a tremendous influence over the production of higher-level statements by modeling that level of thinking as she questioned the students. Through her practice of answering a question with a question, she gradually solicited more analytical thinking from her students.

  9. Alignment of Hands-On STEM Engagement Activities with Positive STEM Dispositions in Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christensen, Rhonda; Knezek, Gerald; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

    2015-01-01

    This study examines positive dispositions reported by middle school and high school students participating in programs that feature STEM-related activities. Middle school students participating in school-to-home hands-on energy monitoring activities are compared to middle school and high school students in a different project taking part in…

  10. Self-Organization Activities of College Students: Challenges and Opportunities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shmurygina, Natalia; Bazhenova, Natalia; Bazhenov, Ruslan; Nikolaeva, Natalia; Tcytcarev, Andrey

    2016-01-01

    The article provides the analysis of self-organization activities of college students related to their participation in youth associations activities. The purpose of research is to disclose a degree of students' activities demonstration based on self-organization processes, assessment of existing self-organization practices of the youth,…

  11. Effects of the Health Activities Project on Student Attitudes toward Health.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheldon, Daniel S.

    1980-01-01

    The impact of the Health Activities Project (HAP), an activity-centered, supplementary health education program for fifth- to eighth-grade students, on their attitudes toward health education was studied. Results indicated a positive change. (JD)

  12. Do Active Learning Approaches in Recitation Sections Improve Student Performance? A Case Study from an Introductory Mechanics Course

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tobin, R. G.

    2018-01-01

    Abundant research leaves little question that pedagogical approaches involving active student engagement with the material, and opportunities for student-to-student discussions, lead to much better learning outcomes than traditional instructor-led, expository instructional formats, in physics and in many other fields. In introductory college physics classes, some departments have departed radically from conventional lecture-recitation-laboratory course structures, but many, including my own, retain the basic format of large-group classroom sessions (lectures) supplemented by smaller-group meetings focused on problem solving (recitations) and separate laboratory meetings. Active student engagement in the lectures is encouraged through approaches such as Peer Instruction and Interactive Lecture Demonstrations, and these approaches have been demonstrably successful.

  13. Pedometers: A Strategy to Promote Increased Physical Activity among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hackmann, Debra J.; Mintah, Joseph K.

    2010-01-01

    Inactive lifestyle behaviors are predominant in society, especially among the adult population. This study examined the issue of inactivity among college students. A pedometer was used as an intervention strategy, to increase awareness of, and motivate college students to achieve the minimum recommended amount of daily physical activity. A…

  14. Student Motivation from and Resistance to Active Learning Rooted in Essential Science Practices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Owens, David C.; Sadler, Troy D.; Barlow, Angela T.; Smith-Walters, Cindi

    2017-12-01

    Several studies have found active learning to enhance students' motivation and attitudes. Yet, faculty indicate that students resist active learning and censure them on evaluations after incorporating active learning into their instruction, resulting in an apparent paradox. We argue that the disparity in findings across previous studies is the result of variation in the active learning instruction that was implemented. The purpose of this study was to illuminate sources of motivation from and resistance to active learning that resulted from a novel, exemplary active-learning approach rooted in essential science practices and supported by science education literature. This approach was enacted over the course of 4 weeks in eight sections of an introductory undergraduate biology laboratory course. A plant concept inventory, administered to students as a pre-, post-, and delayed-posttest indicated significant proximal and distal learning gains. Qualitative analysis of open-response questionnaires and interviews elucidated sources of motivation and resistance that resulted from this active-learning approach. Several participants indicated this approach enhanced interest, creativity, and motivation to prepare, and resulted in a challenging learning environment that facilitated the sharing of diverse perspectives and the development of a community of learners. Sources of resistance to active learning included participants' unfamiliarity with essential science practices, having to struggle with uncertainty in the absence of authoritative information, and the extra effort required to actively construct knowledge as compared to learning via traditional, teacher-centered instruction. Implications for implementation, including tips for reducing student resistance to active learning, are discussed.

  15. Autonomous Motivation Predicts 7-Day Physical Activity in Hong Kong Students.

    PubMed

    Ha, Amy S; Ng, Johan Y Y

    2015-07-01

    Autonomous motivation predicts positive health behaviors such as physical activity. However, few studies have examined the relation between motivational regulations and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Thus, we investigated whether different motivational regulations (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation) predicted 7-day physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of students. A total of 115 students (mean age = 11.6 years, 55.7% female) self-reported their motivational regulations and health-related quality of life. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors were measured using accelerometers for seven days. Using multilevel modeling, we found that autonomous motivation predicted higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, less sedentary behaviors, and better HRQoL. Controlled motivation and amotivation each only negatively predicted one facet of HRQoL. Results suggested that autonomous motivation could be an important predictor of physical activity behaviors in Hong Kong students. Promotion of this form of motivational regulation may also increase HRQoL. © 2015 The International Association of Applied Psychology.

  16. Correlation between the Physical Activity Level and Grade Point Averages of Faculty of Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Imdat, Yarim

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the study is to find the correlation that exists between physical activity level and grade point averages of faculty of education students. The subjects consist of 359 (172 females and 187 males) under graduate students To determine the physical activity levels of the students in this research, International Physical Activity…

  17. [Overweight and obesity in Colombian college students and its association with physical activity].

    PubMed

    Rangel Caballero, Luis Gabriel; Rojas Sánchez, Lyda Zoraya; Gamboa Delgado, Edna Magaly

    2014-11-01

    Overweight, obesity and physical activity are considered modifiable factors related to development of chronic diseases. Taking into account physical activity patterns in college students, it is necessary to establish its association with the excessive weight in order to prevent and to decrease the prevalence of future chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the association between excessive weight and physical inactivity among college students. An analytical cross sectional study was carried out in 2013 among college students from a private university of Bucaramanga, Colombia. Students (n=306) 18 to 25 years old were included using simple random sampling. An interview was realized using a survey that included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), together with socio demographic variables. An assessment of body composition was realized in order to measure height, weight, body mass index (BMI), total fat percentage, and waist and hip circumferences. A trained professional in physical activity was in charge of data collection and anthropometric measurements. This study was approved by the university research and ethics committee. Participation was both voluntary and anonymous. All data were analyzed in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration. Written consent was signed by every participant of the study. A descriptive analysis of the studied population's general characteristics was realized. The association between excessive weight and physical inactivity was estimated using regression logistic models that allows estimate row and adjusted Odds Ratios (OR). An excessive weight was observed in 26.47% of the students, among which 20.26% were overweight and 6.21% obese, according to BMI cutoff. Taking into account the total fat percentage, 12.09% of the students were in risk of becoming obese and 10.13% were already obese. 50.56% of the students practiced very little weekly physical activity. The median of daily sedentary lifestyle was

  18. Acting Like a Physicist: Student Approach Study to Experimental Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karelina, Anna; Etkina, Eugenia

    2007-01-01

    National studies of science education have unanimously concluded that preparing our students for the demands of the 21st century workplace is one of the major goals. This paper describes a study of student activities in introductory college physics labs, which were designed to help students acquire abilities that are valuable in the workplace. In…

  19. Trust, Growth Mindset, and Student Commitment to Active Learning in a College Science Course.

    PubMed

    Cavanagh, Andrew J; Chen, Xinnian; Bathgate, Meghan; Frederick, Jennifer; Hanauer, David I; Graham, Mark J

    2018-01-01

    There is growing consensus regarding the effectiveness of active-learning pedagogies in college science courses. Less is known about ways that student-level factors contribute to positive outcomes in these contexts. The present study examines students' ( N = 245) trust in the instructor-defined as perceptions of their instructor's understanding, acceptance, and care-and students' attitudes toward learning within an anatomy and physiology course featuring active learning. Analyses indicate that student trust of instructor and students' views of their own intelligence are both associated with student commitment to, and engagement in, active learning. Student-reported trust of the instructor corresponded to final grade, while students' views of their own intelligence did not. In an active-learning context in which students are more fully engaged in the learning process, student trust of the instructor was an important contributor to desired student outcomes. © 2018 A. J. Cavanagh et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 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).

  20. Building Model NASA Satellites: Elementary Students Studying Science Using a NASA-Themed Transmedia Book Featuring Digital Fabrication Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tillman, Daniel; An, Song; Boren, Rachel; Slykhuis, David

    2014-01-01

    This study assessed the impact of nine lessons incorporating a NASA-themed transmedia book featuring digital fabrication activities on 5th-grade students (n = 29) recognized as advanced in mathematics based on their academic record. Data collected included a pretest and posttest of science content questions taken from released Virginia Standards…

  1. Determinants of physical activity in primary school students using the health belief model.

    PubMed

    Ar-Yuwat, Sireewat; Clark, Mary Jo; Hunter, Anita; James, Kathy S

    2013-01-01

    Thailand is a middle-income country in which two-thirds of children demonstrate an insufficient level of physical activity. Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for obesity and many other health-related consequences in children. Thus, it is important to understand how primary school children perceive things in their daily life as determinants of physical activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of cues, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers on the level of physical activity among primary school students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand, in 2011. Multistage sampling selected a total of 123 primary school students. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children and the Cues, Perceived Benefits, and Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire were used to assess the student levels of physical activity, as well as the perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action. The association between these factors and the level of physical activity was determined by correlation statistics and confirmed by robust regression. Multivariate analysis of variance compared health belief model determinants: perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action on physical activity between male and female students. Self-administered questionnaires were validated and tested in a pilot study. The level of activity among primary school children was significantly influenced by perceived barriers, such as fear of strangers when playing outdoors, bad weather, and too much homework. However, activity was not influenced by cues to action or perceived benefits. Perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to physical activity did not differ by gender. A safe environment and fewer barriers, such as amount of homework, could enhance physical activity in primary school children.

  2. Leadership Behaviour of College Students in Relation to Their Leisure Time Activities in College Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sethi, Priyanka

    2009-01-01

    The study investigated the Leadership behaviour of college students in relation to their Leisure time activities in college life. In this study, the researcher wants to see the contribution of leisure time activities in developing the qualities of leadership of college students. The main objective of the study was to find out the relationship…

  3. Fostering Students' Creativity through Van Hiele's 5 Phase-Based Tangram Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siew, Nyet Moi; Chong, Chin Lu

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether Van Hiele's 5 phase-based tangrams activities could help to foster creativity among Grade Three primary school students. Students' creativity was investigated in terms of Torrance's Figural Test of creative thinking: Fluency, Originality, Elaboration, Abstractness of title, and Resistance to a…

  4. Probing High School Physics Students' Views and Concerns about Learning Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langley, Dorothy; Eylon, Bat-Sheva

    2006-01-01

    The current study is framed within an ongoing effort of probing students' attitudes and expectations about knowing and learning physics, which has driven several investigations during the past decade. The questionnaire we developed focuses on physics students' views regarding a variety of specific learning activities, which are presented by title…

  5. Teaching massage to nursing students of geriatrics through active learning.

    PubMed

    Adler, Patricia A

    2009-03-01

    The use of massage in nursing practice has declined through the years in favor of high-tech interventions. This article describes a project using active learning to teach nursing students massage with dementia residents in assisted living. Students participated in a workshop to practice basic relaxation massage techniques with the guidance of their clinical instructor and then provided massages to resident volunteers. Afterward, students discussed their experience and completed a resident assessment form. The students requested more such activities, and the residents and facility management invited the students to return for another session. The instructor observed growth in the students' assessment skills and in their confidence. Use of massage to teach nursing students how to care for and relate to older adults with cognitive impairment is recommended. Further research is needed on the use of massage as an active learning method for nursing students in long-term care.

  6. A Bridge to Active Learning: A Summer Bridge Program Helps Students Maximize Their Active-Learning Experiences and the Active-Learning Experiences of Others

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Katelyn M.; Ashley, Michael; Brownell, Sara E.

    2017-01-01

    National calls to improve student academic success in college have sparked the development of bridge programs designed to help students transition from high school to college. We designed a 2-week Summer Bridge program that taught introductory biology content in an active-learning way. Through a set of exploratory interviews, we unexpectedly identified that Bridge students had developed sophisticated views of active learning, even though this was not an explicit goal of the program. We conducted an additional set of semistructured interviews that focused on active learning and compared the interviews of Bridge students with those from non-Bridge students who had been eligible for but did not participate in the program. We used the constant comparative method to identify themes from the interviews. We found that Bridge students perceived that, because they knew how to approach active learning and viewed it as important, they benefited more from active learning in introductory biology than non-Bridge students. Specifically, Bridge students seemed to be more aware of their own learning gains from participating in active learning. Compared with the majority of non-Bridge students, the majority of Bridge students described using a greater variety of strategies to maximize their experiences in active learning. Finally, in contrast to non-Bridge students, Bridge students indicated that they take an equitable approach to group work. These findings suggest that we may be able to prime students to maximize their own and other’s experiences in active learning. PMID:28232588

  7. The impact of utilizing mobile phones to promote physical activity among post-secondary students: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Ly, Hieu

    2016-01-01

    A commitment to regular physical activity may reduce the risks of chronic diseases for young adults. Internationally, the majority of post-secondary students are insufficiently active for health benefits. Novel health strategies and interventions utilizing mobiles phones could increase post-secondary students' physical activity levels. However, there is contradictory evidence to support the use of mobile phones to promote physical activity, and a scoping review could provide further insights into this topic. The purpose of this study was to conduct a scoping review to explore the existing literature and investigate what is currently known about the use of mobile phones to enhance physical activity levels among post-secondary students. A total of 84 articles were identified from the literature search, and six studies were selected for data analysis. Two major themes were supported by the evidence, which included: (I) the relationship between mobile phones and physical activity levels; and (II) students' perceptions of mobile phones. Goal setting principles combined with text message interventions were reported to have significant influences on students' physical activity levels. Students expressed mixed feelings about coaching elements of apps and posting personal results on social networking websites. No studies reported the use of objective physical activity measurements. In conclusion, mobile phone technologies such as text message reminders could be included in health interventions to enhance post-secondary students' physical activity levels. There is limited evidence available on this topic and additional research is warranted to establish a clearer understanding of the relationship between mobile phones and post-secondary students' physical activity.

  8. TELSQA and the Mainstreamed LD Social Studies Student.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tama, M. Carrol; Martinez, David H.

    1988-01-01

    Examines research about learning disabled (LD) students and presents an LD learning-style profile. Describes a learning activity, TELSQA, that social studies teachers can use to encourage reading comprehension. TELSQA asks students to identify title (T), examine material (E), look for important words (L), self-question (SQ), and answer…

  9. Are Environmental Influences on Physical Activity Distinct for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Schools? A Multilevel Study among Secondary School Students in Ontario, Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobin, Erin P.; Leatherdale, Scott; Manske, Steve; Dubin, Joel A.; Elliott, Susan; Veugelers, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Background: This study examined differences in students' time spent in physical activity (PA) across secondary schools in rural, suburban, and urban environments and identified the environment-level factors associated with these between school differences in students' PA. Methods: Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to examine the…

  10. A Follow-Up Study of Former Student Health Advocates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Streng, Nancy J.

    2007-01-01

    Student health advocates (SHAs) are high school students who, under the supervision of the school nurse, provide health education and health promotion activities to other students via a peer education model. This 3-year follow-up study explored how the SHA experience influences career choice and attitudes of the participants. It also examined what…

  11. Combining traditional anatomy lectures with e-learning activities: how do students perceive their learning experience?

    PubMed Central

    Wieser, Heike; Waldboth, Simone; Mischo-Kelling, Maria

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate how students perceived their learning experience when combining traditional anatomy lectures with preparatory e-learning activities that consisted of fill-in-the-blank assignments, videos, and multiple-choice quizzes. Methods A qualitative study was conducted to explore changes in study behaviour and perception of learning. Three group interviews with students were conducted and thematically analysed. Results Data was categorized into four themes: 1. Approaching the course material, 2. Understanding the material, 3. Consolidating the material, and 4. Perceived learning outcome.  Students appreciated the clear structure of the course, and reported that online activities encouraged them towards a first engagement with the material. They felt that they were more active during in-class sessions, described self-study before the end-of-term exam as easier, and believed that contents would remain in their memories for a longer time. Conclusions By adjusting already existing resources, lectures can be combined fairly easily and cost-effectively with preparatory e-learning activities. The creation of online components promote well-structured courses, can help minimize ‘student passivity’ as a characteristic element of lectures, and can support students in distributing their studies throughout the term, thus suggesting enhanced learning. Further research work should be designed to confirm the afore-mentioned findings through objective measurements of student learning outcomes. PMID:26897012

  12. Combining traditional anatomy lectures with e-learning activities: how do students perceive their learning experience?

    PubMed

    Lochner, Lukas; Wieser, Heike; Waldboth, Simone; Mischo-Kelling, Maria

    2016-02-21

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how students perceived their learning experience when combining traditional anatomy lectures with preparatory e-learning activities that consisted of fill-in-the-blank assignments, videos, and multiple-choice quizzes. A qualitative study was conducted to explore changes in study behaviour and perception of learning. Three group interviews with students were conducted and thematically analysed. Data was categorized into four themes: 1. Approaching the course material, 2. Understanding the material, 3. Consolidating the material, and 4. Perceived learning outcome. Students appreciated the clear structure of the course, and reported that online activities encouraged them towards a first engagement with the material. They felt that they were more active during in-class sessions, described self-study before the end-of-term exam as easier, and believed that contents would remain in their memories for a longer time. By adjusting already existing resources, lectures can be combined fairly easily and cost-effectively with preparatory e-learning activities. The creation of online components promote well-structured courses, can help minimize 'student passivity' as a characteristic element of lectures, and can support students in distributing their studies throughout the term, thus suggesting enhanced learning. Further research work should be designed to confirm the afore-mentioned findings through objective measurements of student learning outcomes.

  13. Student Buy-In to Active Learning in a College Science Course.

    PubMed

    Cavanagh, Andrew J; Aragón, Oriana R; Chen, Xinnian; Couch, Brian; Durham, Mary; Bobrownicki, Aiyana; Hanauer, David I; Graham, Mark J

    2016-01-01

    The benefits of introducing active learning in college science courses are well established, yet more needs to be understood about student buy-in to active learning and how that process of buy-in might relate to student outcomes. We test the exposure-persuasion-identification-commitment (EPIC) process model of buy-in, here applied to student (n = 245) engagement in an undergraduate science course featuring active learning. Student buy-in to active learning was positively associated with engagement in self-regulated learning and students' course performance. The positive associations among buy-in, self-regulated learning, and course performance suggest buy-in as a potentially important factor leading to student engagement and other student outcomes. These findings are particularly salient in course contexts featuring active learning, which encourage active student participation in the learning process. © 2016 A. J. Cavanagh 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).

  14. The effect of active learning on student characteristics in a human physiology course for nonmajors.

    PubMed

    Wilke, R Russell

    2003-12-01

    This study investigated the effect of active-learning strategies on college students' achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy in a human physiology course for nonmajors. Variables were studied via a quasi-experimental, Solomon four-group design on 141 students at a small west-Texas university. Treatment groups were taught using a continuum-based, active-learning model implemented over the course of a semester. Control groups were taught using traditional didactic lecture methods. To assess the effects of the continuum-based active learning strategies, students were administered a comprehensive physiology content exam, the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and attitude surveys. Factorial analyses indicated that the treatment groups acquired significantly more content knowledge and were significantly more self-efficacious than students in the control groups. There were no significant differences in motivation. Attitude surveys indicated that students in both the treatment and control groups demonstrated a positive attitude toward active learning, believed it helped (or would help) them to learn the material, and would choose an active learning course in the future.

  15. Cooperative Activity as Mediation in the Social Adjustment of Chinese International Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ma, Junqian

    2017-01-01

    Social adjustment is one of the most difficult and long-lasting challenges for international students who study in a new country. This paper uses a case study of cooperative painting activity conducted in Australian setting, in which two Chinese and three other students from different countries participated, in order to assess the efficiency of…

  16. An Analysis of Middle School Students Physical Education Physical Activity Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Grant; Hannon, James C.

    2008-01-01

    The idea of providing student's choice over curricular offerings in physical education has gained a considerable amount of attention in recent years. The purpose of this study was to determine which physical education activities middle school students would like to have included in the yearly curriculum and if there were differences in responses…

  17. Classroom Environment and Student Outcomes Associated with Using Anthropometry Activities in High School Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lightburn, Millard E.; Fraser, Barry J.

    The study involved implementing and evaluating activities that actively engage students in the process of gathering, processing and analyzing data derived from human body measurements, with students using their prior knowledge acquired in science, mathematics, and computer classes to interpret this information. In the classroom activities…

  18. Still Bringing the Vietnam War Home: Sources of Contemporary Student Activism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duncan, Lauren E.; Stewart, Abigail J.

    1995-01-01

    Examined student activism concerning the Persian Gulf War. Results showed that students' reports of their parents' activities during the Vietnam War were strongly associated with students' activism. Other correlates included attitudes toward war, political consciousness, authoritarianism, and gender-role ideology. Parents' prowar attitudes had no…

  19. Instilling positive beliefs about disabilities: pilot testing a novel experiential learning activity for rehabilitation students.

    PubMed

    Silverman, Arielle M; Pitonyak, Jennifer S; Nelson, Ian K; Matsuda, Patricia N; Kartin, Deborah; Molton, Ivan R

    2018-05-01

    To develop and test a novel impairment simulation activity to teach beginning rehabilitation students how people adapt to physical impairments. Masters of Occupational Therapy students (n = 14) and Doctor of Physical Therapy students (n = 18) completed the study during the first month of their program. Students were randomized to the experimental or control learning activity. Experimental students learned to perform simple tasks while simulating paraplegia and hemiplegia. Control students viewed videos of others completing tasks with these impairments. Before and after the learning activities, all students estimated average self-perceived health, life satisfaction, and depression ratings among people with paraplegia and hemiplegia. Experimental students increased their estimates of self-perceived health, and decreased their estimates of depression rates, among people with paraplegia and hemiplegia after the learning activity. The control activity had no effect on these estimates. Impairment simulation can be an effective way to teach rehabilitation students about the adaptations that people make to physical impairments. Positive impairment simulations should allow students to experience success in completing activities of daily living with impairments. Impairment simulation is complementary to other pedagogical methods, such as simulated clinical encounters using standardized patients. Implication of Rehabilitation It is important for rehabilitation students to learn how people live well with disabilities. Impairment simulations can improve students' assessments of quality of life with disabilities. To be beneficial, impairment simulations must include guided exposure to effective methods for completing daily tasks with disabilities.

  20. Can Co-Curricular Activities Enhance the Learning Effectiveness of Students?: An Application to the Sub-Degree Students in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Chi-Hung; Ng, Chi Wing Raymond; Chan, Po On Ella

    2011-01-01

    A total of 575 students from the Associate Degree Foundation Program and the Associate Degree Program participated in this study. The two purposes of this study were to use the time series between/within experimental design to examine whether participation in co-curricular activities could (1) enhance student learning effectiveness and (2) have…

  1. Creating Student Engagement: The Kickstarter Active Learning Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manzon, Elliott

    2017-01-01

    Students can become disengaged from marketing material if they cannot see the direct application. Marketing material needs to be applied to a meaningful business task to engage and motivate students. This article introduces the Kickstarter Active Learning Project--an innovative semester-long project in which students create a Kickstarter…

  2. Protect Minnesota's Agricultural Land: Components and Activities for Elementary Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Noy, Laura

    An endeavor to alert elementary teachers and students to the need to protect and conserve one of Minnesota's basic resources, soil, these supplementary instructional activities are designed for easy integration into science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, and art subject and skill areas. Each activity includes a brief description of…

  3. Physical Activity Behaviors of Students of a Rural Historically Black College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kemper, Karen A.; Welsh, Ralph S.

    2010-01-01

    Physical activity can have a positive impact on health disparities among African Americans. Objective: In this study, we assessed physical activity behaviors and correlates of students of a Historically Black College. Methods: In September 2004, an online survey and pedometers were used to measure physical activity behavior and correlates.…

  4. Levels and Characteristics of Physical Activity among a College Student Cohort

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Kim; Staten, Ruth R.; Rayens, Mary Kay; Noland, Melody

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess physical activity levels and the relationships between activity and personal characteristics among a cohort of college students and to determine personal characteristics that predict activity. A sample of 1,700 undergraduates was mailed a survey that requested demographic information and assessed health…

  5. Application of the Socio-Ecological Model to predict physical activity behaviour among Nigerian University students.

    PubMed

    Essiet, Inimfon Aniema; Baharom, Anisah; Shahar, Hayati Kadir; Uzochukwu, Benjamin

    2017-01-01

    Physical activity among university students is a catalyst for habitual physical activity in adulthood. Physical activity has many health benefits besides the improvement in academic performance. The present study assessed the predictors of physical activity among Nigerian university students using the Social Ecological Model (SEM). This cross-sectional study recruited first-year undergraduate students in the University of Uyo, Nigeria by multistage sampling. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short-version was used to assess physical activity in the study. Factors were categorised according to the Socio-Ecological Model which consisted of individual, social environment, physical environment and policy level. Data was analysed using the IBM SPSS statistical software, version 22. Simple and multiple logistic regression were used to determine the predictors of sufficient physical activity. A total of 342 respondents completed the study questionnaire. Majority of the respondents (93.6%) reported sufficient physical activity at 7-day recall. Multivariate analysis revealed that respondents belonging to the Ibibio ethnic group were about four times more likely to be sufficiently active compared to those who belonged to the other ethnic groups (AOR = 3.725, 95% CI = 1.383 to 10.032). Also, participants who had a normal weight were about four times more likely to be physically active compared to those who were underweight (AOR = 4.268, 95% CI = 1.323 to 13.772). This study concluded that there was sufficient physical activity levels among respondents. It is suggested that emphasis be given to implementing interventions aimed at sustaining sufficient levels of physical activity among students.

  6. Conservation II. Science Activities in Energy. [Student's and] Teacher's Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN.

    Designed for science students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, the activities in this unit illustrate principles and problems related to the conservation of energy. Eleven student activities using art, economics, arithmetic, and other skills and disciplines help teachers directly involve students in exploring scientific questions and making…

  7. The Complex Dynamics of Student Engagement in Novel Engineering Design Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCormick, Mary

    In engineering design, making sense of "messy," design situations is at the heart of the discipline (Schon, 1983); engineers in practice bring structure to design situations by organizing, negotiating, and coordinating multiple aspects (Bucciarelli, 1994; Stevens, Johri, & O'Connor, 2014). In classroom settings, however, students are more often given well-defined, content-focused engineering tasks (Jonassen, 2014). These tasks are based on the assumption that elementary students are unable to grapple with the complexity or open-endedness of engineering design (Crismond & Adams, 2012). The data I present in this dissertation suggest the opposite. I show that students are not only able to make sense of, or frame (Goffman, 1974), complex design situations, but that their framings dynamically involve their nascent abilities for engineering design. The context of this work is Novel Engineering, a larger research project that explores using children's literature as an access point for engineering design. Novel Engineering activities are inherently messy: there are characters with needs, settings with implicit constraints, and rich design situations. In a series of three studies, I show how students' framings of Novel Engineering design activities involve their reasoning and acting as beginning engineers. In the first study, I show two students whose caring for the story characters contributes to their stability in framing the task: they identify the needs of their fictional clients and iteratively design a solution to meet their clients' needs. In the second, I show how students' shifting and negotiating framings influence their engineering assumptions and evaluation criteria. In the third, I show how students' coordinating framings involve navigating a design process to meet clients' needs, classroom expectations, and technical requirements. Collectively, these studies contribute to literature by documenting students' productive beginnings in engineering design. The

  8. Self-Regulated Learning and Perceived Health among University Students Participating in Physical Activity Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McBride, Ron E.; Altunsöz, Irmak Hürmeriç; Su, Xiaoxia; Xiang, Ping; Demirhan, Giyasettin

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore motivational indicators of self-regulated learning (SRL) and the relationship between self-regulation (SR) and perceived health among university students enrolled in physical activity (PA) classes. One hundred thirty-one Turkish students participating in physical education activity classes at two…

  9. Japanese and Korean Nursing Students' Motivation for Joining Disaster Relief Activities as Nurses in the Future.

    PubMed

    Choe, Myoung-Ae; Kuwano, Noriko; Bang, Kyung-Sook; Cho, Mi-Kyoung; Yatsushiro, Rika; Kawata, Yuki

    The purpose of this study was to identify differences in motivation for joining disaster relief activities as a nurse in the future between Japanese and Korean nursing students. A descriptive 2-group comparative study design was used. The participants were 721 first- to fourth-year nursing students (Japanese, n = 324; Korean, n = 397). From June to September 2014, data were collected through a researcher-administered questionnaire and self-reported answers. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, the χ test, and the t test.No significant difference was found between Japanese and Korean students in motivation to join domestic relief activities should a disaster occur in the area in which they lived. Compared with Korean students, Japanese students strongly agreed that it is necessary to carry out relief work across borders when disasters occur in foreign countries (p = .001). Meanwhile, Japanese students showed less motivation than Korean students to join relief activities in other domestic areas and foreign countries (p = .020).The results of this study suggest that the motivation of Japanese students to join disaster relief activities as nurses in the future should a disaster occur in other domestic areas and foreign countries needs to be increased. The results also suggest that undergraduate students should be well prepared for disasters through disaster nursing education, including practical training, disaster drills, and simulation.

  10. Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses

    PubMed Central

    Andrews, T. M.; Leonard, M. J.; Colgrove, C. A.; Kalinowski, S. T.

    2011-01-01

    Previous research has suggested that adding active learning to traditional college science lectures substantially improves student learning. However, this research predominantly studied courses taught by science education researchers, who are likely to have exceptional teaching expertise. The present study investigated introductory biology courses randomly selected from a list of prominent colleges and universities to include instructors representing a broader population. We examined the relationship between active learning and student learning in the subject area of natural selection. We found no association between student learning gains and the use of active-learning instruction. Although active learning has the potential to substantially improve student learning, this research suggests that active learning, as used by typical college biology instructors, is not associated with greater learning gains. We contend that most instructors lack the rich and nuanced understanding of teaching and learning that science education researchers have developed. Therefore, active learning as designed and implemented by typical college biology instructors may superficially resemble active learning used by education researchers, but lacks the constructivist elements necessary for improving learning. PMID:22135373

  11. The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beichner, Robert J.

    2011-04-01

    How do you keep a classroom of 100 undergraduates actively learning? Can students practice communication and teamwork skills in a large class? How do you boost the performance of underrepresented groups? The Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project has addressed these concerns. Because of their inclusion in a leading introductory physics textbook, project materials are used by more than 1/3 of all science, math, and engineering majors nationwide. The room design and pedagogy have been adopted at more than 100 leading institutions across the country. Physics, chemistry, math, astronomy, biology, engineering, earth sciences, and even literature classes are currently being taught this way. Educational research indicates that students should collaborate on interesting tasks and be deeply involved with the material they are studying. We promote active learning in a redesigned classroom for 100 students or more. (Of course, smaller classes can also benefit.) Class time is spent primarily on "tangibles" and "ponderables"--hands-on activities, simulations, and interesting questions. Nine students sit in three teams at round tables. Instructors circulate and engage in Socratic dialogues. The setting looks like a banquet hall, with lively interactions nearly all the time. Hundreds of hours of classroom video and audio recordings, transcripts of numerous interviews and focus groups, data from conceptual learning assessments (using widely-recognized instruments in a pretest/posttest protocol), and collected portfolios of student work are part of our rigorous assessment effort. Our findings (based on data from over 16,000 students collected over five years as well as replications at adopting sites) can be summarized as the following: 1) Female failure rate is 1/5 of previous levels, even though more is demanded of students. 2) Minority failure rate is 1/4 that seen in traditionally taught courses. 3) At-risk students are more

  12. Effects of biology teachers' professional knowledge and cognitive activation on students' achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Förtsch, Christian; Werner, Sonja; von Kotzebue, Lena; Neuhaus, Birgit J.

    2016-11-01

    This study examined the effects of teachers' biology-specific dimensions of professional knowledge - pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and content knowledge (CK) - and cognitively activating biology instruction, as a feature of instructional quality, on students' learning. The sample comprised 39 German secondary school teachers whose lessons on the topic neurobiology were videotaped twice. Teachers' instruction was coded with regard to cognitive activation using a rating manual. Multilevel path analysis results showed a positive significant effect of cognitive activation on students' learning and an indirect effect of teachers' PCK on students' learning mediated through cognitive activation. These findings highlight the importance of PCK in preservice biology teachers' education. Items of the rating manual may be used to provide exemplars of concrete teaching situations during university seminars for preservice teacher education or professional development initiatives for in-service teachers.

  13. What Does "Active Citizenship" Mean for Erasmus Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Golubeva, Irina; Gómez Parra, Ma. Elena; Espejo Mohedano, Roberto

    2018-01-01

    Since ERASMUS (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) was launched there has been a constant debate about the civic significance of this mobility programme. The purpose of this article is to analyse the understanding of "active citizenship" by Erasmus students. In order to discover Erasmus students'…

  14. Psychological Needs Satisfaction, Motivational Regulations and Physical Activity Intention among Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Weiyun

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between psychological needs satisfaction, motivational regulations in physical education and physical activity intention among elementary school students. A total of 291 elementary school students in grades 3-6 voluntarily completed the three measures. This study indicated that satisfaction of three basic…

  15. Making Social Studies Meaningful to Elementary Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klein, Susan

    1982-01-01

    Describes a unit on Ancient Greece designed to make social studies meaningful to fourth and fifth graders. Individual projects and group activities helped students learn about ancient Greek culture. (AM)

  16. Advanced Placement Economics. Macroeconomics: Student Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morton, John S.

    This book is designed to help advanced placement students better understand macroeconomic concepts through various activities. The book contains 6 units with 64 activities, sample multiple-choice questions, sample short essay questions, and sample long essay questions. The units are entitled: (1) "Basic Economic Concepts"; (2) "Measuring Economic…

  17. Students' Perceptions of Real Engagement in Active Problem Solving

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, I-Chen; Pease, Randal; Maker, C. June

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore 42 elementary students' perceptions of their experiences while they were engaging in a class in which the Real Engagement in Active Problem Solving (REAPS) model was used. A qualitative study was conducted to analyze their responses. Individual interviews and artifacts were collected and analyzed. Themes…

  18. Investigation of Participation Motivations in Exercises of Students Participating in Archery in Extra Curricular Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gündüz, Nevin; Keskin, Muzaffer Toprak; Erdugan, Fuat

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this research is to investigate Investigation of Participation Motivations in Exercises of Students Participating in Archery in Extra Curricular Activities. While the study's universe consists of all 11th graders studying at High school, the sample includes 32 of the 11th grade students who participated in arrow shooting activities in…

  19. Health-Related Fitness Knowledge and Physical Activity of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, Angela; Hannon, James C.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if health-related fitness (HRF) knowledge is related to self-reported physical activity (PA) of high school students. Students (N=165) enrolled in physical education from two schools in the Southwestern U.S participated. A 100-point HRF knowledge test was assembled, focusing on the HRF concepts of…

  20. Student Activism, Diversity, and the Struggle for a Just Society

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rhoads, Robert A.

    2016-01-01

    This introductory article provides a historical overview of various student movements and forms of student activism from the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement to the present. Accordingly, the historical trajectory of student activism is framed in terms of 3 broad periods: the sixties, the postsixties, and the contemporary context. The author…

  1. The Relationship between Active Coping and Trait Resilience across U.S. and Taiwanese College Student Samples

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Ming-Hui; Nishikawa, Takeshi

    2012-01-01

    This study compared predictors of active coping (people's tendency to actively cope with stress) among college students in the United States and Taiwan. In both samples, trait resilience predicted active coping and mediated the effect of self-efficacy on active coping. The findings indicate that trait resilience influences college students' active…

  2. Constructing Media Artifacts in a Social Constructivist Environment to Enhance Students' Environmental Awareness and Activism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karahan, Engin; Roehrig, Gillian

    2015-02-01

    Current science education reforms and policy documents highlight the importance of environmental awareness and perceived need for activism. As "environmental problems are socially constructed in terms of their conceptualized effects on individuals, groups, other living things and systems research based on constructivist principles provides not only a coherent framework in which to theorize about learning, but also a context for understanding socially constructed issues" (Palmer and Suggate in Res Pap Educ 19(2), 2004, p. 208). This research study investigated the impacts of the learning processes structured based on the theories of constructionism and social constructivism on students' environmental awareness and perceived need for activism. Students constructed multimedia artifacts expressing their knowledge, attitudes, awareness, and activism about environmental issues through a constructionist design process. In addition, a social networking site was designed and used to promote social interaction among students. Twenty-two high school environmental science students participated in this study. A convergent mixed methods design was implemented to allow for the triangulation of methods by directly comparing and contrasting quantitative results with qualitative findings for corroboration and validation purposes. Using a mixed method approach, quantitative findings are supported with qualitative data (student video projects, writing prompts, blog entries, video projects of the students, observational field notes, and reflective journals) including spontaneous responses in both synchronous and asynchronous conversations on the social network to provide a better understanding of the change in students' environmental awareness and perceived need for activism. The findings of the study indicated that students' environmental awareness and perceived need for activism were improved at different scales (personal, community, global) throughout the constructionist and social

  3. A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Counseling Students Who Participate in Mindfulness-Based Activities in a Counseling Theory and Practice Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duffy, Jason T.; Guiffrida, Douglas A.; Araneda, Maria E.; Tetenov, Serina M. R.; Fitzgibbons, Sarah C.

    2017-01-01

    This study explored the lived experiences of two cohorts of counselors in training (CITs) who experienced mindfulness-based activities in a counseling theory and practice course. Utilizing Merriam's Interpretive Qualitative Approach (Merriam 1988, 2002), the data suggested that students perceived the activities to have enhanced their experiences…

  4. [Can medical students' motivation for a course of basic physiology education integrating into lectures some active learning methods be improved?

    PubMed

    Bentata, Yassamine; Delfosse, Catherine

    2017-01-01

    Students' motivation is a critical component of learning and students' perception of activity value is one of the three major components of their motivation. How can we make students perceive the usefulness and the interest of their university courses while increasing their motivation? The aim of our study was to determine students' perception of basic physiology education value and to assess the impact of lecture integration into some active learning methods on the motivation of the students of the first cycle of Medicine in a junior faculty. We conducted a prospective study, involving the students in their second year of medical studies. At first, we assessed students' motivation for university courses through a first questionnaire, after we integrated two educational activities: the case study and the realization of a conceptual map for the lectures of the physiology module and then we evaluated, through a second questionnaire, the impact of these two activities on students' motivation. Out of 249 students in their second year of medical studies 131 and 109 students have completed and returned the 1st and 2nd questionnaire respectively. Overall students' motivation for their university courses was very favorable, even if the motivation for physiology course (70.8%) was slightly lower than for all the courses (80%). Our students enjoyed the two proposed activities and only 13% (for the case study) and 16.8% (for the map) were not satisfied. 40.9% of students completed a conceptual map whose quality judged on the identification of concepts and of the links between concepts was globally satisfactory for a first experience. Students' motivation is influenced by multiple internal and external factors and is a big problem in the university environment. In this context, a rigorous planning of diversified and active educational activities is one of the main gateways for teacher to encourage motivation.

  5. [Association between cardiometabolic risk factors, physical activity and sedentariness in Chilean university students].

    PubMed

    Morales Illanes, Gladys Ruth; Balboa-Castillo, Teresa; Muñoz, Sergio; Belmar, Carlos; Soto, Álvaro; Schifferli, Ingrid; Guillen-Grima, Francisco

    2017-11-16

    There is a huge evidence in adults, that a high level of physical activity and a low level of sedentariness are associated independently with a reduction of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF). This association has been poor evaluated in young people and the results are not conclusive. To estimate the association between CMRF, physical activity and sedentariness in Chilean university students. Cross-sectional study. Sample of 326 students who enrolled at University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile, in 2014. They were selected randomly and stratified according to faculty, career and gender. We measured anthropometry, blood pressure, lipidic profile, glycemia, insulin resistance, tobacco and alcohol consumption. These variables were associated with physical activity level (PAL) and sedentariness using the IPAQ questionnaire. The students with a low PAL had a higher probability of abdominal obesity (OR: 4.68; IC 95% 1.86-11.73), metabolic syndrome (OR: 3.80; IC 95% 1.23-11.73) and triglycerides elevated (OR: 2.61 IC 95%; 1.18-5.75), compared with students with moderate and vigorous PAL (p < 0.05). There were no association between CMRF and sedentariness, even after fit by physical activity. We found an association between CMRF and PAL which was independent of sedentatiness. We believe it is very important to implement effective physical activity programs at universities. It is necesary to encourage students in order to increase the physical activity level to a moderate and vigorous range with the purpose of decreasing their cardiovascular risk. We consider it is recommendable to keep studying the association between sedentariness and CMRF.

  6. New educational tools to encourage high-school students' activity in stem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayorova, Vera; Grishko, Dmitriy; Leonov, Victor

    2018-01-01

    Many students have to choose their future profession during their last years in the high school and therefore to choose a university where they will get proper education. That choice may define their professional life for many years ahead or probably for the rest of their lives. Bauman Moscow State Technical University conducts various events to introduce future professions to high-school students. Such activity helps them to pick specialization in line with their interests and motivates them to study key scientific subjects. The paper focuses on newly developed educational tools to encourage high school students' interest in STEM disciplines. These tools include laboratory courses developed in the fields of physics, information technologies and mathematics. More than 2000 high school students already participated in these experimental courses. These activities are aimed at increasing the quality of STEM disciplines learning which will result in higher quality of training of future engineers.

  7. Who Assigns the Most ICT Activities? Examining the Relationship between Teacher and Student Usage

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsu, Shihkuan

    2011-01-01

    The expansion of information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in schools is expected to promote learning. To what extent teachers are utilizing the new ICT tools to engage students in learning activities remains a question. This study reports what kind of activities teachers are likely to assign students, and what type of teachers…

  8. Leadership Development in Students: Teachers' Opinions Regarding Activities That Can Be Performed at Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parlar, Hanifi; Türkoglu, Muhammet Emin; Cansoy, Ramazan

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to examine teachers' opinions regarding the activities that can be performed at schools to ensure leadership development in students. Accordingly, an attempt to reveal what the leadership qualities of students should be, the activities that can be performed for the acquisition of leadership qualities and the applicability level of…

  9. Incorporating Active Learning and Student Inquiry into an Introductory Merchandising Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Hyun-Hwa; Hines, Jean D.

    2012-01-01

    Many educators believe that student learning is enhanced when they are actively involved in classroom activities that require student inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to report on three student inquiry projects that were incorporated into a merchandising class with the focus on making students responsible for their learning, rather than the…

  10. Variation in behavioral engagement during an active learning activity leads to differential knowledge gains in college students.

    PubMed

    LaDage, Lara D; Tornello, Samantha L; Vallejera, Jennilyn M; Baker, Emily E; Yan, Yue; Chowdhury, Anik

    2018-03-01

    There are many pedagogical techniques used by educators in higher education; however, some techniques and activities have been shown to be more beneficial to student learning than others. Research has demonstrated that active learning and learning in which students cognitively engage with the material in a multitude of ways result in better understanding and retention. The aim of the present study was to determine which of three pedagogical techniques led to improvement in learning and retention in undergraduate college students. Subjects partook in one of three different types of pedagogical engagement: hands-on learning with a model, observing someone else manipulate the model, and traditional lecture-based presentation. Students were then asked to take an online quiz that tested their knowledge of the new material, both immediately after learning the material and 2 wk later. Students who engaged in direct manipulation of the model scored higher on the assessment immediately after learning the material compared with the other two groups. However, there were no differences among the three groups when assessed after a 2-wk retention interval. Thus active learning techniques that involve direct interaction with the material can lead to learning benefits; however, how these techniques benefit long-term retention of the information is equivocal.

  11. Outdoor Activities for Environmental Studies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knapp, Clifford E.

    This booklet is a compilation of field-tested outdoor activities introducing basic projects for small group or individualized study in monitoring certain aspects of the environment. Its purpose is to provide teachers with new ways to involve children directly in meaningful and developmental learning activities and to help students become more…

  12. Physical activity participation and constraints among athletic training students.

    PubMed

    Stanek, Justin; Rogers, Katherine; Anderson, Jordan

    2015-02-01

    Researchers have examined the physical activity (PA) habits of certified athletic trainers; however, none have looked specifically at athletic training students. To assess PA participation and constraints to participation among athletic training students. Cross-sectional study. Entry-level athletic training education programs (undergraduate and graduate) across the United States. Participants were 1125 entry-level athletic training students. Self-reported PA participation, including a calculated PA index based on a typical week. Leisure constraints and demographic data were also collected. Only 22.8% (252/1105) of athletic training students were meeting the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for PA through moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise. Although 52.3% (580/1105) were meeting the recommendations through vigorous-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 60.5% (681/1125) were meeting the recommendations based on the combined total of moderate or vigorous cardiorespiratory exercise. In addition, 57.2% (643/1125) of respondents met the recommendations for resistance exercise. Exercise habits of athletic training students appear to be better than the national average and similar to those of practicing athletic trainers. Students reported structural constraints such as lack of time due to work or studies as the most significant barrier to exercise participation. Athletic training students experienced similar constraints to PA participation as practicing athletic trainers, and these constraints appeared to influence their exercise participation during their entry-level education. Athletic training students may benefit from a greater emphasis on work-life balance during their entry-level education to promote better health and fitness habits.

  13. A Bridge to Active Learning: A Summer Bridge Program Helps Students Maximize Their Active-Learning Experiences and the Active-Learning Experiences of Others.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Katelyn M; Ashley, Michael; Brownell, Sara E

    2017-01-01

    National calls to improve student academic success in college have sparked the development of bridge programs designed to help students transition from high school to college. We designed a 2-week Summer Bridge program that taught introductory biology content in an active-learning way. Through a set of exploratory interviews, we unexpectedly identified that Bridge students had developed sophisticated views of active learning, even though this was not an explicit goal of the program. We conducted an additional set of semistructured interviews that focused on active learning and compared the interviews of Bridge students with those from non-Bridge students who had been eligible for but did not participate in the program. We used the constant comparative method to identify themes from the interviews. We found that Bridge students perceived that, because they knew how to approach active learning and viewed it as important, they benefited more from active learning in introductory biology than non-Bridge students. Specifically, Bridge students seemed to be more aware of their own learning gains from participating in active learning. Compared with the majority of non-Bridge students, the majority of Bridge students described using a greater variety of strategies to maximize their experiences in active learning. Finally, in contrast to non-Bridge students, Bridge students indicated that they take an equitable approach to group work. These findings suggest that we may be able to prime students to maximize their own and other's experiences in active learning. © 2017 K. M. Cooper et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 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).

  14. Uncovering Students' Environmental Identity: An Exploration of Activities in an Environmental Science Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blatt, Erica

    2014-01-01

    This study at a public high school in the Northeastern United States explores how students' environmental identities are affected by various activities in an Environmental Science course. Data was collected as part of an ethnographic study involving an Environmental Science teacher and her tenth-twelfth grade students. The results focus on…

  15. Health Activities for Primary School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peace Corps, Washington, DC. Information Collection and Exchange Div.

    This manual targets new and second-year Peace Corps volunteers, presenting health lessons and activities for primary school students in Thailand. Each section of the manual outlines basic technical information about the topic, contains several detailed lesson plans, and lists quick activities that can be carried out at schools. Songs and recipes…

  16. An Activity to Teach Students about Schematic Processing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Isbell, Linda M.; Tyler, James M.; Burns, Kathleen C.

    2007-01-01

    We designed a classroom activity to foster students' understanding of what schemas are and how they function. We used a video of the instructor as an infant to illustrate how schemas influence gender stereotyping. Before the video, we told students that the baby was either a boy or a girl. After the video, students rated whether the baby would…

  17. A multilevel examination of school and student characteristics associated with moderate and high levels of physical activity among elementary school students (Ontario, Canada).

    PubMed

    Hobin, Erin P; Leatherdale, Scott T; Manske, Steve R; Robertson-Wilson, Jennifer

    2010-01-01

    Schools represent an important environment for physical activity (PA) promotion among youth. Schools can promote PA through policies and programs but our understanding of how these school characteristics associate with student PA levels is largely unknown. Developing this understanding is critical for implementing new prevention interventions. The aim of this study was to identify the school- and student-related characteristics associated with moderate and high levels of PA in a sample of Ontario elementary schools. Using multi-level logistic regression analyses, we explored the school- and student-level characteristics associated with being moderately and highly active using data collected from administrators and from students in grades 5 to 8 at 30 elementary schools in Ontario. Students' PA levels, sex, grade, and the number of physical education classes per week were linked to school environment data--specifically, a school's chosen implementation model for daily physical activity and whether it offers intramural and interschool PA programming. Findings indicate that there was significant between-school variation for being moderately and highly active. Students were less likely to be moderately or highly active if they attended a school offering interschool PA programming. An important student characteristic positively associated with student PA levels included participating in at least two physical education classes per week. The residual differences in PA by school suggest that school-level characteristics facilitate higher levels of student PA beyond individual-level factors. Although most variation in student PA lies between students within schools, there is sufficient between-school variation to be of interest to practitioners and policy-makers.

  18. College Students with Disabilities Redefine Activism: Self-Advocacy, Storytelling, and Collective Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimball, Ezekiel W.; Moore, Adam; Vaccaro, Annemarie; Troiano, Peter F.; Newman, Barbara M.

    2016-01-01

    Despite rapid growth in the numbers of students with disabilities enrolling in higher education, there is limited research about their experiences in colleges and universities, and information about their collegiate activism is even more limited. Through a constructivist grounded theory study of 59 college students and recent graduates, we…

  19. Ethnography as a Tool for Research in Student Activities at Small Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sullivan, James V.

    During the 1979-80 academic year, a study was conducted to determine the beliefs and attitudes held by individuals in four groups (students, parents, teachers, and administrators) directly associated with the student activity program in a small Mississippi high school using ethnographic techniques. Ethnographic techniques involve the direct…

  20. Active Transportation to and on Campus is Associated With Objectively Measured Fitness Outcomes Among College Students.

    PubMed

    Bopp, Melissa; Bopp, Christopher; Schuchert, Megan

    2015-03-01

    Active transportation (AT) has been associated with positive health outcomes, yet limited research has addressed this with college students, a population at-risk for inactivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between AT behavior and objectively measured fitness outcomes. A volunteer, convenience sample (n = 299) of college students from a large northeastern university completed a survey about their AT habits to and on campus and psychosocial constructs related to AT and participated in a laboratory-based fitness assessment (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition).Off-campus students were dichotomized as nonactive (0-1 AT trips/day) or active travelers (> 1 AT trips/day) to campus; t-tests compared nonactive and active travelers for psychosocial and fitness variables. Students were 56.3% male, 79.2% non-Hispanic White, and primarily living off-campus (87%). Most students (n = 177, 59.2%) reported active travel between classes. Off-campus students were primarily active travelers (76.1%). Active travelers to campus had greater cardiovascular fitness (P = .005), were more flexible (P = .006) and had lower systolic blood pressure (P = .05) compared with nonactive travelers. This study documents a relationship between AT behavior and objectively measured fitness among college students and provides a rationale for targeting this behavior as a method for improving health outcomes.

  1. 101 Environmental Education Activities. Booklet 5--Science & Social Studies (Interdisciplinary) Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitney, Helen, Comp.

    Forestry is the main focus of this fifth booklet in the series "101 Environmental Education Activities" by the Upper Mississippi River ECO-Center. Designed for students in the intermediate grades and junior high school, the booklet contains 9 science and social studies activities and 5 interdisciplinary activities. Most activity…

  2. Student Activities in Meteorology: SAM. Version 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meier, Beverly L.; Passarelli, Elisa

    The task of providing hands-on as well as minds-on activities for students in science is one of concern to many scientists and educators. In an effort to inspire student interest in science and technology, scientists from the Forecast Systems Laboratory, a laboratory within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Environmental…

  3. Studying as Fun and Games: Effects on College Students' Quiz Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Neef, Nancy A.; Perrin, Christopher J.; Haberlin, Alayna T.; Rodrigues, Lilian C.

    2011-01-01

    We examined college students' participation in a game activity for studying course material on their subsequent quiz performance. Game conditions were alternated with another activity counterbalanced across two groups of students in a multielement design. Overall, the mean percentage correct on quizzes was higher during the game condition than…

  4. Satisfaction from Academic Activities among Medical Students in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Naggar, Redhwan A.; Bobryshev, Yuri V.

    2013-01-01

    There is a lack of data about the levels of satisfaction among medical students in regards to their academic activities in Malaysia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to fill the gap in the existing knowledge. A cross sectional study was carried out at the International medical school, the Management and Science University of Malaysia,…

  5. The Effect of Scaffolding Students' Context-Generating Cognitive Activity in Technology-Enhanced Case-Based Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demetriadis, S. N.; Papadopoulos, P. M.; Stamelos, I. G.; Fischer, F.

    2008-01-01

    This study investigates the hypothesis that students' learning and problem-solving performance in ill-structured domains can be improved, if elaborative question prompts are used to activate students' context-generating cognitive processes, during case study. Two groups of students used a web-based learning environment to criss-cross and study…

  6. Student Behavior and Epistemological Framing: Examples from Collaborative Active-Learning Activities in Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scherr, Rachel E.; Hammer, David

    2009-01-01

    The concept of framing from anthropology and sociolinguistics is useful for understanding student reasoning. For example, a student may frame a learning activity as an opportunity for sensemaking or as an assignment to fill out a worksheet. The student's framing affects what she notices, what knowledge she accesses, and how she thinks to act. We…

  7. Assessment of physical inactivity and perceived barriers to physical activity among health college students, south-western Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Awadalla, N J; Aboelyazed, A E; Hassanein, M A; Khalil, S N; Aftab, R; Gaballa, I I; Mahfouz, A A

    2014-10-20

    Physical inactivity is a public health problem in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the pattern of physical activity, predictors of physical inactivity and perceived barriers to physical activity among health college students in King Khalid University. A total of 1257 students (426 males and 831 females) were recruited. The Arabic short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used. Overall, 58.0% of the students were physically inactive. Only 13.4% of the students performed vigorous physical activity, 14.8% moderate-intensity physical activity and 29.9% walking activities which met World Health Organization criteria of health-enhancing physical activities. The prevalence of inactive leisure time was 47.5%. The independent predictors of physical inactivity were non-membership of sports clubs and being a medical student. The top reported barrier to physical activity among inactive students was time limitations (51.3%). Overcoming perceived barriers may increase physical activity among students.

  8. Leisure-Time Physical Activity: Experiences of College Students With Disabilities.

    PubMed

    Devine, Mary Ann

    2016-04-01

    College years are an experimental phase in young adulthood and can lay the foundation for lifelong behaviors. One type of behavior developed during these years is the use of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). LTPA experiences of typical college students have been examined, but there is a lack of studies examining the experiences of students with disabilities. The purpose of this inquiry is to understand the experiences of college students with disabilities and their LTPA, with focus on factors that facilitate or create barriers to engagement. Grounded theory was used to understand LTPA with undergraduates with mobility or visual impairments. Results indicated a theme of culture of physical activity and disability as they received a message that engagement in LTPA was "unnecessary" or "heroic," which altered their LTPA experiences. Barriers to LTPA can be understood through a social relational lens to recognize the multidimensionality of barriers and facilitators to LTPA.

  9. Challenging Science and Literacy Activities for K-9 Students - The Cricket Chronicles: Student Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews, Catherine E.

    2006-01-01

    This is an extensive integrated unit of study focused on that common and familiar insect-the cricket. In this edition, students are provided with more than 30 activities on crickets, which will help them learn science content and skills including: (1) Taxonomy; (2) Anatomy; (3) Ecology; (4) Mark and recapture techniques for estimating population…

  10. A video-based learning activity is effective for preparing physiotherapy students for practical examinations.

    PubMed

    Weeks, Benjamin K; Horan, Sean A

    2013-12-01

    To examine a video-based learning activity for engaging physiotherapy students in preparation for practical examinations and determine student performance outcomes. Multi-method employing qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures. Tertiary education facility on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Physiotherapy students in their first year of a two-year graduate entry program. Questionnaire-based surveys and focus groups were used to examine student perceptions and satisfaction. Surveys were analysed based on the frequency of responses to closed questions made on a 5-pont Likert scale, while a thematic analysis was performed on focus group transcripts. t-Tests were used to compare student awarded marks and examiner awarded marks and evaluate student performance. Sixty-two physiotherapy students participated in the study. Mean response rate for questionnaires was 93% and eight students (13%) participated in the focus group. Participants found the video resources effective to support their learning (98% positive) and rating the video examples to be an effective learning activity (96% positive). Themes emergent from focus group responses were around improved understanding, reduced performance anxiety, and enjoyment. Students were, however, critical of the predictable nature of the example performances. Students in the current cohort supported by the video-based preparation activity exhibited greater practical examination marks than those from the previous year who were unsupported by the activity (mean 81.6 SD 8.7 vs. mean 78.1 SD 9.0, p=0.01). A video-based learning activity was effective for preparing physiotherapy students for practical examinations and conferred benefits of reduced anxiety and improved performance. Copyright © 2013 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Typology of Extra-Curricular Activities and Academic Procrastination among Primary Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clariana, M.; Cladellas, R.; Gotzens, C.; Badia, M.; Dezcallar, T.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Some previous studies have shown that participation in extra-curricular activities optimises both academic grades and the socialisation process of students. However, nobody has so far related extracurricular activities with a tendency for academic procrastination; that is, the more or less deep-rooted habit of leaving study tasks…

  12. Health-related physical fitness and physical activity in elementary school students.

    PubMed

    Chen, Weiyun; Hammond-Bennett, Austin; Hypnar, Andrew; Mason, Steve

    2018-01-30

    This study examined associations between students' physical fitness and physical activity (PA), as well as what specific physical fitness components were more significant correlates to being physically active in different settings for boys and girls. A total of 265 fifth-grade students with an average age of 11 voluntarily participated in this study. The students' physical fitness was assessed using four FitnessGram tests, including Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER), curl-up, push-up, and trunk lift tests. The students' daily PA was assessed in various settings using a daily PA log for 7 days. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, univariate analyses, and multiple R-squared liner regression methods. Performance on the four physical fitness tests was significantly associated with the PA minutes spent in physical education (PE) class and recess for the total sample and for girls, but not for boys. Performance on the four fitness tests was significantly linked to participation in sports/dances outside school and the total weekly PA minutes for the total sample, boys, and girls. Further, boys and girls who were the most physically fit spent significantly more time engaging in sports/dances and had greater total weekly PA than boys and girls who were not physically fit. In addition, the physically fit girls were more physically active in recess than girls who were not physically fit. Overall, students' performance on the four physical fitness tests was significantly associated with them being physically active during PE and in recess and engaging in sports/dances, as well as with their total weekly PA minutes, but not with their participation in non-organized physical play outside school. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03015337 , registered date: 1/09/2017, as "retrospectively registered".

  13. Motivational Factors That Influence Students' Participation in Outdoor Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Festeu, Dorin

    2002-01-01

    A study examined why students participate in outdoor activities. Questionnaires completed by 108 college freshmen aged 18-26 at the University of Transylvania (Romania) were supplemented with participant observation and conversations. Five motivational themes were identified: enjoyment and fun, meeting new friends, enjoying nature, escaping from…

  14. Factors affecting student participation in extra-curricular activities: A comparison between two Middle Eastern dental schools.

    PubMed

    Al-Ansari, Asim; Al-Harbi, Fahad; AbdelAziz, Wafaa; AbdelSalam, Maha; El Tantawi, Maha M; ElRefae, Ismail

    2016-01-01

    This study was conducted to assess the level of participation of dental undergraduate students in extracurricular activities (ECAs) and the factors affecting this participation. The study included dental students enrolled in undergraduate programs at the Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Egypt, and the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was developed to collect background information about students, their participation in ECAs, and time allocated for these activities. Students were asked about their perceptions of the relationship between ECAs and academic studies, and their reasons for participating in and satisfaction with ECAs. The study included 199 students from Alexandria and 146 students from Dammam, with response rates of 99.5% and 73%, respectively. The percentages of those reporting ECA participation were 27.1% and 43.8%, respectively, mostly in community service, sports, and social activities. About 60% of students did not think that ECAs affected their studies, although the perceived difficulty of balancing ECAs and academics was associated with lower odds of participation (odds ratio = 0.51). Most students participated in ECAs to socialize and make friends, and the majority was dissatisfied with school-organized ECAs (52% and 59%, respectively). Gender and/or perceived relation between ECAs and academic studies affected actual participation in ECAs in one school but not the other. ECA participation among these students was low. Gender and perception of ECAs in relation to academic studies affected ECA participation differently in the two schools. Better planning and management of ECAs that incorporate students' preferences and reasons for participation is needed. Gender issues and the relationship between ECAs and academic performance should be addressed in relation to school and social characteristics.

  15. The Binary System Laboratory Activities Based on Students Mental Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Albaiti, A.; Liliasari, S.; Sumarna, O.; Martoprawiro, M. A.

    2017-09-01

    Generic science skills (GSS) are required to develop student conception in learning binary system. The aim of this research was to know the improvement of students GSS through the binary system labotoratory activities based on their mental model using hypothetical-deductive learning cycle. It was a mixed methods embedded experimental model research design. This research involved 15 students of a university in Papua, Indonesia. Essay test of 7 items was used to analyze the improvement of students GSS. Each items was designed to interconnect macroscopic, sub-microscopic and symbolic levels. Students worksheet was used to explore students mental model during investigation in laboratory. The increase of students GSS could be seen in their N-Gain of each GSS indicators. The results were then analyzed descriptively. Students mental model and GSS have been improved from this study. They were interconnect macroscopic and symbolic levels to explain binary systems phenomena. Furthermore, they reconstructed their mental model with interconnecting the three levels of representation in Physical Chemistry. It necessary to integrate the Physical Chemistry Laboratory into a Physical Chemistry course for effectiveness and efficiency.

  16. Physical Activity among Ethnically Diverse College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suminski, Richard R.; Petosa, Rick; Utter, Alan C.; Zhang, James J.

    2002-01-01

    Compared physical activity patterns among Asian, African, white, and Hispanic, American college students. Self-report data indicated that nearly half of the sample did not engage in vigorous physical activity, and 16.7 percent were inactive. Weight-training, youthful physical activity, and television viewing accounted for a significant portion of…

  17. Prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students and the influence of sport activity.

    PubMed

    Uglesić, Boran; Lasić, Davor; Zuljan-Cvitanović, Marija; Buković, Damir; Karelović, Deni; Delić-Brkljacić, Diana; Buković, Nevia; Radan, Mirjana

    2014-03-01

    The present study asses the prevalence of depressive symptoms among college students in Split, Croatia, and positive influence of sport activity on decreasing the depression symptoms. Authors screened all 664 college students of the first year of study. All of them were over the 18 years and the mean age was 19.4 +/- 1.2 years. There were 466 females (70.2%) and 178 (26.8%) males. They answered The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and questionnaire about their sport activity (no sport activity, recreational and active in sports). For the purpose of the analysis depressive symptoms were defined as a score of > 11. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney test were used for data analysis. 9.4% of the students had significant depression symptoms (score > 11). No one student had score > 26 (symptoms of major depression). Statistically significant lower score on BDI have students who are active in sports (score median = 3) compared to group of recreational (score median = 4) and in correlation to group who are not active in sports (score median = 5) (Kruskal-Wallis: p < 0.001). In the group of active in sports (N = 254) there are only 5.5% with depressions symptoms, while in the group of non active in sports (N = 60) are 18 depressive (chi2-test: p = 0,005). Females are statistically more depressed than males (chi2-test: p = 0.01). In the female group 49 (10.5%) are depressed, and in the male group are 9 (5%). Compared to gender in separate analysis we did not find correlation of decreasing depression symptoms and sport activity among males (chi2-test: p = 0.47), while in females we find that sport activity has significant effect (chi2-test: p = 0.026). Our results shoved moderate values of depression symptoms among college population in Split, Croatia. More females than males experienced depressive symptoms. While sport activity did not have significant influence on the depression in male population, it has significant influence in reducing the depression symptoms among females.

  18. Extracurricular research activities among senior medical students in Kuwait: experiences, attitudes, and barriers.

    PubMed

    Al-Halabi, Becher; Marwan, Yousef; Hasan, Mohammad; Alkhadhari, Sulaiman

    2014-01-01

    Research is the foundation of scientific advancement and improvement in quality of health care, which ensures the good health of the community. The aim of this study is to explore experiences, attitudes, and barriers of medical students in Kuwait University (KU) in regards to extracurricular research. A questionnaire about extracurricular research activities (ie, any research activity that is not part of the required undergraduate curriculum, such as publishing a paper, research elective, etc) was distributed to 175 senior medical students (years 6 and 7). Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used to analyze the responses, considering a P-value of <0.05 as the cut-off level for significance. The main outcome was defined as taking part in any of the extracurricular research activities. Of the 150 participants (response rate = 85.7%), 26 (17.3%), 68 (45.3%), 52 (34.7%), and 17 (11.3%) had published their required medical school research, presented abstracts in conferences, conducted extracurricular research, and completed a research elective/course, respectively; 99 (66.0%) took part in any of these activities. Participants who read medical journals regularly (81; 54%) reported higher participation in extracurricular research activities than those who did not read journals (P=0.003). Improving the availability of mentors for students' extracurricular research was ranked by the participants as the most important factor to improve their participation in extracurricular research (4.05/5.00). Despite the lack of adequate support, extracurricular research activities among medical students of KU were comparable to students from other countries. Barriers for these activities should be addressed by KU medical educators in order to enhance research activities among the students.

  19. The Reasons for the Reluctance of Princess Alia University College Students' from Practicing Sports Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Odat, Jebril

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed at investigating the reasons lying behind the reluctance of participation in sport activities among Alia Princess College female students, using descriptive approach. The population of the study consisted of (2000) female students, whereas the sample was of (200) students. They were randomly selected and a questionnaire of 31…

  20. An Examination of Faculty and Student Online Activity: Predictive Relationships of Student Academic Success in a Learning Management System (LMS)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stamm, Randy Lee

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed method research study was to examine relationships in student and instructor activity logs and student performance benchmarks specific to enabling early intervention by the instructor in a Learning Management System (LMS). Instructor feedback was collected through a survey instrument to demonstrate perceived importance of…

  1. An Action Research Inquiry into the Relationship Among Aerobic Activities, Memory, and Stress with Students Identified as Gifted

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ford, Denise Marie

    Students identified as gifted come from varying socio-economic strata and nationalities with a range of talents and temperaments comprising a diverse community. They may experience stress for a variety of reasons. Although a certain amount of stress can enhance the learning process, too much stress can impede learning, especially memory. Strategies have been offered for relieving stress, yet the benefits of physical activities as stress reducers for the gifted have frequently been overlooked. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among aerobic activity, stress, and memory ability in students in an elementary school gifted program. An exceptional aspect of this research was that the students were an integral part of their own study. As co-researchers they had a vested interest in what they were doing, enhancing the significance of the experience and heightening learning. This action research project conducted in a mid-western school district with fourth and fifth grade students examined the impact of aerobic movement on physical indicators of stress and memory. The study lasted twelve weeks with data collected on physical indicators of stress, memory test scores, parent observations, interviews with students, a parent focus group session, observational data, student comments, and investigator/teacher journal. By infusing regular exercise into curricula, stress levels in students identified as gifted were examined. Students' scores on declarative memory tasks conducted with and without an accompanying aerobic activity were documented. Students learned of the delicate relationship between stress and memory as they studied the physiology of the brain. Twenty-four hour retention rates of declarative memory items were higher when a 20-minute aerobic activity intervention preceded the memory activity. Perceived stress levels were lowered for 14 of the 16 co-researchers. Students indicated a positive attitude toward physical activity and its

  2. Students' Research-Informed Socio-scientific Activism: Re/Visions for a Sustainable Future

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bencze, Larry; Sperling, Erin; Carter, Lyn

    2012-01-01

    In many educational contexts throughout the world, increasing focus has been placed on socio-scientific issues; that is, disagreements about potential personal, social and/or environmental problems associated with fields of science and technology. Some suggest (as do we) that many of these potential problems, such as those associated with climate change, are so serious that education needs to be oriented towards encouraging and enabling students to become citizen activists, ready and willing to take personal and social actions to reduce risks associated with the issues. Towards this outcome, teachers we studied encouraged and enabled students to direct open-ended primary (e.g., correlational studies), as well as secondary (e.g., internet searches), research as sources of motivation and direction for their activist projects. In this paper, we concluded, based on constant comparative analyses of qualitative data, that school students' tendencies towards socio-political activism appeared to depend on myriad, possibly interacting, factors. We focused, though, on curriculum policy statements, school culture, teacher characteristics and student-generated research findings. Our conclusions may be useful to those promoting education for sustainability, generally, and, more specifically, to those encouraging activism on such issues informed by student-led research.

  3. Teaching Languages to Students at Risk: A Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gould, Melissa

    1996-01-01

    Examines how low achieving Australian students fit into the foreign language classroom beyond Year 7, and whether the course content or teaching method should be altered. Reviews the students' reasons for continuing language study, their feelings about certain teaching and learning strategies, exercises and activities, their perceptions of their…

  4. Implementing the Flipped Classroom: An Exploration of Study Behaviour and Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boevé, Anja J.; Meijer, Rob R.; Bosker, Roel J.; Vugteveen, Jorien; Hoekstra, Rink; Albers, Casper J.

    2017-01-01

    The flipped classroom is becoming more popular as a means to support student learning in higher education by requiring students to prepare before lectures and actively engaging students during lectures. While some research has been conducted into student performance in the flipped classroom, students' study behaviour throughout a flipped course…

  5. Six year follow-up of students who participated in a school-based physical activity intervention: a longitudinal cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Barnett, Lisa M; van Beurden, Eric; Morgan, Philip J; Brooks, Lyndon O; Zask, Avigdor; Beard, John R

    2009-01-01

    Background The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the long-term impact of a childhood motor skill intervention on adolescent motor skills and physical activity. Methods In 2006, we undertook a follow-up of motor skill proficiency (catch, kick, throw, vertical jump, side gallop) and physical activity in adolescents who had participated in a one-year primary school intervention Move It Groove It (MIGI) in 2000. Logistic regression models were analysed for each skill to determine whether the probability of children in the intervention group achieving mastery or near mastery was either maintained or had increased in subsequent years, relative to controls. In these models the main predictor variable was intervention status, with adjustment for gender, grade, and skill level in 2000. A general linear model, controlling for gender and grade, examined whether former intervention students spent more time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at follow-up than control students. Results Half (52%, n = 481) of the 928 MIGI participants were located in 28 schools, with 276 (57%) assessed. 52% were female, 58% in Grade 10, 40% in Grade 11 and 54% were former intervention students. At follow-up, intervention students had improved their catch ability relative to controls and were five times more likely to be able to catch: ORcatch = 5.51, CI (1.95 – 15.55), but had lost their advantage in the throw and kick: ORthrow = .43, CI (.23 – .82), ORkick = .39, CI (.20 – .78). For the other skills, intervention students appeared to maintain their advantage: ORjump = 1.14, CI (.56 – 2.34), ORgallop = 1.24, CI (.55 – 2.79). Intervention students were no more active at follow-up. Conclusion Six years after the 12-month MIGI intervention, whilst intervention students had increased their advantage relative to controls in one skill, and appeared to maintain their advantage in two, they lost their advantage in two skills and were no more active than controls at follow up. More

  6. Self-reported extracurricular activity, academic success, and quality of life in UK medical students.

    PubMed

    Lumley, Sophie; Ward, Peter; Roberts, Lesley; Mann, Jake P

    2015-09-19

    To explore the relationship between academic performance, extracurricular activity, and quality of life at medical school in the UK to aid our understanding of students' work-life balance. A cross-sectional study, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to UK final year medical students across 20 medical schools (4478 students). Participants reported the hours of self-regulated learning and extracurricular activities undertaken each year at medical school; along with their academic decile (1 = highest, 10 = lowest). Self-reported quality of life (QoL) was assessed using an established screening tool (7 = highest, 1 = lowest). Seven hundred responses were obtained, across 20 participating medical schools, response rate 16% (700/4478). Factors associated with higher academic achievement were: graduate entry course students (2 deciles higher, p < 0.0001), more hours academic study during term and revision periods (rho=-0.1, p < 0.01), and involvement in teaching or research. Increased hours of study was associated with lower QoL (rho = -0.13, p < 0.01). Study skills may be more important than duration spent studying, for academic achievement and QoL. Graduate-entry students attain higher decile scores despite similar self-reported duration of study.

  7. Studies and Suggestions on Prewriting Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Shigao; Dai, Weiping

    2012-01-01

    This paper studies and suggests the need for writing instruction by which students can experience writing as a creative process in exploring and communicating meaning. The prewriting activities generate ideas which can encourage a free flow of thoughts and help students discover both what they want to say and how to say it on paper. Through the…

  8. A Quality Improvement Activity to Promote Interprofessional Collaboration Among Health Professions Students

    PubMed Central

    Stevenson, Katherine; Busch, Angela; Scott, Darlene J.; Henry, Carol; Wall, Patricia A.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives To develop and evaluate a classroom-based curriculum designed to promote interprofessional competencies by having undergraduate students from various health professions work together on system-based problems using quality improvement (QI) methods and tools to improve patient-centered care. Design Students from 4 health care programs (nursing, nutrition, pharmacy, and physical therapy) participated in an interprofessional QI activity. In groups of 6 or 7, students completed pre-intervention and post-intervention reflection tools on attitudes relating to interprofessio nal teams, and a tool designed to evaluate group process. Assessment One hundred thirty-four students (76.6%) completed both self-reflection instruments, and 132 (74.2%) completed the post-course group evaluation instrument. Although already high prior to the activity, students' mean post-intervention reflection scores increased for 12 of 16 items. Post-intervention group evaluation scores reflected a high level of satisfaction with the experience. Conclusion Use of a quality-based case study and QI methodology were an effective approach to enhancing interprofessional experiences among students. PMID:19657497

  9. Incorporating Active Learning with Videos: A Case Study from Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Kester J.; Sharma, Manjula D.

    2008-01-01

    Watching a video often results in passive learning and does not actively engage students. In this study, a class of 20 HSC Physics students were introduced to a teaching model that incorporated active learning principles with the watching of a video that explored the Meissner Effect and superconductors. Students would watch short sections of the…

  10. Educating Pharmacy Students about Nutrition and Physical Activity Counseling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kotecki, Jerome E.; Clayton, Bruce D.

    2003-01-01

    The current study provides measures of association between self-reported beliefs of currently practicing pharmacists and pharmacy students' beliefs about, willingness to provide, and preparedness to provide counseling on nutrition and physical activity following completion of a health education unit. A 3-week health education unit focusing on the…

  11. Student Activity Guide for "Business in an Information Economy."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graf, David; And Others

    The 20 chapters of this student activity guide provide study guides (key terms and concepts reviews), projects, cases for analyses, and self-assessment exercises for business and career education classes. Topics covered include the following: business winners (entrepreneurship); growth of the U.S. economy, the basics of economics, comparing…

  12. Prevention of study-related stress symptoms: health-promoting behavior among dental students.

    PubMed

    Mache, Stefanie; Vitzthum, Karin; Groneberg, David A

    2015-03-01

    Training to become a dentist is one of the most demanding professional education experiences. There are very few studies on strategies and activities to cope with study-related stress during dental training. We therefore evaluated the prevalence of burnout symptoms and coping activities among dental students. A cross-sectional survey was performed analyzing a sample of 239 dental students from Germany. Students were asked to complete a survey containing questions about burnout symptoms and coping behavior. A total of 38% of the dental students perceived symptoms of emotional exhaustion; 17% reported symptoms of personal accomplishment and 11% perceived scores of depersonalization. Students reported on coping activities, ranging from health-promoting techniques, such as exercising, to less recommendable health harming relaxation strategies, such as taking drugs. Our results indicate the need for relevant health promotion and may aid decision makers in developing health promotion programs.

  13. Sudanese Students' Perceptions of Their Class Activities: Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of My Class Activities--Arabic Language Version

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pereira, Nielsen; Bakhiet, Salaheldin Farah; Gentry, Marcia; Balhmar, Tahani Abdulrahman; Hakami, Sultan Mohammed

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the Arabic version of "My Class Activities" (MCA), an instrument designed to measure students' perceptions of interest, challenge, choice, and enjoyment in classrooms. Scores of 3,516 Sudanese students in Grades 2 to 8 were used. Confirmatory factor analysis…

  14. Physical Activity Participation and Constraints Among Athletic Training Students

    PubMed Central

    Stanek, Justin; Rogers, Katherine; Anderson, Jordan

    2015-01-01

    Context: Researchers have examined the physical activity (PA) habits of certified athletic trainers; however, none have looked specifically at athletic training students. Objective: To assess PA participation and constraints to participation among athletic training students. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Entry-level athletic training education programs (undergraduate and graduate) across the United States. Patients or Other Participants: Participants were 1125 entry-level athletic training students. Main Outcome Measure(s): Self-reported PA participation, including a calculated PA index based on a typical week. Leisure constraints and demographic data were also collected. Results: Only 22.8% (252/1105) of athletic training students were meeting the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for PA through moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise. Although 52.3% (580/1105) were meeting the recommendations through vigorous-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 60.5% (681/1125) were meeting the recommendations based on the combined total of moderate or vigorous cardiorespiratory exercise. In addition, 57.2% (643/1125) of respondents met the recommendations for resistance exercise. Exercise habits of athletic training students appear to be better than the national average and similar to those of practicing athletic trainers. Students reported structural constraints such as lack of time due to work or studies as the most significant barrier to exercise participation. Conclusions: Athletic training students experienced similar constraints to PA participation as practicing athletic trainers, and these constraints appeared to influence their exercise participation during their entry-level education. Athletic training students may benefit from a greater emphasis on work-life balance during their entry-level education to promote better health and fitness habits. PMID:25689560

  15. Student Connections with Academic Texts: A Phenomenographic Study of Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacMillan, Margy

    2014-01-01

    Concerns about the ability of post-secondary students to read scholarly materials are well documented in the literature. A key aspect of reading at the deeper level expected of these students is connecting new information to prior knowledge. This study is based on an activity where students were explicitly required to make such connections as part…

  16. Students' objectively measured physical activity levels and engagement as a function of between-class and between-student differences in motivation toward physical education.

    PubMed

    Aelterman, Nathalie; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Van Keer, Hilde; Van den Berghe, Lynn; De Meyer, Jotie; Haerens, Leen

    2012-08-01

    Despite evidence for the utility of self-determination theory in physical education, few studies used objective indicators of physical activity and mapped out between-class, relative to between-student, differences in physical activity. This study investigated whether moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and rated collective engagement in physical education were associated with autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation at the between-class and between-student levels. Participants were 739 pupils (46.3% boys, Mage = 14.36 ±1.94) from 46 secondary school classes in Flanders (Belgium). Multilevel analyses indicated that 37% and 63% of the variance in MVPA was explained by between-student and between-class differences, respectively. Students' personal autonomous motivation related positively to MVPA. Average autonomous class motivation was positively related to between-class variation in MVPA and collective engagement. Average controlled class motivation and average class amotivation were negatively associated with collective engagement. The findings are discussed in light of self-determination theory's emphasis on quality of motivation.

  17. Structural Determinants of Students' Employability: Influence of Career Guidance Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pitan, Oluyomi Susan; Atiku, Sulaiman Olusegun

    2017-01-01

    At a time of continuous economic uncertainty and a highly competitive labour market, it is crucial for undergraduates to be more pro-active about their future careers. This study investigates the structural influence of career guidance activities on university students' employability in Nigeria. Data was collected from 600 final-year…

  18. The influence of peer affiliation and student activities on adolescent drug involvement.

    PubMed

    Jenkins, J E

    1996-01-01

    This study examined the importance of students' academic performance level and extracurricular activities as predictors of drug involvement relative to peer influence. Social development theory provided the theoretical rational for the study. Data were obtained from 2,229 randomly selected students in the eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades from seventeen school districts in northeastern Ohio. At all three grade levels, involvement in extracurricular activities and academic level were significantly correlated with students' gateway and hard drug use. Consistent with prior research, the strongest correlate of gateway and hard drug use across all grade levels was affiliation with drug-using friends. Having a job after school was marginally related to self-reported gateway drug use at grade level ten. Multiple regression analysis revealed that extracurricular involvement and academic performance level make small, but unique contributions to the prediction of adolescents' gateway drug use beyond affiliation with drug-using peers at all three grade levels. The findings of this study suggest that students' academic performance and extracurricular involvements are significantly related to adolescent gateway and hard drug use, but have less predictive significance relative to peer relationships.

  19. Studying as fun and games: effects on college students' quiz performance.

    PubMed

    Neef, Nancy A; Perrin, Christopher J; Haberlin, Alayna T; Rodrigues, Lilian C

    2011-01-01

    We examined college students' participation in a game activity for studying course material on their subsequent quiz performance. Game conditions were alternated with another activity counterbalanced across two groups of students in a multielement design. Overall, the mean percentage correct on quizzes was higher during the game condition than in the no-game condition.

  20. Comparing Computer-Supported Dynamic Modeling and "Paper & Pencil" Concept Mapping Technique in Students' Collaborative Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Komis, Vassilis; Ergazaki, Marida; Zogza, Vassiliki

    2007-01-01

    This study aims at highlighting the collaborative activity of two high school students (age 14) in the cases of modeling the complex biological process of plant growth with two different tools: the "paper & pencil" concept mapping technique and the computer-supported educational environment "ModelsCreator". Students' shared activity in both cases…

  1. Using assistive technology adaptations to include students with learning disabilities in cooperative learning activities.

    PubMed

    Bryant, D P; Bryant, B R

    1998-01-01

    Cooperative learning (CL) is a common instructional arrangement that is used by classroom teachers to foster academic achievement and social acceptance of students with and without learning disabilities. Cooperative learning is appealing to classroom teachers because it can provide an opportunity for more instruction and feedback by peers than can be provided by teachers to individual students who require extra assistance. Recent studies suggest that students with LD may need adaptations during cooperative learning activities. The use of assistive technology adaptations may be necessary to help some students with LD compensate for their specific learning difficulties so that they can engage more readily in cooperative learning activities. A process for integrating technology adaptations into cooperative learning activities is discussed in terms of three components: selecting adaptations, monitoring the use of the adaptations during cooperative learning activities, and evaluating the adaptations' effectiveness. The article concludes with comments regarding barriers to and support systems for technology integration, technology and effective instructional practices, and the need to consider technology adaptations for students who have learning disabilities.

  2. Chinese College Students' Physical Activity Correlates and Behavior: A Transtheoretical Model Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xiong, Shanying; Li, Xianxiong; Tao, Kun; Zeng, Nan; Ayyub, Mohammad; Peng, Qingwen; Yan, Xiaoni; Wang, Junli; Wu, Yizhong; Lei, Mingzhi

    2017-01-01

    Guided by the Transtheoretical Model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982), this study investigated the differences of physical activity levels and correlates (i.e., self-efficacy, decisional balance, process of change) across different stages of change levels among Chinese college students. The relationships between students' physical activity…

  3. Independent Study Projects Guide. Talented and Gifted Students, Number 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alice Independent School District, TX.

    Intended for secondary student use in the Talented and Gifted Students Program, the guide lists independent study activities in eight areas. It is explained that areas not usually covered in traditional courses of study are included to encourage indepth and open ended exploration of special interests, and that the projects focus on enhancing…

  4. Learning Activity Packets for High School Social Studies, American Studies, American History and Low Achieving Students. Course I.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seif, Elliott

    The document presents student learning packets designed to provide an alternative social studies experience for high school students. The objective is to enable students to better understand themselves and their environment and other individuals and groups. Written at a junior high school reading level, the packets are intended to be used with low…

  5. Effectiveness and student perceptions of an active learning activity using a headline news story to enhance in-class learning of cell cycle regulation.

    PubMed

    Dirks-Naylor, Amie J

    2016-06-01

    An active learning activity was used to engage students and enhance in-class learning of cell cycle regulation in a PharmD level integrated biological sciences course. The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness and perception of the in-class activity. After completion of a lecture on the topic of cell cycle regulation, students completed a 10-question multiple-choice quiz before and after engaging in the activity. The activity involved reading of a headline news article published by ScienceDaily.com entitled "One Gene Lost Equals One limb Regained." The name of the gene was deleted from the article and, thus, the end goal of the activity was to determine the gene of interest by the description in the story. The activity included compiling a list of all potential gene candidates before sufficient information was given to identify the gene of interest (p21). A survey was completed to determine student perceptions of the activity. Quiz scores improved by an average of 20% after the activity (40.1 ± 1.95 vs. 59.9 ± 2.14,P< 0.0001,n= 96). Students enjoyed the activity, found the news article interesting, and believed that the activity improved their understanding of cell cycle regulation. The majority of students agreed that the in-class activity piqued their interest for learning the subject matter and also agreed that if they understand a concept during class, they are more likely to want to study that concept outside of class. In conclusion, the activity improved in-class understanding and enhanced interest in cell cycle regulation. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

  6. Landsat: Space Activities for Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marks, Steven K.

    1979-01-01

    An aerospace education activity is described which is suitable for grades 3-12. Students piece together several images from the Landsat satellite to make a mosaic of their state. From the mosaic clear acetate overlay maps can be made relating to such subjects as agriculture, geology, hydrology, or urban planning. (BB)

  7. Developing Pharmacy Student Communication Skills through Role-Playing and Active Learning

    PubMed Central

    Zeszotarski, Paula; Ma, Carolyn

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To evaluate the impact on pharmacy students of a communication course, which used role-playing to develop active-learning skills. Design. Students role-playing pharmacists in patient care scenarios were critiqued by students and pharmacist faculty members. Grading was performed using the rubric inspired by Bruce Berger’s Communication Skills for Pharmacists. Written skills were evaluated using student written critique questionnaires. Students completed precourse and postcourse self-assessment surveys. Preceptor evaluations were analyzed for course impact. Assessment. Students demonstrated improvement in oral skills based on role-play scores (45.87/50) after practice sessions. The average score based on the student questionnaire was 9.31/10. Gain was demonstrated in all defined course objectives. Impact on introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) communication objectives was insignificant. Student evaluations for course and teaching strategy reflected a high average. Conclusion. Study results demonstrated improvement in oral and written communication skills that may help improve interprofessional teamwork between pharmacists and other health care providers. PMID:25995519

  8. Developing pharmacy student communication skills through role-playing and active learning.

    PubMed

    Luiz Adrian, Julie Ann; Zeszotarski, Paula; Ma, Carolyn

    2015-04-25

    To evaluate the impact on pharmacy students of a communication course, which used role-playing to develop active-learning skills. Students role-playing pharmacists in patient care scenarios were critiqued by students and pharmacist faculty members. Grading was performed using the rubric inspired by Bruce Berger's Communication Skills for Pharmacists. Written skills were evaluated using student written critique questionnaires. Students completed precourse and postcourse self-assessment surveys. Preceptor evaluations were analyzed for course impact. Students demonstrated improvement in oral skills based on role-play scores (45.87/50) after practice sessions. The average score based on the student questionnaire was 9.31/10. Gain was demonstrated in all defined course objectives. Impact on introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) communication objectives was insignificant. Student evaluations for course and teaching strategy reflected a high average. Study results demonstrated improvement in oral and written communication skills that may help improve interprofessional teamwork between pharmacists and other health care providers.

  9. Small group activities within academic communities improve the connectedness of students and faculty.

    PubMed

    Brandl, Katharina; Schneid, Stephen D; Smith, Sunny; Winegarden, Babbi; Mandel, Jess; Kelly, Carolyn J

    2017-08-01

    The University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine implemented a curriculum change that included reduction of lectures, incorporation of problem-based learning and other small group activities. Six academic communities were introduced for teaching longitudinal curricular content and organizing extracurricular activities. Surveys were collected from 904 first- and second-year medical students over 6 years. Student satisfaction data with their sense of connectedness and community support were collected before and after the implementation of the new curriculum. In a follow-up survey, medical students rated factors that contributed to their sense of connectedness with faculty and students (n = 134). Students' perception of connectedness to faculty significantly increased following implementation of a curriculum change that included academic communities. Students ranked small group clinical skills activities within academic communities significantly higher than other activities concerning their sense of connectedness with faculty. Students' perception of connectedness among each other was high at baseline and did not significantly change. Small group activities scored higher than extracurricular activities regarding students' connectedness among themselves. The implementation of a new curriculum with more small group educational activities including academic communities enhanced connectedness between students and faculty and resulted in an increased sense of community.

  10. Examination of Socialization Level of University Students Engaged in Sports Activities According to Their Locus of Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inan, Mehmet; Karagözoglu, Cengiz; Dervent, Fatih; Arslantas, Bülent

    2015-01-01

    In this study, the university students who participate in sports have been examined in terms of their socialization relative to the participation in sport activities and the locus of control. Students are thought to be engaged in many activities in addition to their lessons during their student tenure at higher education institutions. Their…

  11. Gender Difference in Academic Planning Activity among Medical Students

    PubMed Central

    Nguyen, Huy Van; Giang, Thao Thach

    2013-01-01

    Background In Vietnam, as doctor of medicine is socially considered a special career, both men and women who are enrolled in medical universities often study topics of medicine seriously. However, as culturally expected, women often perform better than men. Because of this, teaching leadership and management skill (LMS) to develop academic planning activity (APA) for female medical students would also be expected to be more effective than male counterparts. This research aimed to compare by gender the effect of teaching LMS on increasing APA, using propensity score matching (PSM). Methods In a cross-sectional survey utilizing a self-reported structured questionnaire on a systematic random sample of 421 male and female medical students in Hanoi Medical University, this study adopted first regression techniques to construct a fit model, then PSM to create a matched control group in order to allow for evaluating the effect of LMS education. Results There were several interesting gender differences. First, while for females LMS education had both direct and indirect effects on APA, it had only direct effect on males’ APA. Second, after PSM to adjust for the possible confounders to balance statistically two groups – with and without LMS education, there is statistically a significant difference in APA between male and female students, making a net difference of 11% (p<.01), equivalent to 173 students. The difference in APA between exposed and matched control group in males and females was 9% and 20%, respectively. These estimates of 9.0 and 20.0 percentage point increase can be translated into the practice of APA by 142 males and 315 females, respectively, in the population. These numbers of APA among male and female students can be explained by LMS education. Conclusions Gender appears to be a factor explaining in part academic planning activity. PMID:23418467

  12. Can We Have Fries with That, Please? Nutrition and Physical Activities among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monteiro, Andreia C.; Jeremic, Miljana; Budden, Michael C.

    2010-01-01

    Obesity is a growing health and socioeconomic issue in the United States. College students are an important part of the alarming statistics involving weight gain. This study investigated how nutrition behaviors and physical activity modified students' perceptions of body weight and nutrition knowledge. Furthermore, the study assessed gender and…

  13. Student-inspired activities for the teaching and learning of engineering ethics.

    PubMed

    Alpay, E

    2013-12-01

    Ethics teaching in engineering can be problematic because of student perceptions of its subjective, ambiguous and philosophical content. The use of discipline-specific case studies has helped to address such perceptions, as has practical decision making and problem solving approaches based on some ethical frameworks. However, a need exists for a wider range of creative methods in ethics education to help complement the variety of activities and learning experiences within the engineering curriculum. In this work, a novel approach is presented in which first-year undergraduate students are responsible for proposing ethics education activities of relevance to their peers and discipline area. The students are prepared for the task through a short introduction on engineering ethics, whereby generic frameworks for moral and professional conduct are discussed, and discipline and student-relevance contexts provided. The approach has been used in four departments of engineering at Imperial College London, and has led to the generation of many creative ideas for wider student engagement in ethics awareness, reflection and understanding. The paper presents information on the premise of the introductory sessions for supporting the design task, and an evaluation of the student experience of the course and task work. Examples of proposals are given to demonstrate the value of such an approach to teachers, and ultimately to the learning experiences of the students themselves.

  14. Relations between the school physical environment and school social capital with student physical activity levels.

    PubMed

    Button, Brenton; Trites, Stephen; Janssen, Ian

    2013-12-17

    The physical and social environments at schools are related to students' moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels. The purpose of this study was to explore the interactive effects of the school physical environment and school social capital on the MVPA of students while at school. Data from 18,875 grade 6-10 students from 331 schools who participated in the 2009/10 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey were analyzed using multi-level regression. Students answered questions on the amount of time they spend in MVPA at school and on their school's social capital. Administrator reports were used to create a physical activity related physical environment score. The school physical environment score was positively associated with student MVPA at school (β = 0.040, p < .005). The association between the school social capital and MVPA was also positive (β = 0.074, p < .001). The difference in physical environments equated to about 20 minutes/week of MVPA for students attending schools with the lowest number of physical environment features and about 40 minutes/week for students attending schools with the lowest school social capital scores by comparison to students attending schools with the highest scores. The findings suggest that school social capital may be a more important factor in increasing students MVPA than the school physical environment. The results of this study may help inform interventions aimed at increasing student physical activity levels.

  15. Patterns of objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary time: Are Nigerian health professional students complying with public health guidelines?

    PubMed Central

    Muhammed, Suleiman; Oyeyemi, Adetoyeje Y.; Adegoke, Babatunde O. A.

    2017-01-01

    Background Understanding patterns of physical activity and sedentary time is important to effective population-wide primary prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. This study examined the patterns of objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary time, and the prevalence of compliance with physical activity guidelines according to different public health recommendations in a sub-population of health professional students in Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 102 health professional students (age = 19–34 years old, 43.1% women) of the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. Participants wore Actigraph accelerometers on their waist for minimum of 5 days/week to objectively measure intensity and duration of physical activity and sedentary time. Prevalence and demographic patterns of physical activity and sedentary time were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The students spent most time in sedentary activity (458.6 ± minutes/day, about 61% of daily time) and the least in vigorous-intensity activity (2.1 ± 4.4 minutes/day, about 0.3% of daily time). Sedentary time was higher among older than younger students (P<0.038) and among medical laboratory science students than physiotherapy and nursing students (P = 0.046). Total physical activity was higher among nursing and medical students than medical laboratory science students (P = 0.041). Although, 85.3% of the students engaged in 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, only 2.9% met the guideline of 75 minutes/week of vigorous intensity activity. Conclusions Prevalence of sedentary time was high while that of vigorous-intensity activity was very low among health professional students in Nigeria. Compliance with physical activity guidelines was mainly through accumulation of moderate intensity activity. The results suggest that age and academic programme may influence physical activity level and sedentary behaviour of health

  16. The Influence of Social Media on Saudi Graduate Students: An Explanatory Case Study of Six Saudi Graduate Students Studying in American Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alhamadi, Asma Abdulmana

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative multiple participant case study was to identify the influence of social media on Saudi graduate students who are active social media users. Social media have been influencing Saudi students differently than those in other socio-cultural contexts due to the uniqueness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in terms of…

  17. Physical activity and sports team participation: associations with academic outcomes in middle school and high school students.

    PubMed

    Fox, Claudia K; Barr-Anderson, Daheia; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Wall, Melanie

    2010-01-01

    Previous studies have found that higher physical activity levels are associated with greater academic achievement among students. However, it remains unclear whether associations are due to the physical activity itself or sports team participation, which may involve requirements for maintaining certain grades, for example. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between sports team participation, physical activity, and academic outcomes in middle and high school students. Data were drawn from Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), a survey of middle and high school students (n = 4746). Students self-reported their weekly hours of physical activity, sports team participation, and academic letter grades. Two statistical models were considered: first, 2 separate regression analyses with grade point average (GPA) as the outcome and either sports team participation or physical activity as the predictor; second, a single regression with GPA as the outcome and both sports team participation and physical activity as the simultaneous predictors. For high school girls, both physical activity and sports team participation were each independently associated with a higher GPA. For high school boys, only sports team participation was independently associated with a higher GPA. For middle school students, the positive association between physical activity and GPA could not be separated from the relationship between sports team participation and a higher GPA. Regardless of whether academic success was related to the physical activity itself or to participation on sports teams, findings indicated positive associations between physical activity involvement and academic achievement among students.

  18. Secondary School Students' Physical Activity Participation across Physical Education Classes: The Expectancy-Value Theory Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gråstén, Arto; Watt, Anthony; Hagger, Martin; Jaakkola, Timo; Liukkonen, Jarmo

    2015-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to analyze the link between students' expectancy beliefs, subjective task values, out-of-school activity, and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) participation across secondary school physical education (PE) classes. The sample comprised 96 students (58 girls, 38 boys; Mage = 15.03, SD = 0.94) from…

  19. Practical Activities in Astronomy for Nonscience Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bisard, Walter J.

    1985-01-01

    Describes science activities which have been successful with nonscience majors. Each activity requires students to make observations, record the data gathered, interpret data, and prepare a written report. Subject areas include motion of stars, sunspots, lunar orbits, sunset points, meteor showers, and sun shadows. (JN)

  20. Specifics of Information Basis of Educational Activity of a Bachelor Student

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slepko, Yury N.; Baranova, Natalia A.; Fayurshina, Elena A.; Mitiukov, Nicholas W.

    2016-01-01

    The discussion of the results of an empirical research of the problem of forming the information basis of educational activity of students studying in pedagogical higher education institution is carried out in the article. The information basis of educational activity is considered by the authors as a subsystem of psychological system of…

  1. Exploring the Effects of Active Learning on High School Students' Outcomes and Teachers' Perceptions of Biotechnology and Genetics Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mueller, Ashley L.; Knobloch, Neil A.; Orvis, Kathryn S.

    2015-01-01

    Active learning can engage high school students to learn science, yet there is limited understanding if active learning can help students learn challenging science concepts such as genetics and biotechnology. This quasi-experimental study explored the effects of active learning compared to passive learning regarding high school students'…

  2. Is Active Learning Like Broccoli? Student Perceptions of Active Learning in Large Lecture Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, C. Veronica; Cardaciotto, LeeAnn

    2011-01-01

    Although research suggests that active learning is associated with positive outcomes (e.g., memory, test performance), use of such techniques can be difficult to implement in large lecture-based classes. In the current study, 1,091 students completed out-of-class group exercises to complement course material in an Introductory Psychology class.…

  3. Mastery inspired activities to help at risk students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stelzer, Tim; Gladding, Gary; Gutmann, Brianne; Lundsgaard, Morten; Schroeder, Noah

    2016-03-01

    Introductory physics is a roadblock for many aspiring engineers at the University of Illinois. The overall attrition rate in our introductory mechanics and E&M courses is approximately 15%, however that rate doubles for some under-represented populations. We introduced a set of online activities designed to provide students both an accurate assessment of their current understanding, and the resources to improve their performance. This talk will describe the design of these activities, and their impact on student attitude and understanding.

  4. Teacher Feedback and Interactions in Physical Education: Effects of Student Gender and Physical Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicaise, Virginie; Cogerino, Genevieve; Fairclough, Stuart; Bois, Julien; Davis, Kathryn

    2007-01-01

    Previous research conducted in both classroom and physical education (PE) settings has examined the impact of student gender on teacher-student interactions. The purpose of this study was to extend this line of research by analysing the influence of student gender and different types of physical activity on the frequency and nature of teacher…

  5. Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for College Students

    PubMed Central

    Martinez, Yannica Theda S.; Harmon, Brook E.; Bantum, Erin O.; Strayhorn, Shaila

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To understand perceived barriers of a diverse sample of college students and their suggestions for interventions aimed at healthy eating, cooking, and physical activity. Methods Forty students (33% Asian American, 30% mixed ethnicity) were recruited. Six focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded. Coding began with a priori codes, but allowed for additional codes to emerge. Analysis of questionnaires on participants’ dietary and physical activity practices and behaviors provided context for qualitative findings. Results Barriers included time, cost, facility quality, and intimidation. Tailoring towards a college student’s lifestyle, inclusion of hands-on skill building, and online support and resources were suggested strategies. Conclusions Findings provide direction for diet and physical activity interventions and policies aimed at college students. PMID:28480225

  6. Motivating the Study of International Trade: A Classroom Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jensen, Sherry

    2016-01-01

    In this article, the author describes a classroom activity for use in introductory economics courses to motivate the study of international trade. The learning activity highlights the importance of international trade in students' everyday lives by having students inventory their on-hand belongings and identify where the items were manufactured.…

  7. Differential Programming Needs of College Students Preferring Web-Based Versus In-Person Physical Activity Programs.

    PubMed

    Goldstein, Stephanie P; Forman, Evan M; Butryn, Meghan L; Herbert, James D

    2017-09-21

    College students report several barriers to exercise, highlighting a need for university-based programs that address these challenges. In contrast to in-person interventions, several web-based programs have been developed to enhance program engagement by increasing ease of access and lowering the necessary level of commitment to participate. Unfortunately, web-based programs continue to struggle with engagement and less-than-ideal outcomes. One explanation for this discrepancy is that different intervention modalities may attract students with distinctive activity patterns, motivators, barriers, and program needs. However, no studies have formally evaluated intervention modality preference (e.g., web-based or in-person) among college students. The current study sought to examine the relationship between intervention modality preference and physical activity programming needs. Undergraduate students (n = 157) enrolled in psychology courses at an urban university were asked to complete an online survey regarding current activity patterns and physical activity program preferences. Participants preferring web-based physical activity programs exercised less (p = .05), were less confident in their abilities to exercise (p = .01), were less likely to endorse the maintenance stage of change (p < .01) and perceived more barriers to exercising (p < .01) than those who preferred in-person programming. Findings suggest that students preferring web-based programming may require programs that enhance self-efficacy by fostering goal-setting and problem-solving skills. A user-centered design approach may enhance the engagement (and therefore effectiveness) of physical activity promotion programs for college students.

  8. Combining Active Learning with Service Learning: A Student-Driven Demonstration Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatcher-Skeers, Mary; Aragon, Ellen

    2002-01-01

    Describes a project that integrates active learning into service learning targeting both college students and middle schools students wherein college students perform chemical demonstrations for middle school students. (YDS)

  9. [Introduction of active learning and student readership in teaching by the pharmaceutical faculty].

    PubMed

    Sekiguchi, Masaki; Yamato, Ippei; Kato, Tetsuta; Torigoe, Kojyun

    2005-07-01

    We have introduced improvements and new approaches into our teaching methods by exploiting 4 active learning methods for pharmacy students of first year. The 4 teaching methods for each lesson or take home assignment are follows: 1) problem-based learning (clinical case) including a student presentation of the clinical case, 2) schematic drawings of the human organs, one drawing done in 15-20 min during the week following a lecture and a second drawing done with reference to a professional textbook, 3) learning of professional themes in take home assignments, and 4) short test in order to confirm the understanding of technical terms by using paper or computer. These improvements and new methods provide active approaches for pharmacy students (as opposed to passive memorization of words and image study). In combination, they have proven to be useful as a learning method to acquire expert knowledge and to convert from passive learning approach to active learning approach of pharmacy students in the classroom.

  10. PARENTAL AND SCHOOL INFLUENCES ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HYDERABAD, PAKISTAN.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Jamil; Mehraj, Vikram; Jeswani, Gotam Kumar; ur Rehman, Shafiq; Shah, Sayed Masoom; Hamadeh, Randah

    2016-01-01

    Childhood physical activity (PA) is an important determinant of health in adults which is influenced by the environment in and outside of home. We aimed to determine the contribution of parental and school factors on student's PA in this study. This cross sectional study was conducted on students attending public and private schools in Hyderabad, Pakistan. A random sample of 246 girls and 255 boys in grade six to ten were selected from ten schools. The PA was assessed through face to face interviews by using the adapted School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES) questionnaire. 40% of the students either walked to or rode on a cycle to travel to their school and 62% students performed individual exercises after school. They spent 6.2 and 5.3 hours on moderate and hard PA per week. About 57% of the mothers and 47% fathers of the students did some mild to moderate exercise 4 times in the week prior to the interview. Students were physically active if they lived in a nuclear family, had believed they had better athletic ability, participated in sports in and out of school and performed moderate exercises (p < 0.05). In conclusion parental support to PA was significantly associated with students' being physically active both within and outside schools.

  11. `Not hard to sway': a case study of student engagement in two large engineering classes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shekhar, Prateek; Borrego, Maura

    2018-07-01

    Although engineering education research has empirically validated the effectiveness of active learning in improving student learning over traditional lecture-based methods, the adoption of active learning in classrooms has been slow. One of the greatest reported barriers is student resistance towards engagement in active learning exercises. This paper argues that the level of student engagement in active learning classrooms is an interplay of social and physical classroom characteristics. Using classroom observations and instructor interviews, this study describes the influence of the interaction of student response systems and classroom layout on student engagement in two large active-learning-based engineering classrooms. The findings suggest that the use of different student response systems in combination with cluster-style seating arrangements can increase student engagement in large classrooms.

  12. Playing Goffman's Information Game: A Classroom Activity Involving Student Interactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCoy, Charles Allan

    2017-01-01

    Goffman's dramaturgical approach is frequently used to introduce undergraduate students to the sociological understanding of human interaction. While a number of scholars have designed engaging student activities that highlight Goffman's approach, most of these activities tend to involve atypical embarrassing interactions or norm-breaking…

  13. Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study: protocol for a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Mandic, Sandra; Williams, John; Moore, Antoni; Hopkins, Debbie; Flaherty, Charlotte; Wilson, Gordon; García Bengoechea, Enrique; Spence, John C

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Active transport to school (ATS) is a convenient way to increase physical activity and undertake an environmentally sustainable travel practice. The Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study examines ATS in adolescents in Dunedin, New Zealand, using ecological models for active transport that account for individual, social, environmental and policy factors. The study objectives are to: (1) understand the reasons behind adolescents and their parents' choice of transport mode to school; (2) examine the interaction between the transport choices, built environment, physical activity and weight status in adolescents; and (3) identify policies that promote or hinder ATS in adolescents. Methods and analysis The study will use a mixed-method approach incorporating both quantitative (surveys, anthropometry, accelerometers, Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis, mapping) and qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews) to gather data from students, parents, teachers and school principals. The core data will include accelerometer-measured physical activity, anthropometry, GIS measures of the built environment and the use of maps indicating route to school (students)/work (parents) and perceived safe/unsafe areas along the route. To provide comprehensive data for understanding how to change the infrastructure to support ATS, the study will also examine complementary variables such as individual, family and social factors, including student and parental perceptions of walking and cycling to school, parental perceptions of different modes of transport to school, perceptions of the neighbourhood environment, route to school (students)/work (parents), perceptions of driving, use of information communication technology, reasons for choosing a particular school and student and parental physical activity habits, screen time and weight status. The study has achieved a 100% school recruitment rate (12 secondary schools). Ethics and

  14. Effectiveness of Hands-on and Minds-on Activities on Students' Achievement and Attitudes towards Physics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ates, Ozlem; Eryilmaz, Ali

    2011-01-01

    This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hands-on and minds-on activities on ninth grade students' achievement in and attitudes towards simple electric circuits. The study was conducted with 130 students, 70 of which were assigned as experimental group and instructed by hands-on/minds-on activities, while the 60 were assigned as…

  15. An Investigation of Secondary School Students' Self-Reported Reasons for Participation in Extracurricular Musical and Athletic Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ebie, Brian D.

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to discover the self-reported reasons for involvement in after-school, extracurricular music and athletic activities of high school students. One hundred-sixty high school students participating in either extracurricular athletic or musical activities served as subjects. Extracurricular activities were defined as…

  16. An Active Learning Approach to Teaching Variance Analysis to Accounting Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pollard, William B.

    2014-01-01

    This paper looks at an activity that breaks the normal classroom teaching pattern (where students are often content to be reluctant, inactive participants in the learning process) with an activity that is likely a new experience for most students--letting the students create and solve their own problems. This is done within a problem structure…

  17. The Influence of Extracurricular Activities on Middle School Students' Science Learning in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Danhui; Tang, Xing

    2017-01-01

    Informal science learning has been found to have effects on students' science learning. Through the use of secondary data from a national assessment of 7410 middle school students in China, this study explores the relationship among five types of extracurricular science activities, learning interests, academic self-concept, and science…

  18. Social-Cognitive Influences on Students' Physical Activity Behavior across the First College Year

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barfield, J. P.; Hutchinson, Jasmin

    2012-01-01

    Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal influence of specific social-cognitive variables on students' physical activity behavior across the first college year. Methods. First-year college students (N = 406) from a regional higher education institution participated. Email solicitation was sent to…

  19. A Turkish study of medical student learning styles.

    PubMed

    Kalaca, S; Gulpinar, M

    2011-12-01

    A good understanding of the learning styles of students is necessary for optimizing the quality of the learning process. There are few studies in Turkey on the subject of the learning characteristics of medical students. The aim of this study was to define the learning patterns of Turkish medical students based on the Turkish version of Vermunts Inventory of Learning Styles (ILS). The Turkish version of the ILS was developed and administered to 532 medical students. Learning patterns were investigated using factor analysis. Internal consistencies of scales ranged from 0.43 to 0.80. The Turkish version of the ILS identified four learning styles among medical students. In comparing the pre-clinical and clinical phases of medical students related to mental models of learning, statistically significant differences (p < .01) were found between the two groups for the learning characteristics: lack of regulation; certificate; self-test and ambivalent orientation; intake of knowledge; and use of knowledge. The Turkish version of the ILS can be used to identify learning styles of medical students. Our findings indicate an intermediate position for our students on a teacher-regulated to student-regulated learning continuum. A variety of teaching methods and learning activities should be provided in medical schools in order to address the range of learning styles.

  20. Incorporating Student Activities into Climate Change Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steele, H.; Kelly, K.; Klein, D.; Cadavid, A. C.

    2013-12-01

    Under a NASA grant, Mathematical and Geospatial Pathways to Climate Change Education, students at California State University, Northridge integrated Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, satellite data technologies, and climate modelling into the study of global climate change under a Pathway for studying the Mathematics of Climate Change (PMCC). The PMCC, which is an interdisciplinary option within the BS in Applied Mathematical Sciences, consists of courses offered by the departments of Mathematics, Physics, and Geography and is designed to prepare students for careers and Ph.D. programs in technical fields relevant to global climate change. Under this option students are exposed to the science, mathematics, and applications of climate change science through a variety of methods including hands-on experience with computer modeling and image processing software. In the Geography component of the program, ESRI's ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine mapping, spatial analysis and image processing software were used to explore NASA satellite data to examine the earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere in areas that are affected by climate change or affect climate. These technology tools were incorporated into climate change and remote sensing courses to enhance students' knowledge and understanding of climate change through hands-on application of image processing techniques to NASA data. Several sets of exercises were developed with specific learning objectives in mind. These were (1) to increase student understanding of climate change and climate change processes; (2) to develop student skills in understanding, downloading and processing satellite data; (3) to teach remote sensing technology and GIS through applications to climate change; (4) to expose students to climate data and methods they can apply to solve real world problems and incorporate in future research projects. In the Math and Physics components of the course, students learned about

  1. Relationships between Physical Activity Levels, Self-Identity, Body Dissatisfaction and Motivation among Spanish High School Students.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Amado, Diana; Pulido, Juan José; Sánchez-Oliva, David

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between gender and the educational grade on the one hand, and physical activity levels, motivation, self-identity, body dissatisfaction, the intention to be physically active and daily sitting time on the other, in a sample of Spanish high school adolescents. The sample consisted of 2087 Spanish students from the 3rd (n = 1141) and 4th grade (n = 946), both male (n = 1046) and female (n = 1041), ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old (M = 15.42; SD = .86). Students completed questionnaires to assess their levels of physical activity, self-identity, motivation, intention to be physically active and daily sitting time. The students' perceptions of their body height and mass were also tested. With the exception of walking MET values, the results showed gender differences in the variables tested. Male participants showed higher intrinsic motivation and lower amotivation than female participants. Furthermore, male students revealed higher levels of physical activity than female students. Finally, the research concluded with the importance of promoting intrinsic reasons for physical activity in order to encourage positive consequences in high school students.

  2. Diversity of nursing student views about simulation design: a q-methodological study.

    PubMed

    Paige, Jane B; Morin, Karen H

    2015-05-01

    Education of future nurses benefits from well-designed simulation activities. Skillful teaching with simulation requires educators to be constantly aware of how students experience learning and perceive educators' actions. Because revision of simulation activities considers feedback elicited from students, it is crucial to understand the perspective from which students base their response. In a Q-methodological approach, 45 nursing students rank-ordered 60 opinion statements about simulation design into a distribution grid. Factor analysis revealed that nursing students hold five distinct and uniquely personal perspectives-Let Me Show You, Stand By Me, The Agony of Defeat, Let Me Think It Through, and I'm Engaging and So Should You. Results suggest that nurse educators need to reaffirm that students clearly understand the purpose of each simulation activity. Nurse educators should incorporate presimulation assignments to optimize learning and help allay anxiety. The five perspectives discovered in this study can serve as a tool to discern individual students' learning needs. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  3. Student Buy-In to Active Learning in a College Science Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cavanagh, Andrew J.; Aragón, Oriana R.; Chen, Xinnian; Couch, Brian; Durham, Mary; Bobrownicki, Aiyana; Hanauer, David I.; Graham, Mark J.

    2016-01-01

    The benefits of introducing active learning in college science courses are well established, yet more needs to be understood about student buy-in to active learning and how that process of buy-in might relate to student outcomes. We test the exposure-persuasion-identification-commitment (EPIC) process model of buy-in, here applied to student (n =…

  4. Attitudes toward Physical Activity among College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mowatt, Marilyn; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Attitudes toward physical activity among 564 undergraduate and graduate students were primarily influenced by gender, year in school, activity class enrollment, and the passage of time. An experimental group, which received mini-lectures on the scientific bases of exercise, showed little significant change in attitude. The survey instrument is…

  5. Perceived barriers by university students in the practice of physical activities.

    PubMed

    Gómez-López, Manuel; Gallegos, Antonio Granero; Extremera, Antonio Baena

    2010-01-01

    The main goal of this research is to study in detail the main characteristics of university students in order to find out the reasons why they have adopted an inactive lifestyle. In order to do so, a questionnaire on the analysis of sports habits and lifestyle was given to 323 students. They were taken from a representative sample of 1834 students. These 323 students had pointed out at the moment of the fieldwork, not having practiced any sport in their spare time. Our findings point out that there are diverse reasons for this. On one hand, reasons referred to as external barriers such as lack of time, on the other hand, internal barriers such as not liking the physical activity, not seeing its practicality or usefulness, feeling lazy or with apathy, or thinking that they are not competent in this type of activities. Other reasons such as the lack of social support are grouped within the external barriers. Finally, it is important to stress that there are also differences based on gender with respect to motivation. Key pointsExternal barriers prevail in university students. The lack of time is among the most highlighted ones.Statistically significant results have been found regarding the gender variable.The results are very important since they are considered to be valuable information for university institutions when guiding and diversifying their offer of physical and sport activities. Also as a guide in the design of support policies and national sport management guidelines.

  6. Extracurricular research activities among senior medical students in Kuwait: experiences, attitudes, and barriers

    PubMed Central

    Al-Halabi, Becher; Marwan, Yousef; Hasan, Mohammad; Alkhadhari, Sulaiman

    2014-01-01

    Background Research is the foundation of scientific advancement and improvement in quality of health care, which ensures the good health of the community. The aim of this study is to explore experiences, attitudes, and barriers of medical students in Kuwait University (KU) in regards to extracurricular research. Methods A questionnaire about extracurricular research activities (ie, any research activity that is not part of the required undergraduate curriculum, such as publishing a paper, research elective, etc) was distributed to 175 senior medical students (years 6 and 7). Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used to analyze the responses, considering a P-value of <0.05 as the cut-off level for significance. The main outcome was defined as taking part in any of the extracurricular research activities. Results Of the 150 participants (response rate = 85.7%), 26 (17.3%), 68 (45.3%), 52 (34.7%), and 17 (11.3%) had published their required medical school research, presented abstracts in conferences, conducted extracurricular research, and completed a research elective/course, respectively; 99 (66.0%) took part in any of these activities. Participants who read medical journals regularly (81; 54%) reported higher participation in extracurricular research activities than those who did not read journals (P=0.003). Improving the availability of mentors for students’ extracurricular research was ranked by the participants as the most important factor to improve their participation in extracurricular research (4.05/5.00). Conclusion Despite the lack of adequate support, extracurricular research activities among medical students of KU were comparable to students from other countries. Barriers for these activities should be addressed by KU medical educators in order to enhance research activities among the students. PMID:24812535

  7. The analysis and reconciliation of students' rebuttals in argumentation activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Yu-Ren; Hung, Jeng-Fung

    2016-01-01

    The present study investigated the guidance provided by science teachers to resolve conflicts during socioscientific issue-based argumentation activities. A graphical representation (GR) was developed as a tool to code and analyze the dialogue interaction process. Through the GR and qualitative analysis, we identified three types of dialogue reconciling strategies. The first one consists of teacher management, in which the teacher temporarily maintains the right to speak when students get mired in an emotional rebuttal situation. The second strategy involves the use of qualifiers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an opposing argument. The third strategy consists of providing students with guidance to keep both parties (i.e. the students taking, respectively, the affirmative and negative positions) on the same discussion topic and can be used to assist teachers with forming broad questions that prompt students to conduct deeper discussions. These reconciling strategies were beneficial in that they helped students to argue in a more reflective way.

  8. Determination of Factors Affecting Physical Activity Status of University Students on a Health Sciences Campus

    PubMed Central

    Dayi, Ayfer; Acikgoz, Ayla; Guvendi, Guven; Bayrak, Levent; Ersoy, Burcu; Gur, Cagri; Ozmen, Omer

    2017-01-01

    Background Upon graduation, students studying in departments related to health will work in the health sector and will guide and enlighten people with their knowledge and behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting the physical activity (PA) conditions of university students on a health sciences campus. Material/Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out on 706 students in a Turkish university. The data was obtained from a survey prepared by the researchers. The 26-question survey aimed to discover the students’ socio-demographic characteristics and their awareness and practices concerning PA. Results We found that 30% of the students engage in some type of PA during their university education. A relationship was observed concerning their current PA and their family inactivity levels, as well as between inactivity before entering the university and inactivity during their education. The presence of a chronic disease in family members does not affect student PA. A majority of the students believe PA is beneficial (98.7%), 93.9% believe it relieves stress, and 94.5% believe it helps control body weight. Conclusions Although students of medicine and related disciplines are aware of the importance of proper diet and adequate levels of PA in health, they did not implement theory into practice. Thus, it is questionable how young health professionals will promote the positive effects and necessity of regular physical activity if they do not apply these activities to their own lifestyle. PMID:28103207

  9. Active Learning session based on Didactical Engineering framework for conceptual change in students' equilibrium and stability understanding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Canu, Michael; Duque, Mauricio; de Hosson, Cécile

    2017-01-01

    Engineering students on control courses lack a deep understanding of equilibrium and stability that are crucial concepts in this discipline. Several studies have shown that students find it difficult to understand simple familiar or academic static equilibrium cases as well as dynamic ones from mechanics even if they know the discipline's criteria and formulae. Our aim is to study the impact of a specific and innovative classroom session, containing well-chosen situations that address students' misconceptions. We propose an example of Active Learning experiment based both on the Didactical Engineering methodology and the Conceptual Fields Theory that aims at promoting a conceptual change in students. The chosen methodology allows, at the same time, a proper design of the student learning activities, an accurate monitoring of the students' rational use during the tasks and provides an internal tool for the evaluation of the session's efficiency. Although the expected starting conceptual change was detected, it would require another activity in order to be reinforced.

  10. Alternative High School Students' Physical Activity: Role of Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kenyon, Denyelle Baete; Kubik, Martha Y.; Davey, Cynthia; Sirard, John; Fulkerson, Jayne A.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To examine physical activity self-efficacy as a mediator of the association between perceived barriers to PA and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among alternative high school (AHS) students. Methods: Students (N = 145) from 6 AHS completed self-report questionnaires. Results: Mediation analyses revealed partial mediation…

  11. Students' Experience of External Studies. Student Diary Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parer, Michael S.

    This study examined students' experiences of external study at Gippsland Institute through the method of student self-report study diaries. Questions which were addressed include: (1) Why are external students taking courses at Gippsland? (2) What do they hope to gain? (3) How do they handle particular study guides and assignment materials? (4)…

  12. Are students' impressions of improved learning through active learning methods reflected by improved test scores?

    PubMed

    Everly, Marcee C

    2013-02-01

    To report the transformation from lecture to more active learning methods in a maternity nursing course and to evaluate whether student perception of improved learning through active-learning methods is supported by improved test scores. The process of transforming a course into an active-learning model of teaching is described. A voluntary mid-semester survey for student acceptance of the new teaching method was conducted. Course examination results, from both a standardized exam and a cumulative final exam, among students who received lecture in the classroom and students who had active learning activities in the classroom were compared. Active learning activities were very acceptable to students. The majority of students reported learning more from having active-learning activities in the classroom rather than lecture-only and this belief was supported by improved test scores. Students who had active learning activities in the classroom scored significantly higher on a standardized assessment test than students who received lecture only. The findings support the use of student reflection to evaluate the effectiveness of active-learning methods and help validate the use of student reflection of improved learning in other research projects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Diagnosing students' misconceptions in algebra: results from an experimental pilot study.

    PubMed

    Russell, Michael; O'Dwyer, Laura M; Miranda, Helena

    2009-05-01

    Computer-based diagnostic assessment systems hold potential to help teachers identify sources of poor performance and to connect teachers and students to learning activities designed to help advance students' conceptual understandings. The present article presents findings from a study that examined how students' performance in algebra and their overcoming of common algebraic misconceptions were affected by the use of a diagnostic assessment system that focused on important algebra concepts. This study used a four-group randomized cluster trial design in which teachers were assigned randomly to one of four groups: a "business as usual" control group, a partial intervention group that was provided with access to diagnostic tests results, a partial intervention group that was provided with access to the learning activities, and a full intervention group that was given access to the test results and learning activities. Data were collected from 905 students (6th-12th grade) nested within 44 teachers. We used hierarchical linear modeling techniques to compare the effects of full, partial, and no (control) intervention on students' algebraic ability and misconceptions. The analyses indicate that full intervention had a net positive effect on ability and misconception measures.

  14. Student-to-Student Interaction Revisited: A Case Study of Working Adult Business Students in Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kellogg, Deborah L.; Smith, Marlene A.

    2009-01-01

    Faculty teaching in online environments are universally encouraged to incorporate a variety of student-to-student learning activities into their courses. Although there is a body of both theoretical and empirical work supporting this, adult professional students participating in an online MBA program at an urban business school reported being at…

  15. A Neuroanatomy Teaching Activity Using Case Studies and Collaboration.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sheldon, Jane P.

    2000-01-01

    Describes an activity for use in an introductory psychology course in which students collaborate and apply their neuroanatomy knowledge to three case studies. Provides a table with descriptions of and possible answers for the three case studies and discusses the students' responses. (CMK)

  16. The Impact of Activity-Based Oral Expression Course on Speech Self-Efficacy of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altunkaya, Hatice

    2018-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of the activity-based oral expression course on the speech self-efficacy of psychological counseling and guidance students. The study group included 80 freshmen students in the Psychological Counseling and Guidance Department in the Faculty of Education of a university located in western…

  17. Using targeted active-learning exercises and diagnostic question clusters to improve students' understanding of carbon cycling in ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non-biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal.

  18. Using Targeted Active-Learning Exercises and Diagnostic Question Clusters to Improve Students' Understanding of Carbon Cycling in Ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Maskiewicz, April Cordero; Griscom, Heather Peckham; Welch, Nicole Turrill

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we used targeted active-learning activities to help students improve their ways of reasoning about carbon flow in ecosystems. The results of a validated ecology conceptual inventory (diagnostic question clusters [DQCs]) provided us with information about students' understanding of and reasoning about transformation of inorganic and organic carbon-containing compounds in biological systems. These results helped us identify specific active-learning exercises that would be responsive to students' existing knowledge. The effects of the active-learning interventions were then examined through analysis of students' pre- and postinstruction responses on the DQCs. The biology and non–biology majors participating in this study attended a range of institutions and the instructors varied in their use of active learning; one lecture-only comparison class was included. Changes in pre- to postinstruction scores on the DQCs showed that an instructor's teaching method had a highly significant effect on student reasoning following course instruction, especially for questions pertaining to cellular-level, carbon-transforming processes. We conclude that using targeted in-class activities had a beneficial effect on student learning regardless of major or class size, and argue that using diagnostic questions to identify effective learning activities is a valuable strategy for promoting learning, as gains from lecture-only classes were minimal. PMID:22383618

  19. Impact of a novel teaching method based on feedback, activity, individuality and relevance on students' learning.

    PubMed

    Edafe, Ovie; Brooks, William S; Laskar, Simone N; Benjamin, Miles W; Chan, Philip

    2016-03-20

    This study examines the perceived impact of a novel clinical teaching method based on FAIR principles (feedback, activity, individuality and relevance) on students' learning on clinical placement. This was a qualitative research study. Participants were third year and final year medical students attached to one UK vascular firm over a four-year period (N=108). Students were asked to write a reflective essay on how FAIRness approach differs from previous clinical placement, and its advantages and disadvantages. Essays were thematically analysed and globally rated (positive, negative or neutral) by two independent researchers. Over 90% of essays reported positive experiences of feedback, activity, individuality and relevance model. The model provided multifaceted feedback; active participation; longitudinal improvement; relevance to stage of learning and future goals; structured teaching; professional development; safe learning environment; consultant involvement in teaching. Students perceived preparation for tutorials to be time intensive for tutors/students; a lack of teaching on medical sciences and direct observation of performance; more than once weekly sessions would be beneficial; some issues with peer and public feedback, relevance to upcoming exam and large group sizes. Students described negative experiences of "standard" clinical teaching. Progressive teaching programmes based on the FAIRness principles, feedback, activity, individuality and relevance, could be used as a model to improve current undergraduate clinical teaching.

  20. Active Learning and Student-centered Pedagogy Improve Student Attitudes and Performance in Introductory Biology

    PubMed Central

    Patel, Maya; Johnson, Erika; Weiss, Martha

    2009-01-01

    We describe the development and implementation of an instructional design that focused on bringing multiple forms of active learning and student-centered pedagogies to a one-semester, undergraduate introductory biology course for both majors and nonmajors. Our course redesign consisted of three major elements: 1) reordering the presentation of the course content in an attempt to teach specific content within the context of broad conceptual themes, 2) incorporating active and problem-based learning into every lecture, and 3) adopting strategies to create a more student-centered learning environment. Assessment of our instructional design consisted of a student survey and comparison of final exam performance across 3 years—1 year before our course redesign was implemented (2006) and during two successive years of implementation (2007 and 2008). The course restructuring led to significant improvement of self-reported student engagement and satisfaction and increased academic performance. We discuss the successes and ongoing challenges of our course restructuring and consider issues relevant to institutional change. PMID:19723815

  1. Human Spaceflight: Activities for the Intermediate and Junior High Student.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hartsfield, John W.; Hartsfield, Kendra J.

    Since its beginning, space science has created high interest and continues to prod the imagination of students. This activity packet, which has been designed to enhance the curriculum and challenge gifted students, contains background information on spaceflight as well as 24 interdisciplinary classroom activities, 3 crossword puzzles, and 3 word…

  2. Engaging Students in Large Health Classes with Active Learning Strategies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elliott, Steven; Combs, Sue; Huelskamp, Amelia; Hritz, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Creative K-12 health teachers can engage students in large classes by utilizing active learning strategies. Active learning involves engaging students in higher-order tasks, such as analysis and synthesis, which is a crucial element of the movement toward what is commonly called "learner-centered" teaching. Health education teachers who…

  3. Implementation of an Integrated Longitudinal Curricular Activity for Graduating Pharmacy Students

    PubMed Central

    Meyer, Doug; Fujisaki, Brad; Stein, Susan

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. To evaluate whether a novel integrated longitudinal curricular activity to prepare graduating doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students for 2 comprehensive examinations was successful, and to assess whether it engaged other pharmacy students in curricular discussion and learning. Design. Thirty-eight of 91graduating third-year (P3) students in a PharmD program formed 11 teams to create and present pharmacotherapeutic posters to their peers. The impact of the novel activity on graduating students’ performance on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and a comprehensive commercial examination was assessed. All first-year (P1), second-year (P2), and P3 students reviewed and discussed the content of each poster. Assessment. Participants in the integrated longitudinal curricular activity performed better than nonparticipants on the commercial examination (p=0.023) and NAPLEX (p=0.033). However, regardless of participation, commercial examination scores predicted a significant amount of variance (ie, 34%) in NAPLEX scores. The P3 participants (83%) believed the curricular activity assisted them in their NAPLEX preparation, while 75% of P1 students, 79% of P2 students, and 80% of P3 students agreed that poster review provided an effective summary of different disease states. Ninety percent of faculty poster evaluators reported that the posters were professional, and all evaluators agreed that participants effectively conveyed their message to the intended audience. Conclusion. The integrated longitudinal curricular activity provided a positive learning environment for all pharmacy students and may have better prepared graduating students’ for the NAPLEX. PMID:25147396

  4. Competency-based curriculum and active methodology: perceptions of nursing students.

    PubMed

    Paranhos, Vania Daniele; Mendes, Maria Manuela Rino

    2010-01-01

    This study identifies the perceptions of undergraduate students at the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, College of Nursing (EERP-USP) concerning the teaching-learning process in two courses: Integrated Seminar: Health-Disease/Care Process in Health Services Policies and Organization, which was offered to first-year students in 2005 and 2006 and Integrality in Health Care I and II, which was offered to second-year students in 2006. The courses proposal was to adopt active methodology and competency-based curriculum. Data were collected from written tests submitted to 62 students at the end of the curse, focusing on the tests pertinence, development of performance, structure and pedagogical dynamics, organization and settings. Thematic analysis indicated that students enjoyed the courses, highlighted the role of the professor/facilitator at points of the pedagogical cycle and learning recorded in students portfolios. Students valued their experience in the Primary Health Care setting, which was based on, and has since the beginning of the program been based on, the theory-professional practice interlocution and closeness to the principles of the Unified Health System (SUS).

  5. Taking an active stance: How urban elementary students connect sociocultural experiences in learning science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Upadhyay, Bhaskar; Maruyama, Geoffrey; Albrecht, Nancy

    2017-12-01

    In this interpretive case study, we draw from sociocultural theory of learning and culturally relevant pedagogy to understand how urban students from nondominant groups leverage their sociocultural experiences. These experiences allow them to gain an empowering voice in influencing science content and activities and to work towards self-determining the sciences that are personally meaningful. Furthermore, tying sociocultural experiences with science learning helps generate sociopolitical awareness among students. We collected interview and observation data in an urban elementary classroom over one academic year to understand the value of urban students' sociocultural experiences in learning science and choosing science activities.

  6. A Study of Kindergarten Teachers' Evaluation of Order-Managing Skills Used in Group Activities by Early Childhood Student Teachers in Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Ya-Mei

    This study analyzed how Taiwanese kindergarten teachers evaluated events of various classroom management skills used by early childhood student teachers in group activities. The kindergarten teachers evaluated effectiveness, appropriateness, frequency of practicing similar skills themselves, and the need to modify any of the above. A questionnaire…

  7. Relationship between Active Learning Methodologies and Community College Students' STEM Course Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lesk, Cherish Christina Clark

    2017-01-01

    Active learning methodologies (ALM) are associated with student success, but little research on this topic has been pursued at the community college level. At a local community college, students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses exhibited lower than average grades. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use…

  8. ASPECT: A Survey to Assess Student Perspective of Engagement in an Active-Learning Classroom

    PubMed Central

    Wiggins, Benjamin L.; Eddy, Sarah L.; Wener-Fligner, Leah; Freisem, Karen; Grunspan, Daniel Z.; Theobald, Elli J.; Timbrook, Jerry; Crowe, Alison J.

    2017-01-01

    The primary measure used to determine relative effectiveness of in-class activities has been student performance on pre/posttests. However, in today’s active-learning classrooms, learning is a social activity, requiring students to interact and learn from their peers. To develop effective active-learning exercises that engage students, it is important to gain a more holistic view of the student experience in an active-learning classroom. We have taken a mixed-methods approach to iteratively develop and validate a 16-item survey to measure multiple facets of the student experience during active-learning exercises. The instrument, which we call Assessing Student Perspective of Engagement in Class Tool (ASPECT), was administered to a large introductory biology class, and student responses were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. The 16 items loaded onto three factors that cumulatively explained 52% of the variation in student response: 1) value of activity, 2) personal effort, and 3) instructor contribution. ASPECT provides a rapid, easily administered means to measure student perception of engagement in an active-learning classroom. Gaining a better understanding of students’ level of engagement will help inform instructor best practices and provide an additional measure for comprehensively assessing the impact of different active-learning strategies. PMID:28495936

  9. Relationship between sport and physical activity and alcohol consumption among adolescents students in Murcia (Spain).

    PubMed

    López Villalba, Francisco J; Rodríguez García, Pedro L; García Cantó, Eliseo; Pérez Soto, Juan J

    2016-04-01

    Sports and physical activity are major components of a healthy lifestyle. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between sport and physical activity and alcohol consumption among adolescent students based on gender. Descriptive, crosssectional, comparative study conducted in adolescent students (aged between 14 and 17 years old) from the Region of Murcia in 2014. Sport and physical activity was assessed using a validated, adapted survey that included both the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Monitoring the Future survey. Eleven school facilities from different districts of the Region of Murcia (Spain) participated. Five hundred and sixty-four adolescent students were included. Among boys, 51.8% reported to be regularly active, versus 21.8% of girls. Significant differences were observed in terms of alcohol consumption by gender (31.1% for boys versus 48.2% for girls, p = 0.000). A significant, reverse relationship between sport and physical activity and alcohol consumption was observed among both boys and girls. The level of sport and physical activity is higher among adolescent boys than girls. Sport and physical activity shows a positive association with a lower level of alcohol consumption among both genders. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

  10. Students as Change Agents in the Community: Developing Active Citizenship at Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akin, Sibel; Calik, Basak; Engin-Demir, Cennet

    2017-01-01

    Promoting active citizenship is seen as invaluable for educational practices in schools particularly in existing social, political, economic, and cultural context of Turkish society. The present study is part of a European Union project that aimed to help students develop knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to actively participate in…

  11. Active Learning Improves Student Performance in a Respiratory Physiology Lab

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolf, Alex M.; Liachovitzky, Carlos; Abdullahi, Abass S.

    2015-01-01

    This study assessed the effectiveness of the introduction of active learning exercises into the anatomy and physiology curriculum in a community college setting. Specifically, the incorporation of a spirometry-based respiratory physiology lab resulted in improved student performance in two concepts (respiratory volumes and the hallmarks of…

  12. Self-reported extracurricular activity, academic success, and quality of life in UK medical students

    PubMed Central

    Lumley, Sophie; Ward, Peter; Roberts, Lesley

    2015-01-01

    Objectives To explore the relationship between academic performance, extracurricular activity, and quality of life at medical school in the UK to aid our understanding of students’ work-life balance. Methods A cross-sectional study, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to UK final year medical students across 20 medical schools (4478 students). Participants reported the hours of self-regulated learning and extracurricular activities undertaken each year at medical school; along with their academic decile (1 = highest, 10 = lowest). Self-reported quality of life (QoL) was assessed using an established screening tool (7 = highest, 1 = lowest). Results Seven hundred responses were obtained, across 20 participating medical schools, response rate 16% (700/4478). Factors associated with higher academic achievement were: graduate entry course students (2 deciles higher, p< 0.0001), more hours academic study during term and revision periods (rho=-0.1, p< 0.01), and involvement in teaching or research. Increased hours of study was associated with lower QoL (rho = -0.13, p<0.01). Conclusions Study skills may be more important than duration spent studying, for academic achievement and QoL. Graduate-entry students attain higher decile scores despite similar self-reported duration of study. PMID:26385285

  13. Activated Sludge. Student Manual. Biological Treatment Process Control.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boe, Owen K.; Klopping, Paul H.

    This student manual contains the textual material for a seven-lesson unit on activated sludge. Topic areas addressed in the lessons include: (1) activated sludge concepts and components (including aeration tanks, aeration systems, clarifiers, and sludge pumping systems); (2) activated sludge variations and modes; (3) biological nature of activated…

  14. Race and Sex Differences in College Student Physical Activity Correlates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McArthur, Laura H.; Raedeke, Thomas D.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: To assess sex/race differences on psychosocial correlates of physical activity among college students. Methods: Survey research protocol. Results: Students (n = 636) exercised an average of 3.5 days per week, with black females being the least active. Across subgroups, health/fitness was rated as the most important motive for exercise,…

  15. Time Use and Educational Attainment: A Study of Undergraduate Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Etcheverry, Emily J.; And Others

    1993-01-01

    A Canadian university study of 308 students' time use in academic areas used a model relating variables of social background, social psychological characteristics, time use, and educational attainment. Findings suggested that, taking into account these other variables, the time students spend on academic activities and paid employment has little…

  16. Using Computer Animation and Illustration Activities to Improve High School Students' Achievement in Molecular Genetics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rotbain, Yosi; Stavy, Ruth

    2008-01-01

    Our main goal in this study was to determine whether the use of computer animation and illustration activities in high school can contribute to student achievement in molecular genetics. Three comparable groups of eleventh- and twelfth-grade students participated: the control group (116 students) was taught in the traditional lecture format,…

  17. College Students' Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life: An Achievement Goal Perspective.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Tao; Xiang, Ping; Gu, Xiangli; Rose, Melanie

    2016-06-01

    The 2 × 2 achievement goal model, including the mastery-approach, mastery-avoidance, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goal orientations, has recently been used to explain motivational outcomes in physical activity. This study attempted to examine the relationships among 2 × 2 achievement goal orientations, physical activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in college students. Participants were 325 students (130 men and 195 women; Mage = 21.4 years) enrolled in physical activity classes at a Southern university. They completed surveys validated in previous research assessing achievement goal orientations, physical activity, and HRQOL. Path analyses revealed a good fit between the model and data (root mean square error of approximation = .06; Comparative Fit Index = .99; Bentler-Bonett Nonnormed Fit Index = .98; Incremental Fit Index = .99), but the model explained small variances in the current study. Mastery-approach and performance-approach goal orientations only had low or no relationships with physical activity. Mastery-approach goal orientation and physical activity also had low positive relationships with HRQOL, but mastery-avoidance and performance-avoidance goal orientations had low negative relationships with HRQOL. The hypothesized mediational role of physical activity in the relationship between mastery-approach and performance-approach goal orientations and HRQOL was not supported in this study. Although the data fit the proposed model well, only small variance was explained by the model. The relationship between physical activity and HRQOL of the college students and other related correlates should be further studied.

  18. The Relationship between Leisure Constraints, Constraint Negotiation Strategies and Facilitators with Recreational Sport Activity Participation of College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kocak, Funda

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the constraints in participating the leisure activities for college students, the strategies of negotiation regarding these constraints and the relationship between the facilitators and activity participation. The population of the study consists of currently registered students from Ankara University.…

  19. Lower back and neck pain among dentistry students: a cross-sectional study in dentistry students in Northern Greece.

    PubMed

    Samoladas, Efthimios; Barmpagianni, Christina; Papadopoulos, Dimitrios V; Gelalis, Ioannis D

    2018-03-28

    Dentistry students and dentists comprise a unique group of professionals, whose everyday professional activity requires long hours of standing and working in a position considered unhealthy for the lower back and neck. Our aim was to explore the factors involved in the appearance of low back and neck pain in dentistry students as well as the impact of the pain on the students' professional and everyday activities. A questionnaire was given to all dentistry students of the 4th and 5th year of our university. The questionnaire included 43 questions regarding demographic data, history (spinal injury, other comorbidities), daily activities (exercise, smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption, use of cell phone), professional activities (length and type of dental work), pattern and intensity of pain, and personal pain evaluation. A statistical analysis of the gathered data was performed. All students having suffered a spinal trauma or indicating any other comorbidity that could cause severe pain of the spine were excluded from the study. Fifty-five students (21 male, 34 female) were included. Our data showed that increased alcohol consumption and prolonged use of cell phone were connected to increased levels of pain. The students reported that the most frequent onset of pain was 1 h after starting to work in a standing position, while the majority believed that their working habits were involved in the appearance and the intensity of neck and low-back pain. Our findings indicate that among dentistry students appears to be a causative relationship between their professional activities and the experienced spinal pain. These findings may be useful in a possible future restructuring of the educational program in dental schools, as well as in improving the ergonomics of dentistry working units.

  20. Relationships between physical education students' motivational profiles, enjoyment, state anxiety, and self-reported physical activity.

    PubMed

    Yli-Piipari, Sami; Watt, Anthony; Jaakkola, Timo; Liukkonen, Jarmo; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze motivational profiles based on the self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2000) and how these profiles are related to physical education students' enjoyment, state anxiety, and physical activity. The participants, 429 sixth grade students (girls = 216; boys = 213) completed SMS, Sport Enjoyment Scale, PESAS, and Physical Activity Scale. Cluster analyses identified two motivational profiles: 1) the "High motivation profile", in which the students had high intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and low levels of amotivation, and 2) the "Low motivation profile", in which the students had low intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and low levels of amotivation. The students in the first cluster enjoyed physical education more and were physically more active. The results revealed that students may be motivated towards physical education lessons both intrinsically and extrinsically, and still experience enjoyment in physical education. Key pointsTWO MOTIVATIONAL PROFILES WERE REVEALED: 1) the "High motivation profile", in which the students had high intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and low levels of amotivation, and 2) the "Low motivation profile", in which the students had low intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and low levels of amotivation.The students in the first profile enjoyed physical education more and were physically more active than the students in the second profile.Moreover, the representatives of the "High motivation profile "experienced greater anxiety toward physical education than the representatives of the "Low motivation profile"These findings raised an interesting question whether students engaging in physical education benefit more from the presence of both self-determined and non-self-determined forms of motivation, or are the benefits higher if students are primarily self-determined?

  1. [Effects of social support on the adjustment to extracurricular sports activities among junior high school students].

    PubMed

    Koshi, Ryoko; Sekizawa, Keiko

    2009-10-01

    This study examined the hypothesis that when students received and/or provided either support for skill improvement or support for interpersonal relations, their overall adjustment level in extracurricular activities would be higher than for students who received and/or provided neither support. Data were analyzed from 475 junior high school students (female 175, male 300) who were taking extracurricular sports activities, out of 743 research participants. The results were as follows. Students who received support mainly for skill improvement showed a statistically equivalent adjustment level as students who received support mainly for interpersonal relations. Students who received either support showed higher adjustment levels than students who received neither. Additionally, providing support showed the same results. The exchange of different types of social support showed equivalent effects on the adjustment level as the exchange of the same type of social support. These results suggest that even though the types of social support are different for skill improvement or interpersonal relations, the exchange of support positively contributes to junior high school students' adjustment level in extracurricular activities.

  2. Trans-ACTIONS: Activities for Involving Students with Books.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Los Angeles City Schools, CA. Div. of Instructional Planning and Services.

    Suggestions are given for over 50 activities which secondary students at many levels can use with fiction or non-fiction to provide opportunities to read, relate, reflect, and record their thoughts about a book. The primary goal is to help students gain insight into the literary elements that prompt their responses. Stated objectives for each…

  3. Awareness of knowledge and practice regarding physical activity: A population-based prospective, observational study among students in Nanjing, China

    PubMed Central

    Xiang, Dandan; Wang, Zhiyong; Ye, Qing; Ware, Robert S.

    2017-01-01

    Background Physical activity (PA) promotion has proven effectiveness in preventing childhood obesity. Increasing children’s health knowledge is the most frequently used approach in PA intervention programs targeting childhood obesity prevention. However, little is known about the specific association between the change in a child’s knowledge awareness and their PA practice. Methods A one-year follow-up study was conducted among primary and junior high school students in Nanjing, China. At baseline students’ knowledge of healthy behavior, and their PA levels, were assessed. Students who were unaware of the association between PA and obesity were followed for one academic year. After nine-months their knowledge and PA levels were re-measured using the same validated questionnaire. Mixed effects regression models were used to estimate the relationship between awareness of knowledge about the link between PA and obesity and PA changes. Results Of the 1899 students who were unaware of the association between PA and obesity at baseline, 1859 (follow-up rate = 97.9%) were successfully followed-up. After nine months 1318 (70.9%) participants had become aware of PA-obesity association. Compared to their counterparts who remained unaware, students who became aware of the PA-obesity association were more likely to increase both the frequency (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.09, 1.64) and duration (OR = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.09, 1.65) of PA, after adjusting for potentially confounding variables. Conclusion Becoming aware of the known link between PA and obesity led to positive behavior modification regarding PA in this cohort of Chinese students. This is of particular importance that knowledge disimination and health education may be a useful approach for population-based physical activity promotion aiming at childhood obesity prevention in China. PMID:28622354

  4. Relations between the school physical environment and school social capital with student physical activity levels

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The physical and social environments at schools are related to students’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels. The purpose of this study was to explore the interactive effects of the school physical environment and school social capital on the MVPA of students while at school. Methods Data from 18,875 grade 6–10 students from 331 schools who participated in the 2009/10 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey were analyzed using multi-level regression. Students answered questions on the amount of time they spend in MVPA at school and on their school’s social capital. Administrator reports were used to create a physical activity related physical environment score. Results The school physical environment score was positively associated with student MVPA at school (β = 0.040, p < .005). The association between the school social capital and MVPA was also positive (β = 0.074, p < .001). The difference in physical environments equated to about 20 minutes/week of MVPA for students attending schools with the lowest number of physical environment features and about 40 minutes/week for students attending schools with the lowest school social capital scores by comparison to students attending schools with the highest scores. Conclusions The findings suggest that school social capital may be a more important factor in increasing students MVPA than the school physical environment. The results of this study may help inform interventions aimed at increasing student physical activity levels. PMID:24341628

  5. Classroom Environment and Student Outcomes among Students Using Anthropometry Activities in High-School Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lightburn, Millard E.; Fraser, Barry J.

    2007-01-01

    The main purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of anthropometric activities among a sample of 761 high-school biology students in terms of student outcomes (achievement and attitudes) and classroom environment (assessed with the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory, SLEI). Data analyses supported the SLEI's factorial validity,…

  6. Curricular and extracurricular activities of medical students during war, Zagreb University School of Medicine, 1991-1995.

    PubMed

    Gluncić, V; Pulanić, D; Prka, M; Marusíc, A; Marusíc, M

    2001-01-01

    War, as a major human disaster, affects many aspects of life, including medical education. This report describes curricular and extracurricular activities of the students at the Zagreb University School of Medicine during the wars in Croatia and neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although condensed versions of the curricula were prepared in case of a major breakdown in civilian life, the school maintained the continuity and quality of its curriculum throughout the war. Students engaged in extracurricular activities related to medical aspects of the war, including organization of resuscitation and first aid courses, collecting medical documentation on war victims, humanitarian help to refugees, and peace-promoting activities. Some students joined mobile surgical teams on the battlefronts. After army service, most of them returned to the school and successfully continued with their studies. The school also accepted guest-students from other new states emerged from former Yugoslavia. The authors found that the students' engagement in extracurricular activities related to medicine was enormously beneficial both to the psychological well-being of the students and to the region's peace-building efforts.

  7. A Survey of Students' Experiences on Collaborative Virtual Learning Activities Based on Five-Stage Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karaman, M. Kemal; Özen, Sevil Orhan

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to design collaborative virtual learning (CVL) activities by using a five-stage model (FSM) and survey of students' experiences. The study group consisted of 14 voluntary students in the Turkish Teaching Department. In this case study, data were collected through observations, recordings in Second Life (SL) and interviews.…

  8. Student-led objective tutorials in Pharmacology: An interventional study.

    PubMed

    Sukhlecha, Anupama; Jadav, Shilpa P; Gosai, Tushar R; Balusamy, Divakar

    2016-10-01

    Students learn in a better way if they are involved in active learning. Hence, the study was designed to introduce student-led objective tutorials (SLOTs) as an alternative to conventional tutorials (CTs) in pharmacology and to compare SLOT and CT on outcomes such as improved score in tests, active involvement of students, and faculty requirement of each. Didactic lectures taken on a topic in pharmacology were followed by a preintervention test for a batch of the 2 nd year medical undergraduates. They were allotted either in SLOT or CT group. For a SLOT session, students of Group A (interventional group) were divided into teams and each team prepared five multiple choice questions on the given topic in PowerPoint format, which were presented to other teams and audience. The proceedings were facilitated by two lecturers. Group B undertook CT (controls). A postintervention test was then taken for both groups. Feedback was sought from students and teachers on SLOT. The total marks for the test were 20. The mean marks in Group A improved by 31% (from 5.1 to 11.2). In Group B, they improved by 11% (from 5 to 7.2). Academic performance following SLOT was better than CT. Students (63%) favored SLOT as it stimulated their interest in the topic, improved self-learning skills, and teamwork. The teachers also favored SLOT for similar reasons. SLOT leads to greater satisfaction and better performance in tests. SLOT is an effective alternative to CT to promote active learning among students through group work. It helps overcome the logistic difficulties due to faculty shortage.

  9. "Bringing Life to Learning": A Study of Active Learning in Hospitality Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chau, Salott; Cheung, Catherine

    2017-01-01

    Active learning connects students to the real life situations they will encounter in their future jobs. In hospitality education, active learning implements various lively, fun activities to introduce practical scenarios students may experience in their hospitality careers. This study identifies 18 essential active-learning items of hospitality…

  10. Student-Generated Questioning Activity in Second Language Courses Using a Customized Personal Response System: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Song, Donggil; Oh, Eun Young; Glazewski, Krista

    2017-01-01

    This case study reports on the implementation of student-generated questioning using a customized personal response system (PRS) by two groups of students in second language (L2) courses at a university in the United States. This study aimed to understand more about instructor and student experience with student-generated questioning for promoting…

  11. A Study of Female Students' Perceptions of the Barriers to Participate in Physical and Sports Activities at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Tawel, Adnan M.; AlJa'afreh, Ibraheem A.

    2017-01-01

    The study aimed to examine the perceived barriers to participate in physical and sports activities among female university students as well as the potential differences of their perceptions of the barriers based on their academic discipline, academic year, and Grade Point Average (GPA) level. The participants in this study were 221 female students…

  12. Bringing Students into a Discipline: Reflections on a Travel Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chernega, Jennifer Nargang; Osgood, Aurea K.

    2012-01-01

    This commentary describes a two-week domestic travel study course for undergraduate sociology students designed to introduce students to the practice of social research and to the larger discipline of sociology. We arranged activities, presentations, and experiences in Chicago and Washington, DC. In this article, we outline the relevant parts of…

  13. Relationship between admission data and pharmacy student involvement in extracurricular activities.

    PubMed

    Kiersma, Mary E; Plake, Kimberly S; Mason, Holly L

    2011-10-10

    To assess pharmacy student involvement in leadership and service roles and to evaluate the association between admissions data and student involvement. Doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students were invited to complete a 56-item online survey instrument containing questions regarding leadership and service involvement, work experiences, perceived contribution of involvement to skill development, and perceived importance of involvement. Responses were linked to admissions data to identify possible associations. Five hundred fourteen (82.4%) pharmacy students completed the survey instrument. Students with higher admissions application and interview scores were more likely to be involved in organizations and hold leadership roles, while students with higher admissions grade point averages were less likely to be involved in organizations and leadership roles. Assessing students' involvement in leadership and service roles can assist in the evaluation of students' leadership skills and lead to modification of curricular and co-curricular activities to provide development opportunities. Student involvement in extracurricular activities may encourage future involvement in and commitment to the pharmacy profession.

  14. Perceived Barriers by University Students in the Practice of Physical Activities

    PubMed Central

    Gómez-López, Manuel; Gallegos, Antonio Granero; Extremera, Antonio Baena

    2010-01-01

    The main goal of this research is to study in detail the main characteristics of university students in order to find out the reasons why they have adopted an inactive lifestyle. In order to do so, a questionnaire on the analysis of sports habits and lifestyle was given to 323 students. They were taken from a representative sample of 1834 students. These 323 students had pointed out at the moment of the fieldwork, not having practiced any sport in their spare time. Our findings point out that there are diverse reasons for this. On one hand, reasons referred to as external barriers such as lack of time, on the other hand, internal barriers such as not liking the physical activity, not seeing its practicality or usefulness, feeling lazy or with apathy, or thinking that they are not competent in this type of activities. Other reasons such as the lack of social support are grouped within the external barriers. Finally, it is important to stress that there are also differences based on gender with respect to motivation. Key points External barriers prevail in university students. The lack of time is among the most highlighted ones. Statistically significant results have been found regarding the gender variable. The results are very important since they are considered to be valuable information for university institutions when guiding and diversifying their offer of physical and sport activities. Also as a guide in the design of support policies and national sport management guidelines. PMID:24149629

  15. Pedagogical Distance: Explaining Misalignment in Student-Driven Online Learning Activities Using Activity Theory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westberry, Nicola; Franken, Margaret

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides an Activity Theory analysis of two online student-driven interactive learning activities to interrogate assumptions that such groups can effectively learn in the absence of the teacher. Such an analysis conceptualises learning tasks as constructed objects that drive pedagogical activity. The analysis shows a disconnect between…

  16. Elite Dental Students: a Cross-Sectional Study on Different Aspects of Their Life-Style.

    PubMed

    Zafarmand, Abdolhamid; Asvar, Maryam

    2017-12-01

    Lifestyle has a key role in having a life with quality. This is much more critical in academic community. Elite students are the scientific capital of each community; therefore, improvement of their life-style is a very crucial issue and is a way of esteeming them. This study was aimed to scrutinize the life-style of elite dental students to provide a guideline for healthy life-style for their own and for other students, as well. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out on 115 Elite dental students, from a list 175 students, based upon their interest. The HPLP-II questionnaire was used which focuses on 6 behavioral fields: Spiritual Growth, Interpersonal Relations, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Health Responsibility, and Stress Management. The results also compared genders and marital status within the study group. The elite dental students were categorized in 3 age groups as 19≥ yrs (Group I), 20-22 yrs (Group II), and 23≤ yrs. (Group III) for comparison. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Tukey's test. The mean score of the HPLP-II questionnaire was 2.51±0.27 (out of score 4). Spiritual growth (2.85±0.42) and physical activity (2.16±0.58) were the highest and the lowest scores, respectively. Physical activity was the only subscale different between genders ( p = 0.000). Marital status had not effect on life-style of students. Between the age groups, the physical activity was significantly different between group I and II (0.002). Elite dental students' life-style is most prominent in spiritual growth and interpersonal relationships dimensions, but is the weakest in physical activity and health responsibility behavioral attitudes. To improve the talent of all students, interventional workshops/courses aiming at modification and promotion of students' lifestyle is recommendable in the curriculum.

  17. Worth It? Findings from a Study of How Academics Assess Students' Web 2.0 Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gray, Kathleen; Waycott, Jenny; Clerehan, Rosemary; Hamilton, Margaret; Richardson, Joan; Sheard, Judithe; Thompson, Celia

    2012-01-01

    Educational commentators have offered many pedagogical rationales for using Web 2.0 to support learning in higher education, and academics are being encouraged to find ways for their students to use social web technologies. Questions arise as to the value of these activities compared to more conventional assignments, and whether implementing such…

  18. Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study: protocol for a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Mandic, Sandra; Williams, John; Moore, Antoni; Hopkins, Debbie; Flaherty, Charlotte; Wilson, Gordon; García Bengoechea, Enrique; Spence, John C

    2016-05-24

    Active transport to school (ATS) is a convenient way to increase physical activity and undertake an environmentally sustainable travel practice. The Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Study examines ATS in adolescents in Dunedin, New Zealand, using ecological models for active transport that account for individual, social, environmental and policy factors. The study objectives are to: (1) understand the reasons behind adolescents and their parents' choice of transport mode to school; (2) examine the interaction between the transport choices, built environment, physical activity and weight status in adolescents; and (3) identify policies that promote or hinder ATS in adolescents. The study will use a mixed-method approach incorporating both quantitative (surveys, anthropometry, accelerometers, Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis, mapping) and qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews) to gather data from students, parents, teachers and school principals. The core data will include accelerometer-measured physical activity, anthropometry, GIS measures of the built environment and the use of maps indicating route to school (students)/work (parents) and perceived safe/unsafe areas along the route. To provide comprehensive data for understanding how to change the infrastructure to support ATS, the study will also examine complementary variables such as individual, family and social factors, including student and parental perceptions of walking and cycling to school, parental perceptions of different modes of transport to school, perceptions of the neighbourhood environment, route to school (students)/work (parents), perceptions of driving, use of information communication technology, reasons for choosing a particular school and student and parental physical activity habits, screen time and weight status. The study has achieved a 100% school recruitment rate (12 secondary schools). The study has been approved by the University of Otago

  19. Implementing an Active Learning Environment to Influence Students' Motivation in Biochemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cicuto, Camila Aparecida Tolentino; Torres, Bayardo Baptista

    2016-01-01

    The Biochemistry: Biomolecules Structure and Metabolism course's goal is to promote meaningful learning through an active learning environment. Thus, study periods (SP) and discussion groups (DG) are used as a substitute for lecture classes. The goal of this study was to evaluate how this learning environment influences students' motivation (n =…

  20. The Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Healthy Life-Style Behaviors of Distance Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özkan, Ali

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between physical activity levels and healthy life-style behaviors in distance education students in Hoca Ahmet Yesevi University. In total, 526 distance education students in Hoca Ahmet Yesevi University participated in this study voluntarily. The short form of International Physical…