Sample records for factors affecting student

  1. Factors affecting assertiveness among student nurses.

    PubMed

    Ibrahim, Sanaa Abd El Azim

    2011-05-01

    This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting assertiveness among student nurses. The study was carried out at Faculty of Nursing, Port-Said University, on 207 student nurses from four different grades. Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, consisted of 30 items, was used to measure the students' assertiveness level and a 12-item scale developed by Spreitzer was used to measure students' psychological empowerment. The study results showed that 60.4% of the students were assertive, while about half of the students were empowered. A positive relation between student assertiveness and psychological empowerment was detected. Moreover, positive relations regarding family income and students' assertiveness and psychological empowerment were determined. The study recommended introduction of specific courses aiming at enhancing the acquisition of assertiveness skills, in addition, nurse educators must motivate their students to express their opinion and personal rights and also they must pay attention for students' empowerment and enhance students' autonomy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students. PMID:26549046

  3. Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

  4. Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

    2015-01-01

    Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

  5. An Analysis of Factors That Affect the Educational Performance of Agricultural Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenway, Gina

    2012-01-01

    Many factors contribute to student achievement. This study focuses on three areas: how students learn, how student personality type affects performance, and how course format affects performance outcomes. The analysis sought to improve understanding of the direction and magnitude with which each of these factors impacts student success. Improved…

  6. Factors Affecting Students' Grades in Principles of Economics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kara, Orhan; Bagheri, Fathollah; Tolin, Thomas

    2009-01-01

    Factors affecting students' grades in principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics students are analyzed from the data collected in two public universities. Results indicate that gender, number of hours worked, SAT scores, number of missed classes, recommending the course to a friend, instructors, being a junior, number of economics courses…

  7. The key factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheung, Derek

    2018-01-01

    Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The present study aimed to address this gap, using a mixed methods design. Qualitative interview data were collected from 60 Hong Kong junior secondary school students, who were asked to describe the nature of their interest in science lessons and the factors to which they attribute this. Teacher interviews, parent interviews, and classroom observations were conducted to triangulate student interview data. Five factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons were identified: situational influences in science lessons, individual interest in science, science self-concept, grade level, and gender. Quantitative data were then collected from 591 students using a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to test a hypothesised model, which provided an acceptable fit to the student data. The strongest factor affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons was science self-concept, followed by individual interest in science and situational influences in science lessons. Grade level and gender were found to be nonsignificant factors. These findings suggest that teachers should pay special attention to the association between academic self-concept and interest if they want to motivate students to learn science at school.

  8. Investigation of Factors Affecting Students' Science Achievement According to Student Science Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatar, Erdal; Tüysüz, Cengiz; Tosun, Cemal; Ilhan, Nail

    2016-01-01

    In this study, it was aimed to investigate the factors affecting students' science achievement according to student science teachers. The survey model which is one of the quantitative research methods was used. The sample was consisted of total 606 student science teachers from four state universities in Turkey. The data were obtained by using the…

  9. Factors Affecting Business Students' Performance: The Case of Students in United Arab Emirates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harb, Nasri; El-Shaarawi, Ahmed

    2007-01-01

    In this study, the authors found that the most important factor that affected student performance was their competence in speaking English. The sample was a group of 864 business and economics students in United Arab Emirates. The authors used regression analysis for the study. The results of the study showed that students who participated in…

  10. Factors Affecting Performance of Undergraduate Students in Construction Related Disciplines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2016-01-01

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

  11. Factor affecting happiness among nursing students in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Jun, W H; Jo, M J

    2016-08-01

    WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Despite the increased interest in nursing students' happiness in South Korea, few studies have attempted to identify factors influencing their happiness. Therefore, nursing educators should consistently investigate the factors influencing happiness and develop strategies to improve happiness among Korean nursing students. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study confirmed that there were positive correlations between grateful disposition, social support and happiness. In addition, grateful disposition and support from intimate people were identified as predictors of happiness in Korean nursing students. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Development of intervention programmes to help nursing students increase grateful disposition and support from intimate people may be helpful for improving happiness. These programmes can include activity, such as writing a gratitude journal, and extracurricular programmes, such as mentoring programmes between seniors and juniors and/or professor and student. Introduction Happiness is very important in the training and development of nursing students as future nurses. However, nursing students experience a high level of stress and low level of happiness in South Korea. Aim This study aimed to investigate factors that affect happiness among nursing students in South Korea. Method Data were collected from a total of 241 nursing enrolled in two 4-year baccalaureate nursing programmes in South Korea, using a self-administrated questionnaire. To identify predictors of happiness, stepwise regression analysis was conducted. Results The results indicated that grateful disposition and support from intimate people significantly predict happiness among Korean nursing students. These two factors accounted for 38.0% of the variance in happiness. Discussion This study indicated grateful disposition and support from intimate people as factors promoting happiness in nursing students. The findings

  12. Factors That Affect the Academic Success of Foreign Students at Cardinal Stritch University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Annor, Peter

    2010-01-01

    There are limited studies in the literature on the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students in the United States. This ex post facto mixed method study investigated the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students at Cardinal Stitch University (CSU), a medium size, private university located in the Midwestern…

  13. Factors Affecting Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes among Lebanese College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oweini, Ahmad; Houri, Ahmad

    2006-01-01

    This exploratory study aimed at assessing the variables that would positively affect the knowledge and attitude of a group of Lebanese college students regarding the environment, namely such factors as gender, age, previous hiking experience and living abroad. A purposeful sample of students attending the Lebanese American University, was asked to…

  14. The Perspective of Gozitan Teachers on Factors Affecting Students' Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xuereb, Lorna; De Giovanni, Katya Sarah

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at exploring the impact of factors at pupil, teacher and school levels on students? academic achievement. Moreover, the main purpose was that of investigating which one of the three levels is most likely to affect students? educational accomplishment. A questionnaire was administered to 100 Gozitan teachers. Results were analysed…

  15. Looking under the Bonnet: Factors Affecting Student Adoption of E-Learning Systems in Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbad, Muneer Mahmood; Morris, David; de Nahlik, Carmel

    2009-01-01

    The primary questions addressed in this paper are the following: what are the factors that affect students' adoption of an e-learning system and what are the relationships among these factors? This paper investigates and identifies some of the major factors affecting students' adoption of an e-learning system in a university in Jordan. E-learning…

  16. Institutional and Managerial Factors Affecting International Student Recruitment Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ross, Mitchell; Heaney, Joo-Gim; Cooper, Maxine

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate international student recruitment from an institutional perspective and to consider institutional factors that may affect recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study is undertaken in which education marketing practitioners are interviewed regarding aspects of international…

  17. Factors Affecting the Interest of Israeli Social Work Students in Working with Different Client Groups

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krumer-Nevo, Michal; Weiss, Idit

    2006-01-01

    Employing a large-scale sample of 521 BSW students from 4 Israeli schools of social work, this research examines the factors affecting social work students' interest in working with a wide range of client groups. The results suggest that student interest in working with specific client groups is affected by factors related to desire for…

  18. Individual and School Factors Affecting Students' Participation and Success in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shulruf, Boaz; Hattie, John; Tumen, Sarah

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify school factors that affect students' achievements at the secondary and tertiary levels of education. The analysis included data of 9,894 students who studied in Auckland regional secondary schools in 2004. The results indicate that, although student demographic characteristics are associated with students'…

  19. Factors Affecting Student Retention in Online Courses: Overcoming This Critical Problem

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaytan, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine what a panel of 15 experts would identify as critical factors affecting student retention in online courses that will serve as implications for educational leaders to guide their student retention strategies, online organizational structures, institutional policies, and online instructional activities. A…

  20. Factors Affecting the Happiness of Urban Elementary School Students: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tenney, Jodiann K.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this transformative mixed methods study was to examine the school happiness of upper elementary students in three Connecticut urban demonstration schools. The study examined the differences in students' happiness based on ethnicity, gender, and their interaction. It also investigated the factors that affect students' happiness in…

  1. Factors Affecting University Students' Intention to Use Cloud Computing in Jordan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rababah, Khalid Ali; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Nassar, Bilal

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the factors affecting students' intention to use cloud computing in the Jordanian universities. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative research approach which is a survey-based was deployed. Around 400 questionnaires were distributed randomly to Information Technology (IT) students at four universities in…

  2. A Study of Students' Attitude toward Teachers' Affective Factors in EFL Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ranjbar, Nahid Amini; Narafshan, Mehry Haddad

    2016-01-01

    In any teaching-learning situation, teacher plays a significant role in the classroom. This study aimed at investigating the students' attitude toward teachers' affective factors in EFL classrooms. In this study, the students' population was 300 pre-intermediate (based on the institutes' placement test) female EFL students (10 to 25 years old) in…

  3. Factors Affecting the Communication Competence in Iranian Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study

    PubMed Central

    Jouzi, Mina; Vanaki, Zohreh; Mohammadi, Easa

    2015-01-01

    Background: Communication competence in nursing students is one of the nursing education requirements, especially during the internship period, the final stage of the bachelor nursing education in Iran. Several factors can influence this competence and identifying them could help provide safe care by nursing students in the future. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate factors that influence nursing students' communication competence. Patients and Methods: A purposeful sampling technique was used to select 18 nursing students who had completed their internship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were analyzed by the conventional qualitative content analysis method. Results: After data analysis, three main categories were achieved: organizational factors, humanistic factors and socio-cultural factors. The main and latent theme that affected the students' communication competence was not being accepted as a caregiver in the clinical environment. Conclusions: With regards to students not being accepted in health care environments, it is recommended to plan special programs for empowering students to acquire better social state and acceptance by the health care team. PMID:26019902

  4. Motivating Factors that Affect Enrolment and Student Performance in an ODL Engineering Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dadigamuwa, P. R.; Senanayake, Samans

    2012-01-01

    The present study was carried out to determine the motivating factors for enrolling in an engineering study programme in open and distance learning (ODL) and the factors that affect the students' performance. The study was conducted with two convenient samples of students following distance learning courses in engineering technology, conducted by…

  5. Factors Affecting Career Decision Making of Mexican and Mexican-American Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newlon, Betty J.; Borboa, Roman

    The purpose of this research was to identify the self-reported factors affecting the career decision making of Mexican and Mexican-American students. It was hypothesized that the factor clusters would differ between the two sample populations, Mexican and Mexican-American. It was also hypothesized that these clusters would differ from six clusters…

  6. Psychosocial Factors Affecting Smartphone Addiction in University Students.

    PubMed

    Aker, Servet; Şahin, Mustafa Kürşat; Sezgin, Serap; Oğuz, Gülay

    Smartphone addiction is a recent concern that has resulted from the dramatic increase in worldwide smartphone use. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate psychosocial factors affecting smartphone addiction in university students. The study was performed among students at the Ondokuz Mayis University Samsun School of Health (Samsun, Turkey) on October-December 2015. Four hundred ninety-four students possessing smartphones and agreeing to participate were included. A sociodemographic data form produced by the authors and consisting of 10 questions was administered together with a questionnaire involving the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), the Flourishing Scale, the General Health Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The questionnaires were applied in a class environment at face-to-face interviews. SAS-SV scores of 6.47% of students were "significantly higher" than the participating group mean SAS-SV score. Multiple regression analysis revealed that depression, anxiety and insomnia, and familial social support statistically, significantly predicted smartphone addiction. Further studies of smartphone addiction in different age groups and with different educational levels are now needed.

  7. Factors affecting student success in a first-year mathematics course: a South African experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kizito, Rita; Munyakazi, Justin; Basuayi, Clement

    2016-01-01

    In spite of sustained efforts tertiary institutions implement to try and improve student academic performance, the number of students succeeding in first-year mathematics courses remains disturbingly low. For most students, the gap between their mathematical capability and the competencies they are expected and need to develop to function effectively in these courses persists even after course instruction. In this study, an instrument for identifying and examining factors affecting student performance and success in a first-year Mathematics university course was developed and administered to 86 students. The overall Cronbach's Alpha coefficient for the questionnaire was found to be 0.916. Having identified variables from prior research known to affect student performance, factor analysis was used to identify variables exhibiting the greatest impact on student performance. The variables included prior academic knowledge, workload, student approaches to learning, assessment, student support teaching quality, methods and resources. From the analysis, students' perceptions of their workload emerged as the factor having the greatest impact on student's performance, followed by the matriculation examination score. The findings are discussed and strategies that can be used to improve teaching and contribute to student success in a first-year mathematics course in a South African context are presented.

  8. Factors Affecting Differential Equation Problem Solving Ability of Students at Pre-University Level: A Conceptual Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aisha, Bibi; Zamri, Sharifa NorulAkmar Syed; Abdallah, Nabeel; Abedalaziz, Mohammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Satti, Umbreen

    2017-01-01

    In this study, different factors affecting students' differential equations (DEs) solving abilities were explored at pre university level. To explore main factors affecting students' differential equations problem solving ability, articles for a 19-year period, from 1996 to 2015, were critically reviewed and analyzed. It was revealed that…

  9. Social-Motivational Factors Affecting Business Students' Cheating Behavior in Hong Kong and China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsui, Anna Po Yung; Ngo, Hang-Yue

    2016-01-01

    The authors examined how three social-motivational factors--approachability of teacher, relationship goal of students, and perception of cheating norms--affect the cheating behavior of business students in China and Hong Kong. It was found that the relationship goal of students and perceived cheating norms were significant predictors of their…

  10. Dynamic Synchronization of Teacher-Students Affection in Affective Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Wenhai; Lu, Jiamei

    2011-01-01

    Based on Bower's affective network theory, the article links the dynamic analysis of affective factors in affective instruction, and presents affective instruction strategic of dynamic synchronization between teacher and students to implement the best ideal mood that promotes students' cognition and affection together. In the process of teaching,…

  11. Intrinsic Factors Affecting Overseas Student Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Firmin, Michael W.; MacKay, Brenda B.; Firmin, Ruth L.

    2007-01-01

    We conducted a qualitative research study involving 13 undergraduate students who completed their student-teaching in overseas contexts. Participants completed two waves of interviews immediately after returning to campus from their multicultural experiences. Three intrinsic factors were found to have the greatest impact on students' overseas…

  12. Factors That Affect Students' Capacity to Fulfill the Role of Online Learner

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comer, Debra R.; Lenaghan, Janet A.; Sengupta, Kaushik

    2015-01-01

    Because most undergraduate students are digital natives, it is widely believed that they will succeed in online courses. But factors other than technology also affect students' ability to fulfill the role of online learner. Self-reported data from a sample of more than 200 undergraduates across multiple online courses indicate that students…

  13. The Key Factors Affecting Students' Individual Interest in School Science Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheung, Derek

    2018-01-01

    Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The…

  14. Factors Affecting the Effectiveness and Use of Moodle: Students' Perception

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Damnjanovic, Vesna; Jednak, Sandra; Mijatovic, Ivana

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research paper is to identify the factors affecting the effectiveness of Moodle from the students' perspective. The research hypotheses derived from the suggested extended Seddon model have been empirically validated using the responses to a survey on e-learning usage among 255 users. We tested the model across higher education…

  15. Factors that affect academic performance among pharmacy students.

    PubMed

    Sansgiry, Sujit S; Bhosle, Monali; Sail, Kavita

    2006-10-15

    The objective of this study was to examine factors such as academic competence, test competence, time management, strategic studying, and test anxiety, and identify whether these factors could distinguish differences among students, based on academic performance and enrollment in the experiential program. A cross-sectional study design utilizing questionnaires measuring previously validated constructs was used to evaluate the effect of these factors on students with low and high cumulative grade point averages (GPAs). Pharmacy students (N = 198) enrolled at the University of Houston participated in the study. Academic performance was significantly associated with factors such as academic competence and test competence. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater significantly differed in their level of test competence than those with a GPA of less than 3.0. Students enrolled in their experiential year differed from students enrolled in their second year of curriculum on factors such as test anxiety, academic competence, test competence, and time management skills. Test competence was an important factor to distinguish students with low vs. high academic performance. Factors such as academic competence, test competence, test anxiety and time management improve as students' progress in their experiential year.

  16. Factors That Affect Academic Performance Among Pharmacy Students

    PubMed Central

    Sansgiry, Sujit S.; Bhosle, Monali; Sail, Kavita

    2006-01-01

    Objective The objective of this study was to examine factors such as academic competence, test competence, time management, strategic studying, and test anxiety, and identify whether these factors could distinguish differences among students, based on academic performance and enrollment in the experiential program. Methods A cross-sectional study design utilizing questionnaires measuring previously validated constructs was used to evaluate the effect of these factors on students with low and high cumulative grade point averages (GPAs). Pharmacy students (N = 198) enrolled at the University of Houston participated in the study. Results Academic performance was significantly associated with factors such as academic competence and test competence. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater significantly differed in their level of test competence than those with a GPA of less than 3.0. Students enrolled in their experiential year differed from students enrolled in their second year of curriculum on factors such as test anxiety, academic competence, test competence, and time management skills. Conclusion Test competence was an important factor to distinguish students with low vs. high academic performance. Factors such as academic competence, test competence, test anxiety and time management improve as students' progress in their experiential year. PMID:17149433

  17. Factors Affecting the Academic and Cultural Adjustment of Saudi International Students in Australian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alsahafi, Nisreen; Shin, Seong-Chul

    2017-01-01

    The authors investigate factors affecting Saudi students' educational experiences in Australian universities and their adjustment issues. The data comes from the survey of 100 Saudi international students in Sydney and subsequent interviews. The analysis revealed that language proficiency is the main barrier to Saudi students' academic and social…

  18. Factors Affecting Retention of First-Year Certificate and Diploma Students. SIAST Retention Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarkar, Gerlinde

    In fall 1991, the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), conducted a study to determine factors affecting retention and to identify students facing higher risk of non-completion. Specifically, the study sought to determine the effects of selected student characteristics and attitudes, as well as labor market conditions,…

  19. Factors Affecting Career Choice among Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stone, Larissa; Pellowski, Mark W.

    2016-01-01

    This investigation assessed the factors affecting career choice among 474 current undergraduate and graduate speech-language pathology and audiology students (from four universities). A 14-item questionnaire was developed that included questions related to general influence of career choice and whether or not the participants had previously been,…

  20. Influential Factors That Affect Retention and Language Acquisition in Beginning ESL Adults Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodriguez-Garcia, Luis Manuel

    2014-01-01

    This study explored the problem of student attrition in beginning courses of an Intensive English Program (IEP) that may affect the sustainability of the IEP. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of continuing students and the factors that influenced their motivation and engagement to persist studying in the IEP.…

  1. Factors affecting UK medical students' decision to train in urology: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Jayakumar, Nithish; Ahmed, Kamran; Challacombe, Ben

    2016-10-01

    Our aim was to understand the specific factors which influence medical students' choice to train in urology, in order to attract the best and the brightest into the specialty during a challenging time for surgical training in the United Kingdom A cross-sectional web-based survey was generated to evaluate: 1) perceptions of urology; 2) attitudes about urology as a career; 3) exposure to urology at medical school; and 4) proficiency in common urological procedures. The survey was sent to all 33 medical schools in the UK and advertised to all medical students. The survey received 488 responses were received from 14 medical schools; 59.8% of respondents did not consider a career in urology. Factors affecting a career choice in urology included: 1) year of study; 2) male gender; 3) favorable perceptions of urology; 4) favorable attitudes about urology as a career; 5) more hours of urology teaching in preclinical years; 6) attendance at urology theatre sessions; 7) confidence in performing urological procedures; and 8) more attempts at male catheterization. The commonest reason for not considering urology was inadequate exposure to urology. Students in Year 3 were more likely to consider urology than final-year students, due to multifactorial reasons. Year of study is a novel factor affecting students' consideration of urology as a career. This paper clearly shows that early and sustained exposure to urology positively correlated with considering a career in urology. Urologists must be more active in promoting the specialty to medical students.

  2. Factors Affecting Retention of New Students in Their First Semester: Fall 1992 Cohort.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birdsall, Les

    To determine factors affecting new students in their first semester, a study was conducted at Diablo Valley College, in California, to draw a profile and track 4,251 students who applied or were identified as new in fall 1992. Percentage distributions were calculated for the sample and for the sub-groups who applied only, completed testing only,…

  3. The Factors Affecting the Intercultural Sensitivity Perception Level of Psychological Counseling and Guidance Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tuncel, Ibrahim; Aricioglu, Ahu

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting the intercultural sensitivity perception levels of Psychological Counseling and Guidance students. This study was conducted in Pamukkale University which is located in the western part of Turkey. Data were gathered from 524 freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior students who are…

  4. Influence of Students' Affective and Conative Factors on Laboratory Learning: Moderating Effect of Online Social Network Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Wu-Yuin; Kongcharoen, Chaknarin; Ghinea, Gheorghita

    2017-01-01

    According to aptitude theory, the measures of aptitude include not only cognitive factors but also affective factors (i.e., emotions) and conative factors (i.e., motivation) that can influence students' learning achievement (LA). Therefore, this study employed structural equation modelling from experimental data of 96 college students to…

  5. Factors Affecting Literacy Achievement of Eighth Grade Middle School Instrumental Music Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kurt, Johnny T.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this pretest-posttest comparative efficacy study was to analyze factors affecting literacy achievement of eighth grade middle school instrumental music students (n = 38) including (a) socioeconomic status (SES), (b) gender, (c) grade point average (GPA), (d) music motivation, (e) music involvement, and (f) instrument section. The…

  6. Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions regarding factors that affect math abilities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pyo, Katrina A.

    2011-07-01

    A review of the nursing literature reveals many undergraduate nursing students lack proficiency with basic mathematical skills, those necessary for safe medication preparation and administration. Few studies exploring the phenomenon from the undergraduate nursing student perspective are reported in the nursing literature. The purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions of math abilities, factors that affect math abilities, the use of math in nursing, and the extent to which specific math skills were addressed throughout a nursing curriculum. Polya’s Model for Problem Solving and the Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Affective Domain served as the theoretical background for the study. Qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to obtain data from a purposive sample of undergraduate nursing students from a private university in western Pennsylvania. Participants were selected based on the proficiency level with math skills, as determined by a score on the Elsevier’s HESI™ Admission Assessment (A2) Exam, Math Portion. Ten students from the “Excellent” benchmark group and eleven students from the “Needing Additional Assistance or Improvement” benchmark group participated in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews, and completed a 25-item, 4-point Likert scale survey that rated confidence levels with specific math skills and the extent to which these skills were perceived to be addressed in the nursing curriculum. Responses from the two benchmark groups were compared and contrasted. Eight themes emerged from the qualitative data. Findings related to mathematical approach and confidence levels with specific math skills were determined to be statistically significant.

  7. Factors that affect college students' perceptions of rape: what is the role of gender and other situational factors?

    PubMed

    Vandiver, Donna M; Dupalo, Jessica Rager

    2013-05-01

    Prior research has shown that various situational factors and behaviors can affect one's perception of whether a rape has occurred. Moreover, some hold false beliefs about rape. This can also affect one's perception of ambiguous situations. This study included the administration of a survey to 584 college students; the survey examined the prevalence of rape myths and responses to vignettes of potential rape scenarios. It was found that although the majority of this sample did not support rape myths, male students were significantly more likely than female students to support rape myths. Furthermore, approximately 20% of students did support one subscale of the rape myth scale: He didn't mean to [commit rape]. The results also revealed an interaction effect between the observer's sex and the victim's sex, suggesting a complex gender relationship.

  8. Factors affecting aggression in South Korean middle school students.

    PubMed

    Park, MiJeong; Choi, Jihea; Lim, Seung-Joo

    2014-12-01

    The study was undertaken to assess levels of aggression, and to determine factors affecting aggression among South Korean middle school students. A descriptive study was conducted using self-report questionnaires. The participants were 340 girls and boys from two middle schools and 302 questionnaires were used for the final data analysis. Aggression, academic stress, depression, self esteem, decision-making competency, and happiness were measured. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients and multiple regressions. Aggression had significant correlations with academic stress (r = .21, p < .001), depression (r = .43, p < .001), self esteem (r = -.25, p < .001), decision-making competency (r = -.25, p < .001), and happiness (r = -.21, p < .001). Mean score for aggression was 2.49 out of 5. Significant explanatory variables for aggression were grade (t = 4.39, p < .001), academic stress (t = 2.78, p = .006), and depression (t = 5.03, p < .001). The explanatory power of these factors was 26.9%, and this was statistically significant (F = 16.06, p < .001). Findings indicate that depression, academic stress, and grade (second grade) influence aggression. To decrease aggressive behavior, it is necessary to provide systematic and political programs in schools and local communities that can ameliorate negative emotional factors like depression and academic stress. Additionally, development of positive factors such as self esteem, decision-making skills, and happiness in middle school students is important to reduce aggression. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Critical Factors Affecting Students' Satisfaction with Higher Education in Sri Lanka

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weerasinghe, I. M. S.; Fernando, R. L. S.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain critical factors affecting student satisfaction levels in selected state universities in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach: The study has applied an quantitative survey design guided by six hypotheses. A conceptual framework has been developed to address the research questions on the basis of a…

  10. Student and School Factors Affecting Mathematics Achievement: International Comparisons between Korea, Japan and the USA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shin, Jongho; Lee, Hyunjoo; Kim, Yongnam

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to comparatively investigate student- and school-level factors affecting mathematics achievement of Korean, Japanese and American students. For international comparisons, the PISA 2003 data were analysed by using the Hierarchical Linear Modeling method. The variables of competitive-learning preference, instrumental…

  11. Factors Affecting Students' Self-Efficacy in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Dinther, Mart; Dochy, Filip; Segers, Mien

    2011-01-01

    Researchers working in educational settings are increasingly paying attention to the role students' thoughts and beliefs play in the learning process. Self-efficacy, a key element of social cognitive theory, appears to be an important variable because it affects students' motivation and learning. This article investigates empirical literature…

  12. Factors Affecting Student Choices of Instructional Methodologies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gold, Ben K.

    To identify factors that caused the majority of students at Los Angeles City College to prefer the traditional lecture-discussion approach to the media approach, questionnaires were administered to students in three courses--three media and two traditional. Over 200 usable questionnaires were returned. Because of scheduling variations and other…

  13. Factors affecting student achievement in science: A study of teacher beliefs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayes, Jonathan

    This study employed a mixed methods and mixed model research design to explore secondary science teachers' beliefs. Specifically, this study focused on factors that secondary science teachers believe affect student achievement in science, and the extent to which teacher beliefs transfer to teacher practice. This study is significant because the outcomes may inform professional development and policy decisions at the school, district, and provincial level. Results from self-reporting data of 82 secondary science teachers indicate that teacher beliefs in each of the fourteen topics surveyed (Classroom Management, Learning Styles, Inclusion, Equity, Science-Technology-Society (STS), Formative Assessment, Summative Assessment, Constructivism, Thematic Approach, Hands-On/Minds-On Activities, The Nature of Science, Science Subject Matter, Electronic Learning and Cooperative Learning) are positive for most Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) secondary science teachers. Furthermore, secondary science teachers reported having strong beliefs in their ability to affect student learning (self-efficacy beliefs). However, it is apparent from the survey and interview data that teachers believe there are other influential factors that are preventing some students from learning despite the teachers' best efforts and ability. Regarding implementation, this study indicates that beliefs and the enactment of beliefs in classroom practice are positively correlated. The data also shows that at least seventy percent of teachers reported that they implement practices consistent with all but two topics -- The Nature of Science and Electronic Learning -- at least once a week. The findings of this study are discussed in the context of the P.E.I. secondary science setting. Limitations and implications of this study are also addressed.

  14. Affecting Factors and Outcome on Intermittent Internet Pulling Behavior in Taiwan's Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Hui-Jen; Lay, Yun-Long

    2011-01-01

    Nowadays people's lives heavily rely on Internet facilities. Internet users generally have constant Internet connectivity and intermittently click on sites they want to access even amidst studying or working. In this study, we sought to examine the factors affecting intermittent Internet pulling behavior on undergraduate students. Furthermore, the…

  15. The Effect of Differentiation Approach Developed on Creativity of Gifted Students: Cognitive and Affective Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altintas, Esra; Özdemir, Ahmet S.

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the study is to develop a differentiation approach for the mathematics education of gifted middle school students and to determine the effect of the differentiation approach on creative thinking skills of gifted students based on both cognitive and affective factors. In this context, the answer to the following question was searched:…

  16. Factors affecting the academic performance of optometry students in Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Shah, Kajal; Naidoo, Kovin; Bilotto, Luigi; Loughman, James

    2015-06-01

    The Mozambique Eyecare Project is a higher education partnership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of a model of optometry training at UniLúrio in Mozambique. There are many composite elements to the development of sustainable eye health structures, and appropriate education for eye health workers remains a key determinant of successful eye care development. However, from the first intake of 16 students, only 9 students graduated from the program, whereas only 6 graduated from the second intake of 24 students. This low graduation rate is attributable to a combination of substandard academic performance and student dropout. The aim of this article was to identify factors affecting the academic performance of optometry students in Mozambique. Nine lecturers (the entire faculty) and 15 students (9 from the first intake and 6 from the second) were recruited to the study. Clinical competency assessments were carried out on the students, semistructured individual interviews were conducted with the course lecturers, and a course evaluation questionnaire was completed by students. The results were combined to understand the complexities surrounding the optometry student training and performance. One student out of nine from the first intake and three students out of six from the second were graded as competent in all the elements of the refraction clinical competency examination. Analysis of data from the interviews and questionnaire yielded four dominant themes that were viewed as important determinants of student refraction competencies: student learning context, teaching context, clinic conditions and assessment, and the existing operating health care context. The evaluations have helped the university and course partners to better structure the teaching and adapt the learning environments by recommending a preparatory year and a review of the curriculum and clinic structure, implementing more transparent entry requirements, increasing awareness of

  17. Factors Affecting Turkish Students' Achievement in Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demir, Ibrahim; Kilic, Serpil; Depren, Ozer

    2009-01-01

    Following past researches, student background, learning strategies, self-related cognitions in mathematics and school climate variables were important for achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify a number of factors that represent the relationship among sets of interrelated variables using principal component factor analysis and…

  18. Factors that Affect the Decision of Refugee and Immigrant Students to Pursue Higher Education in Tennessee: The Case of Egyptian, Somali, Kurdish and Mexican Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weldegebriel, Mengistu H.

    2011-01-01

    Refugee and immigrant students face challenges in pursuing higher education. This study examined factors that affect the decision of refugees and immigrant students to pursue higher education in Tennessee. The factors included cultural capital these students acquire from their parents and families; cultural difference they have with the mainstream…

  19. Factors Affecting Students' Medicine-Taking Habits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Labig, Chalmer E., Jr.; Zantow, Kenneth; Peterson, Tim O.

    2005-01-01

    This study examines college students' beliefs about health, prescriptions, doctors, and the influence those beliefs have on adherence to prescribed medication regimens. After a brief review of attitudinal factors that influence adherence to prescription medicine directions, the authors discuss measurement issues and explain the reasons for their…

  20. Factors Affecting Corporate Image from the Perspective of Distance Learning Students in Public Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    da Costa, Fábio Reis; Pelissari, Anderson Soncini

    2016-01-01

    New information technologies enable different interactions in the educational environment, affecting how the image of educational institutions adopting distance-learning programmes is perceived. This article identifies factors affecting the perception of corporate image from the viewpoint of distance-learning students at public higher education…

  1. Using confirmatory factor analysis to validate the Chamberlin affective instrument for mathematical problem solving with academically advanced students.

    PubMed

    Chamberlin, Scott A; Moore, Alan D; Parks, Kelly

    2017-09-01

    Student affect plays a considerable role in mathematical problem solving performance, yet is rarely formally assessed. In this manuscript, an instrument and its properties are discussed to enable educational psychologists the opportunity to assess student affect. The study was conducted to norm the CAIMPS (instrument) with gifted students. In so doing, educational psychologists are informed of the process and the instrument's properties. The sample was comprised of 160 middle-grade (7 and 8) students, identified as gifted, in the United States. After completing one of four model-eliciting activities (MEAs), all participants completed the CAIMPS (Chamberlin Affective Instrument for Mathematical Problem Solving). Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis to ascertain the number of factors in the instrument. The normed fit index (0.6939), non-normed fit index (0.8072), and root mean square error approximation (.076) were at or near the acceptable levels. Alpha levels for factors were also robust (.637-.923). Data suggest that the instrument was a good fit for use with mathematics students in middle grades when solving problems. Perhaps the most impressive characteristic of the instrument was that the four factors (AVI: anxiety, value, and interest), SS (self-efficacy and self-esteem), ASP (aspiration), and ANX (anxiety) did not correlate highly with one another, which defies previous hypotheses in educational psychology. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

  2. Factors affecting dance exercise performance in students at a special needs school.

    PubMed

    Ito, Yukiko; Hiramoto, Izumi; Kodama, Hideya

    2017-09-01

    In Japan, dance exercise has been introduced as a compulsory element of health and physical education, but there is a considerable discrepancy in the levels of performance among students with intellectual disability (ID) at special needs schools. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the factors affecting the performance of dance exercise in students with ID. A 4 month dance exercise program was implemented for junior high school students at a special needs school, and the performance of 32 students at 22 sessions was assessed quantitatively according to calorie use during exercise and performance proficiency score. The measures were compared according to gender, age, body mass index, diagnosis, and development quotient (DQ) score. Performance in many students improved with repetition and reached the highest attainment level at around the third month. Male gender and older age had a significant positive impact on calorie use, whereas diagnosis of Down syndrome and higher DQ score had a significant positive impact on proficiency score. Four students with poor performance were all female students with autism. This study provides some possible explanations for differences in the levels of dance performance among students with ID. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

  3. Factors Affecting Retention Behavior: A Model To Predict At-Risk Students. AIR 1997 Annual Forum Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sadler, William E.; Cohen, Frederic L.; Kockesen, Levent

    This paper describes a methodology used in an on-going retention study at New York University (NYU) to identify a series of easily measured factors affecting student departure decisions. Three logistic regression models for predicting student retention were developed, each containing data available at three distinct times during the first…

  4. High School 9th Grade Students' Understanding Level and Misconceptions about Temperature and Factors Affecting It

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akbas, Yavuz

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to explore students' understanding levels and misconceptions about temperature and factors affecting it. The concept of the study was chosen from Geography National Curriculum. In this study, a questionnaire was developed after a pilot study with an aim to ascertain the students' understanding levels of temperature and…

  5. Factors that affect self-care behaviour of female high school students with dysmenorrhoea: a cluster sampling study.

    PubMed

    Chang, Shu-Fang; Chuang, Mei-hua

    2012-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect the self-care behaviour of female high school students with dysmenorrhoea. This cross-sectional study utilized a questionnaire-based survey to understand the self-care behaviour of female high school students dysmenorrhoeal, along with the factors that affect this behaviour. A cluster random sampling method was adopted and questionnaires were used for data collection. Study participants experienced a moderate level of discomfort from dysmenorrhoea, and perceived dysmenorrhoea as serious. This investigation finds that cues to action raised perceived susceptibility to dysmenorrhoea and the perceived effectiveness of self-care behaviour and, therefore, increased the adoption of self-care behaviour. Hence, school nurses should offer female high school students numerous resources to apply correct self-care behaviour. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  6. Toward Digital Citizenship: Examining Factors Affecting Participation and Involvement in the Internet Society among Higher Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Zahrani, Abdulrahman

    2015-01-01

    The current study aims to understand digital citizenship, based on the assumptions of Ribble (2014), by examining factors affecting participation and involvement in the Internet virtual societies among higher education students. A quantitative approach using a survey questionnaire was implemented. The participants were 174 students from the…

  7. Factors Negatively Affecting University Adjustment from the Views of First-Year University Students: The Case of Mersin University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sevinç, Seda; Gizir, Cem Ali

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative case study aims to investigate the most common factors that negatively affect adjustment to university and coping strategies used by first-year university students in the adaptation process from the viewpoint of first-year university students. The participants were 25 first-year university students from various faculties at Mersin…

  8. Cognitive Factors Affecting Student Understanding of Geologic Time.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dodick, Jeff; Orion, Nir

    2003-01-01

    Presents a model that describes how students reconstruct geological transformations over time. Defines the critical factors influencing reconstructive thinking: (1) the transformation scheme, which influences the other diachronic schemes; (2) knowledge of geological processes; and (3) extracognitive factors. (Author/KHR)

  9. 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.

  10. Study of the Factors Affecting the Mathematics Achievement of Turkish Students According to Data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Güzeller, Cem Oktay; Eser, Mehmet Taha; Aksu, Gökhan

    2016-01-01

    This study attempts to determine the factors affecting the mathematics achievement of students in Turkey based on data from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 and the correct classification ratio of the established model. The study used mathematics achievement as a dependent variable while sex, having a study room, preparation…

  11. Cognitive factors affecting student understanding of geologic time

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dodick, Jeff; Orion, Nir

    2003-04-01

    A critical element of the earth sciences is reconstructing geological structures and systems that have developed over time. A survey of the science education literature shows that there has been little attention given to this concept. In this study, we present a model, based on Montagnero's ([1996]) model of diachronic thinking, which describes how students reconstruct geological transformations over time. For geology, three schemes of diachronic thinking are relevant: 1. Transformation, which is a principle of change; in geology it is understood through actualistic thinking (the idea that present proceeses can be used to model the past). 2. Temporal organization, which defines the sequential order of a transformation; in geology it is based on the three-dimensional relationship among strata. 3. Interstage linkage, which is the connections between successive stages of a transformation; in geology it is based on both actualism and causal reasoning. Three specialized instruments were designed to determine the factors which influence reconstructive thinking: (a) the GeoTAT which tests diachronic thinking skills, (b) the TST which tests the relationship between spatial thinking and temporal thinking, and (c) the SFT which tests the influence of dimensional factors on temporal awareness. Based on the model constructed in this study we define the critical factors influencing reconstructive thinking: (a) the transformation scheme which influences the other diachronic schemes, (b) knowledge of geological processes, and (c) extracognitive factors. Among the students tested, there was a significant difference between Grade 9-12 students and Grade 7-8 students in their ability to reconstruct geological phenomena using diachronic thinking. This suggests that somewhere between Grades 7 and 8 it is possible to start teaching some of the logical principles used in geology to reconstruct geological structures.

  12. An exploration of the perceived factors that affect the learning and transfer of skills taught to student midwives.

    PubMed

    Longworth, Mary K

    2013-08-01

    the aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of student midwives towards skills training and practise. The objectives were to explore the factors in the skills laboratory environment and in clinical practice which affect how successfully student midwives transfer into clinical practice the various skills they have learnt in preparation for an Objective Structured Clinical Examination. a review of the background literature revealed that there were many variables related to successful transfer of skills in general but there appeared to be a gap around perceived factors affecting transfer of skills of student midwives. a mixed methods design was conducted using both questionnaires and semi-structured interviews between June and August 2010. questionnaires were administered to all midwifery students at one university in Wales. These were later followed by semi-structured interviews for 6 student midwives who were purposively selected from all year groups. the results from the questionnaires revealed that a majority of students had positive attitudes to educators and mentors and to their skills acquisition experience in the skills laboratory and to the available opportunities to practise in clinical practice. Although students believed in the transferability of skills from the laboratory setting to clinical practice, a majority thought that clinical practice provided them with a better opportunity to learn clinical skills. The semi-structured interviews demonstrated that facilitating factors in the skills laboratory included having adequate instruction as well as having a designated space. Hindering factors included unrealistic models and equipment. In clinical practice, facilitating factors included having the opportunities to practise skills and support and feedback from the mentor. Hindering factors included deficits in the student-mentor relationship. this study highlighted that midwifery students must be adequately prepared to carry out clinical skills

  13. Using clinical vignettes to assess doctors' and medical students' ability to identify sociocultural factors affecting health and health care.

    PubMed

    Hudelson, Patricia; Perron, N Junod; Perneger, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    Methods are needed for assessing clinicians' cultural knowledge frameworks. We used a mail survey containing four short clinical vignettes to explore respondents' ability to identify sociocultural factors affecting health and health care. Participants included 299 physicians working at the University Hospitals of Geneva, 156 private physicians, and all 134 local medical students in their clinical years. Twenty-one sociocultural "domains" were identified through inductive coding of responses. For each vignette, we obtained the sum of codes as a measure of the respondent's awareness of sociocultural factors that might affect care in this particular situation. As internal consistency was reasonably high (0.68), we computed a single total score as the sum of responses given to all four vignettes. Reponses correlated with factors that might be expected to impact clinicians' awareness of sociocultural factors affecting care. Medical students, females, respondents who had received cultural competence training, those with greater interest in caring for immigrant patients, and those with high self-assessed skills at exploring psychosocial and migration-related issues scored higher on the vignettes. Brief clinical vignettes appear to be a relevant and feasible method for exploring physicians' knowledge of social and cultural factors affecting health and health care.

  14. Factors Affecting Higher Order Thinking Skills of Students: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Budsankom, Prayoonsri; Sawangboon, Tatsirin; Damrongpanit, Suntorapot; Chuensirimongkol, Jariya

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the research is to develop and identify the validity of factors affecting higher order thinking skills (HOTS) of students. The thinking skills can be divided into three types: analytical, critical, and creative thinking. This analysis is done by applying the meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) based on a database of…

  15. A Study of the Significant Factors That Affect the Job Placement Rates of Students Who Have Completed a HERO Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Instructional Development and Evaluation Associates, Inc., Berkeley, MI.

    A three-year study examined the significant factors that affect the job placement rates of students completing a Home Economics Related Occupations (HERO) program. Other purposes of the study were to develop and pilot test a model that could be used to determine factors related to student placement in a variety of vocational education programs and…

  16. Students' Perceptions of Factors that Affect College Funding Decisions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porter, Julia Y.; Fossey, W. Richard; Davis, William E.; Burnett, Michael F.; Stuhlmann, Janice; Suchy, Patricia A.

    2006-01-01

    This exploratory study examines the factors that college students perceive are important in helping them make good financial decisions about paying for a college education. The study categorizes and summarizes students' self-reported responses to an open-ended survey question about recommendations for changes in financial aid counseling practices.…

  17. Factors affecting nursing students' intention to report medication errors: An application of the theory of planned behavior.

    PubMed

    Ben Natan, Merav; Sharon, Ira; Mahajna, Marlen; Mahajna, Sara

    2017-11-01

    Medication errors are common among nursing students. Nonetheless, these errors are often underreported. To examine factors related to nursing students' intention to report medication errors, using the Theory of Planned Behavior, and to examine whether the theory is useful in predicting students' intention to report errors. This study has a descriptive cross-sectional design. Study population was recruited in a university and a large nursing school in central and northern Israel. A convenience sample of 250 nursing students took part in the study. The students completed a self-report questionnaire, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. The findings indicate that students' intention to report medication errors was high. The Theory of Planned Behavior constructs explained 38% of variance in students' intention to report medication errors. The constructs of behavioral beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were found as affecting this intention, while the most significant factor was behavioral beliefs. The findings also reveal that students' fear of the reaction to disclosure of the error from superiors and colleagues may impede them from reporting the error. Understanding factors related to reporting medication errors is crucial to designing interventions that foster error reporting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Factors Affecting Academic Resilience in Middle School Students: A Case Study (Factores que Afectan la Resiliencia Académica en Estudiantes de Bachillerato)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rojas Flórez, Luisa Fernanda

    2015-01-01

    This research was carried out with the purpose of identifying how and which risk and protective factors affect academic outcomes. The study explored how different family and individual environmental factors foster academic resilience. The exploratory study took place with a group of six students from a public school in Bogotá, Colombia. The school…

  19. Dysmenorrhea Characteristics of Female Students of Health School and Affecting Factors and Their Knowledge and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Methods.

    PubMed

    Midilli, Tulay Sagkal; Yasar, Eda; Baysal, Ebru

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the menstruation and dysmenorrhea characteristics and the factors affecting dysmenorrhea of health school students, and the knowledge and use of the methods of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) on the part of those students with dysmenorrhea. This is a descriptive study. A descriptive analysis was made by calculating the number, percentage, mean, Pearson χ, and logistic regression analysis. A total of 488 female students participated in the research and 87.7% (n = 428) of all students experienced dysmenorrhea. It was detected that a family history of dysmenorrhea and regular menstrual cycles of the students were dysmenorrhea-affecting factors (P < .05). Seven of 10 students with dysmenorrhea used CAM methods. Heat application of CAM methods for dysmenorrhea management was the most commonly used and also known by the students. The students who experienced severe pain used analgesics (P < .05) and CAM methods (P < .05).

  20. 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

  1. Internationalizing Business Education: Factors Affecting Student Participation in Overseas Study Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kashlak, Roger J.; Jones, Raymond M.

    1996-01-01

    A study investigated factors encouraging and inhibiting business administration students' participation in study abroad. Subjects were 128 undergraduate and graduate students at a large urban state university. Results indicated personal factors were the strongest encouraging variables, while financial considerations were the most limiting, and a…

  2. Classroom Factors Affecting Students: Self-Evaluation: An Interactional Model.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marshall, Hermine H.; Weinstein, Rhona S.

    1984-01-01

    A complex interactional model of classroom factors that contribute to the development of students' self-evaluations is presented. Factors described are: (1) task structure; (2) grouping practices; (3) feedback and evaluation procedures and information about ability; (4) motivational strategies; (5) locus of responsibility for learning; and (6) the…

  3. Association between Depression and Factors Affecting Career Choice among Jordanian Nursing Students.

    PubMed

    Yousef, Said; Athamneh, Mariam; Masuadi, Emad; Ahmad, Haitham; Loney, Tom; Moselhy, Hamdy F; Al-Maskari, Fatma; ElBarazi, Iffat

    2017-01-01

    Although stress reaction is high among nursing staff and nursing students in the Middle East and its effect on life is known, there are scant studies reporting on these clinical and social features. In addition, there are no studies reporting on factors that influence career choice among this group. This study aimed to investigate factors that influence career choice among nursing students and their possible association with depressive symptoms. Participants were 150 (84.7% response rate) nursing students randomly selected from each academic year at the Nursing College/Jordan University of Science and Technology. Participants consented and completed the socio-demographic data collection sheet. The Arabic version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II Scale was used to assess participants with respect to depressive symptoms. A modified list of factors influencing career choice and a Likert scale to assess the level of sadness and the degree of religiosity were used as well. Students ranked the most important three factors influencing their career selection as family decision, religious factors, and the desire to care for others. The prevalence of depression among the sample was 26%. Students who had a desire to care for others were less likely to suffer from depression and those who chose nursing as their career due to religious factors were significantly less depressed than those who did not. Meanwhile, students who chose nursing under family pressure or because of a lack of alternative opportunities were more depressed. The odds ratio for depressive symptoms was 0.24 when students chose nursing because of religious factors, whereas it was 4.92 when the family strongly influenced the student's career decision and 3.61 when a nursing career was the only perceived opportunity available. The main factors associated with depression among this sample of nursing students were pressure from their family to choose a nursing career and having no other career or employment

  4. Prevalence and Factors Affecting Dysmenorrhea in Female University Students: Effect on General Comfort Level.

    PubMed

    Aktaş, Demet

    2015-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and the affecting factors of dysmenorrhea and its effects on overall comfort among female university students. This was a cross-sectional study. The research was carried out between October and November 2013 at a university in Ankara. This study was conducted with 200 female students. The data were analyzed using frequencies, means, SD, χ(2) tests, independent t tests and analysis of variance. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire, the visual analog scale (VAS) and the General Comfort Questionnaire. The mean age of students in this study group was 20.85 ± 2.15 years. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea in the students was 84%. The mean severity of pain was 5.78 ± 2.45 on the VAS. The present study found that 45.8% of female students experienced moderate menstrual pain and the most common co-occurring symptoms were irritability (34.6%) and fatigue (21.5%). One-fourth of the students with dysmenorrhea consulted the advice of a physician and the most commonly used methods for pain were analgesics (69%), heat application (56.5%), and rest (71.4%). Family history of dysmenorrhea, education about menstruation, and frequency of menstrual cycle were identified as important factors in the development of dysmenorrhea (p < .05). The mean general comfort score for students with dysmenorrhea (2.57 ± 0.25) was lower than that of students without the condition (2.65 ± 0.23). Also, use of the methods for management of dysmenorrhea was found to increase students' general comfort levels. Therefore, it is important for nurses to educate and advise adolescents and young women about dysmenorrhea. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Factors Affecting Online Groupwork Interest: A Multilevel Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Du, Jianxia; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the present study is to examine the personal and contextual factors that may affect students' online groupwork interest. Using the data obtained from graduate students in an online course, both student- and group-level predictors for online groupwork interest were analyzed within the framework of hierarchical linear modeling…

  6. Exploring Factors Affecting Students' Continued Wiki Use for Individual and Collaborative Learning: An Extended UTAUT Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yueh, Hsiu-Ping; Huang, Jo-Yi; Chang, Chueh

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors affect students' adaptation and continued use of a Wiki system for collaborative writing tasks through an extension of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). This study was conducted in a general education course in a university in northern Taiwan. Data were…

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

    PubMed

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

    2018-01-01

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

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2018-01-01

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

  9. Factors Affecting Attitude Toward Organ Donation Among Nursing Students in Warsaw, Poland.

    PubMed

    Mikla, M; Rios, A; Lopez-Navas, A; Gotlib, J; Kilanska, D; Martinez-Alarcón, L; Ramis, G; Ramirez, P; Lopez Montesinos, M J

    2015-11-01

    The opinion of future nursing professionals can influence the number of transplants. The objective of this study was to analyze the attitude of nursing students at the Medical University of Warsaw in the center of Poland toward organ donation and determine the factors that affect this attitude. The study was conducted in the 2011 to 2012 academic year. The study population consisted of nursing students. Type of sampling consisted of sampling in points of compulsory attendance, in the 5 nursing courses with the higher degree of fulfillment of 80%. Measuring instrument used was the validated questionnaire (PCID-DTO Rios). The questionnaire was completed anonymously and was self-administered. The completion rate was 96% (793 of 828). Of the students surveyed (n = 793), 69% (n = 547) were in favor of organ donation and transplantation, 25% (n = 201) were undecided, and 6% (n = 45) were against. This attitude was related to being in favor of donating the organs of a relative (OR = 3.174; P < .001); discussion of the subject with the family (OR = 2.188; P < .001); positive attitude toward donation and transplantation of the father (OR = 3.039; P = .001); considered to having good information on the subject (OR = 8.695; P < .001); being a regular donor blood (OR = 3.597; P = .001); not worried by the possible mutilation of the body after donation (OR = 6.802; P < .001); and accepting other treatment options of the body such as the burial (OR = 1.683; P = .015). More than 30% of the nursing students are not in favor of organ donation, but this attitude is conditioned by several psychosocial factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Antecedent Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Graduate Students at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mbogo, Rosemary Wahu

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports the findings of a Master's level thesis work that was done in 1997 to assess the antecedent factors affecting the academic performance of graduate students at the Nairobi Evangelical School of Theology (N.E.G.S.T.), which is currently Africa International University (AIU). The paper reviews the effect of lack of finance on…

  11. Striking the Right Balance: Students' Motivation and Affect in Elementary Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schweinle, Amy; Meyer, Debra K.; Turner, Julianne C.

    2006-01-01

    The authors explored the relationship between motivation and affect in upper elementary mathematics classes from the perspective of flow theory. They also investigated the relationship between students' motivation and teachers' instructional practices. Students' reported classroom experiences formed 4 factors--Social Affect, Personal Affect,…

  12. Exploring paraprofessional and classroom factors affecting teacher supervision.

    PubMed

    Irvin, Dwight W; Ingram, Paul; Huffman, Jonathan; Mason, Rose; Wills, Howard

    2018-02-01

    Paraprofessionals serve a primary role in supporting students with disabilities in the classroom, which necessitates teachers' supervision as a means to improve their practice. Yet, little is known regarding what factors affect teacher supervision. We sought to identify how paraprofessional competence and classroom type affected the levels of teacher direction. We administered an adapted version of the Paraprofessional Needs, Knowledge & Tasks Survey and the Survey for Teachers Supervising Paraprofessionals to teachers supervising paraprofessionals in elementary schools. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the link between paraprofessional competence and classroom factors affecting the level of teacher supervision. Our results indicated that when teachers perceived paraprofessionals as being more skilled, they provided more supervision, and when more supervision was provided the less they thought paraprofessionals should be doing their assigned tasks. Additionally, paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with mild disabilities received less supervision than paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Those paraprofessionals in classrooms serving mostly children with mild disabilities were also perceived as having lower levels of skill competence than those serving in classrooms with students with more moderate-to-severe disabilities. By understanding the factors that affect teacher supervision, policy and professional development opportunities can be refined/developed to better support both supervising teachers and paraprofessionals and, in turn, improve the outcomes of children with disabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A Learning Analytics Approach to Investigating Factors Affecting EFL Students' Oral Performance in a Flipped Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Chi-Jen; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

    2018-01-01

    Flipped classrooms have been widely adopted and discussed by school teachers and researchers in the past decade. However, few studies have been conducted to formally evaluate the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in terms of improving EFL students' English oral presentation, not to mention investigating factors affecting their flipped learning…

  14. Factors Affecting Student Success in Distance Learning Courses at a Local California Community College: Joint Governance Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Luis A.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of staff and faculty regarding factors affecting student success in distance learning at a California community college (CCC). Participants were members of the leadership group known as the distance learning committee. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using open-ended…

  15. Online Course Delivery: An Empirical Investigation of Factors Affecting Student Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beqiri, Mirjeta S.; Chase, Nancy M.; Bishka, Atena

    2010-01-01

    The authors investigated potential factors impacting students' satisfaction with online course delivery using business students as participants. The findings suggest that the student who would be more satisfied with the delivery of online courses fits the following profile: graduate, married, resides more than 1 mile away from campus, and male.…

  16. Demographic Factors Affecting Internet Using Purposes of High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilic, Abdullah Faruk; Güzeller, Cem Oktay

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed at determining the impact of demographic factors on the Internet usage purposes of high school students. The population of the study consisted of students between 9th and 12th grades from the Anatolian high schools, science high schools, social sciences high schools, sports high schools and fine arts high schools in Turkey. The…

  17. Short report: factors that affect specialty choice and career plans of Wisconsin's medical students.

    PubMed

    Knox, Kjersti E; Getzin, Anne; Bergum, Alison; McBride, Patrick; Rieselbach, Richard; Friedsam, Donna

    2008-12-01

    To identify factors that influence specialty choice among Wisconsin medical students and provide insight into approaches to encourage more students to pursue careers in primary care. The importance of several factors in medical student career choice was surveyed using a Web survey convenience sample of all Wisconsin medical students. Students intending to pursue a career in primary care and in other specialties were compared. Respondents, regardless of specialty choice or gender, identified a similar group of factors as highly influential, and similar group of factors as non-influential in their decision-making. However, significantly more primary care students than other specialty students considered interest in underserved populations, relationships with patients, scope of practice, and role models important in their career choice. Significantly more primary care students than other specialty students responded that salary and competitiveness were "not at all" important. A greater number of other specialty students than primary care students stated that interest in scope of practice, role models, and training years were "not at all" important. Debt-related factors were reported as "not at all" important by nearly one-third of respondents. Although primary care and other specialty students report making their career plans based on the impact of similar factors, significant differences between primary care and other specialty students were reported in key areas. These results validate many previously reported factors, and indicate that salary and years of training may have been overemphasized in understanding student career choice. The results of this survey may be useful for Wisconsin medical schools in order to sustain, support, and foster student interest in primary care.

  18. A Study on Students' Affective Factors in Junior High School English Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhu, Biyi; Zhou, Yaping

    2012-01-01

    Affect is considered as aspects of emotion, feeling, mood or attitude which condition behaviors in second language acquisition. Positive affect is good for studying while negative affect will inevitably hinder learners' learning process. As we know, students in junior high school are special groups as they are experiencing great changes both in…

  19. The Importance of Social Learning Environment Factors for Affective Well-Being among Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Idsoe, Ella Maria Cosmovici

    2016-01-01

    We investigated whether perceived inclusion and exclusion with peers at school, as well as self-reported bullying exposure, affected positive and negative affect among 1161 students from grades five through seven. Positive affect was significantly, but only weakly, affected by perceived exclusion and inclusion. Negative affect was not related to…

  20. An investigation of factors affecting elementary female student teachers' choice of science as a major at college level in Zimbabwe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mlenga, Francis Howard

    The purpose of the study was to determine factors affecting elementary female student teachers' choice of science as a major at college level in Zimbabwe. The study was conducted at one of the Primary School Teachers' Colleges in Zimbabwe. A sample of two hundred and thirty-eight female student teachers was used in the study. Of these one hundred and forty-two were non-science majors who had been randomly selected, forty-one were science majors and forty-five were math majors. Both science and math majors were a convenient sample because the total enrollment of the two groups was small. All the subjects completed a survey questionnaire that had sixty-eight items. Ten students from the non-science majors were selected for individual interviews and the same was done for the science majors. A further eighteen were selected from the non-science majors and divided into three groups of six each for focus group interviews. The same was done for the science majors. The interviews were audio taped and transcribed. Data from the survey questionnaires were analyzed using Binary Logistic Regression which predicted factors that affected students' choice of science as a major. The transcribed interview data were analyzed used using domain, taxonomic and componential analyses. Results of the study indicated that elementary female students' choice of science as a major at college level is affected by students' attitudes toward science, teacher behavior, out-of-school experiences, role models, gender stereotyping, parental influence, peer influence, in-school experiences, and societal expectations, namely cultural and social expectations.

  1. Examining Factors That Affect Students' Knowledge Sharing within Virtual Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    He, Jinxia; Gunter, Glenda

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine factors that might impact student knowledge sharing within virtual teams through online discussion boards. These factors include: trust, mutual influence, conflict, leadership, and cohesion. A path model was developed to determine whether relationships exist among knowledge sharing from asynchronous group…

  2. Social factors affecting education quality of Iranian medical & dental students.

    PubMed

    Zafarmand, A Hamid; Sabour, Siamak

    2014-09-01

    Positive social behavior of student is an important factor in the integrity of educational quality. Unbalanced behavior can disrupt the progress of students in learning. The present study evaluates the effect of social factors on education quality of dental and medical students. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 227 randomly selected students (109 dental and 118 medical). The questionnaire contained three domains of cultural collectivism, self-concept, and social adjustment adapted from California Test of Personality. It also included demographic questions like; field of study, gender and home city of residence. Data was analyzed using SPSS (version#19) software. Pearsons' correlation coefficient and independent t-test were used at the P-value of 0.05. Generally, girl students showed higher cultural collectivism (P=0.028) and social adjustment (P=0.04). On the contrary, boys were better in self-concept behavior (P=0.34). Home city of residence evidenced with no significant effect on any aspects of social attitudes of subjects. Pearsons' correlation coefficient test showed a weak correlation between cultural collectivism and self-concept (r=0.134, P=0.04) and between cultural collectivism and social adjustment, as well. (r=0.252, P=0.001) Independent t-test showed a significant difference between male and female students concerning cultural collectivism and social adjustment. Reliability of cultural collectivism, self-concept and social adjustment scales ranged from very good to moderate, α=0.83, α=0.63, and α=0.54 respectively. The results of this study indicated that female students show better cultural collectivism and social adjustment skills. It also proved that home city of residence has no significant effect upon social behavior of either medical or dental students.

  3. A Study of the Significant Factors That Affect the Job Placement Rates of Students Who Have Completed a HERO Program. Year Summary Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Instructional Development and Evaluation Associates, Inc., Berkeley, MI.

    A three-year study examined the significant factors that affect the job placement rates of students completing a Home Economics Related Occupations (HERO) program. Other purposes of the study were to develop and pilot test a model that could be used to determine factors related to student placement in a variety of vocational education programs and…

  4. A Study of the Significant Factors That Affect the Job Placement Rates of Students Who Have Completed a HERO Program. Year 2 Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Instructional Development and Evaluation Associates, Inc., Berkeley, MI.

    A three-year study examined the significant factors that affect the job placement rates of students completing a Home Economics Related Occupations (HERO) program. Other purposes of the study were to develop and pilot test a model that could be used to determine factors related to student placement in a variety of vocational education programs and…

  5. Factors affecting the results of comprehensive pre-internship exam among medical students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.

    PubMed

    Khazaei, Mohammad Rasool; Zarin, Afshin; Rezaei, Mansuor; Khazaei, Mozafar

    2018-06-01

    This study was aimed to evaluate the factors affecting the results of comprehensive pre-internship exam (CPIE) among medicals students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. In this descriptive-analytical study, all students (n=240) participating in CPIE over a 3-year period (2012-2014) were selected. Data were gathered by a questionnaire, including the CPIE results and educational and demographic data. Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney U-test, and analysis of variance were used to analyze the association of students' success with study variables. Also, regression analysis was applied to determine the role of independent variables in students' success. The frequency of the failed units in apprenticeship course was one of the most important risk factors associated with failure in CPIE. Average scores of pre-internship course were the most important factors of success in CPIE. The CPIE score had the highest direct relationship with grade point average (GPA) of apprenticeship course, total GPA of all three courses, GPAs of physiopathology and basic sciences courses, and score of comprehensive basic sciences examination, respectively. CPIE showed the highest inverse correlation with the number of failed units in apprenticeship course. The most important factors influencing this exam were failure in apprenticeship course and GPA of previous educational stages.

  6. Digital Textbooks: A Study of Factors Affecting College Student Adoption

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barajas-Murphy, Noreen

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine the factors that influence students' intentions to continue to use digital texts. Specifically, the purpose was to investigate what impact the external factors of instructor modeling and instructor expectation to use had on the intention to continue to use digital textbooks as…

  7. Factors Affecting Intention among Students to Be Vaccinated against A/H1N1 Influenza: A Health Belief Model Approach

    PubMed Central

    Teitler-Regev, Sharon; Shahrabani, Shosh; Benzion, Uri

    2011-01-01

    The outbreak of A/H1N1 influenza (henceforth, swine flu) in 2009 was characterized mainly by morbidity rates among young people. This study examined the factors affecting the intention to be vaccinated against the swine flu among students in Israel. Questionnaires were distributed in December 2009 among 387 students at higher-education institutions. The research questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and Health Belief Model principles. The results show that the factors positively affecting the intention to take the swine flu vaccine were past experience with seasonal flu shot and three HBM categories: higher levels of perceived susceptibility for catching the illness, perceived seriousness of illness, and lower levels of barriers. We conclude that offering the vaccine at workplaces may raise the intention to take the vaccine among young people in Israel. PMID:22229099

  8. Factors affecting Korean nursing student empowerment in clinical practice.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Yang-Heui; Choi, Jihea

    2015-12-01

    Understanding the phenomenon of nursing student empowerment in clinical practice is important. Investigating the cognition of empowerment and identifying predictors are necessary to enhance nursing student empowerment in clinical practice. To identify empowerment predictors for Korean nursing students in clinical practice based on studies by Bradbury-Jones et al. and Spreitzer. A cross-sectional design was used for this study. This study was performed in three nursing colleges in Korea, all of which had similar baccalaureate nursing curricula. Three hundred seven junior or senior nursing students completed a survey designed to measure factors that were hypothesized to influence nursing student empowerment in clinical practice. Data were collected from November to December 2011. Study variables included self-esteem, clinical decision making, being valued as a learner, satisfaction regarding practice with a team member, perception on professor/instructor/clinical preceptor attitude, and total number of clinical practice fields. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analyses. All of the hypothesized study variables were significantly correlated to nursing student empowerment. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that clinical decision making in nursing (t=7.59, p<0.001), being valued as a learner (t=6.24, p<0.001), self-esteem (t=3.62, p<0.001), and total number of clinical practice fields (t=2.06, p=0.040). The explanatory power of these predictors was 35% (F=40.71, p<0.001). Enhancing nursing student empowerment in clinical practice will be possible by using educational strategies to improve nursing student clinical decision making. Simultaneously, attitudes of nurse educators are also important to ensure that nursing students are treated as valued learners and to increase student self-esteem in clinical practice. Finally, diverse clinical practice field environments should be considered to enhance experience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd

  9. Exploring Factors that Affect the Accessibility of Reading Comprehension Assessments for Students with Disabilities: A Study of Segmented Text. CRESST Report 746

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abedi, Jamal; Kao, Jenny C.; Leon, Seth; Sullivan, Lisa; Herman, Joan L.; Pope, Rita; Nambiar, Veena; Mastergeorge, Ann M.

    2008-01-01

    This study sought to explore factors that affect the accessibility of reading comprehension assessments for students with disabilities. The study consisted of testing students using reading comprehension passages that were broken down into shorter "segments" or "chunks." The results of the segmenting study indicated that: (a)…

  10. Students' Experiences of the Factors Affecting Their Study Progress: Differences in Study Profiles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hailikari, Telle; Tuononen, Tarja; Parpala, Anna

    2018-01-01

    Many factors influence students' progress in higher education. However, the students' own voices are seldom heard. Using a qualitative approach, the study explored students' own experiences of the factors that have influenced their studying. Research has indicated that students' experiences are often related to their approaches to learning.…

  11. Factors Affecting Prepharmacy Students' Perceptions of the Professional Role of Pharmacists

    PubMed Central

    Plake, Kimberly S.; Newton, Gail D.; Mason, Holly L.

    2010-01-01

    Objective To assess prepharmacy students' perceptions of the professional role of pharmacists prior to enrollment in pharmacy school, and the association between perceptions and student demographics. Methods A 58-question survey instrument regarding pharmacists' roles, work experiences, and demographics was developed and administered to students (N = 127) enrolled in an organic chemistry laboratory experience at Purdue University. Results Theory of planned behavior subscales (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control) were influenced by students' grade point average, gender, and application to pharmacy school, while unpaid work experience affected professional commitment. Students evaluated work experience related to their pharmacy studies more positively than non-pharmacy-related areas in the theory of planned behavior subscales. Conclusions Evaluating students' perceptions may be beneficial in helping pharmacy educators design their curricula, as well as allowing admissions committees to select the most qualified students to promote the development of positive perceptions toward the professional role of pharmacists. Grade point average (GPA) and application to pharmacy school were associated with significant differences for the theory of planned behavior and professional commitment subscales. PMID:21301595

  12. Factors affecting compliance with moving and handling policy: Student nurses' views and experiences.

    PubMed

    Cornish, Jocelyn; Jones, Anne

    2010-03-01

    The limited literature available suggests that there continues to be poor compliance by nurses with moving and handling regulations [Swain, J., Pufahl, E., Williamson, G., 2003. Do they practise what we teach? A survey of manual handling practice amongst student nurses. Journal of Clinical Nursing 12(2), 297-306; Jootun, D., MacInnes, A., 2005. Examining how well students use correct handling procedures. Nursing Times 101(4), 38-40; Smallwood, J., 2006. Patient handling: student nurses' views. Learning in Health and Social Care 5(4), 208-219; Cornish, J., Jones, A., 2007. Evaluation of moving and handling training for pre-registration nurses and its application to practice. Nurse Education in Practice 7(3), 128-134]. This paper presents the final phase of a study in which student nurses' reports of their experience in practice are drawn upon to identify possible reasons for a lack of compliance with moving and handling policy. Focus groups were conducted using a topic guide comprising themes generated from the previous two phases of this study; a questionnaire survey and unstructured interviews [Cornish, J., Jones, A., 2007. Evaluation of moving and handling training for pre-registration nurses and its application to practice. Nurse Education in Practice 7(3), 128-134]. Seventeen pre-registration students participated, representing adult, child and mental health branches from both Degree and Diploma programmes Examples of poor practice set the context for the students' experiences. Factors affecting both compliance with poor practice or compliance with moving and handling regulations leading to good practice, are identified. Methods for the management of difficult moving and handling situations are also revealed. The study informs future developments in training and support mechanisms for students in practice. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Factors (Not) Affecting What Students Do with Computers and Internet at Home

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hinostroza, J. Enrique; Matamala, Carolina; Labbé, Christian; Claro, Magdalena; Cabello, Tania

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the results of an analysis of secondary students' computer use, aimed at understanding how different factors influence the profile of activities carried out by students with computers. The analysis is based on the data from a national study aimed at measuring students' Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills for…

  14. Factors Affecting Student Engagement in HEIs--It is All about Good Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Almarghani, Eman M.; Mijatovic, Ivana

    2017-01-01

    The passive role of students in their learning and education and the absence of student engagement in higher education institutions (HEIs) are quite common in many higher education institutions in developing countries. The main objective of the research presented in this paper is to explore the influential factors on student engagement in HEIs in…

  15. Major Factors Affecting Students' Perception towards Faculty Evaluation of Teaching (SET)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dev, Smitha; Qayyum, Nudrat

    2017-01-01

    Gathering students' feedback and evaluation during the end of every semester is believed to be valuable for instructors' growth and development. The present study is aimed to find out the validity of students' responses and various factors involved in their rating towards faculty. A total of 150 students from 1 st to 4th year of Abu Dhabi…

  16. An Examination of Factors that Affect Occupational Therapists' Self Efficacy Related to Working with Students Who Have Emotional Disturbance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chandler, Barbara Ellen

    2008-01-01

    This research examined factors that affect occupational therapists' self efficacy related to working with students who have emotional disturbance. Social cognition (Bandura, 1986, 1997a), of which self efficacy is an integral part, is the theoretical perspective for this study. The research used the Professional and Practice Profile to examine…

  17. Validating YouTube Factors Affecting Learning Performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pratama, Yoga; Hartanto, Rudy; Suning Kusumawardani, Sri

    2018-03-01

    YouTube is often used as a companion medium or a learning supplement. One of the educational places that often uses is Jogja Audio School (JAS) which focuses on music production education. Music production is a difficult material to learn, especially at the audio mastering. With tutorial contents from YouTube, students find it easier to learn and understand audio mastering and improved their learning performance. This study aims to validate the role of YouTube as a medium of learning in improving student’s learning performance by looking at the factors that affect student learning performance. The sample involves 100 respondents from JAS at audio mastering level. The results showed that student learning performance increases seen from factors that have a significant influence of motivation, instructional content, and YouTube usefulness. Overall findings suggest that YouTube has a important role to student learning performance in music production education and as an innovative and efficient learning medium.

  18. Evaluation of Risk Factors Affecting Substance Use among Tenth-Grade Students

    PubMed Central

    Öztaş, Dilek; Kalyon, Aydan; Ertuğrul, Ayşin; Gündoğdu, Çetin; Balcıoğlu, Hüseyin; Sağlan, Yasemin; Karahan, Sevilay

    2018-01-01

    Aim The aim of this study is to detect the prevalence of substance use among tenth-grade students; their thoughts, attitudes, behaviors, and tendencies towards substance use; and risk factors of substance use in tenth-grade students in general. Methods This study is descriptive and cross-sectional conducted between April and May 2016. Research population consists of tenth-grade students in 2015-2016 school year in the city of Ordu. Since the study involved all tenth-grade students, no sampling was done. Questions on substance use were prepared by Ordu Public Health Directorate and the authors by making use of European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) study questions, AMATEM's “Drugs and Addiction Youth Survey” study conducted on May 1996, and scientific studies conducted previously on similar subjects. Results 9825 tenth-grade students in 88 schools from 19 counties in the city of Ordu were included in the study. 8714 of the students participated in the survey. Being male, being over the age of 15, mother and father being separated, living with relatives, being in low income, negative feelings about school, perception of being unsuccessful in school, failing a year, absenteeism, and not being content with life are the risk factors for substance use. Conclusions The tendency of illegal substance use becoming more and more prevalent especially among youth requires the development of new treatment strategies. PMID:29736390

  19. Doctoral Students at the University of Manitoba: Factors Affecting Completion Rates and Time to Degree by Gender and by Field of Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lussier, Thelma G.

    The completion rate and median time to degree of three doctoral cohorts at the University of Manitoba were analyzed by gender and by field of study and the results were compared to studies elsewhere. To evaluate factors affecting students' progress, a mail questionnaire was sent in the fall of 1993 to all students (N=105) first admitted to the…

  20. Factors Affecting Retention of First-Time, Full-Time Freshmen Students at Higher Education Institutions within the Appalachian College Association

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swafford, Stacy James

    2017-01-01

    This study examined factors that may affect the retention of first-time, full-time college freshmen to sophomore year. Institutions in the Appalachian College Association (ACA) were invited to participate, and nine of the 35 member schools provided data. The research questions were (1) Is there a relationship between retention for students'…

  1. Factors affecting residency rank-listing: a Maxdiff survey of graduating Canadian medical students.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tao; Wong, Benson; Huang, Alexander; Khatri, Prateek; Ng, Carly; Forgie, Melissa; Lanphear, Joel H; O'Neill, Peter J

    2011-08-25

    In Canada, graduating medical students consider many factors, including geographic, social, and academic, when ranking residency programs through the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS). The relative significance of these factors is poorly studied in Canada. It is also unknown how students differentiate between their top program choices. This survey study addresses the influence of various factors on applicant decision making. Graduating medical students from all six Ontario medical schools were invited to participate in an online survey available for three weeks prior to the CaRMS match day in 2010. Max-Diff discrete choice scaling, multiple choice, and drop-list style questions were employed. The Max-Diff data was analyzed using a scaled simple count method. Data for how students distinguish between top programs was analyzed as percentages. Comparisons were made between male and female applicants as well as between family medicine and specialist applicants; statistical significance was determined by the Mann-Whitney test. In total, 339 of 819 (41.4%) eligible students responded. The variety of clinical experiences and resident morale were weighed heavily in choosing a residency program; whereas financial incentives and parental leave attitudes had low influence. Major reasons that applicants selected their first choice program over their second choice included the distance to relatives and desirability of the city. Both genders had similar priorities when selecting programs. Family medicine applicants rated the variety of clinical experiences more importantly; whereas specialty applicants emphasized academic factors more. Graduating medical students consider program characteristics such as the variety of clinical experiences and resident morale heavily in terms of overall priority. However, differentiation between their top two choice programs is often dependent on social/geographic factors. The results of this survey will contribute to a better

  2. Factors affecting choice of sponsoring institution for residency among medical students in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Ng, Chew Lip; Liu, Xuan Dao; Murali Govind, Renuka; Tan, Jonathan Wei Jian; Ooi, Shirley Beng Suat; Archuleta, Sophia

    2018-03-16

    Postgraduate medical education in Singapore underwent major transition recently, from a British-style system and accreditation to a competency-based residency programme modelled after the American system. We aimed to identify the relative importance of factors influencing the choice of residency sponsoring institutions (SIs) among medical students during this transition period. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of Singaporean undergraduate medical students across all years of study was performed in 2011. Participants rated 45 factors (including research, academia and education, marketing, reputation of faculty, working conditions, posting experience and influence by peers/seniors) for degree of importance to their choice of SIs on a five-point Likert scale. Differences with respect to gender and seniority were compared. 705 of 1,274 students completed the survey (response rate 55.3%). The top five influencing factors were guidance by mentor (4.48 ± 0.74), reputation for good teaching (4.46 ± 0.76), personal overall experience in SIs (4.41 ± 0.88), quality of mentorship and supervision (4.41 ± 0.75), and quality and quantity of teaching (4.37 ± 0.78). The five lowest-rated factors were social networking (2.91 ± 1.00), SI security (3.01 ± 1.07), open house impact (3.15 ± 0.96), advertising paraphernalia (3.17 ± 0.95) and research publications (3.21 ± 1.00). Female students attributed more importance to security and positive work environment. Preclinical students rated research and marketing aspects more highly while clinical students valued positive work environment more. Quality of education, mentorship, experiences during clerkship and positive working environment were the most important factors influencing the choice of SIs.

  3. An Analysis of Multiple Factors Affecting Retention in Web-Based Community College Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doherty, William

    2006-01-01

    The current study examined four factors affecting retention in Web-based community college courses. Analyses were conducted on student demographics, student learning styles, course communication and external factors. The results suggest that Web-based courses are more attractive to busy students who are also more likely to fail or drop the course.…

  4. Factors Affecting the Choice of Anesthesiology by Medical Students for Specialty Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chandra, Phool; Hughes, Mark

    1984-01-01

    A study of medical students' choice of anesthesiology as a specialty and the quality of clerkships available established several factors in students' choice, including the negative effect of certified registered nurse anesthetists on the operating room floor. A study of relationships with nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, and…

  5. Factors Affecting the Social Experiences of Students in Elementary Physical Education Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suomi, Joanne; Collier, Douglas; Brown, Lou

    2003-01-01

    Examined factors that had a positive and negative effect on the social experiences of elementary students with and without disabilities in inclusive physical education classrooms. Data from observations and interviews indicated that the physical education teacher had a positive influence on students' social experiences, while cultures, student…

  6. Social-Emotional Factors Affecting Achievement Outcomes Among Disadvantaged Students: Closing the Achievement Gap.

    PubMed

    Becker, Bronwyn E; Luthar, Suniya S

    2002-01-01

    Despite concentrated efforts at improving inferior academic outcomes among disadvantaged students, a substantial achievement gap between the test scores of these students and others remains (Jencks & Phillips, 1998; National Center for Education Statistics, 2000a, 2000b; Valencia & Suzuki, 2000). Existing research used ecological models to document social-emotional factors at multiple levels of influence that undermine academic performance. This article integrates ideas from various perspectives in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary model that will inform policy makers, administrators, and schools about the social-emotional factors that act as both risk and protective factors for disadvantaged students' learning and opportunities for academic success. Four critical social-emotional components that influence achievement performance (academic and school attachment, teacher support, peer values, and mental health) are reviewed.

  7. Are Affective Factors a Good Predictor of Science Achievement? Examining the Role of Affective Factors Based on PISA 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozel, Murat; Caglak, Serdar; Erdogan, Mehmet

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated how affective factors like attitude and motivation contribute to science achievement in PISA 2006 using linear structural modeling. The data set of PISA 2006 collected from 4942 fifteen-year-old Turkish students (2290 females, 2652 males) was used for the statistical analyses. A total of 42 selected items on a four point…

  8. An Examination of Factors Contributing to Student Satisfaction in Armenian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martirosyan, Nara

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that affect student satisfaction in college environment in Armenian Higher Educational Institutions (AHEIs). Design/methodology/approach: This study used an "ex-post facto," non-experimental approach to investigate factors that affected student satisfaction in college…

  9. Factors influencing students' borrowing that may affect their specialty choices and other after-graduation behaviors.

    PubMed

    Cooter, R; Bross, T M; Erdmann, J B

    1998-01-01

    To assess the factors that influence medical students' borrowing and how these factors may affect access to the profession, specialty choice, and medical graduates' repayment behaviors. The borrowing patterns of the 3,495 indebted students enrolled at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University between 1989-90 and 1994-95 were analyzed. (Debt included both subsidized and unsubsidized debt.) These borrowing patterns were assessed in relation to changes in the cost of education, family (i.e., parents') income, availability of grant funding, legislative changes to loan-eligibility criteria (specifically, the Higher Education Amendments of 1992), and average interest rates on federal unsubsidized loans. The annual changes in average debt levels suggest that while cost of education, family resources, and availability of grant funding may be significant factors, changes in loan eligibility and prevailing interest rates on unsubsidized loan source also influence medical students' borrowing. A comparison of the borrowing patterns for three income groups (low, middle, high) further demonstrated that while overall fluctuations for low-income group mirrored changes in the cost and resource variables, annual borrowing fluctuations for the middle- and high-income groups were more reflective of the expansion of loan eligibility and reduced interest rates on unsubsidized loans. From 1989-90 to 1994-95 the average cost of education increased by $2,368. Average unsubsidized debt increased by $1,544 for the low-income group, $3,960 for the middle-income group, and $4,439 for the high-income group. The percentage of unsubsidized funding included in the borrowers' financing packages increased by just under 6% for the low-income group but almost 10% and 11% for the middle- and high-income groups, respectively. The results suggest that medical students borrow for a variety of reasons, ranging from financial need to personal financing or lifestyle choices. These reasons

  10. Factors That Affect Initial Enrollment of Working Adult, Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adrignola, Matt Nolan

    2010-01-01

    What factors lead working adults to initially enroll in graduate programs? Is the undergraduate degree no longer enough to sustain a rewarding career? Little is known as to why this segment of graduate students are building careers and pursuing advanced degrees simultaneously. Traditional institutions of higher learning have primarily focused on…

  11. Analysis of Factors Influencing Creative Personality of Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Jongman; Kim, Minkee; Jang, Shinho

    2017-01-01

    This quantitative research examined factors that affect elementary students' creativity and how those factors correlate. Aiming to identify significant factors that affect creativity and to clarify the relationship between these factors by path analysis, this research was designed to be a stepping stone for creativity enhancement studies. Data…

  12. Factors Affecting Career Choice: Comparison between Students from Computer and Other Disciplines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alexander, P. M.; Holmner, M.; Lotriet, H. H.; Matthee, M. C.; Pieterse, H. V.; Naidoo, S.; Twinomurinzi, H.; Jordaan, D.

    2011-01-01

    The number of student enrolments in computer-related courses remains a serious concern worldwide with far reaching consequences. This paper reports on an extensive survey about career choice and associated motivational factors amongst new students, only some of whom intend to major in computer-related courses, at two South African universities.…

  13. Factors Affecting Adoption of Educational Discipline and Satisfaction Level among Higher Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raza, Irfan

    2016-01-01

    This study examines the education career change behavior of male and female students. Factors like current trends, own preferences, parental pressure, and career counselors can influence their career adoption. Quantitative method research design was conducted for the study and a sample of 268 students was taken: 145 female and 123 male students,…

  14. Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Sze Yan, Ng; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Jusoh, Ahmad

    2013-06-01

    The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

  15. Factors Related to Students' Learning of Biomechanics Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsieh, ChengTu; Smith, Jeremy D.; Bohne, Michael; Knudson, Duane

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand a previous study to identify the factors that affect students' learning of biomechanical concepts. Students were recruited from three universities (N = 149) located in the central and western regions of the United States. Data from 142 students completing the Biomechanics Concept Inventory…

  16. Undergraduate nursing students' experience related to their clinical learning environment and factors affecting to their clinical learning process.

    PubMed

    Arkan, Burcu; Ordin, Yaprak; Yılmaz, Dilek

    2018-03-01

    Clinical education is an essential part of nursing education. The purpose of this study was to explore nurse students' experiences related to cinical learning environments, factors effecting to clinical learning process. Descriptive qualitative design was used in this study, and data were collected from 2nd class nursing student (n = 14). The study took the form of in-depth interviews between August-October 2015. The qualitative interviews were analyzed by using simple content analysis. Data were analyzed manually. Experiences nurse students are described five themes. The themes of the study are (1) effecting persons to clinical learning, (2) educational atmosphere, (3) students' personal charactering, (4) the impact of education in school, and (5) students' perceptions related to clinical learning. Participants stated that they experienced many difficulties during clinical learning process. All students importantly stated that nurse teacher is very effecting to clinical learning. This study contributes to the literature by providing data on beginner nursing student' experiences about clinical learning process. The data of this present study show to Turkish nursing student is affecting mostly from persons in clinical learning. The data of this present study will guide nurse teacher when they plan to interventions to be performed to support student during clinical learning process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Motivational Factors Affecting Online Learning by Japanese MBA Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kikuchi, Hisayo

    2006-01-01

    In Japan, Internet based learning is still at an early stage. However, adult learners in Japanese society expect the development of flexible e-learning programs. This case study examines motivational factors affecting online learning in a Japanese and Australian MBA program, using observations, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The data were…

  18. The Fear Factor: How It Affects Students Learning to Program in a Tertiary Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rogerson, Christine; Scott, Elsje

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines how students' experiences of learning to program are affected by feelings of fear, using a phenomenological approach to elicit rich descriptions of personal experiences from the narratives of final year undergraduate students. In the course of reviewing current work concerning learning or teaching programming, certain focal…

  19. Factors Affecting Nontraditional African American Students' Participation in Online World Literature Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merrills, J. Maria Sweeney

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how communication preferences, learning preferences, and perceptions about online learning affect nontraditional African American students' participation in online world literature courses at a historically Black university (HBCU) in the southeastern United States. An instrumental case study was…

  20. How College Affects Student Athletes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard-Hamilton, Mary F.; Sina, Julie A.

    2001-01-01

    Discusses how college affects student athletes. Research cited includes studies using theories of student development and results from the National Study on Student Learning that describe the desired outcomes of college for student athletes. Discusses implications for policies and practices that address the critical needs of student athletes.…

  1. Benchmark Factors in Student Retention.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waggener, Anna T.; Smith, Constance K.

    The first purpose of this study was to identify significant factors affecting the first benchmark in retaining students in college--the decision to enroll in the first fall semester after orientation. The second purpose was to examine enrollment decisions at the second benchmark--the decision to re-enroll in the second fall semester after freshman…

  2. Factors Modifying Burnout in Osteopathic Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Lapinski, Jessica; Yost, Morgan; Sexton, Patricia; LaBaere, Richard J

    2016-02-01

    The purposes of the current study are to examine factors modifying burnout and identify which of these factors place osteopathic medical students at risk for developing burnout. The current study used a cross-sectional study design and an anonymous, web-based survey to assess burnout and depression in osteopathic medical students. The survey included Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Stressors and their impact scale, students' sleeping and studying habits, and students' extracurricular involvement. In total, 1294 osteopathic medical students completed the survey. Burnout was present in 516 (39.9%) osteopathic medical students, and 1006 (77.0%) met criteria for depression. Females were 1.5 times more likely to be burned out in comparison to males. For the burnout subscales, males had lower emotional exhaustion, slightly higher depersonalization, and lower personal accomplishment. Lesbian/gay/bisexual/asexual students were 2.62 times more likely to be burned out compared with heterosexual students. Depression and academic, personal, and family stressors were all strongly linked to overall burnout. Finally, for modifiable factors, average hours of sleep, average hours spent studying, and club involvement appeared to be linked to burnout. The current study suggested that a variety of factors, including non-modifiable, situational, and modifiable, impact burnout in osteopathic medical students. Future research is necessary since burnout in physicians affects the quality of care provided to patients.

  3. Factors affecting acquisition of psychomotor clinical skills by student nurses and midwives in CHAM Nursing Colleges in Malawi: A qualitative exploratory study.

    PubMed

    Mwale, Omero Gonekani; Kalawa, Roselyn

    2016-01-01

    Acquisition of psychomotor clinical skills has been shown to improve the quality of care provided to patients when care providers are competent. The aim of this study was to explore students, nurses and tutors experience on factors affecting acquisition of psychomotor clinical skills. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design. The population was students, clinical nurses and tutors from a nursing College and mission hospital in the southern region of Malawi. In depth interviews using a semi structured guide was used to collect data. Thematic analysis method was employed to analyze the collected data. Ethical principles of respect of human dignity, beneficence and justice were observed. The findings have shown that acquisition of psychomotor skills is affected by: student motivation, lack of resources, learning environment, knowledge gap between the qualified nurses and tutors, and role modeling. In principle when student nurses have acquired necessary skills the quality of care provided to patients improve. Basing on the findings of this study it is recommended that Student should be well prepared before clinical placement Nurses and tutors should also update their knowledge and clinical teaching skills for them to adequately guide students. The clinical arena should have adequate resources.

  4. Factors Leading to Students' Satisfaction in the Higher Learning Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Siming, Luo; Niamatullah; Gao, Jianying; Xu, Dan; Shaf, Khurrum

    2015-01-01

    There is an increasing need to understand factors that affect satisfaction of students with learning. This study will explore the relationship between student satisfaction and teacher-student relationship, teacher preparedness, campus support facilities and experiences provided by the institute to the students. Study is a necessary activity that…

  5. Factors Affecting Student Retention at One Independent School in the Southwest

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahlstrom, Dan Roger

    2013-01-01

    This mixed-methods case study determined the factors and examined the issues associated with student retention at a faith-based independent day school in southwestern United States of America. The data included online surveys, personal interviews, collection of archival information, and the researcher's extensive field notes. Surveys (530) were…

  6. Social–Emotional Factors Affecting Achievement Outcomes Among Disadvantaged Students: Closing the Achievement Gap

    PubMed Central

    Becker, Bronwyn E.; Luthar, Suniya S.

    2012-01-01

    Despite concentrated efforts at improving inferior academic outcomes among disadvantaged students, a substantial achievement gap between the test scores of these students and others remains (Jencks & Phillips, 1998; National Center for Education Statistics, 2000a, 2000b; Valencia & Suzuki, 2000). Existing research used ecological models to document social–emotional factors at multiple levels of influence that undermine academic performance. This article integrates ideas from various perspectives in a comprehensive and interdisciplinary model that will inform policy makers, administrators, and schools about the social–emotional factors that act as both risk and protective factors for disadvantaged students’ learning and opportunities for academic success. Four critical social–emotional components that influence achievement performance (academic and school attachment, teacher support, peer values, and mental health) are reviewed. PMID:23255834

  7. A Study on Motivational Factors of Students in German Language Teaching Department at Trakya University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yucel, Mukadder Seyhan

    2009-01-01

    There are many definitions, views and theories for motivation. This study aims to state expressly what type of motivation factors according to the students' grades affects the students of German Language Teaching Departments (Turkey) negatively or positively. How the external and internal factors affect the students of German Language Teaching…

  8. Examining Factors of Acculturative Stress on International Students as They Affect Utilization of Campus-Based Health and Counseling Services at Four-Year Public Universities in Ohio

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hofmann, Paul N.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined factors of acculturative stress experienced by international students as they affect utilization of campus-based health and counseling services. Eight hundred thirty-eight international students studying at 11 four-year public institutions in the State of Ohio were surveyed to determine how frequently they had experienced 20…

  9. Factors Affecting Recruitment into Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Jon A.; Lewis, John E.; Katyal, Shalini

    2010-01-01

    Objective: The authors studied the factors affecting the recruitment into child and adolescent psychiatry training in the United States. Methods: Medical students (n = 154) and general and child and adolescent psychiatry residents (n = 111) completed a questionnaire to evaluate career choice in child psychiatry (n = 265). Results: Compared with…

  10. Transactional Distance among Open University Students: How Does it Affect the Learning Process?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kassandrinou, Amanda; Angelaki, Christina; Mavroidis, Ilias

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the presence of transactional distance among students, the factors affecting it, as well as the way it influences the learning process of students in a blended distance learning setting in Greece. The present study involved 12 postgraduate students of the Hellenic Open University (HOU). A qualitative research was conducted,…

  11. The Synergistic Effect of Affective Factors on Student Learning Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jack, Brady Michael; Lin, Huann-shyang; Yore, Larry D.

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates how affective and self-related factors impact participation in science learning and environmental awareness and responsibility. Using PISA 2006 datasets from Taiwan and Canada having similar level of science competency, the model for this study verifies and expands an earlier model by examining the relationships among…

  12. An Analysis of Factors Affecting Community College Students' Expectations on E-Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilic-Cakmak, Ebru; Karatas, Sercin; Ocak, Mehmet Akif

    2009-01-01

    There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

  13. How does feedback in mini-CEX affect students' learning response?

    PubMed

    Sudarso, Sulistiawati; Rahayu, Gandes Retno; Suhoyo, Yoyo

    2016-12-19

    This study was aimed to explore students' learning response toward feedback during mini-CEX encounter. This study used a phenomenological approach to identify the students' experiences toward feedback during mini-CEX encounter. Data was collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for all students who were in their final week of clerkship in the internal medicine rotation. There were 4 FGD groups (6 students for each group). All FGD were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. The FGD transcripts were analyzed thematically and managed using Atlas-ti (version 7.0). Feedback content and the way of providing feedback on mini-CEX stimulated students' internal process, including self-reflection, emotional response, and motivation. These internal processes encouraged the students to take action or do a follow-up on the feedback to improve their learning process. In addition, there was also an external factor, namely consequences, which also influenced the students' reaction to the follow-up on feedback. In the end, this action caused several learning effects that resulted in the students' increased self-efficacy, attitude, knowledge and clinical skill. Feedback content and the way of providing feedback on mini-CEX stimulates the students' internal processes to do a follow-up on feedback. However, another external factor also affects the students' decision on the follow-up actions. The follow-ups result in various learning effects on the students. Feedback given along with summative assessment enhances learning effects on students, as well. It is suggested that supervisors of clinical education are prepared to comprehend every factor influencing feedback on mini CEX to improve the students' learning response.

  14. Affective Teacher—Student Relationships and Students' Externalizing Behavior Problems: A Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Lei, Hao; Cui, Yunhuo; Chiu, Ming Ming

    2016-01-01

    This meta-analysis of 57 primary studies with 73,933 students shows strong links between affective teacher—student relationships (TSRs) and students' externalizing behavior problems (EBPs). Moreover, students' culture, age, gender, and the report types of EBPs moderated these effects. The negative correlation between positive indicators of affective TSRs and students' EBPs was stronger (a) among Western students than Eastern ones, (b) for students in the lower grades of primary school than for other students, (c) when rated by teachers or parents than by students or peers, and (d) among females than among males. In contrast, the positive correlation between negative indicators of affective TSRs and students' EBPs was stronger (a) among Eastern students than Western ones, (b) for students in the higher grades of primary school than for other students, and (c) when rated by students or peers than by teachers or parents. PMID:27625624

  15. Factors Affecting College Students' Knowledge and Opinions of Genetically Modified Foods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laux, Chad M.; Mosher, Gretchen A.; Freeman, Steven A.

    2010-01-01

    The use of biotechnology in food and agricultural applications has increased greatly during the past decade and is considered by many to be a controversial topic. Drawing upon a previous national study, a new survey was conducted of U.S. and international college students at a large, land-grant, Research University to determine factors that may…

  16. What Factors Predict Student Self-Rated Physical Health?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vingilis, Evelyn; Wade, Terrance J.; Adlaf, Edward

    1998-01-01

    Data from a randomly selected sample of 840 Ontario students were used to examine factors that affect self-rated physical health. Analyses focused on demographics, family structure, financial situation, child-parent relationship, school achievement, self-esteem, alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use as factors which directly and indirectly influence…

  17. Factors affecting utilization of university health services in a tertiary institution in South-West Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Obiechina, G O; Ekenedo, G O

    2013-01-01

    Most university health services have extensive health infrastructures, for the provision of effective and efficient health services to the students. In this study, we have tried to determine student's perception of factors affecting their utilization. To determine students' perception of health care services provided in a tertiary institution and assess students' attitude towards utilization. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 540 respondents, comprising of 390 males and 150 females. A structured and self-administered questionnaire was the instrument used to collect data for the study, while data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency count and percentage. High cost of drugs (72.0%), non availability of essential drugs (54.8%), time spent waiting for treatment (67.2%), inadequate referral services (81.7%), and satisfaction with services (60.6%) were considered by the respondents as factors affecting the utilization of university health services. Students-medical staff relationship and accessibility to health facility (77.6% and 74.3% respectively) were, however, not considered as factors that affect utilization of university health services. It is recommended that to improve utilization and cost of care, government should make necessary efforts to incorporate tertiary institution into National Health Insurance scheme so that students above the age of 18 years can benefit from free treatment.

  18. Commitment to Community Practice among Social Work Students: Contributing Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boehm, Amnon; Cohen, Ayala

    2013-01-01

    It is important to develop commitment to community practice among social work students to encourage their engagement in this field as professionals later in life. This research examines factors that affect commitment to community practice among social work students. A structured questionnaire was administered to 277 social work students in one…

  19. Cultural Factors Affecting Chinese ESL Students' Academic Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, Jinyan; Brown, Kathleen

    2009-01-01

    Confucianism meets Constructivism in North American universities and our classrooms are failing to meet the educational expectations of Chinese students. Specifically, students from the People's Republic of China mentioned six areas where they feel discomfort: (a) They feel uncomfortable with the classroom behavior of North American students; (b)…

  20. Using representations in geometry: a model of students' cognitive and affective performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Panaoura, Areti

    2014-05-01

    Self-efficacy beliefs in mathematics, as a dimension of the affective domain, are related with students' performance on solving tasks and mainly on overcoming cognitive obstacles. The present study investigated the interrelations of cognitive performance on geometry and young students' self-efficacy beliefs about using representations for solving geometrical tasks. The emphasis was on confirming a theoretical model for the primary-school and secondary-school students and identifying the differences and similarities for the two ages. A quantitative study was developed and data were collected from 1086 students in Grades 5-8. Confirmatory factor analysis affirmed the existence of a coherent model of affective dimensions about the use of representations for understanding the geometrical concepts, which becomes more stable across the educational levels.

  1. Factors affecting the matriculation of African American undergraduate students in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hall, Alfred L., II

    Previous research studies indicated that African Americans remain severely underrepresented in the field of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET), making up only 3% of that workforce, while representing 11.1% of all professional and related workers and 12.6% of the general population. As this country moves towards a more culturally diverse population, then representation of African Americans in SMET-related fields must be addressed in order to ensure our nation's competitiveness in a global market. This research study analyzed characteristics of African American undergraduate SMET majors participating in the Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP) program in six different states located in the Southeast region of the United States. These states consisted of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. AMP program participants completed a survey questionnaire, which collected information about potential factors that could affect their matriculation in SMET programs of studies at their respective institutions. Follow-up interviews and focus group sessions were also conducted with AMP participants to provide supplemental information to the survey data. The results of student responses were analyzed according to the type of institution the students attended (Historically Black College or University and Majority White Institution) as well as by the statewide Alliance program in which the students were involved. The students responded to survey questions that asked for their reasons for majoring in their field of study, their level of satisfaction with their institution, their impressions of student support programs and persons, their impressions of faculty and advisors, their reasons for thinking of switching majors, and their level of high school preparation. Statistical analyses of the student responses found that African American AMP students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities differed from those

  2. Dispositional Factors Affecting Motivation during Learning in Adult Basic and Secondary Education Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mellard, Daryl F.; Krieshok, Thomas; Fall, Emily; Woods, Kari

    2013-01-01

    Research indicates that about a quarter of adult students separate from formal adult basic and secondary education (ABE/ASE) programs before completing one educational level. This retrospective study explores individual dispositional factors that affect motivation during learning, particularly students' goals, goal-directed thinking and action…

  3. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis to Validate the Chamberlin Affective Instrument for Mathematical Problem Solving with Academically Advanced Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chamberlin, Scott A.; Moore, Alan D.; Parks, Kelly

    2017-01-01

    Background: Student affect plays a considerable role in mathematical problem solving performance, yet is rarely formally assessed. In this manuscript, an instrument and its properties are discussed to enable educational psychologists the opportunity to assess student affect. Aims: The study was conducted to norm the CAIMPS (instrument) with gifted…

  4. Factors Affecting Student Persistence at a Selected Community College in the Stann Creek District, Belize, Central America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Karen Charlette

    2011-01-01

    Students encounter many issues that influence their persistence in college; some they come with, others they encounter while enrolled. Factors influencing students' success in college have taken on much interest in recent years. Students' persistence studies have been increasing; however, there is much to be learned about factors influencing…

  5. A Qualitative Study of Motivating Factors for Pharmacy Student Leadership.

    PubMed

    Moore, R Joel; Ginsburg, Diane B

    2017-08-01

    Objective. To understand what motivates student pharmacists to seek a leadership position while in the professional pharmacy program and why these students choose to lead in a particular organization. Methods. A qualitative study was used to answer the research questions. Current student leaders were recruited to participate, and each completed a pre-interview questionnaire and a one-hour interview. All interviews were transcribed, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used to describe, code, and analyze the experiences. Results. Student leaders were motivated to serve in a leadership position for four reasons: networking opportunities, belief in an organization's mission, ability to affect change, and legacy. Additionally, prior leadership experience and influence played major roles in these student leaders' pursuit of a position. Conclusion. Networking, belief in an organization's mission, ability to affect change, and legacy are the four primary motivating factors for student leadership while in the professional pharmacy program. Knowing these factors should help direct resources in organizational and college efforts to produce qualified and impactful pharmacist leaders.

  6. A Qualitative Study of Motivating Factors for Pharmacy Student Leadership

    PubMed Central

    Ginsburg, Diane B.

    2017-01-01

    Objective. To understand what motivates student pharmacists to seek a leadership position while in the professional pharmacy program and why these students choose to lead in a particular organization. Methods. A qualitative study was used to answer the research questions. Current student leaders were recruited to participate, and each completed a pre-interview questionnaire and a one-hour interview. All interviews were transcribed, and an interpretive phenomenological approach was used to describe, code, and analyze the experiences. Results. Student leaders were motivated to serve in a leadership position for four reasons: networking opportunities, belief in an organization’s mission, ability to affect change, and legacy. Additionally, prior leadership experience and influence played major roles in these student leaders’ pursuit of a position. Conclusion. Networking, belief in an organization’s mission, ability to affect change, and legacy are the four primary motivating factors for student leadership while in the professional pharmacy program. Knowing these factors should help direct resources in organizational and college efforts to produce qualified and impactful pharmacist leaders. PMID:28970615

  7. Exploring the factors influencing clinical students' self-regulated learning.

    PubMed

    Berkhout, Joris J; Helmich, Esther; Teunissen, Pim W; van den Berg, Joost W; van der Vleuten, Cees P M; Jaarsma, A Debbie C

    2015-06-01

    The importance of self-regulated learning (SRL) has been broadly recognised by medical education institutions and regulatory bodies. Supporting the development of SRL skills has proven difficult because self-regulation is a complex interactive process and we know relatively little about the factors influencing this process in real practice settings. The aim of our study was therefore to identify factors that support or hamper medical students' SRL in a clinical context. We conducted a constructivist grounded theory study using semi-structured interviews with 17 medical students from two universities enrolled in clerkships. Participants were purposively sampled to ensure variety in age, gender, experience and current clerkship. The Day Reconstruction Method was used to help participants remember their activities of the previous day. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed iteratively using constant comparison and open, axial and interpretive coding. Self-regulated learning by students in the clinical environment was influenced by the specific goals perceived by students, the autonomy they experienced, the learning opportunities they were given or created themselves, and the anticipated outcomes of an activity. All of these factors were affected by personal, contextual and social attributes. Self-regulated learning of medical students in the clinical environment is different for every individual. The factors influencing this process are affected by personal, social and contextual attributes. Some of these are similar to those known from previous research in classroom settings, but others are unique to the clinical environment and include the facilities available, the role of patients, and social relationships pertaining to peers and other hospital staff. To better support students' SRL, we believe it is important to increase students' metacognitive awareness and to offer students more tailored learning opportunities. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. [Study of the dietary preferences and the social-psychological factors that affect the dietary behaviors of high school and university students].

    PubMed

    Kasamaki, Junichi

    2013-01-01

    This study was conducted to elucidate the correlation among dietary intake, dietary preferences, and social-psychological factors in the youth and to examine the factors that affect such dietary behaviors as snacking, skipping breakfast, and taking a biased nutrition. A survey was carried out using a questionnaire with closed questions on multiple items such as dietary behaviors, psychosocial stress, dietary externalization, information and consciousness about health. The survey was conducted on 1,056 high school students and 1,323 university students in Japan. As a result of the factor analysis among the groups of male/female and high school/university students, relationships were found between the items of "preferences for snacking" and "snack food intakes" among all these groups. Those who like sweets and snacks tended to snack between lunch and dinner or after dinner by themselves more often than those who do not. In contrast to men, intermediate correlations were found between the item of "a meal as a diversion" and each of the items of "snack food intake," "preferences for fried foods/sautéed foods/meat dishes," and "preferences for snacking," among women who do not live alone, regardless of their being high school or university students. The item of "stress over human relationships/academic performance" was shown to have similarly weak correlations with the items of "reasons for skipping breakfast" and "nutrition intake" in the groups of male and female high school students. The less they value nutrition intake, the more they tend to be conscious of stress over human relationships/academic performance.

  9. Factors Affecting Educational Innovation with in Class Electronic Response Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freeman, Mark; Bell, Amani; Comerton-Forde, Carole; Pickering, Joanne; Blayney, Paul

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports the use of Rogers' diffusion of innovation perspective to understand the factors affecting educational innovation decisions, specifically in regard to in class electronic response systems. Despite decreasing costs and four decades of research showing strong student support, academic adoption is limited. Using data collected from…

  10. Factors Affecting Mental Health Service Utilization Among California Public College and University Students.

    PubMed

    Sontag-Padilla, Lisa; Woodbridge, Michelle W; Mendelsohn, Joshua; D'Amico, Elizabeth J; Osilla, Karen Chan; Jaycox, Lisa H; Eberhart, Nicole K; Burnam, Audrey M; Stein, Bradley D

    2016-08-01

    Unmet need for mental health treatment among college students is a significant public health issue. Despite having access to campus mental health providers and insurance to cover services, many college students do not receive necessary services. This study examined factors influencing college students' use of mental health services. Online survey data for 33,943 students and 14,018 staff and faculty at 39 college campuses in California were analyzed by using logistic regressions examining the association between students' use of mental health services and student characteristics, campus environment, and the presence of a formal network of campus mental health clinics. Nineteen percent of students reported current serious psychological distress in the past 30 days, and 11% reported significant mental health-related academic impairment in the past year. Twenty percent reported using mental health services while at their current college, 10% by using campus services and 10% off-campus services. Students on campuses with a formal network of mental health clinics were more likely than students at community colleges to receive mental health services (odds ratio [OR] range=1.68-1.69), particularly campus services (OR=3.47-5.72). Students on campuses that are supportive of mental health issues were more likely to receive mental health services (OR=1.22), particularly on campus (OR=1.65). Students with active (versus low) coping skills were consistently more likely to use mental health services. Establishing more campus mental health clinics, fostering supportive campus environments, and increasing students' coping skills may reduce unmet need for mental health services among college students.

  11. Factors Affecting Student Learning Outcomes: A School-Level Analysis of the 1990 NAEP Mathematics Trial State Assessment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Lori Yoonkyung

    Data from the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Trial State Assessment (TSA) in mathematics were analyzed to determine what educational factors influence student learning, how these factors influence learning, and how important these factors are to student achievement. NAEP TSA data were collected from more than 100,000…

  12. The Factors that Affect Science Teachers' Participation in Professional Development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roux, Judi Ann

    Scientific literacy for our students and the possibilities for careers available in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas are important topics for economic growth as well as global competitiveness. The achievement of students in science learning is dependent upon the science teachers' effectiveness and experienced science teachers depend upon relevant professional development experiences to support their learning. In order to understand how to improve student learning in science, the learning of science teachers must also be understood. Previous research studies on teacher professional development have been conducted in other states, but Minnesota science teachers comprised a new and different population from those previously studied. The purpose of this two-phase mixed methods study was to identify the current types of professional development in which experienced, Minnesota secondary science teachers participated and the factors that affect their participation in professional development activities. The mixed-methods approach s utilized an initial online survey followed by qualitative interviews with five survey respondents. The results of the quantitative survey and the qualitative interviews indicated the quality of professional development experiences and the factors which affected the science teachers' participation in professional development activities. The supporting and inhibiting factors involved the availability of resources such as time and money, external relationships with school administrators, teacher colleagues, and family members, and personal intrinsic attributes such as desires to learn and help students. This study also describes implications for science teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and professional development providers. Recommendations for future research include the following areas: relationships between and among intrinsic and extrinsic factors, science-related professional development activities

  13. Factors Affecting Students' Acceptance of Tablet PCs: A Study in Italian High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cacciamani, Stefano; Villani, Daniela; Bonanomi, Andrea; Carissoli, Claudia; Olivari, Maria Giulia; Morganti, Laura; Riva, Giuseppe; Confalonieri, Emanuela

    2018-01-01

    To maximize the advantages of the tablet personal computer (TPC) at school, this technology needs to be accepted by students as new tool for learning. With reference to the Technology Acceptance Model and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the aims of this study were (a) to analyze factors influencing high school students'…

  14. Factors Affecting Choice of Specialty Among First-year Medical Students of Four Universities in Different Regions of Turkey

    PubMed Central

    Dikici, Mustafa Fevzi; Yaris, Fusun; Topsever, Pinar; Filiz, Tuncay Muge; Gurel, Fazil Serdar; Cubukcu, Mahcube; Gorpelioglu, Suleyman

    2008-01-01

    Aim To determine the factors affecting medical students’ choice of the specialty of family medicine. Methods The study was conducted in the period from 2004-2006 and comprised 770 first-year medical students from Ondokuz Mayis, Karadeniz Technical, Kocaeli, and Adnan Menderes Universities, Turkey. The questionnaire included questions on demographic data and 6 “yes/no” or open-ended questions on students’ career aspirations and the specialty of family medicine. Results The response rate was 93.1% (n = 717, 54.7% male). Nearly all students (n = 714, 99.6%) showed an intention to specialize after receiving the medical doctor degree. A total of 187 students (26.2%) showed an intention to work in primary care without specialization “for a temporary period” to “gain some experience.” Family medicine was the least preferred specialty (n = 7, 0.9%). The most important reasons for the choice of specialty were “better financial opportunities” and “prestige” (n = 219, 30.5%), followed by “personal development” (n = 149, 20.8%), “more benefits for the patient” (n = 128, 17.9%), and “wish to work in an urban area” (n = 32, 4.5%). The most preferred specialties were cardiology (n = 179, 25.0%), pediatrics (n = 121, 16.9%), ophthalmology (n = 47, 6.6%), physical therapy and rehabilitation (n = 34, 4.7%), and obstetrics and gynecology (n = 32, 4.5%). Conclusion Prestige, money, and personal development are important factors in career decision-making among medical students in Turkey. This should be taken into consideration when conducting reforms at the primary level. PMID:18581621

  15. The Impact of CLIL on Affective Factors and Vocabulary Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heras, Arantxa; Lasagabaster, David

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this article is twofold: to assess the effectiveness of a CLIL (content and language integrated learning) module on affective factors (motivation and self-esteem), and to test the purported blurring effect of CLIL on gender differences in foreign language learning. Forty-six students in their fourth year of compulsory secondary…

  16. Factors Affecting Perceived Learning, Satisfaction, and Quality in the Online MBA: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sebastianelli, Rose; Swift, Caroline; Tamimi, Nabil

    2015-01-01

    The authors examined how six factors related to content and interaction affect students' perceptions of learning, satisfaction, and quality in online master of business administration (MBA) courses. They developed three scale items to measure each factor. Using survey data from MBA students at a private university, the authors estimated structural…

  17. Specialty choice preference of medical students according to personality traits by Five-Factor Model.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Oh Young; Park, So Youn

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between personality traits, using the Five-Factor Model, and characteristics and motivational factors affecting specialty choice in Korean medical students. A questionnaire survey of Year 4 medical students (n=110) in July 2015 was administered. We evaluated the personality traits of Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness by using the Korean version of Big Five Inventory. Questions about general characteristics, medical specialties most preferred as a career, motivational factors in determining specialty choice were included. Data between five personality traits and general characteristics and motivational factors affecting specialty choice were analyzed using Student t-test, Mann-Whitney test and analysis of variance. Of the 110 eligible medical students, 105 (95.4% response rate) completed the questionnaire. More Agreeableness students preferred clinical medicine to basic medicine (p=0.010) and more Openness students preferred medical departments to others (p=0.031). Personal interest was the significant motivational factors in more Openness students (p=0.003) and Conscientiousness students (p=0.003). Medical students with more Agreeableness were more likely to prefer clinical medicine and those with more Openness preferred medical departments. Personal interest was a significant influential factor determining specialty choice in more Openness and Conscientiousness students. These findings may be helpful to medical educators or career counselors in the specialty choice process.

  18. Factors Influencing Pharmacy Students' Attendance Decisions in Large Lectures

    PubMed Central

    Helms, Kristen L.; McDonough, Sharon K.; Breland, Michelle L.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives To identify reasons for pharmacy student attendance and absenteeism in large lectures and to determine whether certain student characteristics affect student absenteeism. Methods Pharmacy students' reasons to attend and not attend 3 large lecture courses were identified. Using a Web-based survey instrument, second-year pharmacy students were asked to rate to what degree various reasons affected their decision to attend or not attend classes for 3 courses. Bivariate analyses were used to assess the relationships between student characteristics and degree of absenteeism. Results Ninety-eight students (75%) completed the survey instrument. The degree of student absenteeism differed among the 3 courses. Most student demographic characteristics examined were not related to the degree of absenteeism. Different reasons to attend and not to attend class were identified for each of the 3 courses, suggesting that attendance decisions were complex. Conclusions Respondents wanted to take their own notes and the instructor highlighted what was important to know were the top 2 common reasons for pharmacy students to attend classes. Better understanding of factors influencing student absenteeism may help pharmacy educators design effective interventions to facilitate student attendance. PMID:19777098

  19. Cognitive style as a factor in accounting students' perceptions of career-choice factors.

    PubMed

    Gul, F; Huang, A; Subramaniam, N

    1992-12-01

    Since prior studies of individuals' perceptions of career-choice factors have not considered the effect of cognitive styles of subjects, this study, using 68 accounting students, investigated the mediating effects of the field dependent-independent cognitive dimension on perceptions of the importance of career-choice factors. The results, in general, show that cognitive style affected individuals' perceptions of career-choice factors, suggesting that future studies of individuals' perceptions should take into account individual cognitive differences.

  20. Factors Affecting Applications to Oxford and Cambridge--Repeat Survey. Executive Summary with Statistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ridley, Kate; White, Kerensa; Styles, Ben; Morrison, Jo

    2005-01-01

    This research follows up a study conducted in 1998 by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to investigate teachers' and students' views on the factors affecting students' choices of whether or not to apply to Oxford and Cambridge universities. It identifies what has changed since 1998 and areas in which the universities could…

  1. Factors Potentially Influencing Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiles, Jason R.

    This investigation explored scientific, religious, and otherwise nonscientific factors that may influence student acceptance of biological evolution and related concepts, how students perceived these factors to have influenced their levels of acceptance of evolution and changes therein, and what patterns arose among students' articulations of how their levels of acceptance of evolution may have changed. This exploration also measured the extent to which students' levels of acceptance changed following a treatment designed to address factors identified as potentially affecting student acceptance of evolution. Acceptance of evolution was measured using the MATE instrument (Rutledge and Warden, 1999; Rutledge and Sadler, 2007) among participants enrolled in a secondary-level academic program during the summer prior to their final year of high school and as they transitioned to the post-secondary level. Student acceptance of evolution was measured to be significantly higher than pre-treatment levels both immediately following and slightly over one year after treatment. Qualitative data from informal questionnaires, from formal course evaluations, and from semi-structured interviews of students engaged in secondary level education and former students at various stages of post-secondary education confirmed that the suspected factors were perceived by participants to have influenced their levels of acceptance of evolution. Furthermore, participant reports provided insight regarding the relative effects they perceived these factors to have had on their evolution acceptance levels. Additionally, many participants reported that their science teachers in public schools had avoided, omitted, or denigrated evolution during instruction, and several of these students expressed frustration regarding what they perceived to have been a lack of education of an important scientific principle. Finally, no students expressed feelings of being offended by having been taught about

  2. Sleeping with technology: cognitive, affective, and technology usage predictors of sleep problems among college students.

    PubMed

    Rosen, Larry; Carrier, Louis M; Miller, Aimee; Rokkum, Jeffrey; Ruiz, Abraham

    2016-03-01

    Sleep problems related to technology affect college students through several potential mechanisms including displacement of sleep due to technology use, executive functioning abilities, and the impact of emotional states related to stress and anxiety about technology availability. In the present study, cognitive and affective factors that influence technology usage were examined for their impact upon sleep problems. More than 700 US college students completed an online questionnaire addressing technology usage, anxiety/dependence, executive functioning, nighttime phone usage, bedtime phone location, and sleep problems. A path model controlling for background variables was tested using the data. The results showed that executive dysfunction directly predicted sleep problems as well as affected sleep problems through nighttime awakenings. In addition, anxiety/dependence increased daily smartphone usage and also increased nighttime awakenings, which, in turn, affected sleep problems. Thus, both the affective and cognitive factors that influence technology usage affected sleep problems. Copyright © 2016 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Motivating Factors Influencing College Students' Choice of Academic Major

    PubMed Central

    Brocavich, Joseph M.; Boone, R. Thomas; Pal, Somnath

    2010-01-01

    Objectives To assess the factors, motivations, and nonacademic influences that affected the choice of major among pharmacy and nonpharmacy undergraduate students. Methods A survey was administered to 618 pharmacy and nonpharmacy majors to assess background and motivational factors that may have influenced their choice of major. The sample consisted of freshman and sophomore students enrolled in a required speech course. Results African-American and Hispanic students were less likely to choose pharmacy as a major than Caucasians, whereas Asian-Americans were more likely to choose pharmacy as a major. Pharmacy students were more likely to be interested in science and math than nonpharmacy students. Conclusion Students' self-reported racial/ethnic backgrounds influence their decision of whether to choose pharmacy as their academic major. Results of this survey provide further insight into developing effective recruiting strategies and enhancing the marketing efforts of academic institutions. PMID:20498739

  4. Exploring Individual Factors Affecting Business Students' Willingness to Study Abroad: A Case Study from the Caribbean

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernández-Díaz, Arleen; Fernández-Morales, Leticia M.; Vega-Vilca, José C.; Córdova-Claudio, Mario

    2016-01-01

    Despite a low rate of student participation in study abroad programs in the Caribbean, there is insufficient research about the individual factors that help determine business students' willingness to study or to participate in internship programs abroad. This study aims to explore business students' attitudes toward study abroad. The positive…

  5. Academic failure and students' viewpoint: The influence of individual, internal and external organizational factors.

    PubMed

    Najimi, Arash; Sharifirad, Gholamreza; Amini, Mehdi Mohammad; Meftagh, Sayyed Davood

    2013-01-01

    Educational failure is one of the most important problems in higher education institutes in Iran. This study was performed to investigate the factors affecting students' academic failure in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 280 students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were studied in 2009. They were chosen using multiple cluster sampling. The students' demographic characteristics and study information were collected by a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS (15) software. The most important factors affecting educational failure from students' point of view were: curriculum (4.23 ± 0.63), factors related to educator (3.88 ± 0.55), learning environment (3.63 ± 0.62), family factors (3.53 ± 0.6), socioeconomic factors (3.45 ± 0.69). There is a significant relationship between attitudes of students in two sexes and educator (P = 0.03) and socioeconomic environment (P = 0.003). In addition, the results did not show a significant difference between attitudes of students with age, marital status and employment status (P > 0.05). More attention to curriculum, factors related to educator and learning environment can prevent students' educational failure, in addition to preventing loss of resources and contribute to develop a more effective educational system.

  6. Easy-to-read texts for students with intellectual disability: linguistic factors affecting comprehension.

    PubMed

    Fajardo, Inmaculada; Ávila, Vicenta; Ferrer, Antonio; Tavares, Gema; Gómez, Marcos; Hernández, Ana

    2014-05-01

    optimally match texts and reading levels of students with intellectual disability. Two factors are suggested as contributing to the effect of sentence density on inferential comprehension: (i) long texts present higher conceptual density, so there are more ideas to store, retrieve and integrate, which increases the demand on inferential reasoning and (ii) long texts are perceived as difficult, which affects reading motivation and, consequently, induces passive reading strategies. The need for further research to elucidate the origin of our main findings with a larger and more heterogeneous sample of students with intellectual disability is highlighted. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Factors affecting postgraduate dental students' performance in a biostatistics and research design course.

    PubMed

    El Tantawi, Maha M A

    2009-05-01

    Comprehension of biostatistics and principles of research design is important for literature evaluation and evidence-based practice in dentistry as well as for researchers wishing to have their publications accepted by international journals. This study investigated the contribution of several factors to postgraduate dental student performance in a biostatistics and research design course. All of the subjects in this study were dental school graduates currently enrolled in postgraduate programs leading to master's or doctoral degrees. The seven factors selected for study were 1) learning style preferences assessed by the VARK questionnaire, 2) past academic performance at the bachelor's degree level, 3) age, 4) gender, 5) current postgraduate program (master's or Ph.D.), 6) lecture attendance, and 7) performance on a quiz conducted early in the course. Response rate was 64 percent. Using bivariate analysis, a statistically significant relationship was observed between final exam score and the following factors: bachelor's degree grade; having single or multiple learning preferences; having visual, aural, read-write, or kinesthetic learning style preference; percent of lectures attended; and quiz score (P<0.0001, 0.01, 0.02, 0.006, 0.04, 0.03, 0.03, and <0.0001 respectively). In regression analysis, significant predictors of final exam score were bachelor's degree grade, having aural learning preference, and quiz score. The findings suggest that dental educators should direct their attention to students who have difficulties at the beginning of the course and should match the learning preferences of as many students as possible by presenting information in different ways rather than focusing on a single method of delivering the course.

  8. Factors Affecting Students' Adoption of ICT Tools in Higher Education Institutions: An Indian Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosaline, Salini; Wesley, J. Reeves

    2017-01-01

    In the recent years, technology has been an important component in teaching and learning. The literature has highlighted many studies investigations on the students' intention to use technology in many Western, African and South East Asian countries. This article brings in the factors influencing students' adoption of ICT tools in higher education…

  9. Factors Affecting Middle School Students' Reading Motivation in Taiwan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huang, SuHua

    2013-01-01

    This study employed a triangulated mixed method to investigate reading motivation of Chinese middle school students in Taiwan. A total of 247 seventh grade students (122 boys and 125 girls) participated voluntarily by completing the Chinese Motivation for Research Questionnaire (CMRQ). Sixteen of the 247 students were purposely selected to…

  10. Medical students' attitudes towards general practice and factors affecting career choice: a questionnaire study

    PubMed Central

    Garnham, Laura

    2014-01-01

    Background The current issue of general practice recruitment is a significant challenge and concern. In order to address this, it is vital to understand medical students' attitudes towards general practice and what influences their choice of intended career. Method We used a questionnaire study to examine these attitudes across all years at Imperial College Medical School and to understand what a group of London medical students' current intended career choices were. Results We found that only 13% of students ranked general practice as their first choice career despite having a generally realistic and positive attitude towards the speciality. They highlighted that the main influence on future career choice was interest in the specific speciality and that lifestyle factors did not seem to be so important. Conclusion Exposure to general practice, primary care research and student GP societies might play some part in increasing interest, but more work is needed to understand why students are rejecting general practice and what we can do collectively to attract students into choosing a career in primary care. PMID:25949732

  11. Factors affecting onset of puberty in Denizli province in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Semiz, Serap; Kurt, Funda; Kurt, Devrim Tanil; Zencir, Mehmet; Sevinç, Ozgür

    2009-01-01

    The relationship between the possible factors affecting pubertal onset and pubertal timing was investigated in the Denizli province in Turkey. A total number of 3311 subjects (1562 girls, 1749 boys) aged 6-16.5 years participated in this study. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Pubertal stages were assessed according to methods of Marshall and Tanner. Testicular volume was determined using Prader orchidometer. Menarcheal age was recorded. All parents and students completed different questionnaires on demographic variables affecting pubertal timing such as socioeconomic conditions, psychosocial factors, exercise, nutritional status, chronic diseases, migration and birth weight. Using distribution percentiles of pubertal stages according to age, the relation between pubertal timing and factors affecting puberty was investigated. There was no significant association between exercise, birth weight, migration, chronic disease, and socioeconomic status and age of puberty onset. Menarcheal age of overweight and obese girls was significantly lower than that of girls with normal weight. In-family stress was the cause of early puberty in girls and of delayed puberty in boys.

  12. How Creativity Was Affected by Environmental Factors and Individual Characteristics: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Deng, Lifang; Wang, Lijuan; Zhao, Yanyun

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore how environmental factors (family environment and school education) and individual characteristics (personality, creative attitudes, and divergent thinking) collectively affect creative achievement of American and Chinese college students. Data were collected from 378 college students in the United States…

  13. A Phenomenological Study: The Influence of Noncognitive Factors on Academically Unprepared College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thom, Danny Moire

    2012-01-01

    This phenomenological research explored the influence of noncognitive factors in four areas: early educational factors, personal factors, affective factors, and noncognitive skill factors to understand the phenomenon of college students' academic underpreparedness. Findings related to textual categories indicated personal factors such as a…

  14. Determination of Factors Effected Dietary Glycemic Index in Turkish University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gumus, Huseyin; Akdevelioglu, Yasemin; Bulduk, Sidika

    2014-01-01

    We aimed to determine how factors such as smoking, regular activity, etc. affected dietary glycemic index in university students. Methods: This study was carried out at Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. The participants were 577 randomly selected Turkish healthy female university students aged 17-32 years. The survey included a questionnaire that…

  15. Ecological Factors Affecting Access to General Education Content and Contexts for Students with Significant Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruppar, Andrea L.; Allcock, Heather; Gonsier-Gerdin, Jean

    2017-01-01

    In this review, we applied Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to examine factors that support or restrict access to the general curriculum for students with significant disabilities. We organize the literature in relationship to factors within the micro-, meso-, macro-, exo-, and chronosystems that influence decisions about access to the…

  16. Students' Relationships with Mathematics: Affect and Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingram, Naomi

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, an examination of students' relationships with mathematics is informed by affective research into internal mathematical structures and identity research into students' narratives. By analysing the perceptions of a class of 31 adolescents, five interacting elements emerged: students' views, feelings, mathematical knowledge,…

  17. Student Expectations of Course Content Affect Faculty Evaluations in an Abnormal Psychology Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bock, Frances A.

    1979-01-01

    Describes a study measuring how student expectations of an abnormal psychology course affect their rating of professors. Findings showed a significant impact, especially in relation to popularized topics. Recommends evaluative instruments separating course-related factors from instructor ratings. (CK)

  18. Factors Affecting the Identification of Hispanic English Language Learners in Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becker, Gail I.

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative phenomenological study revealed factors affecting the overrepresentation of Hispanic English language learners (ELLs) in special education. An analysis of the lived experiences of school professionals indicate multiple causes that determine students to be disabled often in violation of state and federal guidelines. Child study…

  19. Factors Affecting Career Choice: Comparison Between Students from Computer and Other Disciplines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexander, P. M.; Holmner, M.; Lotriet, H. H.; Matthee, M. C.; Pieterse, H. V.; Naidoo, S.; Twinomurinzi, H.; Jordaan, D.

    2011-06-01

    The number of student enrolments in computer-related courses remains a serious concern worldwide with far reaching consequences. This paper reports on an extensive survey about career choice and associated motivational factors amongst new students, only some of whom intend to major in computer-related courses, at two South African universities. The data were analyzed using some components of Social Cognitive Career Theory, namely external influences, self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations. The research suggests the need for new strategies for marketing computer-related courses and the avenues through which they are marketed. This can to some extent be achieved by studying strategies used by other (non-computer) university courses, and their professional bodies. However, there are also distinct differences, related to self-efficacy and career outcomes, between the computer majors and the `other' group and these need to be explored further in order to find strategies that work well for this group. It is not entirely clear what the underlying reasons are for these differences but it is noteworthy that the perceived importance of "Interest in the career field" when choosing a career remains very high for both groups of students.

  20. Starting the Conversation: An Exploratory Study of Factors That Influence Student Office Hour Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffin, Whitney; Cohen, Steven D.; Berndtson, Rachel; Burson, Kristen M.; Camper, K. Martin; Chen, Yujie; Smith, Margaret Austin

    2014-01-01

    As part of best practices for increasing faculty-student interaction, higher education institutions across the country require faculty members to hold office hours. Various studies have reported factors affecting student use of office hours; however, results are unclear at best and in some cases conflicting with respect to which factors matter…

  1. A Qualitative Investigation of the Factors Affecting Arab International Students' Persistence in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rabia, Hazza Abu

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study explored the factors that enhance Arab international students' persistence and facilitate their academic and cultural adjustment at postsecondary institutions in the United States. The sample for this study consisted of Arab international students from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, UAE, Iraq, and Jordan. In-depth…

  2. Affective Commitment among Student Affairs Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boehman, Joseph

    2007-01-01

    Student affairs professionals in the United States were surveyed to determine the predictive value of overall job satisfaction, organizational support, organizational politics, and work/nonwork interaction on affective organizational commitment. Results indicate that a supportive work environment leads to increased affective attachment to the…

  3. Analysis of Factors that Affect the Teacher Certification Exam Results in a University System in Puerto Rico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garofalo, Jorge H.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that affect a teacher preparation exam results within a University System in Puerto Rico. Using Bertalanffy's System Theory as theoretical framework, this mixed methods study examined factors in the university system that could have affected student's preparation for a teacher exam (PCMAS by its…

  4. A study among dental students regarding the factors influenced dental students to choose dentistry as career

    PubMed Central

    AnbuSelvan, Gobichetti Palayam Jagatheeswaran; Gokulnathan, Subramaniam; PrabuRajan, Vilvanathan; RajaRaman, Gangadharan; Kumar, Singaravelu Suresh; Thagavelu, Arthie

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Career choice is a complex decision for students since it determines the kind of profession that they intend to pursue in life. As students try to make a career choice while in secondary school, they face the problem of matching their career choices with their abilities and school performance. Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing career choice among dental college students in private dental collages in Tamil Nadu, India. Settings and Design: The study was conducted using descriptive survey design with a population of 989 students. The data for this study was collected using a questionnaire and interview schedules. Materials and Methods: The data for this study was collected using questionnaire previously used by Swati Shah and Rajaraman and interview schedules. The analysis of the study was based on the factors: Outcome expectations, gender, personal interests, and other factors. Results and Conclusion: The most common reason for among the dental students to choose dental science as their career choice was self-interested followed by didn′t get medicine degree, prestige and gives respect. The least common reasons observed in the study population were inspired by dentists. The findings of this study indicate that availability the most influential factors affecting career choices among students. PMID:23946573

  5. Factors Affecting Retention in Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berling, Victoria L.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to expand what is known regarding the factors that relate to successful completion of online, undergraduate college courses. It addressed 13 student factors available through archival data at Northern Kentucky University based on 1,493 students enrolled in fully online courses in fall 2008. It included programmatic…

  6. Factors Influencing the College Choice Decisions of Graduate Students. AIR 1994 Annual Forum Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kallio, Ruth E.

    A survey of 1,068 admitted graduate students at the University of Michigan examined the relative influence of factors affecting college choice decisions. Factor analysis of ratings of importance of 31 college characteristics yielded dimensions upon which student decisions are based. These results were used to build five scales of importance and…

  7. Stressors affecting nursing students in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Watson, R; Rehman, S; Ali, P A

    2017-12-01

    To determine factors contributing to stress experienced by preregistration nursing students in Pakistan, using the Stressors in Nursing Students scale. The aim was to explore the psychometric properties of this instrument and to investigate the effect of a range of demographic variables on the perception of stressors in nursing students. Nursing is a stressful profession, and nursing students may experience more stress due to competing demands and challenges of nursing education, assessment, placements and worries about employment prospects. In this cross-sectional survey, data from 726 nursing students from 11 schools of nursing in Karachi, Pakistan, were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive as well inferential statistics. An exploratory factor analysis was also conducted. There was no apparent factor structure to the Stressors in Nursing Students scale, unlike in previous studies. The total score on the Stressors in Nursing Students scale was related to gender with males scoring higher. The score generally increased over 4 years of the programme, and students in private schools of nursing scored higher than those in public schools of nursing. Nursing students in Pakistan do not appear to differentiate between different stressors, and this may be due to cultural differences in the students and to the structure of the programme and the articulation between the academic and clinical aspects. Likewise, cultural reasons may account for differences between stress experienced by male and female students. The fact that scores on the Stressors in Nursing Students scale increased over 4 years of the programme and males scored higher than females should alert nursing schools and policymakers related to nursing education and workforce to pay attention to prevent attrition from nursing programmes. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

  8. Basic Factors that Affect General Academic Motivation Levels of Candidate Preschool Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Celikoz, Nadir

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate some personal and familial factors that affect overall academic motivation levels of candidate preschool teachers. The study group of this research consists of 285 students attending the child development and preschool education department at Selcuk University Faculty of Vocational Education in the…

  9. Use of the Hage framework for theory construction: Factors affecting glucose control in the college-aged student with type 1 diabetes.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Rebecca A; Fish, Anne F; Lou, Qinqing

    2017-10-01

    This article describes the Hage framework for theory construction and its application to the clinical problem of glycemic control in college-aged students with type 1 diabetes. College-aged students with type 1 diabetes struggle to self-manage their condition. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), if controlled within acceptable limits (6-8%), is associated with the prevention or delay of serious diabetic complications such as kidney and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes educators provide knowledge and skills, but young adults must self-manage their condition on a daily basis, independent of parents. The Hage framework includes five tasks of theory construction: narrowing and naming the concepts, specifying the definitions, creating the theoretical statements, specifying the linkages, and ordering components in preparation for model building. During the process, concepts within the theory were revised as the literature was reviewed, and measures and hypotheses, foundational to research, were generated. We were successful in applying the framework and creating a model of factors affecting glycemic control, emphasizing that physical activity, thought of as a normal part of wellness, can be a two-edged sword producing positive effect but also serious negative effects in some college-aged students with type 1 diabetes. Contextual factors important to self-management in college-aged students are emphasized. The Hage framework, already used to a small extent in nursing curricula, deserves more attention and, because of its generic nature, may be used as a template for theory construction to examine a wide variety of nursing topics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Analyzing the Factors Affecting the Success in University Entrance Examination through the use of Artificial Neural Networks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agdelen, Zafer; Haydar, Ali; Kanani, Andisheh

    2007-01-01

    There are many factors that affect the success of students in university entrance examination. These factors can be mainly categorized as follows; social factors, environmental factors, economical factors etc. The main aim of this study is to find whether there is a relation between these factors and the success in the university entrance…

  11. Factors That Affect Willingness to Borrow Student Loans among Community College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Menges, Kathleen K.; Leonhard, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Research suggests that student loan borrowing has increased at the community college level. This trend is worrisome to many, as research is inconclusive regarding whether loans are positively correlated with achieving a college degree. Many also contend that choosing not to borrow a student loan due to loan aversion can negatively impact a…

  12. Social-Economic Factors, Student Factors, Student Academic Goals and Performance of Students in Institutions of Higher Learning in Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ngoma, Muhammed; Ntale, Peter Dithan; Abaho, Earnest

    2017-01-01

    This article evaluates the relationship between social-economic factors, students' factors, student academic goals and performance of students. The study adopts a cross-sectional survey, with largely quantitative approaches. A sample of 950 students was randomly and proportionately drawn from undergraduates in four institutions of higher learning.…

  13. Factors Affecting Intrinsic Motivation among University Students in Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tang, Li-Ping Thomas

    1990-01-01

    Studies the effects of the Protestant work ethic and performance feedback on intrinsic motivation in a sample of Taiwanese university students. Divides subjects into three groups according to work ethic measurement: high, intermediate, and low. Suggests students with a low work ethic exert more effort when challenged. (NL)

  14. The Variables Affecting the Success of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Savas, Behsat; Gurel, Ramazan

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the variables affecting the success of students. This research, which was conducted through the relational screening model, has a sampling of students who were selected from a middle city in Turkey. The schools are classified into three as low, medium and high. A total of 3491 students are selected by using…

  15. What Affects Academic Functioning in Secondary Special Education Students with Serious Emotional and/or Behavioral Problems?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mattison, Richard E.; Blader, Joseph C.

    2013-01-01

    Concern is growing over the limited academic progress in special education students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD). We know little about how academic and behavioral factors interact in these students to affect their academic functioning. Therefore, potential associations were investigated over the course of one school year for…

  16. A study of the factors affecting the attitudes of young female students toward chemistry at the high school level

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Banya, Santonino K.

    Chemistry is a human endeavor that relies on basic human qualities like creativity, insights, reasoning, and skills. It depends on habits of the mind: skepticism, tolerance of ambiguity, openness to new ideas, intellectual honesty, curiosity, and communication. Young female students begin studying chemistry curiosity; however, when unconvinced, they become skeptical. Researches focused on gender studies have indicated that attitudes toward science education differ between males and females. A declining interest in chemistry and the under representation of females in the chemical science was found (Jacobs, 2000). This study investigated whether self-confidence toward chemistry, the influence of role models, and knowledge about the usefulness of chemistry were affecting the attitudes toward chemistry, of 183 high school young females across the United States. The young female students surveyed, had studied chemistry for at least one year prior to participating in the study during the fall semester of 2003. The schools were randomly selected represented diverse economic backgrounds and geographical locations. Data were obtained using Chemistry Attitude Influencing Factors (CAIF) instrument and from interviews with a focus group of three young female students about the effect of self-confidence toward chemistry, the influence of role models, and knowledge about the usefulness of chemistry on their decision to study chemistry. The CAIF instrument consisted of a 12-items self-confidence questionnaire (ConfiS), 12-items each of the influence of role models (RoMoS) and knowledge about usefulness of chemistry (US) questionnaire. ConfiS was adopted (with permission) from CAEQ (Coll & Dalgety, 2001), and both RoMoS and US were modified from TOSRA (Fraser, 1978), public domain document. The three young female students interviewed, gave detailed responses about their opinions regarding self-confidence toward chemistry, the influence of role models, and knowledge about the

  17. Analysis of factors affecting satisfaction level on problem based learning approach using structural equation modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hussain, Nur Farahin Mee; Zahid, Zalina

    2014-12-01

    Nowadays, in the job market demand, graduates are expected not only to have higher performance in academic but they must also be excellent in soft skill. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has a number of distinct advantages as a learning method as it can deliver graduates that will be highly prized by industry. This study attempts to determine the satisfaction level of engineering students on the PBL Approach and to evaluate their determinant factors. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to investigate how the factors of Good Teaching Scale, Clear Goals, Student Assessment and Levels of Workload affected the student satisfaction towards PBL approach.

  18. Examining Factors that Affect Knowledge Sharing and Students' Attitude toward Their Learning Experience within Virtual Teams

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    He, Jinxia

    2009-01-01

    This study examined factors that might impact student knowledge sharing within virtual teams through online discussion boards. These factors included: trust, mutual influence, conflict, leadership, and cohesion. A path model was developed to determine whether relationships exist among knowledge sharing from asynchronous group discussion and the…

  19. Examination of Substance Use, Risk Factors, and Protective Factors on Student Academic Test Score Performance

    PubMed Central

    Arthur, Michael W.; Brown, Eric C.; Briney, John S.; Hawkins, J. David; Abbott, Robert D.; Catalano, Richard F.; Becker, Linda; Langer, Michael; Mueller, Martin T.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND School administrators and teachers face difficult decisions about how best to use school resources in order to meet academic achievement goals. Many are hesitant to adopt prevention curricula that are not focused directly on academic achievement. Yet, some have hypothesized that prevention curricula can remove barriers to learning and, thus, promote achievement. This study examined relationships between school levels of student substance use and risk and protective factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors and achievement test performance in Washington State. METHODS Hierarchical Generalized Linear Models were used to examine predictive associations between school-averaged levels of substance use and risk and protective factors and Washington State students’ likelihood of meeting achievement test standards on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, statistically controlling for demographic and economic factors known to be associated with achievement. RESULTS Results indicate that levels of substance use and risk/protective factors predicted the academic test score performance of students. Many of these effects remained significant even after controlling for model covariates. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that implementing prevention programs that target empirically identified risk and protective factors have the potential to positively affect students’ academic achievement. PMID:26149305

  20. Factors Determining Student Retention of Economic Knowledge after Completing the Principles-of-Microeconomics Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kohen, Andrew I.; Kipps, Paul H.

    1979-01-01

    Reports results of a study of economics students to test the effect of time and other factors affecting retention, to develop an instrument to measure the rate of depreciation of the student's stock of economic knowledge, and to explore the implications of findings for the student's academic planning. (Author/KC)

  1. Respecting and Supporting Students' Affective Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roper, Larry

    2014-01-01

    Too often educators pay too little attention to the psychological and emotional impact subject matter has on students. Teaching effectiveness would be greatly enhanced if educators would consider students' affective reactions to material delivered in courses, workshops, and other collegiate learning experiences.

  2. Motivating and Demotivating Factors for Students with Low Emotional Intelligence to Participate in Speaking Activities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Méndez López, Mariza G.; Bautista Tun, Moisés

    2017-01-01

    The study aims to understand what factors may motivate and demotivate students with low emotional intelligence to participate in speaking activities during English class. Participants wrote an emotions journal to identify factors affecting student participation and were then interviewed at the end of the study period in order to elaborate on their…

  3. Factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents.

    PubMed

    Shashidhar, Saraswati; Rao, Chandrika; Hegde, Radhakrishna

    2009-05-01

    The present study aims at recognizing the social influence, study habits and health factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents and to compare these factors among the adolescents between two categories of school. A total of 1230 adolescents (13-18 yrs) were screened. Data was collected by personal interview, using the teenage screening questionnaire, Trivandrum, between May 2004 and November 2005. A total 615 students from corporation and private schools were studied. 39.76% (489) were high achievers, 13.5% (166) were low achievers with p < 0.001. In the low achievers, 12.03% were from the corporation schools and 1.46% from private schools. The incidence of poor study habits and social factors were increased in low achievers of corporation schools. On multivariate analysis, the predictor variables for poor scholastic performance were adolescent having refractory error, not having help for study at home, not doing home work regularly, not solving question bank papers and reading only before examinations. It is feasible and worthwhile to identify the determinants of scholastic performance and plan intervention strategies at each school. The results of this study highlight the importance of implementing newer strategies, focusing on strict study patterns and creating the conducive school and home environment for study, so as to achieve better scholastic performances.

  4. Learning Outcomes and Affective Factors of Blended Learning of English for Library Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wentao, Chen; Jinyu, Zhang; Zhonggen, Yu

    2016-01-01

    English for Library Science is an essential course for students to command comprehensive scope of library knowledge. This study aims to compare the learning outcomes, gender differences and affective factors in the environments of blended and traditional learning. Around one thousand participants from one university were randomly selected to…

  5. Affective strategies, attitudes, and a model of speaking performance development for engineering students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wijirahayu, S.; Dorand, P.

    2018-01-01

    Learning English as a Foreign language (EFL) as one of the challenges especially for students majoring in Telecommunication Engineering to develop their communication skill as a professional could be one of the chances for them to face a more global era. Yet, there are important factors that may influence the progress of the speaking performance and attitude is one of them. Therefore, a survey involving two main psychological variables in language learning namely attitude and affective strategies and the third variable is speaking performance was conducted and a model of affective strategies in language learning developing through the application of Content Language Integrated Learning and multimedia instruction was introduced. This study involved 71 sophomore students and two classes of university students majoring in Telecommunication Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The researchers used both survey and action research method with quantitative as well as qualitative in approach.

  6. Factors affecting sign retroreflectivity

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-01-01

    This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

  7. Factors that affect the physical science career interest of female students: Testing five common hypotheses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff; Lock, Robynne M.; Lung, Florin; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.

    2013-12-01

    There are many hypotheses regarding factors that may encourage female students to pursue careers in the physical sciences. Using multivariate matching methods on national data drawn from the Persistence Research in Science and Engineering (PRiSE) project (n=7505), we test the following five commonly held beliefs regarding what factors might impact females’ physical science career interest: (i) having a single-sex physics class, (ii) having a female physics teacher, (iii) having female scientist guest speakers in physics class, (iv) discussing the work of female scientists in physics class, and (v) discussing the underrepresentation of women in physics class. The effect of these experiences on physical science career interest is compared for female students who are matched on several factors, including prior science interests, prior mathematics interests, grades in science, grades in mathematics, and years of enrollment in high school physics. No significant effects are found for single-sex classes, female teachers, female scientist guest speakers, and discussing the work of female scientists. However, discussions about women’s underrepresentation have a significant positive effect.

  8. Exploring Regional and Institutional Factors of International Students' Dropout: The South Korea Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Jisun; Kim, Yangson

    2018-01-01

    With an increasing number of international students in South Korea, the issue of retaining these students and reducing their dropout rates has become important. This study explores the multilevel factors that affect the institutional dropout rate among international students in Korea. The research questions are as follows: (a) to what extent do…

  9. Using PISA 2003, Examining the Factors Affecting Students' Mathematics Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Demir, Ibrahim; Kilic, Serpil

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of learning strategies on mathematics achievement. The sample was compiled from students who participated in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in Turkey. The data consisted of 4493 15 years old Turkish students in 158 schools, and analyzed by two levels Bernoulli model as a…

  10. Social and psychological factors affecting eating habits among university students in a Malaysian medical school: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Ganasegeran, Kurubaran; Al-Dubai, Sami A R; Qureshi, Ahmad M; Al-abed, Al-abed A A; Am, Rizal; Aljunid, Syed M

    2012-07-18

    Eating habits have been a major concern among university students as a determinant of health status. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of eating habits and its associated social and psychological factors among medical students. A cross sectional study was conducted among 132 medical students of pre-clinical phase at a Malaysian university. A self-administered questionnaire was used which included questions on socio-demography, anthropometry, eating habits and psychosocial factors. Mean (± SD) age of the respondents was 22.7 (± 2.4) years and (the age) ranged from 18 to 30 years. More than half had regular meals and breakfast (57.6% &, 56.1% respectively). Majority (73.5%) consumed fruits less than three times per week, 51.5% had fried food twice or more a week and 59.8% drank water less than 2 liters daily. Eating habits score was significantly low among younger students (18-22 years), smokers, alcohol drinkers and those who did not exercise. (p<0.05). Four psychological factors out of six, were significantly associated with eating habits (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, age and 'eating because of feeling happy' were significantly associated with eating habits score (p<0.05). Most of the students in this study had healthy eating habits. Social and psychological factors were important determinants of eating habits among medical students.

  11. Factors Negatively Affect Speaking Skills at Saudi Colleges for Girls in the South

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamad, Mona M.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated factors negatively affect English language speaking skills in Saudi colleges for girls in the South in terms of: a) Instructors. b) Students. c) Curriculum and textbook. d) English Language teaching methods and exercises. e) Teaching and learning environment. To collect data for the study, a questionnaire papers were…

  12. Factors Affecting University Entrants' Performance in High-Stakes Tests: A Multiple Regression Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uy, Chin; Manalo, Ronaldo A.; Cabauatan, Ronaldo R.

    2015-01-01

    In the Philippines, students seeking admission to a university are usually required to meet certain entrance requirements, including passing the entrance examinations with questions on IQ and English, mathematics, and science. This paper aims to determine the factors that affect the performance of entrants into business programmes in high-stakes…

  13. An Analysis of Factors Affecting Mature Age Students' Academic Success in Undergraduate Nursing Programs: A Critical Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Hayden, Lisa J; Jeong, Sarah Y; Norton, Carol A

    2016-01-01

    The population of mature age students entering university nursing programs has steadily increased in both Australia and worldwide. The objective of the literature review was to explore how mature age students perform academically and to analyse the factors associated with their academic performance in nursing programs. A literature search was conducted in the following databases: CINAHL, ProQuest, Medline, Cochrane, Mosby's Index, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and Scopus. Twenty-six (26) research papers published between 2000 and 2014 have met the selection criteria of this review. The key themes identified include; 1) ambiguity in definition of mature age and academic success, 2) age and academic success, 3) intrinsic factors (life experiences, emotional intelligence, and motivation and volition), and 4) extrinsic factors (peer, academic and family support; and learning style, components of the modules and mode of delivery). Current literature provides evidence that mature age nursing students perform at a higher level within the methodological issues discussed in this paper. Future research is warranted to advance the understanding of the complex relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic factors of mature age students and their academic success in higher education. Nursing educators will benefit from novel evidence, ideas and opportunities to explore and implement in nursing education.

  14. The experience sampling method: Investigating students' affective experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nissen, Jayson M.; Stetzer, MacKenzie R.; Shemwell, Jonathan T.

    2013-01-01

    Improving non-cognitive outcomes such as attitudes, efficacy, and persistence in physics courses is an important goal of physics education. This investigation implemented an in-the-moment surveying technique called the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) [1] to measure students' affective experience in physics. Measurements included: self-efficacy, cognitive efficiency, activation, intrinsic motivation, and affect. Data are presented that show contrasts in students' experiences (e.g., in physics vs. non-physics courses).

  15. Affective dysregulation predicts incident nonmedical prescription analgesic use among college students.

    PubMed

    Morioka, Christine K; Howard, Donna E; Caldeira, Kimberly M; Wang, Min Qi; Arria, Amelia M

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between four suspected risk factors-affective dysregulation, conduct problems, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress-and incident nonmedical prescription analgesic (NPA) use among college students. The sample was derived from 929 college students from a large, mid-Atlantic university who completed the third annual College Life Study assessment (Y 3 ) and were NPA use naïve at baseline (Y 1 ). A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the predictors of incident NPA use by Y 3 . Separate models were developed to evaluate the association between the suspected risk factors and (a) NPA use relative to non-use of other drugs, including nonmedical use of other drug classes, (b) NPA use relative to other drug use, and (c) other drug use relative to non-use. All models included gender, parental education level, and race/ethnicity. Affective dysregulation was significantly associated with becoming an incident NPA user relative to both drug users without NPA use as well as non-users, after statistically controlling for demographic characteristics and other factors. Conduct problems in early childhood were positively related to both incident NPA use and other drug use without NPA use relative to non-users, after statistically controlling for demographic characteristics and other factors. Depressive symptoms were associated with NPA incidence at the bivariate level only. These findings extend previous research suggesting that NPA use might be related to deficits in regulating negative emotional states, and highlight possible markers for screening and intervention to prevent NPA use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. An Investigation of Factors Affecting the Degree of Naïve Impetus Theory Application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiufeng; MacIsaac, Dan

    2005-03-01

    This study investigates factors affecting the degree of novice physics students' application of the naïve impetus theory. Six hundred and fourteen first-year university engineering physics students answered the Force Concept Inventory as a pre-test for their calculus-based course. We examined the degree to which students consistently applied the naïve impetus theory across different items. We used a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA and linear regression to analyze data coded from incorrect student responses. It was found that there were statistically significant main effects for item familiarity and item requirement for explanation vs. prediction on the measured degree of impetus theory application. Student course grades had no significant effect on impetus theory application. When faced with items that were unfamiliar and predictive, students appeared to rely on non-theoretical, knowledge-in-pieces reasoning. Reasoning characteristic of naïve theories was more frequently applied when students were completing familiar problem tasks that required explanation. When considering all the above factors simultaneously, we found that the degree of naïve impetus theory application by students is attributable to variables in the following order: familiarity, prediction, and explanation.

  17. How Does Literature Affect Empathy in Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Junker, Christine R.; Jacquemin, Stephen J.

    2017-01-01

    Scholars have suggested that reading literature can foster empathy. However, learning empathy through literature in the classroom is understudied. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether affective and cognitive empathy, as demonstrated in student writing, relates to textual attributes, the style of writing prompt, student writing…

  18. Epidemiology, Treatment Efficacy, and Anxiety Aspects of Music Students Affected by Playing-Related Pain: A Retrospective Evaluation with Follow-up.

    PubMed

    Ioannou, Christos I; Hafer, Julia; Lee, André; Altenmüller, Eckart

    2018-03-01

    Playing-related pain (PRP) is a common problem among music students. We retrospectively assessed epidemiological factors that contributed to the manifestation of PRP and evaluated the efficacy of treatment methods used by affected music students. The long-term course of PRP symptoms was also examined, along with current (today) levels of trait anxieties. Demographic and epidemiological data of 186 music students who visited the musicians' outpatient clinic over a 5-year period were retrieved. Of these students, 122 had been diagnosed with PRP and were invited to participate (response rate 61.5%) in a follow-up online survey to: a) estimate the long-term course of their PRP symptoms, b) assess the efficacy of treatment methods they used, and c) assess their current trait anxiety (general and performance-related) using two standardized psychodiagnostic questionnaires. Two-thirds of music students who sought medical care were affected by PRP, with most being affected during their first year of studies, and with 69% having acute rather than chronic pain. The sudden increase in practice time was the main triggering factor for PRP (but not for non-PRP-related problems). Concerning the course of PRP, almost all students recovered or improved significantly. Students reported that "active" treatment methods (e.g., physical activities) were more effective than "passive" methods (e.g., oral medications). Psychodiagnostic questionnaires indicated that about 40% of PRP-affected students currently had increased levels of trait anxieties (music and non-music related), possibly warranting further medical assistance. PRP in music students occurs mainly at the beginning of their studies and has a good prognosis, although recovery may be lengthy. It is necessary to provide students with early information about PRP and about the multidimensional treatment framework that allows for individualized care of PRP in affected music students.

  19. Energy drink consumption patterns and associated factors among nursing students: a descriptive survey study.

    PubMed

    Kim, In Kyung; Kim, Kyung Mi

    2015-01-01

    This study was conducted to examine energy drink consumption patterns among nursing students and to identify related factors that may influence those students' intake levels. The subjects were nursing students from seven universities located in the Chungcheong Province of Korea. A total of 1,620 questionnaires were used for analysis. Of the 1,620 nursing students, 1,265 students (78.1%) reported having consumed energy drinks. The average amount of energy drink consumption among the nursing students when studying for their most recent midterm examination was 1.63 ± 2.64 cans per week, and the number of energy drink cans drunk during that time spanned 1-30 per week. The major reason given for energy drink intake was combating fatigue. Eleven percent of the participants always checked ingredient levels. Mixing energy drinks with alcohol was not a popular choice. The side effect most reported by nursing students was that of palpitations (27.8%). Factors affecting energy drink intake included gender and monthly allowance amounts. Many nursing students in this study had tried energy drinks, with some of them reporting the use of excessive amounts. Gender and monthly allowance amounts were affecting factors of energy drink intake. Precise labeling that includes all ingredients and their amounts is necessary to prevent future health problems. Nursing students' education should include an overview of energy drinks and their drawbacks as part of their nutrition or health education coursework.

  20. Survey of factors influencing learner engagement with simulation debriefing among nursing students.

    PubMed

    Roh, Young Sook; Jang, Kie In

    2017-12-01

    Simulation-based education has escalated worldwide, yet few studies have rigorously explored predictors of learner engagement with simulation debriefing. The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive survey was to identify factors that determine learner engagement with simulation debriefing among nursing students. A convenience sample of 296 Korean nursing students enrolled in the simulation-based course completed the survey. A total of five instruments were used: (i) Characteristics of Debriefing; (ii) Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare - Student Version; (iii) The Korean version of the Simulation Design Scale; (iv) Communication Skills Scale; and (v) Clinical-Based Stress Scale. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the variables to investigate the influencing factors. The results indicated that influencing factors of learning engagement with simulation debriefing were simulation design, confidentiality, stress, and number of students. Simulation design was the most important factor. Video-assisted debriefing was not a significant factor affecting learner engagement. Educators should organize and conduct debriefing activities while considering these factors to effectively induce learner engagement. Further study is needed to identify the effects of debriefing sessions targeting learners' needs and considering situational factors on learning outcomes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  1. Pressure and protective factors influencing nursing students' self-esteem: A content analysis study.

    PubMed

    Valizadeh, Leila; Zamanzadeh, Vahid; Gargari, Rahim Badri; Ghahramanian, Akram; Tabrizi, Faranak Jabbarzadeh; Keogh, Brian

    2016-01-01

    A review of the literature shows that the range of self-esteem in nursing students ranges from normal to low. It is hypothesized that different contextual factors could affect levels of self-esteem. The main aim of this study was to explore these factors from the viewpoint of Iranian nursing students using a qualitative approach. A qualitative content analysis study. Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, 2014. Fourteen student nurses and two qualified nurses. This study has been applied to various depths of interpretation. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. Fourteen student nurses and two qualified nurses were interviewed. Two main themes of the "pressure factors" with subthemes: low self-efficacy, sense of triviality, ineffective instructor-student interaction, low self-confidence and "protective factors" with subthemes: knowledge acquisition, mirror of valuability, professional autonomy, religious beliefs, and choosing the nursing field with interest was extracted in this study. Results showed that these themes have interaction with each other like a seesaw, as pressure factors decrease, the effect of protective factors on the self-esteem are increased. Nurse educators not only should try to improve the students' skills and knowledge, but should also try to enhance the protective factors and decrease pressure factors by enhancing the nursing students' feeling of being important, using participatory teaching methods, considering students' feedback, and attempting to improve facilities at the clinics are also recommended. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Social and psychological factors affecting eating habits among university students in a Malaysian medical school: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Eating habits have been a major concern among university students as a determinant of health status. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of eating habits and its associated social and psychological factors among medical students. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted among 132 medical students of pre-clinical phase at a Malaysian university. A self-administered questionnaire was used which included questions on socio-demography, anthropometry, eating habits and psychosocial factors. Results Mean (±SD) age of the respondents was 22.7 (±2.4) years and (the age) ranged from 18 to 30 years. More than half had regular meals and breakfast (57.6% &, 56.1% respectively). Majority (73.5%) consumed fruits less than three times per week, 51.5% had fried food twice or more a week and 59.8% drank water less than 2 liters daily. Eating habits score was significantly low among younger students (18–22 years), smokers, alcohol drinkers and those who did not exercise. (p<0.05). Four psychological factors out of six, were significantly associated with eating habits (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, age and ‘eating because of feeling happy’ were significantly associated with eating habits score (p<0.05). Conclusion Most of the students in this study had healthy eating habits. Social and psychological factors were important determinants of eating habits among medical students. PMID:22809556

  3. A systems theory approach to career development: Exploring factors that affect science as a career choice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liskey, Brian K.

    This research project was designed to examine the factors that affect students' choice in a career. Specifically, the factors of (a) achievement, (b) interest, (c) self-efficacy, (d) perceived preparation for a career, and (e) being informed about a career will be under investigation. Of key importance to the study is how these factors can affect a student's perception about choosing a science career. A quantitative analysis of secondary data from the 2006 and 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) international assessment and attitudinal questionnaire provided data on student perceptions and aptitude in science. The sample from PISA included over 400,000 15 year-old students from 57 countries. From the 57 countries, 30 countries, comprised by Organization for Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD), were isolated for analysis. Within this group of 30, 11 were selected for comparison based on their questionnaire response to expectations for a career in science at age 30. The Institute for Educational Science's, International Data Explorer was utilized to acquire and analyze data from the 2006 and 2009 PISA international tests and questionnaires to determine significance between scaled scores and PISA indices. Variables were chosen as factors affecting student's perception on various systems outlined by the Systems Theory of Career Development (Patton & McMahon, 1997) and the Systems Theory of Career Development Framework (Patton & McMahon, 1999). Four country groups were established based on student responses to question 30a from the 2006 PISA attitudinal questionnaire, which asks what career students expected to have at age 30. The results from comparing country groups showed that countries in Group A, which showed the highest values for students expecting a career in science, also had the highest average values for achievement on the PISA science literacy assessment. Likewise, countries that had the lowest values for expecting a career in

  4. Culture and affect: the factor structure of the affective style questionnaire and its relation with depression and anxiety among Japanese.

    PubMed

    Ito, Masaya; Hofmann, Stefan G

    2014-09-02

    Affective styles are assumed to be one of the underlying processes of depression and anxiety maintenance. However, little is known about the effect of depression and anxiety and the cultural influence of the factor structure. Here, we examined the cross-cultural validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire and its incremental validity for the influence on depression and anxiety. Affective Style Questionnaire was translated into Japanese using standard back-translation procedure. Japanese university students (N = 1,041) served as participants. Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire, Brief COPE, Self-Construal Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Affective Style Questionnaire comprised four factors: Concealing, Adjusting, Holding and Tolerating (CFI = .92, TLI = .90, RMSEA = .07). The measure's convergent and discriminant validity was substantiated by its association with various emotion regulation measures. Regression analyses showed that negative influence of Adjusting, Holding, Reappraisal (β = -.17, -.19, -.30) and positive influence of Suppression (β = .23) were observed on depression. For anxiety, Adjusting and Reappraisal was negatively influenced (β = -.29, and -.18). Reliability and validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire was partly confirmed. Further study is needed to clarify the culturally dependent aspects of affective styles.

  5. Perceptions of Educational Barriers Affecting the Academic Achievement of Latino K-12 Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becerra, David

    2012-01-01

    This study examined different factors affecting the perceptions of barriers in academic achievement of Latino K-12 students. The study used data from 1,508 participants who identified themselves as being of Hispanic or Latino heritage in the 2004 National Survey of Latinos: Education, compiled by the Pew Hispanic Center between August 7 and…

  6. Factors Affecting Persistence of Undergraduate Students in a Fisheries and Wildlife Program: Transfer Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolter, Bjorn H. K.; Millenbah, Kelly F.; Montgomery, Robert A.; Schneider, James W.

    2011-01-01

    Transfer students are of recognized importance to postsecondary education and every year feed thousands of students into natural resources programs across America. This influx of students can have a sustaining effect on many academic programs, including fisheries and wildlife programs, which are suffering from a nation-wide decrease in interest…

  7. Student perceptions of their biology teacher's interpersonal teaching behaviors and student achievement and affective learning outcomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Wade Clay, Jr.

    The primary goals of this dissertation were to determine the relationships between interpersonal teaching behaviors and student achievement and affective learning outcomes. The instrument used to collect student perceptions of teacher interpersonal teaching behaviors was the Questionnaire on Teacher Interactions (QTI). The instrument used to assess student affective learning outcomes was the Biology Student Affective Instrument (BSAI). The interpersonal teaching behavior data were collected using students as the observers. 111 students in an urban influenced, rural high school answered the QTI and BSAI in September 1997 and again in April 1998. At the same time students were pre and post tested using the Biology End of Course Examination (BECE). The QTI has been used primarily in European and Oceanic areas. The instrument was also primarily used in educational stratified environment. This was the first time the BSAI was used to assess student affective learning outcomes. The BECE is a Texas normed cognitive assessment test and it is used by Texas schools districts as the end of course examination in biology. The interpersonal teaching behaviors model was tested to ascertain if predictive power in the USA and in a non-stratified educational environment. Findings indicate that the QTI is an adequate predictor of student achievement in biology. The results were not congruent with the non-USA data and results, this indicates that the QTI is a society/culturally sensitive instrument and the instrument needs to be normed to a particular society/culture before it is used to affect teachers' and students' educational environments.

  8. Student understanding of the Boltzmann factor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Trevor I.; Mountcastle, Donald B.; Thompson, John R.

    2015-12-01

    [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] We present results of our investigation into student understanding of the physical significance and utility of the Boltzmann factor in several simple models. We identify various justifications, both correct and incorrect, that students use when answering written questions that require application of the Boltzmann factor. Results from written data as well as teaching interviews suggest that many students can neither recognize situations in which the Boltzmann factor is applicable nor articulate the physical significance of the Boltzmann factor as an expression for multiplicity, a fundamental quantity of statistical mechanics. The specific student difficulties seen in the written data led us to develop a guided-inquiry tutorial activity, centered around the derivation of the Boltzmann factor, for use in undergraduate statistical mechanics courses. We report on the development process of our tutorial, including data from teaching interviews and classroom observations of student discussions about the Boltzmann factor and its derivation during the tutorial development process. This additional information informed modifications that improved students' abilities to complete the tutorial during the allowed class time without sacrificing the effectiveness as we have measured it. These data also show an increase in students' appreciation of the origin and significance of the Boltzmann factor during the student discussions. Our findings provide evidence that working in groups to better understand the physical origins of the canonical probability distribution helps students gain a better understanding of when the Boltzmann factor is applicable and how to use it appropriately in answering relevant questions.

  9. Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Soewin, E.; Chinda, T.

    2018-04-01

    The present work attempts to develop a multidimensional performance evaluation framework for a construction company by considering all relevant measures of performance. Based on the previous studies, this study hypothesizes nine key factors, with a total of 57 associated items. The hypothesized factors, with their associated items, are then used to develop questionnaire survey to gather data. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data which gave rise 10 factors with 57 items affecting construction performance. The findings further reveal that the items constituting ten key performance factors (KPIs) namely; 1) Time, 2) Cost, 3) Quality, 4) Safety & Health, 5) Internal Stakeholder, 6) External Stakeholder, 7) Client Satisfaction, 8) Financial Performance, 9) Environment, and 10) Information, Technology & Innovation. The analysis helps to develop multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework for an effective measurement of the construction performance. The 10 key performance factors can be broadly categorized into economic aspect, social aspect, environmental aspect, and technology aspects. It is important to understand a multi-dimension performance evaluation framework by including all key factors affecting the construction performance of a company, so that the management level can effectively plan to implement an effective performance development plan to match with the mission and vision of the company.

  10. Factors Affecting Student Choice of the Undergraduate Research Project: Staff and Student Perceptions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harland, Janice; Pitt, Sarah; Saunders, Venetia

    2005-01-01

    As pressures on resources are growing and some question the value and types of final year research work for students in the biosciences and other disciplines, it is important to be well informed about student expectations of their project. In this case study within Biomolecular Sciences, questionnaires were used to compare staff and student…

  11. Upper extremities and spinal musculoskeletal disorders and risk factors in students using computers

    PubMed Central

    Calik, Bilge Basakci; Yagci, Nesrin; Gursoy, Suleyman; Zencir, Mehmet

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To examine the effects of computer usage on the musculoskeletal system discomforts (MSD) of Turkish university students, the possible risk factors and study implications (SI). Methods: The study comprised a total of 871 students. Demographic information was recorded and the Student Specific Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (SsCMDQ) was used to evaluate musculoskeletal system discomforts. Results: The neck, lower back and upper back areas were determined to be the most affected areas and percentages for SI were 21.6%, 19.3% and 16.3% respectively. Significant differences were found to be daily computer usage time for the lower back, total usage time for the neck, being female and below the age of 21 years (p<0.05) had an increased risk. Conclusions: The neck, lower back and upper back areas were found to be the most affected areas due to computer usage in university students. Risk factors for MSD were seen to be daily and total computer usage time, female gender and age below 21 years and these were deemed to cause study interference PMID:25674139

  12. Factors that Affect the Physical Science Career Interest of Female Students: Testing Five Common Hypotheses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff; Lock, Robynne M.; Lung, Florin; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.

    2013-01-01

    There are many hypotheses regarding factors that may encourage female students to pursue careers in the physical sciences. Using multivariate matching methods on national data drawn from the Persistence Research in Science and Engineering (PRiSE) project ("n" = 7505), we test the following five commonly held beliefs regarding what…

  13. Students' Interpersonal Trust and Attitudes towards Standardised Tests: Exploring Affective Variables Related to Student Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chu, Man-Wai; Guo, Qi; Leighton, Jacqueline P.

    2014-01-01

    Cognitive and psychometric variables have directed research on student test performance. However, student learning involves a substantial affective component. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between two kinds of affective variables--interpersonal trust and attitudes towards standardised tests--likely to underlie student…

  14. Factors Affecting Medical Service Quality.

    PubMed

    Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

    2014-02-01

    A better understanding of factors influencing quality of medical service can pinpoint better strategies for quality assurance in medical services. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the quality of medical services provided by Iranian physicians. Exploratory in-depth individual interviews were conducted with sixty-four physicians working in various medical institutions in Iran. Individual, organizational and environmental factors enhance or inhibit the quality of medical services. Quality of medical services depends on the personal factors of the physician and patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare setting and the broader environment. Differences in internal and external factors such as availability of resources, patient cooperation and collaboration among providers affect the quality of medical services and patient outcomes. Supportive leadership, proper planning, education and training and effective management of resources and processes improve the quality of medical services. This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework for understanding factors that influence medical services quality.

  15. Emphasizing Bloom's Affective Domain to Reduce Pharmacy Students' Stigmatizing Attitudes.

    PubMed

    Muzyk, Andrew J; Lentz, Katie; Green, Cynthia; Fuller, Steve; May, D Byron; Roukema, Lorae

    2017-03-25

    Objective. To create a learning environment using Bloom's affective domain as a framework that would reduce third-year pharmacy students' stigmatizing attitudes toward patients with mental illness. Design. Prior to the start of the module, students were asked to complete the 27-question Attribution Questionnaire Short Form (AQ-27). The teaching approach and in-class activities were designed to allow students' to experience the major categories within Bloom's affective domain. The module used patient cases, interactive-learning activities, and reflective discussions to augment pharmacological and therapeutic knowledge with a humanistic understanding of mental illness. Students were asked to retake the AQ-27 after completing the module. Assessment. Paired responses on the AQ-27 were reported for 74 of 104 students, which represents a response rate of 71.2%. Students' scores changed significantly on nine of the 27 questions. Students' attitudes pre- to post-module revealed a significant increase in the help construct, while there was a significant decrease in the dangerousness and fear constructs. Conclusion. Designing and implementing a course along the continuum of Bloom's affective domain resulted in appropriate changes in students' attitudes toward patients with mental illness.

  16. Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceptions Regarding Factors That Affect Math Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pyo, Katrina A.

    2011-01-01

    A review of the nursing literature reveals many undergraduate nursing students lack proficiency with basic mathematical skills, those necessary for safe medication preparation and administration. Few studies exploring the phenomenon from the undergraduate nursing student perspective are reported in the nursing literature. The purpose of this study…

  17. Theoretical Perspectives on Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jama, M. P.; Mapesela, M. L. E.; Beylefeld, A. A.

    2008-01-01

    Whilst the government, higher education authorities and institutions, academics, academic development practitioners, researchers etc. recognize that there is an increasing number and diversity of students accessing higher education, do the stake-holders really know who these students are before even thinking of enhancing their learning and…

  18. Effects of a Kundalini Yoga Program on Elementary and Middle School Students' Stress, Affect, and Resilience.

    PubMed

    Sarkissian, Meliné; Trent, Natalie L; Huchting, Karen; Singh Khalsa, Sat Bir

    2018-04-01

    The Your Own Greatness Affirmed (YOGA) for Youth program delivers yoga to urban inner-city schools with the goal of providing practical benefits that support underserved children at high risk of behavioral and emotional problems. A 10-week YOGA for Youth program delivered 1 to 2 times per week was implemented in 3 schools in urban neighborhoods to examine the effect of the program on student stress, affect, and resilience. Thirty children were administered the Perceived Stress Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Resilience Scale before and after the yoga program. After the program, informal qualitative interviews were conducted with school teachers, yoga teachers, and students to determine the overall impact of the yoga program. The quantitative results of this study indicated that the yoga program significantly improved students stress (p < 0.05), positive affect (p < 0.05), and resilience (p < 0.001). The qualitative results indicated that students, school teachers, and yoga teachers all found the program to be beneficial for students' well-being. Taken together, these data suggest that the YOGA for Youth program may provide students in low-income urban schools with behavioral skills that will protect against risk factors associated with the development of behavioral and emotional problems.

  19. Factors Affecting Students' Evaluation in a Community Service-Learning Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Kai-Kuen; Liu, Wen-Jing; Wang, Wei-Dan; Chen, Ching-Yu

    2007-01-01

    A community service-learning curriculum was established to give students opportunities to understand the interrelationship between family and community health, the differences between community and hospital medicine, and to be able to identify and solve community health problems. Students were divided into small groups to participate in community…

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The aims of this study were to explore factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among students of Cumhuriyet University, Turkey. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 1751 undergraduate students. HRQOL was measured using the Turkish version of 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire. We looked at the effect of sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, drinking, and smoking) on the individual HRQOL domains. Results Place of residency (odds ratio (OR) = 3.947 for role emotion dimension), smoking status (OR = -2.756 for role physical dimension), received amount of pocket money (OR = 2.463 for mental health dimension), and body mass index (OR = 1.463 for mental health dimension) were the factors significantly associated with the HRQOL. Conclusions Young students’ HRQOL is affected by socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors. To improve student’s HRQOL, any health-promoting strategies should focus on modifiable risk factors and socioeconomic supports for students. PMID:28804586

  1. Family affection as a protective factor against the negative effects of perceived Asian values gap on the parent-child relationship for Asian American male and female college students.

    PubMed

    Park, Yong S; Vo, Leyna P; Tsong, Yuying

    2009-01-01

    The study examined whether family affection (i.e., affective responsiveness, affectionate communication, and affective orientation) protected against the negative effects of perceived parent-child Asian values gap on the quality of their parent relationships for 259 female and 77 male Asian American college students. Asian values gap was higher for women than men, and inversely related to a perceived healthy parent-child relationship for both genders. Participants rated the relationship with their mothers as more positive and affectionate than with their fathers. Both parents were reported to communicate more supportive affection than verbal and nonverbal affection. Affective responsiveness was identified as a protective factor in the father-son relationship whereas verbal affection protected the mother-daughter relationship. The study also revealed that daughters' affective orientation had beneficial effects on the father-daughter relationship at lower levels of Asian values gap. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

  2. Exploring Factors Affecting Girls' Education at Secondary Level: A Case of Karak District, Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suleman, Qaiser; Aslam, Hassan Danial; Habib, Muhammad Badar; Yasmeen, Kausar; Jalalian, Mehrdad; Akhtar, Zaitoon; Akhtar, Basreen

    2015-01-01

    The study examined the factors that affect girls' education at secondary school level in Karak District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan). All the female heads, teachers and students serving and studying at secondary school level in Karak District constituted the population of the study. The study was delimited to only 30 girls' secondary schools in…

  3. Factors Affecting Students' Behavioral Intention to Use LMS at a Turkish Post-Secondary Vocational School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cigdem, Harun; Ozturk, Mustafa

    2016-01-01

    There is a substantial increase in the use of learning management systems (LMSs) to support teaching and learning activities in higher education institutions. Despite their benefits, student's use them to a limited extend due to a number of factors influencing behaviors. This study executed a three-tier use model to examine the predictors of…

  4. What factors determine academic achievement in high achieving undergraduate medical students? A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Abdulghani, Hamza M; Al-Drees, Abdulmajeed A; Khalil, Mahmood S; Ahmad, Farah; Ponnamperuma, Gominda G; Amin, Zubair

    2014-04-01

    Medical students' academic achievement is affected by many factors such as motivational beliefs and emotions. Although students with high intellectual capacity are selected to study medicine, their academic performance varies widely. The aim of this study is to explore the high achieving students' perceptions of factors contributing to academic achievement. Focus group discussions (FGD) were carried out with 10 male and 9 female high achieving (scores more than 85% in all tests) students, from the second, third, fourth and fifth academic years. During the FGDs, the students were encouraged to reflect on their learning strategies and activities. The discussion was audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Factors influencing high academic achievement include: attendance to lectures, early revision, prioritization of learning needs, deep learning, learning in small groups, mind mapping, learning in skills lab, learning with patients, learning from mistakes, time management, and family support. Internal motivation and expected examination results are important drivers of high academic performance. Management of non-academic issues like sleep deprivation, homesickness, language barriers, and stress is also important for academic success. Addressing these factors, which might be unique for a given student community, in a systematic manner would be helpful to improve students' performance.

  5. Factors Affecting Nursing Students' Readiness and Perceptions Toward the Use of Mobile Technologies for Learning.

    PubMed

    Zayim, Nese; Ozel, Deniz

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the current usage of mobile devices, preferences of mobile learning environments and examine the readiness of nursing students in a public university. In order to investigate preferences and attitudes with respect to mobile technology use in nursing education, 387 students at a state university have been surveyed. It has been observed that while students preferred their current portable laptops, those in higher classes were more inclined to favor mobile phones. The common problems of battery life and high cost of communication, both in smartphones and tablet systems, suggest that hardware quality and financial constraints seem to be two main factors in determining these technologies. While more than half of students expressed readiness for mobile learning, one quarter indicated indecision. Through multivariate regression analysis, readiness to use mobile learning can be described in terms of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, personal innovativeness, self-management of learning, perceived device limitation, and availability. Class level, perceived ease of use, personal innovativeness, and self-management of learning explain intention to use mobile learning. Findings obtained from these results can provide guidance in the development and application of mobile learning systems.

  6. Socio-Demographic Factors Affecting Levels of Cultural and Non-Cultural Prejudice: Comparing Korean, Chinese, and Japanese College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chung, Hyun Sook; Jung, Sun Young; Lee, Jeeyon

    2017-01-01

    This study examined how socio-demographic factors related to the levels of cultural and non-cultural prejudice among college students from Korea, China, and Japan. We used data collected from the Asian Value Survey. The main findings are as follows. First, Chinese students showed the lowest levels of cultural and non-cultural prejudice. Second,…

  7. Career Aspirations of Graduate and Postbaccalaureate PharmD Students as Factors Affecting the Supply of Pharmacy Faculty--A National Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shepherd, Marvin D.; And Others

    1983-01-01

    A survey of students in 57 schools of pharmacy investigated career aspirations, reasons for or against choosing an academic career, and the extent to which PharmD enrollments have affected other pharmacy graduate program enrollments. Results suggest pharmacology and pharmacy administration were most likely affected by the advent of PharmD…

  8. Contextual influences affecting patterns of overweight and obesity among university students: a 50 universities population-based study in China.

    PubMed

    Yang, Tingzhong; Yu, Lingwei; Barnett, Ross; Jiang, Shuhan; Peng, Sihui; Fan, Yafeng; Li, Lu

    2017-05-08

    Many studies have examined childhood and adolescent obesity, but few have examined young adults and the effect of their home and current living environments on prevalence rates. The present study explores contextual factors affecting overweight and obesity among university students in China and, in particular, focuses on how the SES-obesity relationship varies across different geographical contexts. Participants were 11,673 students, who were identified through a multistage survey sampling process conducted in 50 universities. Individual data was obtained through a self-administered questionnaire, and contextual variables were retrieved from a national database. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to examine urban and regional variations in overweight and obesity. Overall the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the study sample was 9.5% (95% CI 7.7, 11.3%). After controlling for individual factors, both attributes of the home location (regional GDP per capita and rurality) and the current university location (city population) were found to be important, thus suggesting that the different origins of students affect current levels of obesity. At the individual level, while students with more financial resources were more likely to be obese, the extent of this relationship was highly dependent upon area income and city size. The results of this study add important insights about the role of contextual factors affecting overweight and obesity among young adults and indicate a need to take into account both past as well as present environmental influences when considering the role of contextual factors in models of the nutrition transition.

  9. What Factors Affect Nursing Students' Decisions of Whether to Take Rural Jobs: An Exploratory Interview Study in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tao, Yuexian; Haycock-Stuart, Elaine; Rodgers, Sheila E.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore factors that effect nursing students' decisions of whether to take rural jobs in China. Methods: An exploratory interview study was conducted in China during May and June 2011. Eleven final year nursing students were purposively recruited from four nursing schools in one eastern area in China. The…

  10. Factors Affecting Individual Education Demand at the Entrance to University: Adnan Menderes University Sample

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarpkaya, Ruhi

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this research is to determine the factors affecting individual education demands at the entrance to university. The research is in survey model. The universe of the study consists of 1630 freshmen at the faculties and vocational schools of Adnan Menderes University, Aydin. 574 students from 7 schools were included in the sample. The…

  11. Affective Domain and Student Learning in the Geosciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McConnell, David A.; van Der Hoeven Kraft, Katrien J.

    2011-01-01

    Decades of science education research have provided us with a variety of tools to deal with the cognitive processes behind our students' learning. However, we have placed much less attention on student "affect," the feelings, attitudes, emotions, and values that can encourage or discourage the adoption of effective learning behaviors.…

  12. SIAST Retention Study. Factors Affecting Retention of First-Year Students in a Canadian Technical Institute of Applied Science and Technology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarkar, Gerlinde

    All first-year students enrolled in diploma and certificate programs in the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) were surveyed to determine factors that influence student persistence. A questionnaire was mailed to 2,822 students in October 1991; 1,557 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed. A follow-up…

  13. Sociocultural and Motivational Factors Affecting Asian American Females Studying Physics and Engineering in High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sha, Saliha L.

    2012-01-01

    This quantitative study investigated whether and to what extent the motivational and sociocultural factors affect female Asian American high school physics students' achievement, their intended major in college, and their planned career goals at work fields. A survey of 62 questions, extracted from subscales of AAMAS,STPQ and PSE, were…

  14. Acculturative stressor and meaning of life as predictors of negative affect in acculturation: a cross-cultural comparative study between Chinese international students in Australia and Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Pan, Jia-Yan; Wong, Daniel Fu Keung; Joubert, Lynette; Chan, Cecilia Lai Wan

    2007-09-01

    The purpose of the present study was to compare the predictive effects of acculturative stressor and meaning of life on negative affect in the process of acculturation between Chinese international students in Australia and Hong Kong. Four hundred mainland Chinese students studying at six universities in Hong Kong and 227 Chinese international students studying at the University of Melbourne in Australia completed a questionnaire that included measures of acculturative stressor, meaning of life, negative affect and demographic information. The Australian sample was found to have a higher level of acculturative stressor and negative affect than the Hong Kong sample. Acculturative stressor had a positive impact on negative affect in both samples, but the impact of different domains of acculturative stressor on negative affect varied between the two groups. Finally, meaning of life partially mediated the relationship between acculturative stressor and negative affect in the Hong Kong sample, but no such effect was found in the Australia sample. Acculturative stressor is a critical risk factor for negative affect in acculturation for Chinese international students in Australia and Hong Kong. Meaning of life acted as a protective factor that mitigated negative affect for mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong, but not for the Chinese international students in Australia. The theoretical and practical implications for resilience-based and meaning-oriented intervention for Chinese international students are discussed.

  15. Examining Factors Affecting College Students' Intention to Use Web-Based Instruction Systems: Towards an Integrated Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Yi-Cheng; Lin, Yi-Chien; Yeh, Ron Chuen; Lou, Shi-Jer

    2013-01-01

    With accelerated progress of information and communication technologies (ICT), web-based instruction (WBI) is becoming a popular method for education resources distributing and delivering. This study was conducted to explore what factors influence college students' behavioral intentions to utilize WBI systems. To achieve this aim, a WBI system was…

  16. Factors associated with stress among medical students.

    PubMed

    Qamar, Khadija; Khan, Najamus Saqib; Bashir Kiani, Muhammad Rizwan

    2015-07-01

    To determine the probable factors responsible for stress among undergraduate medical students. The qualitative descriptive study was conducted at a public-sector medical college in Islamabad, Pakistan, from January to April 2014. Self-administered open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from first year medical students in order to study the factors associated with the new environment. There were 115 students in the study with a mean age of 19±6.76 years. Overall, 35(30.4%) students had mild to moderate physical problems, 20(17.4%) had severe physical problems and 60(52.2%) did not have any physical problem. Average stress score was 19.6±6.76. Major elements responsible for stress identified were environmental factors, new college environment, student abuse, tough study routines and personal factors. Majority of undergraduate students experienced stress due to both academic and emotional factors.

  17. Factors Influencing Residency Program Selection by Medical Students Pursuing Obstetrics and Gynecology.

    PubMed

    Alston, Meredith J; Metz, Torri D; Fothergill, Russell; Meg Autry, Amy; Wagner, Sarah A; Allshouse, Amanda A; Stephenson-Famy, Alyssa

    2017-02-01

    Little is known about the factors that influence medical student selection of obstetrics and gynecology (ob-gyn) residency programs. We assessed the factors influencing residency program selection by fourth-year medical students pursuing ob-gyn training. A voluntary, anonymous, 19-question survey of residency selection factors was distributed to all fourth-year medical students interviewing at 1 of 5 academic ob-gyn departments for a residency position during the 2013-2014 interview season. Participants were surveyed about the relative importance (not important, somewhat important, important) of various residency selection factors, including operative experience, exposure to subspecialties, curricular experience, access to fellowships, and administrative aspects of residency, including adherence to duty hour restrictions. Of 322 potential respondents, 262 (81%) completed the survey. Surgical training and training in laparoscopic surgery were deemed "important" by nearly all respondents (98%, 258 of 262, and 97%, 253 of 262, respectively). Factors that were considered "not important" by a significant group of respondents included maternity/paternity leave policies (22%, 58 of 259); opportunity for international rotations/electives (20%, 51 of 259); exposure to quality and safety initiatives (13%, 34 of 259); and training in abortion (13%, 34 of 262). Fourth-year medical students identified surgical training as the most important factor in selecting an ob-gyn residency, a finding that is particularly relevant as decreasing and changing surgical volumes affect residency training in this specialty.

  18. Evaluation of Affective Traits of Medical Technology Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fogleman, Janice M.

    An observational rating instrument was developed to measure affective traits of medical technology students. Fourteen categories of behavioral traits evaluated by medical technology programs were identified, based on results of a national survey. These traits were then grouped according to the affective domains established by Krathwohl, Bloom, and…

  19. Risk factors for suicide in Taiwanese college students.

    PubMed

    Gau, Susan Shur-Fen; Chen, Ying-Yeh; Tsai, Fang-Ju; Lee, Ming-Been; Chiu, Yen-Nan; Soong, Wei-Tsuen; Hwu, Hai-Gwo

    2008-01-01

    The authors investigated the personality characteristics, psychopathology, parenting style, and family function among Taiwanese college students with high, moderate, and low suicidal risks. The sample included 2,919 first-year college students (1,414 men, 1,505 women) from a university in Taipei, Taiwan. A self-administered questionnaire assessed domains covering demographics, personality, psychopathology, frequency of substance use, parenting style, family functioning, and suicidal behaviors. The authors used mixed models for data analysis. The authors observed a positive linear trend between increased suicidal tendency and levels of neuroticism, harm avoidance, novelty seeking, psychopathology, and parenting styles of low affection, overprotection, and authoritarian controlling. Use of tobacco and alcohol and impaired family adaptation and cohesion were associated with high and moderate suicidal risks. Personality, psychopathology, substance use, and familial factors are important correlates of suicidal risks among college students in Taiwan. Optimal suicide prevention strategies in the college setting should incorporate the multiple facets of suicidal risks.

  20. 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.

  1. Associations between Perceived Teaching Behaviours and Affect in Upper Elementary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnard, Allison D.; Adelson, Jill L.; Pössel, Patrick

    2017-01-01

    We explored the associations between student-perceived teaching behaviours and negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) in upper elementary age students, both before and after controlling for perceived parenting behaviours. The Teaching Behaviour Questionnaire, the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule…

  2. Early prediction of student goals and affect in narrative-centered learning environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Sunyoung

    Recent years have seen a growing recognition of the role of goal and affect recognition in intelligent tutoring systems. Goal recognition is the task of inferring users' goals from a sequence of observations of their actions. Because of the uncertainty inherent in every facet of human computer interaction, goal recognition is challenging, particularly in contexts in which users can perform many actions in any order, as is the case with intelligent tutoring systems. Affect recognition is the task of identifying the emotional state of a user from a variety of physical cues, which are produced in response to affective changes in the individual. Accurately recognizing student goals and affect states could contribute to more effective and motivating interactions in intelligent tutoring systems. By exploiting knowledge of student goals and affect states, intelligent tutoring systems can dynamically modify their behavior to better support individual students. To create effective interactions in intelligent tutoring systems, goal and affect recognition models should satisfy two key requirements. First, because incorrectly predicted goals and affect states could significantly diminish the effectiveness of interactive systems, goal and affect recognition models should provide accurate predictions of user goals and affect states. When observations of users' activities become available, recognizers should make accurate early" predictions. Second, goal and affect recognition models should be highly efficient so they can operate in real time. To address key issues, we present an inductive approach to recognizing student goals and affect states in intelligent tutoring systems by learning goals and affect recognition models. Our work focuses on goal and affect recognition in an important new class of intelligent tutoring systems, narrative-centered learning environments. We report the results of empirical studies of induced recognition models from observations of students

  3. Factors influencing radiation therapy student clinical placement satisfaction

    PubMed Central

    Bridge, Pete; Carmichael, Mary-Ann

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Radiation therapy students at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) attend clinical placements at five different clinical departments with varying resources and support strategies. This study aimed to determine the relative availability and perceived importance of different factors affecting student support while on clinical placement. The purpose of the research was to inform development of future support mechanisms to enhance radiation therapy students’ experience on clinical placement. Methods: This study used anonymous Likert-style surveys to gather data from years 1 and 2 radiation therapy students from QUT and clinical educators from Queensland relating to availability and importance of support mechanisms during clinical placements in a semester. Results: The study findings demonstrated student satisfaction with clinical support and suggested that level of support on placement influenced student employment choices. Staff support was perceived as more important than physical resources; particularly access to a named mentor, a clinical educator and weekly formative feedback. Both students and educators highlighted the impact of time pressures. Conclusions: The support offered to radiation therapy students by clinical staff is more highly valued than physical resources or models of placement support. Protected time and acknowledgement of the importance of clinical education roles are both invaluable. Joint investment in mentor support by both universities and clinical departments is crucial for facilitation of effective clinical learning. PMID:26229635

  4. Factors influencing radiation therapy student clinical placement satisfaction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bridge, Pete; Carmichael, Mary-Ann

    Introduction: Radiation therapy students at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) attend clinical placements at five different clinical departments with varying resources and support strategies. This study aimed to determine the relative availability and perceived importance of different factors affecting student support while on clinical placement. The purpose of the research was to inform development of future support mechanisms to enhance radiation therapy students’ experience on clinical placement. Methods: This study used anonymous Likert-style surveys to gather data from years 1 and 2 radiation therapy students from QUT and clinical educators from Queensland relating to availability and importance of support mechanismsmore » during clinical placements in a semester. Results: The study findings demonstrated student satisfaction with clinical support and suggested that level of support on placement influenced student employment choices. Staff support was perceived as more important than physical resources; particularly access to a named mentor, a clinical educator and weekly formative feedback. Both students and educators highlighted the impact of time pressures. Conclusions: The support offered to radiation therapy students by clinical staff is more highly valued than physical resources or models of placement support. Protected time and acknowledgement of the importance of clinical education roles are both invaluable. Joint investment in mentor support by both universities and clinical departments is crucial for facilitation of effective clinical learning.« less

  5. Insomnia in nursing students and related factors: A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Güneş, Zeynep; Arslantaş, Hülya

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting insomnia in nursing students. This study was conducted with 379 nursing students, studying at a university in western Anatolia/Turkey between 2014 and 2015 as a descriptive and cross-sectional analytic study. Data of the survey were collected using the Personal Inquiry Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory, and a self-administered questionnaire. The Insomnia Severity Index score for the students is 11.51 ± 5.04 on average. It was found that as anxiety and depression increased, the Insomnia Severity Index score for the students also increased and there was a weak positive correlation. Also, a moderate positive correlation between sleep quality and insomnia severity was found. Significant correlations were found between some of the socio-demographic characteristics (lower socio-economic situation, irregular bedtime, and smoking) and insomnia, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression. Anxiety, depression, irregular bedtime, and lower socio-economic situation are factors that make falling asleep difficult. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  6. Factors Affecting Student Academic Success in Gateway Courses at Northern Arizona University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benford, Russell; Gess-Newsome, Julie

    2006-01-01

    Students in gateway business, math, and science courses at Northern Arizona University receive non-passing grades (grades of D, F, and W) at high rates. To identify possible trends in demographic groups that receive DFWs and to investigate why students receive DFWs in these courses, a student survey was administered to 719 students in 7 gateway…

  7. Mentoring Factors in Doctoral Programs of Mexican American and American Indian Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williamson, Madeline J.; Fenske, Robert H.

    The purpose of this study was to determine factors affecting satisfaction of Mexican American (MA) and American Indian (AI) students with their doctoral programs. Faculty mentoring plays an extremely significant role in minority education. Previous research indicates differences between males and females in their interaction with faculty. Minority…

  8. Factors Affecting Tocopherol Concentrations in Soybean Seeds.

    PubMed

    Carrera, Constanza S; Seguin, Philippe

    2016-12-21

    Soybean seeds contain several health-beneficial compounds, including tocopherols, which are used by the nutraceutical and functional food industries. Soybean tocopherol concentrations are, however, highly variable. Large differences observed in tocopherol concentrations among soybean genotypes together with the relatively simple biosynthetic pathway involving few genes support the feasibility of selecting for high-tocopherol soybean. Tocopherol concentrations are also highly influenced by environmental factors and field management. Temperature during seed filling and soil moisture appear to be the main factors affecting tocopherol concentrations; other factors such as soil fertility and solar radiation also affect concentrations and composition. Field management decisions including seeding date, row spacing, irrigation, and fertilization also affect tocopherols. Knowledge of factors affecting soybean tocopherols is essential to develop management strategies that will lead to the production of seeds with consistent target concentrations that will meet the needs of the nutraceutical and functional food industries.

  9. Factors Promoting Vocational Students' Learning at Work: Study on Student Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Virtanen, Anne; Tynjälä, Päivi; Eteläpelto, Anneli

    2014-01-01

    In order to promote effective pedagogical practices for students' work-based learning, we need to understand better how students' learning at work can be supported. This paper examines the factors explaining students' workplace learning (WPL) outcomes, addressing three aspects: (1) student-related individual factors, (2) social and…

  10. A systematic review of the factors affecting choice of surgery as a career.

    PubMed

    Peel, John K; Schlachta, Christopher M; Alkhamesi, Nawar A

    2018-02-01

    Interest in surgical careers among medical students has declined over the past decade. Multiple explanations have been offered for why top students are deterred or rejected from surgical programs, though no consensus has emerged. We conducted a review of the literature to better characterize what factors affect the pursuit of a surgical career. We searched PubMed and EMBASE and performed additional reference checks. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle-Ottawa Education scores were used to evaluate the included data. Our search identified 122 full-text, primary articles. Analysis of this evidence identified 3 core concepts that impact surgical career decision-making: gender, features of surgical education, and student "fit" in the culture of surgery. Real and perceived gender discrimination has deterred female medical students from entering surgical careers. In addition, limited exposure to surgery during medical school and differences between student and surgeon personality traits and values may deter students from entering surgical careers. We suggest that deliberate and visible effort to include women and early-career medical students in surgical settings may enhance their interest in carreers in surgery.

  11. A systematic review of the factors affecting choice of surgery as a career

    PubMed Central

    Peel, John K.; Schlachta, Christopher M.; Alkhamesi, Nawar A.

    2018-01-01

    Background Interest in surgical careers among medical students has declined over the past decade. Multiple explanations have been offered for why top students are deterred or rejected from surgical programs, though no consensus has emerged. Methods We conducted a review of the literature to better characterize what factors affect the pursuit of a surgical career. We searched PubMed and EMBASE and performed additional reference checks. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and Newcastle–Ottawa Education scores were used to evaluate the included data. Results Our search identified 122 full-text, primary articles. Analysis of this evidence identified 3 core concepts that impact surgical career decision-making: gender, features of surgical education, and student “fit” in the culture of surgery. Conclusion Real and perceived gender discrimination has deterred female medical students from entering surgical careers. In addition, limited exposure to surgery during medical school and differences between student and surgeon personality traits and values may deter students from entering surgical careers. We suggest that deliberate and visible effort to include women and early-career medical students in surgical settings may enhance their interest in carreers in surgery. PMID:29368678

  12. Questioning Art: Factors Affecting Students' Cognitive Engagement in Responding

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Julia E.; Lummis, Geoffrey W.; Lock, Graeme

    2017-01-01

    The "Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians" (MCEETYA, 2008) cited confident and creative citizens as a key goal for Australian students. This goal aligns with global research on visual arts, specifically visual literacy. Being visually literate means decoding images, understanding the relationship between image…

  13. What Factors Influence Well-being of Students on Performing Small Group Discussion?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wulanyani, N. M. S.; Vembriati, N.

    2018-01-01

    Generally, Faculty of Medicine of Udayana University applied Small Group Discussion (SGD) in its learning process. If group problem solving succeeds, each individual of the group will individually succeed. However, the success is also determined by each individual’s level of psychological well-being. When the students are in the high level of wellbeing, they will feel comfortable in small group discussion, and teamwork will be effective. Therefore, it is needed to conduct a research which investigates how psychological factors, such as traits, needs, cognitive, and social intelligence, influence students’ wellbeing in performing SGD. This research is also initiated by several cases of students who prefer individual learning and take SGD merely to fulfill attendance requirement. If the students have good wellbeing, they will take the SGD process optimally. The subject of this research was 100 students of Faculty of Medicine of Udayana University. This survey research used psychological test assessment, Psychological well-being scale, and Social Intelligence scale to gain data analyzed quantitatively. The results showed that all aspects of traits together with aspects ‘need for rules and supervision’ affect social intelligence. Furthermore, social intelligence factor with cognitive factors influence wellbeing of the students in the process of SGD.

  14. The Effects of Training and Other Factors on Problem Solving in Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puran, Robabeh; Behzadi, Mohamad Hasan; Shahvarani, Ahmad; Lotfi, Farhad Hosseinzadeh

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to identify the factors which affect students' creative thinking in problem solving. The research which was performed was quasi-experimental. It used one experimental group and two control groups from three second-grade high school classes. They received either traditional, active or heuristic problem-solving…

  15. Student as Customer: Factors Affecting Satisfaction and Assessments of Institutional Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Browne, Beverly A.; Kaldenberg, Dennis O.; Browne, William G.; Brown, Daniel J.

    1998-01-01

    A survey of 736 college students investigated satisfaction with a university's business education program, with attention to ratings of services and educational quality, and their relationship to students' global satisfaction, willingness to recommend the institution, and satisfaction with educational value received. Results suggest institutions…

  16. Does Inquiry Based Learning Affect Students' Beliefs and Attitudes towards Mathematics?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGregor, Darren

    2014-01-01

    Ill-structured tasks presented in an inquiry learning environment have the potential to affect students' beliefs and attitudes towards mathematics. This empirical research followed a Design Experiment approach to explore how aspects of using ill-structured tasks may have affected students' beliefs and attitudes. Results showed this task type and…

  17. Cognitive and Socio-Affective Outcomes of Project-Based Learning: Perceptions of Greek Second Chance School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koutrouba, Konstantina; Karageorgou, Elissavet

    2013-01-01

    The present questionnaire-based study was conducted in 2010 in order to examine 677 Greek Second Chance School (SCS) students' perceptions about the cognitive and socio-affective outcomes of project-based learning. Data elaboration, statistical and factor analysis showed that the participants found that project-based learning offered a second…

  18. Factors Affecting Native Hawaiian Student Persistence in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matsumoto, Dolwin Haunani Keanu

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the educational outcomes of 515 Native Hawaiian alumni who graduated between 1993 and 1995 from high schools throughout the State of Hawaii. The majority of students graduated from Kamehameha Schools, while the others received postsecondary financial aid from the Ke Alii Pauahi Foundation. Respondents were separated into two…

  19. Factors Affecting Social Network Use by Students in Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kristianto, Budhi

    2017-01-01

    Background: Although Indonesia is one of the world's most populated countries with a high penetration of internet usage there has been little research on SNS usage in Indonesia, especially involving children. Instead, SNS research in Indonesia has focused on university students and political, marketing, and disaster mitigation issues. Aim/Purpose:…

  20. Does student debt affect dental students' and dentists' stress levels?

    PubMed

    Boyles, J D; Ahmed, B

    2017-10-27

    Introduction Many studies have shown financial worries and debt to induce stress in individuals, this combined with the existing stress of being a dentist raises the question of how student debt affects students' and dentists' stress levels.Objectives Determine whether student debt has had any noticeable effect on student stress levels; investigate whether student debt has any effect on dentists' career choice; investigate whether the increase in tuition fees has influenced the number of applicants to study dentistry at the University of Birmingham.Method Anonymous questionnaires were completed by 70 4th year and 38 5th year BDS and 22 Dental Core Trainees (DCTs). Participants circled the response which best fitted their situation regarding statements on their level of stress and future career path. Ethical approval granted. Application figures to study dentistry obtained from head of admissions.Results Forty-two percent of males and 63% of females strongly agreed with the statement that having no debt would reduce their stress levels. Of those with debt >£40,000, 11% strongly agreed and 42% agreed that their total amount of student debt causes them stress. Whereas, those whose debt is <£40,000 only 2% strongly agreed and 28% agreed that their total amount of student debt causes them stress. Seventy-seven percent of participants who had parental or family financial support reported this reduced their stress levels. Student debt was found to deter females from undertaking further study more than it deters males (P <0.001). Students with a higher level of debt were more likely to worry about their total student loan(s) (P <0.001). Moreover, students with a higher level of debt were more likely to be stressed about their total student loan(s) (P <0.001). Parental/family contribution to student expenses reduces student stress (P <0.001). Applications to study dentistry since the rise in tuition fees have decreased by 42%.Conclusion Student debt has had an impact on

  1. Identifying At-Risk Students in General Chemistry via Cluster Analysis of Affective Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Julia Y. K.; Bauer, Christopher F.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify academically at-risk students in first-semester general chemistry using affective characteristics via cluster analysis. Through the clustering of six preselected affective variables, three distinct affective groups were identified: low (at-risk), medium, and high. Students in the low affective group…

  2. Factors affecting utilization of dental health services and satisfaction among adolescent females in Riyadh City.

    PubMed

    Al-Hussyeen, Al Johara A

    2010-01-01

    This study was conducted to determine factors affecting utilization of dental health services among intermediate female school students in Riyadh. In addition to assessing their satisfaction with the dental care received during the last dental visit. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among students attending eight public and four private schools. These schools were selected randomly to represent the four different administrative zones in Riyadh. Of 600 questionnaires distributed, 531 were complete and suitable for analysis. Nearly three quarters of the students visited the dentist more than once during the last 2 years. A bout 75% had their treatment in private dental clinics and 63% made their visits for routine treatment. The quality of dental care was found to be the most encouraging factor for utilization of dental services, whereas, far geographic location of the dental clinics was the most discouraging factor. For those who received treatment in the government clinics, the most discouraging factor was post operative complications (P < 0.0001), while the most encouraging factor was the availability of friendly staff (P < 0.0001). The high cost of dental care was the most discouraging factor for utilizing the dental services for those who visited private clinics (P < 0.0001), while the high quality of dental care was the most encouraging factor (P < 0.009). Students who made their visits because of pain highly considered modern clinics and those recommended by friends as highly encouraging factors (P < 0.002), while they considered the high cost of dental care as discouraging factor for using dental services (P < 0.038). Students who visited the dentist for routine treatment gave the quality of dental care as encouraging for the use of dental clinics (P < 0.0001). Satisfaction with dental care was found to be significantly associated with high quality of dental care, convenient appointment, friendly staff, modern dental clinics

  3. Factors Affecting the Performance of Students in University Remedial Mathematics Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aoude, Solange G.

    2013-01-01

    The importance of mathematics is growing in all scientific and technological fields. Lebanese universities, in particular Notre Dame University-Louaize, require students to take a pool of mathematics courses in their scientific and engineering programs. Based on their scores on the university entrance exam, students accepted to the university…

  4. Factors Affecting Students' Satisfaction in Engineering Disciplines: Traditional vs. Blended Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez-Caro, Eva; Campuzano-Bolarin, Francisco

    2011-01-01

    In this paper a two-year field study was carried out to analyse how satisfaction differs across the traditional and blended learning methods. Altogether, 21 courses for graduate and postgraduate engineering students were evaluated. Several variables and their relationship with student satisfaction in the first year, with all courses delivered in…

  5. Factors Affecting the Underachievement of Academically Able College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Teitelbaum, Herta

    Reasons for the underachievement of 44 qualified college freshmen were studied. The students had above-average scores on the American College Testing program examination but earned below-average grades in their first year in college. They were invited to discuss their academic status and perceptions of college life with an academic advisor. It was…

  6. Students' Expression of Affect in an Inner-City SimCalc Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schorr, Roberta Y.; Goldin, Gerald A.

    2008-01-01

    This research focuses on some of the affordances provided by SimCalc software, suggesting that its use can have important consequences for students' mathematical affect and motivation. We describe an episode in an inner-city SimCalc environment illustrating our approach to the study of affect in the mathematics classroom. We infer students'…

  7. Factors influencing medical students' choice of emergency medicine as a career specialty-a descriptive study of Saudi medical students.

    PubMed

    Alkhaneen, Hadeel; Alhusain, Faisal; Alshahri, Khalid; Al Jerian, Nawfal

    2018-03-07

    Choosing a medical specialty is a poorly understood process. Although studies conducted around the world have attempted to identify the factors that affect medical students' choice of specialty, data is scarce on the factors that influence the choice of specialty of Saudi Arabian medical students, in particular those planning a career in emergency medicine (EM). In this study, we investigated whether Saudi medical students choosing EM are influenced by different factors to those choosing other specialties. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire distributed among all undergraduate and postgraduate medical students of both sexes in the second and third phases (57% were males and 43% were females). A total of 436 students answered the questionnaire, a response rate of 53.4%. EM group was most influenced by hospital orientation and lifestyle and least influenced by social orientation and prestige provided by their specialty. Unlike controllable lifestyle (CL) group and primary care (PC) group, EM reported lesser influence of social orientation on their career choice. When compared with students primarily interested in the surgical subspecialties (SS), EM group were less likely to report prestige as an important influence. Moreover, students interested in SS reported a leaser influence of medical lifestyle in comparison to EM group. When compared with CL group, EM group reported more interest in medical lifestyle. We found that students primarily interested in EM had different values and career expectations to other specialty groups. The trends in specialty choice should be appraised to meet future needs.

  8. Medical students, money, and career selection: students' perception of financial factors and remuneration in family medicine.

    PubMed

    Morra, Dante J; Regehr, Glenn; Ginsburg, Shiphra

    2009-02-01

    Medical students have had a declining interest in family medicine as a career. Some studies have shown a small inverse relationship between debt levels and primary care, but it is unclear how students perceive remuneration in different specialties and how these perceptions might influence career choice. Medical students at one school were surveyed to understand their perceptions of physician remuneration and to gain insight into how these perceptions might affect career selection. Response rate was 72% (560/781 students). Students' estimates of physician income were accurate throughout training, with the overall estimate for family medicine being lower than the actual income by only $10,656. The vast majority of students agreed with the statement that family physicians get paid too little (85%-89% of each class). The importance of payment as a factor in career decision making increased with higher debt and with advancing training. Students are able to accurately predict income by specialty from an early stage of training and have a negative perception of income in family medicine. The perception that family physicians make too little money could be an important driver--or at least a modifier--in the lack of interest in family medicine.

  9. Complex Issues Affecting Student Pharmacist Debt

    PubMed Central

    Campbell, Tom; Congdon, Heather Brennan; Hancock, Kim; Kaun, Megan; Lockman, Paul R.; Evans, R. Lee

    2014-01-01

    It is time for colleges and schools of pharmacy to examine and confront the rising costs of pharmacy education and the increasing student loan debt borne by graduates. These phenomena likely result from a variety of complex factors. The academy should begin addressing these issues before pharmacy education becomes cost-prohibitive for future generations. This paper discusses some of the more salient drivers of cost and student debt load and offers suggestions that may help alleviate some of the financial pressures. PMID:25258436

  10. Factors Affecting Wound Healing

    PubMed Central

    Guo, S.; DiPietro, L.A.

    2010-01-01

    Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds. PMID:20139336

  11. Factors affecting wound healing.

    PubMed

    Guo, S; Dipietro, L A

    2010-03-01

    Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds.

  12. Student Understanding of the Boltzmann Factor

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Trevor I.; Mountcastle, Donald B.; Thompson, John R.

    2015-01-01

    We present results of our investigation into student understanding of the physical significance and utility of the Boltzmann factor in several simple models. We identify various justifications, both correct and incorrect, that students use when answering written questions that require application of the Boltzmann factor. Results from written data…

  13. Acne prevalence, severity and risk factors among medical students in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Muthupalaniappen, L; Tan, H C; Puah, J W D; Apipi, M; Sohaimi, A E; Mahat, N F; Rafee, N M

    2014-01-01

    Acne is a common skin disorder which can cause physical scaring and impact the quality of life. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, severity and the risk factors for developing acne among medical students in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). A cross sectional study among UKM medical students from academic year 1 to 5 was conducted from July 2011 to May 2012. A total of 361 students were selected by stratified cluster sampling method. Baseline data of the students, risk factors, height and weight were recorded. Acne severity was graded using the Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale (CASS). The prevalence of acne among medical students is 68.1% (n=246). Males and females were almost equally affected (1:1.1). Majority students with acne were graded as almost clear (55.7%, n=137), mild (35.0%, n=86), moderate (7.7%, n=19), and severe (1.6%, n=4). More than half of them had developed acne scars (59.0%, n= 213). Males were found to be at higher risk of developing acne compared to females (p<0.05, OR=4.734; 95%CL=2.726-8.222). They are also at higher risk of developing moderate and severe grades of acne compared to females (p=0.001). The odds for developing acne was higher when mother (p=0.029; OR=1.752; 95%CL=1.058-2.902) or father (p=0.027; OR=1.852; 95%CL=1.072-3.201) had acne. When both parents were affected by acne the odds of developing acne was 3 times. (p=0.025; OR=3.056; 95%CL=1.153-8.094). This study shows that the prevalence of acne among medical students is high. Hence, it is important to identify those at risk and provide optimal treatment to prevent scarring and possible low self esteem among these future doctors.

  14. How Guidance Affects Student Engagement with an Interactive Simulation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chamberlain, Julia M.; Lancaster, Kelly; Parson, Robert; Perkins, Katherine K.

    2014-01-01

    We studied how students engaged with an interactive simulation in a classroom setting and how that engagement was affected by the design of a guiding activity. Students (n = 210) completed a written activity using an interactive simulation in second semester undergraduate general chemistry recitations. The same simulation--PhET Interactive…

  15. College Students' Affective Distress: The Role of Expectation Discrepancies and Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agliata, Allison Kanter; Renk, Kimberly

    2009-01-01

    The discrepancy between college students' performance and parents' expectations may be related to college students' affective distress. Further, the role that parent-college student communication reciprocity may play in the context of these discrepancies has not been examined. As a result, this study examined parent-college student expectation…

  16. Principals' Attitudes towards Risky Internet Use of Primary School Students: The Role of Occupational Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Touloupis, Thanos; Athanasiades, Christina

    2018-01-01

    The present study aimed to investigate primary school principals' attitudes towards risky internet use of school-aged students and how occupational factors, such as work self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and burnout, may affect these attitudes especially in a context of economic crisis, which has adversely affected working conditions and duties of…

  17. College Students' Comfort Level Discussing Death with Faculty and Perceptions of Faculty Support for Grief-Affected Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hedman, A. S.

    2012-01-01

    Students' comfort discussing death with faculty, views regarding faculty's likelihood to provide accommodations to grief-affected students, and perceived empathy of faculty were assessed. Undergraduate students (n = 371) attending a Midwestern university completed the Student Survey on Grief Issues. Twenty-six percent reported the death of at…

  18. Factors Affecting Sign Retroreflectivity : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-01-01

    This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

  19. How Do Learning Communities Affect First-Year Latino Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huerta, Juan Carlos; Bray, Jennifer J.

    2013-01-01

    Do learning communities with pedagogies of active learning, collaborative learning, and integration of course material affect the learning, achievement, and persistence of first-year Latino university students? The data for this project was obtained from a survey of 1,330 first-year students in the First-Year Learning Community Program at Texas…

  20. Emotional Stress-reactivity and Positive Affect among College Students: The Role of Depression History

    PubMed Central

    O’Hara, Ross E.; Armeli, Stephen; Boynton, Marcella H.; Tennen, Howard

    2014-01-01

    Multiple theories posit that people with a history of depression are at higher risk for a depressive episode than people who have never experienced depression, which may be partly due to differences in stress-reactivity. Additionally, both the dynamic model of affect and the broaden-and-build theory suggest that stress and positive affect interact to predict negative affect, but this moderation has never been tested in the context of depression history. The current study used multilevel modeling to examine these issues among 1549 college students with or without a history of depression. Students completed a 30-day online diary study in which they reported daily their perceived stress, positive affect, and negative affect (including depression, anxiety, and hostility). On days characterized by higher than usual stress, students with a history of depression reported greater decreases in positive affect and greater increases in depressed affect than students with no history. Furthermore, the relations between daily stress and both depressed and anxious affect were moderated by daily positive affect among students with remitted depression. These results indicate that students with a history of depression show greater stress-reactivity even when in remission, which may place them at greater risk for recurrence. These individuals may also benefit more from positive affect on higher stress days despite being less likely to experience positive affect on such days. The current findings have various implications both clinically and for research on stress, mood, and depression. PMID:24274764

  1. Entrepreneurial Skills and Socio-Cultural Factors: An Empirical Analysis in Secondary Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosique-Blasco, Mario; Madrid-Guijarro, Antonia; García-Pérez-de-Lema, Domingo

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how entrepreneurial skills (such as creativity, proactivity and risk tolerance) and socio-cultural factors (such as role model and businessman image) affect secondary education students' propensity towards entrepreneurial options in their future careers. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of…

  2. Factors Affecting Effective Teaching and Learning of Economics in Some Ogbomosho High Schools, Oyo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ojo, Gbemisola Motunrayo; Nkoyane, Vusy

    2016-01-01

    This study was carried out to examine the present curriculum of Economics as a subject in some Ogbomoso Senior High Schools and to determine factors affecting effective teaching of economics in the schools. Variables such as number of students, teachers' ratio available textbooks were also examined. The study adopted descriptive design since it is…

  3. Evaluating Effective Teaching in College Level Economics Using Student Ratings of Instruction: A Factor Analytic Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agbetsiafa, Douglas

    2010-01-01

    This paper explores the factors that affect students' evaluation of economic instruction using a sample of 1300 completed rating instruments at a comprehensive four-year mid-western public university. The study uses factor analysis to determine the validity and reliability of the evaluation instrument in assessing instructor or course…

  4. Factors associated with student learning processes in primary health care units: a questionnaire study.

    PubMed

    Bos, Elisabeth; Alinaghizadeh, Hassan; Saarikoski, Mikko; Kaila, Päivi

    2015-01-01

    Clinical placement plays a key role in education intended to develop nursing and caregiving skills. Studies of nursing students' clinical learning experiences show that these dimensions affect learning processes: (i) supervisory relationship, (ii) pedagogical atmosphere, (iii) management leadership style, (iv) premises of nursing care on the ward, and (v) nursing teachers' roles. Few empirical studies address the probability of an association between these dimensions and factors such as student (a) motivation, (b) satisfaction with clinical placement, and (c) experiences with professional role models. The study aimed to investigate factors associated with the five dimensions in clinical learning environments within primary health care units. The Swedish version of Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Teacher, a validated evaluation scale, was administered to 356 graduating nursing students after four or five weeks clinical placement in primary health care units. Response rate was 84%. Multivariate analysis of variance is determined if the five dimensions are associated with factors a, b, and c above. The analysis revealed a statistically significant association with the five dimensions and two factors: students' motivation and experiences with professional role models. The satisfaction factor had a statistically significant association (effect size was high) with all dimensions; this clearly indicates that students experienced satisfaction. These questionnaire results show that a good clinical learning experience constitutes a complex whole (totality) that involves several interacting factors. Supervisory relationship and pedagogical atmosphere particularly influenced students' satisfaction and motivation. These results provide valuable decision-support material for clinical education planning, implementation, and management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Behavior Risk Factors Among Russian Students.

    PubMed

    Anischenko, Aleksander; Arhangelskaya, Anna; Klenov, Michael; Burdukova, Ekaterina; Ogarev, Valrii; Ignatov, Nikolay; Osadchenko, Irina; Gurevich, Konstantin

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To analyze the prevalence of risk factors among Russian students. Methods In this study, 834 students were included from five Federal universities which were localized in four Federal regions of Russian Federation. Future doctors, school teachers, and wellness trainers were included in this study. Students were specifically asked about smoking, physical activity International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and food preference. Waist, hip, weight, and height were measured. Results The region of study and ethnic group were not influenced with respect to age and body mass index ( p > .1), while all other factors had a significant influence ( p < .05). High levels of smoking, hypodynamia, and motivation to intake of unhealthy food were found in medical students in comparison with those in future teachers and wellness instructors ( p < .05). The indicators of central obesity (due to levels of body mass index and waist-hip ratio) were found in medical students. Perspective Special programs to prevent the most common behavior risk factors in future medical doctors have to be designed.

  6. Factors Influencing Student Achievement in Reading

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawkins, Lakeshia Darby

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to understand the reasons, as perceived by elementary school teachers at the target Title I school, for low student achievement in reading. The conceptual framework that guided this study was the ecological theory that postulates that students' academic achievement is influenced by several subsystems that affect human…

  7. Factors affecting utilization of dental health services and satisfaction among adolescent females in Riyadh City

    PubMed Central

    Al-Hussyeen, Al Johara A.

    2009-01-01

    Objectives This study was conducted to determine factors affecting utilization of dental health services among intermediate female school students in Riyadh. In addition to assessing their satisfaction with the dental care received during the last dental visit. Subjects and methods Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among students attending eight public and four private schools. These schools were selected randomly to represent the four different administrative zones in Riyadh. Results Of 600 questionnaires distributed, 531 were complete and suitable for analysis. Nearly three quarters of the students visited the dentist more than once during the last 2 years. A bout 75% had their treatment in private dental clinics and 63% made their visits for routine treatment. The quality of dental care was found to be the most encouraging factor for utilization of dental services, whereas, far geographic location of the dental clinics was the most discouraging factor. For those who received treatment in the government clinics, the most discouraging factor was post operative complications (P < 0.0001), while the most encouraging factor was the availability of friendly staff (P < 0.0001). The high cost of dental care was the most discouraging factor for utilizing the dental services for those who visited private clinics (P < 0.0001), while the high quality of dental care was the most encouraging factor (P < 0.009). Students who made their visits because of pain highly considered modern clinics and those recommended by friends as highly encouraging factors (P < 0.002), while they considered the high cost of dental care as discouraging factor for using dental services (P < 0.038). Students who visited the dentist for routine treatment gave the quality of dental care as encouraging for the use of dental clinics (P < 0.0001). Satisfaction with dental care was found to be significantly associated with high quality of dental care, convenient appointment

  8. A Review of Predictive Factors of Student Success in and Satisfaction with Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kauffman, Heather

    2015-01-01

    Students perceive online courses differently than traditional courses. Negative perceptions can lead to unfavourable learning outcomes including decreased motivation and persistence. Throughout this review, a broad range of factors that affect performance and satisfaction within the online learning environment for adult learners will be examined…

  9. Neck, back, and shoulder pains and ergonomic factors among dental students.

    PubMed

    Aghahi, Raha Habib; Darabi, Rezvan; Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat

    2018-01-01

    Dynamic and static activities in dentistry cause musculoskeletal disorders, but dental students do not have sufficient awareness about the effects of ergonomic factors on their health. The aim of this study was to investigate ergonomic factors that cause pain muscle in dental students in Kerman Medical University, Iran. This cross-sectional analysis study was carried out on dental students of the 3 rd , 4 th , 5 th , and 6 th year, in clinical practice in the School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences. A convenient sample of 199 students who met the inclusion criteria was selected and those willing to participate signed an informed consent form. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire for ergonomic factors and the presence of pain. The variables evaluated were pain, affected zones, gender, postures, and work environment. The present research work reveals that over 69% of the dental students complained of pain in at least one part of their body. Most individuals suffered from hand and elbow (23%) and head (19%) pain. The clinical areas where more pain was found were endodontics and pedodontics. Furthermore, it was found that a high percentage of students usually worked with their legs slightly separated, with the sole of the feet resting on the stool when working. The presence of muscular pain was higher in males in this study. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship with the final Rapid Entire Body Assessment score in different body parts and the participants' demographic data (sex, age, weight, height, sports, and smoking). The results of this study showed that the students' sitting positions and working environments need to be improved and it seems more training is necessary in this field.

  10. Emotional Factors that Influence Student Typewriting Behavior.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Jerry W.; Ownby, Arnola C.

    1979-01-01

    The authors discuss the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains of learning typewriting, student attitudes toward learning, their self-concept, and teacher attitudes toward student learning ability, with learning conditions and motivation techniques for effective typewriting instruction. (MF)

  11. What about Master's Students? The Master's Student Persistence Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cohen, Kristin E.

    2012-01-01

    This study was designed to investigate the factors that affect master's student persistence in the United States. More specifically, this study explored whether the following factors: students' background, institution's, academic, environmental and psychological influences, had a significant effect on whether a master's student persisted and/or…

  12. The Development of the Meta-Affective Trait Scale

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uzuntiryaki-Kondakci, Esen; Kirbulut, Zubeyde Demet

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a Meta-Affective Trait Scale (MATS) to measure the meta-affective inclinations related to emotions that students have while they are studying for their classes. First, a pilot study was performed with 380 10th-grade students. Results of the exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure of the…

  13. [Does the GHQ-12 scoring system affect its factor structure? An exploratory study of Ibero American students].

    PubMed

    Urzúa, Alfonso; Caqueo-Urízar, Alejandra; Bargsted, Mariana; Irarrázaval, Matías

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to evaluate whether the scoring system of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) alters the instrument's factor structure. The method considered 1,972 university students from nine Ibero American countries. Modeling was performed with structural equations for 1, 2, and 3 latent factors. The mechanism for scoring the questions was analyzed within each type of structure. The results indicate that models with 2 and 3 factors show better goodness-of-fit. In relation to scoring mechanisms, procedure 0-1-1-1 for models with 2 and 3 factors showed the best fit. In conclusion, there appears to be a relationship between the response format and the number of factors identified in the instrument's structure. The model with the best fit was 3-factor 0-1-1-1-formatted, but 0-1-2-3 has acceptable and more stable indicators and provides a better format for two- and three-dimensional models.

  14. Ergonomic factors that cause the presence of pain muscle in students of dentistry.

    PubMed

    Diaz-Caballero, Antonio-José; Gómez-Palencia, Isabel-Patricia; Díaz-Cárdenas, Shyrley

    2010-11-01

    To identify the ergonomic factors and the presence of muscular pain in dental students of VIII, IX, X semesters presently practicing at the clinics of the College of Dentistry of university of Cartagena, Colombia, South America. This is a descriptive study carried out in dental students of the VIII, IX, and X semesters which were undergoing clinical practice at the College of Dentistry of University of Cartagena. A convenience sample of 83 students who met the inclusion criteria was taken and those who agreed to participate signed an informed consent. Data collection was obtained by means of a structured questionnaire for ergonomic factors and the presence of pain was identified palpating the muscles object of the study by a physical therapist. The variables evaluated were: presence of pain, affected muscles, affected zones, gender, postures and work environment. The adoption of inadequate postures such as exaggerated flexions or cervical torsions could generate a higher frequency of muscular pain in dental students. The approximating muscle of the thumb showed 11% frequency of pain. The presence of muscular pain was higher for the female group participating in this study. Dentists are prone, since the beginning of their clinical practice as students, to lesions of the skeletal muscle system due to the clinical exercise of the profession, being the most common, muscle pain in the back, neck, shoulders and hands. This would imply initiating an occupational health program promoting healthy lifestyles in their academic environment and their future professional life, at the beginning of their clinical practice in dental school.

  15. A Model of Factors Determining Students' Ability to Interpret External Representations in Biochemistry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schonborn, Konrad J.; Anderson, Trevor R.

    2009-01-01

    The aim of this research was to develop a model of factors affecting students' ability to interpret external representations (ERs) in biochemistry. The study was qualitative in design and was guided by the modelling framework of Justi and Gilbert. Application of the process outlined by the framework, and consultation with relevant literature, led…

  16. Professor Age and Gender Affect Student Perceptions and Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joye, Shauna W.; Wilson, Janie H.

    2015-01-01

    Student evaluations provide rich information about teaching performance, but a number of factors beyond teacher effectiveness influence student evaluations. In this study we examined the effects of professor gender and perceived age on ratings of effectiveness and rapport as well as academic performance. We also asked students to rate professor…

  17. Undergraduate African American females in the sciences: A qualitative study of student experiences affecting academic success and persistence

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Essien-Wood, Idara R.

    Given the lack of literature on Undergraduate African American females in the sciences (UAAFS), this study sought to explicate their experiences at one large, predominantly White, Research I institution in the southwestern United States. In particular, the purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect the academic success and persistence of Black females in the natural and physical sciences. Data was collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 Black female science majors. Findings from this study identified several supportive mechanisms for academic success: family, religion, teaching assistants and friends. Also identified were seven barriers to academic success: employment, lack of diversity, cultural dissonance, unwelcoming Research I environment, faculty, advisors, classmates, and lab groups. Further, an analysis of students' responses revealed numerous instances of racial and gender micro-aggressions. Recommendations are provided to address factors identified as affecting student academic success and persistence as well as a culture of micro-aggressive behavior.

  18. Conceptions of learning factors in postgraduate health sciences master students: a comparative study with non-health science students and between genders.

    PubMed

    Campos, Fernando; Sola, Miguel; Santisteban-Espejo, Antonio; Ruyffelaert, Ariane; Campos-Sánchez, Antonio; Garzón, Ingrid; Carriel, Víctor; de Dios Luna-Del-Castillo, Juan; Martin-Piedra, Miguel Ángel; Alaminos, Miguel

    2018-06-07

    The students' conceptions of learning in postgraduate health science master studies are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare the factors influencing conceptions of learning in health sciences and non-health sciences students enrolled in postgraduate master programs in order to obtain information that may be useful for students and for future postgraduate programs. A modified version of the Learning Inventory Conception Questionnaire (COLI) was used to compare students' conception learning factors in 131 students at the beginning of their postgraduate studies in health sciences, experimental sciences, arts and humanities and social sciences. The present study demonstrates that a set of factors may influence conception of learning of health sciences postgraduate students, with learning as gaining information, remembering, using, and understanding information, awareness of duty and social commitment being the most relevant. For these students, learning as a personal change, a process not bound by time or place or even as acquisition of professional competences, are less relevant. According to our results, this profile is not affected by gender differences. Our results show that the overall conceptions of learning differ among students of health sciences and non-health sciences (experimental sciences, arts and humanities and social sciences) master postgraduate programs. These finding are potentially useful to foster the learning process of HS students, because if they are metacognitively aware of their own conception or learning, they will be much better equipped to self-regulate their learning behavior in a postgraduate master program in health sciences.

  19. Factors Affecting Option Choices Relative to the Uptake of Design and Technology at a Selected Hong Kong International School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Marshall

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of the study described in this paper was to identify those factors which affect Year 9 students at Sha Tin College, Hong Kong, as they make option choices at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9: age 14). The main focus of the investigation was how these factors influence the selection or rejection of the four subjects offered under the…

  20. Teacher Dispositions Affecting Self-Esteem and Student Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Helm, Carroll

    2007-01-01

    Research supports several factors related to student success. Darling-Hammond (2000) indicated that the quality of teachers, as measured by whether the teachers were fully certified and had a major in their teaching field, was related to student performance. Measures of teacher preparation and certification were the strongest predictors of student…

  1. Inquiry Learning in the Singaporean Context: Factors affecting student interest in school science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jocz, Jennifer Ann; Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik Ling

    2014-10-01

    Recent research reveals that students' interest in school science begins to decline at an early age. As this lack of interest could result in fewer individuals qualified for scientific careers and a population unprepared to engage with scientific societal issues, it is imperative to investigate ways in which interest in school science can be increased. Studies have suggested that inquiry learning is one way to increase interest in science. Inquiry learning forms the core of the primary syllabus in Singapore; as such, we examine how inquiry practices may shape students' perceptions of science and school science. This study investigates how classroom inquiry activities relate to students' interest in school science. Data were collected from 425 grade 4 students who responded to a questionnaire and 27 students who participated in follow-up focus group interviews conducted in 14 classrooms in Singapore. Results indicate that students have a high interest in science class. Additionally, self-efficacy and leisure-time science activities, but not gender, were significantly associated with an increased interest in school science. Interestingly, while hands-on activities are viewed as fun and interesting, connecting learning to real-life and discussing ideas with their peers had a greater relation to student interest in school science. These findings suggest that inquiry learning can increase Singaporean students' interest in school science; however, simply engaging students in hands-on activities is insufficient. Instead, student interest may be increased by ensuring that classroom activities emphasize the everyday applications of science and allow for peer discussion.

  2. Coming out in STEM: Factors affecting retention of sexual minority STEM students

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, Bryce E.

    2018-01-01

    Using a national longitudinal survey data set from the Higher Education Research Institute, this study tested whether students who identified as a sexual minority (for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer) were more or less likely to persist after 4 years in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, as opposed to switching to a non-STEM program, compared to their heterosexual peers. A multilevel regression model controlling for various experiences and characteristics previously determined to predict retention in STEM demonstrated that, net of these variables, sexual minority students were 8% less likely to be retained in STEM compared to switching into a non-STEM program. Despite this finding, sexual minority STEM students were more likely to report participating in undergraduate research programs, and the gender disparity in STEM retention appears to be reversed for sexual minority STEM students. PMID:29546240

  3. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Trade and Industrial Education Service.

    FACTORS WHICH MIGHT CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TOWARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN SELECTED TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AREAS WERE EXAMINED -- WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND AND PREPARATION OF OHIO'S TEACHER IN TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION, IS THERE ANY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT PER STUDENT AND QUALITY PROGRAMS, DO LOCAL SUPERVISORS'…

  4. Age Learning Factors Affecting Pilot Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torbert, Brison

    This document, intended for pilot education and flight safety specialists, consists chiefly of a review of the literature on physiological factors that affect pilot education and an examination of environmental factors that should be scrutinized in order to improve the effectiveness of aviation learning facilities. The physiological factors…

  5. Students' Personal Traits, Violence Exposure, Family Factors, School Dynamics and the Perpetration of Violence in Taiwanese Elementary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Ji-Kang; Astor, Ron Avi

    2011-01-01

    School violence has become an international problem affecting the well-being of students. To date, few studies have examined how school variables mediate between personal and family factors and school violence in the context of elementary schools in Asian cultures. Using a nationally representative sample of 3122 elementary school students in…

  6. Ethical Perceptions of Accounting Students in a Portuguese University: The Influence of Individual Factors and Personal Traits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costa, Alberto J.; Pinheiro, Margarida M.; Ribeiro, Mariana S.

    2016-01-01

    Our purpose is to empirically examine whether gender, age, work experience, and attendance of a course on ethics affect the ethical perceptions of Portuguese accounting students and analyze the influence of some individual factors that may affect their ethical decision-making. Additionally, we consider the degree of importance assigned to a list…

  7. School factors affecting postsecondary career pursuits of high-achieving girls in mathematics and science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoo, Hyunsil

    This study examined the influences of secondary school experiences of high-achieving girls in math and science on their postsecondary career pursuits in science fields. Specifically, using the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), the study investigated how science class experiences in high school affect science career persistence of high-achieving girls over and above personal and family factors. Selecting the top 10% on the 8 th grade math and science achievement tests from two panel samples of 1988--1994 and 1988--2000, this study examined which science instructional experiences (i.e., lecture-oriented, experiment-oriented, and student-oriented) best predicted college major choices and postsecondary degree attainments in the fields of science after controlling for personal and family factors. A two-stage test was employed for the analysis of each panel sample. The first test examined the dichotomous career pursuits between science careers and non-science careers and the second test examined the dichotomous pursuits within science careers: "hard" science and "soft" science. Logistic regression procedures were used with consideration of panel weights and design effects. This study identified that experiment-oriented and student-oriented instructional practices seem to positively affect science career pursuits of high-achieving females, while lecture-oriented instruction negatively affected their science career pursuits, and that the longitudinal effects of the two positive instructional contributors to science career pursuits appear to be differential between major choice and degree attainment. This study also found that the influences of instructional practices seem to be slight for general females, while those for high-achieving females were highly considerable, regardless of whether negative or positive. Another result of the study found that only student-oriented instruction seemed to have positive effects for high-achieving males. In

  8. Factors that Affect College of Business Student Opinion of Teaching and Learning.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitworth, James E.; Price, Barbara A.; Randall, Cindy H.

    2002-01-01

    Analysis of 12,153 student evaluations of business teachers indicated that ratings differed significantly according to faculty gender, course type, and level (graduate/undergraduate). Female faculty received higher ratings. Graduate students tended to give higher ratings than undergraduates did. (Contains 16 references.) (SK)

  9. The Relationship between Affective and Social Isolation among Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

    2018-01-01

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

  10. So We Think You Can Learn: How Student Perceptions Affect Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haines, Susan; Torres, Talani

    2016-01-01

    Recent experiences in rehearsals have led us to question how student dancers perceive the culture of rehearsal. We are interested in how the influence of shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" affects student expectations. How do students from competitive dance studio backgrounds approach learning in a rehearsal setting? Are there…

  11. Neck, back, and shoulder pains and ergonomic factors among dental students

    PubMed Central

    Aghahi, Raha Habib; Darabi, Rezvan; Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Dynamic and static activities in dentistry cause musculoskeletal disorders, but dental students do not have sufficient awareness about the effects of ergonomic factors on their health. The aim of this study was to investigate ergonomic factors that cause pain muscle in dental students in Kerman Medical University, Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis study was carried out on dental students of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th year, in clinical practice in the School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences. A convenient sample of 199 students who met the inclusion criteria was selected and those willing to participate signed an informed consent form. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire for ergonomic factors and the presence of pain. The variables evaluated were pain, affected zones, gender, postures, and work environment. RESULTS: The present research work reveals that over 69% of the dental students complained of pain in at least one part of their body. Most individuals suffered from hand and elbow (23%) and head (19%) pain. The clinical areas where more pain was found were endodontics and pedodontics. Furthermore, it was found that a high percentage of students usually worked with their legs slightly separated, with the sole of the feet resting on the stool when working. The presence of muscular pain was higher in males in this study. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship with the final Rapid Entire Body Assessment score in different body parts and the participants’ demographic data (sex, age, weight, height, sports, and smoking). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that the students’ sitting positions and working environments need to be improved and it seems more training is necessary in this field. PMID:29619391

  12. Enhancing the Effects of Teacher Attunement to Student Peer Group Affiliations on the School Social-Affective Context: Promotive Effects of the SEALS Intervention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamm, Jill V.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' attunement to student peer group affiliations as a factor in students' experiences of the school social-affect context. First, the author and her colleagues hypothesize that teacher attunement will be greater in intervention versus control schools following initial SEALS training. Second, they…

  13. Environmental Factors Affecting Preschoolers' Motor Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Venetsanou, Fotini; Kambas, Antonis

    2010-01-01

    The process of development occurs according to the pattern established by the genetic potential and also by the influence of environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to focus on the main environmental factors affecting motor development. The review of the literature revealed that family features, such as socioeconomic status,…

  14. An Empirical Analysis of Factors Affecting Honors Program Completion Rates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Savage, Hallie; Raehsler, Rod D.; Fiedor, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    One of the most important issues in any educational environment is identifying factors that promote academic success. A plethora of research on such factors exists across most academic fields, involving a wide range of student demographics, and the definition of student success varies across the range of studies published. The analysis in this…

  15. An Analysis of Factors Affecting Student Perceptions in a Blended Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peruso, Florence Mary

    2012-01-01

    The current quantitative study measured the perceptions of students towards online-only learning and towards blended-hybrid learning. Descriptive statistics were implemented to analyze the data from a Likert-type survey, administered to students in degree-seeking programs at an institution of higher learning. A "t"-test and…

  16. Factors Affecting the Implementation of Argument in the Elementary Science Classroom. A Longitudinal Case Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, Anita M.; Hand, Brian

    2009-01-01

    This longitudinal case study describes the factors that affect an experienced teacher’s attempt to shift her pedagogical practices in order to implement embedded elements of argument into her science classroom. Research data was accumulated over 2 years through video recordings of science classes. The Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP) is an instrument designed to quantify changes in classroom environments as related to reform as defined by the National Research Council ( National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996b) and the National Research Council ( Fulfilling the promise: Biology education in the nation’s schools, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1990) and was used to analyze videotaped science lessons. Analysis of the data shows that there was a significant shift in the areas of teacher questioning, and student voice. Several levels of subsequent analysis were completed related to teacher questioning and student voice. The data suggests a relationship between these areas and the implementation of scientific argument. Results indicate that the teacher moved from a traditional, teacher-centered, didactic teaching style to instructional practices that allowed the focus and direction of the lesson to be affected by student voice. This was accomplished by a change in teacher questioning that included a shift from factual recall to more divergent questioning patterns allowing for increased student voice. As student voice increased, students began to investigate ideas, make statements or claims and to support these claims with strong evidence. Finally, students were observed refuting claims in the form of rebuttals. This study informs professional development related to experienced teachers in that it highlights pedagogical issues involved in implementing embedded elements of argument in the elementary classroom.

  17. Strategies for Developing the Affective Work Competencies of Marketing Education Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyer, Earl C.

    Effective strategies for developing the affective work competencies of marketing education students include teaching procedures, acquisition of skills and materials for teaching in the affective domain, and implementation considerations. Affective concerns in marketing can be grouped into three broad types of performance categories--self-concept,…

  18. A study of the factors affecting advancement and graduation for engineering students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fletcher, John Thomas

    The purpose of this study was, first, to determine whether a set of predictor variables could be identified from pre-enrollment and post-enrollment data that would differentiate students who advance to a major in engineering from non-advancers and, further, to determine if the predictor variables would differentiate students who graduate from the College of Engineering from non-graduates and graduates of other colleges at Auburn University. A second purpose was to determine if the predictor variables would correctly identify male and female students with the same degree of accuracy. The third purpose was to determine if there were significant relationships between the predictor variables studied and grades earned in a set of 15 courses that have enrollments over 100 students and are part of the pre-engineering curriculum. The population for this study was the 868 students who entered the pre-engineering program at Auburn University as freshmen during the Summer and Fall Quarters of 1991. The variables selected to differentiate the different groups were ACT scores, high school grade indices, and first quarter college grade point average. Two sets of classification matrices were developed using analysis and holdout samples that were divided based on sex. With respect to the question about advancement to the professional engineering program, structure coefficients derived from discriminant analysis procedures performed on all the cases combined indicated that first quarter college grade point average, high school math index, ACT math score, and high school science grade index were important predictor variables in classifying students who advanced to the professional engineering program and those who did not. Further, important structure coefficients with respect to graduation with a degree from the College of Engineering were first quarter college grade point average, high school math index, ACT math score, and high school science grade index. The results of this

  19. Design Factors Affecting the Reaction Time for Identifying Toilet Signs: A Preliminary Study.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yi-Lang; Sie, Cai-Cin

    2016-04-01

    This study focused on the manner in which design factors affect the reaction time for identifying toilet signs. Taiwanese university students and staff members (50 men, 50 women; M age = 23.5 year, SD = 5.7) participated in the study. The 36 toilet signs were modified on three factors (six presenting styles, two figure-ground exchanges, and three colors), and the reaction time data of all participants were collected when the signs were presented in a simulation onscreen. Participants were quickest when reading Chinese text, followed by graphics and English texts. The findings also showed that men and women had different reaction times across various design combinations. These findings can serve as a reference for practically designing toilet signs, since design factors can lead to difficulties with comprehension based on reaction time measurements. © The Author(s) 2016.

  20. Factors Affecting Willingness to Communicate in a Spanish University Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lahuerta, Ana Cristina

    2014-01-01

    The present study examines the relationships among the variables believed to affect Spanish undergraduates' willingness to communicate in English. The participants were 195 students majoring in several degrees at the University of Oviedo. A questionnaire and a standardized English Test were administered to the students in February-March 2013.…

  1. 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,…

  2. Nursing students' perceptions of factors influencing their learning environment in a clinical skills laboratory: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Haraldseid, Cecilie; Friberg, Febe; Aase, Karina

    2015-09-01

    The mastery of clinical skills learning is required to become a trained nurse. Due to limited opportunities for clinical skills training in clinical practice, undergraduate training at clinical skills laboratories (CSLs) is an essential part of nursing education. In a sociocultural learning perspective learning is situated in an environment. Growing student cohorts, rapid introduction of technology-based teaching methods and a shift from a teaching- to a learning-centered education all influence the environment of the students. These changes also affect CSLs and therefore compel nursing faculties to adapt to the changing learning environment. This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of their learning environment in a clinical skills laboratory, and to increase the knowledge base for improving CSL learning conditions identifying the most important environmental factors according to the students. An exploratory qualitative methodology was used. Nineteen second-year students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program in Norway participated in the study. They took the same clinical skills course. Eight were part-time students (group A) and 11 were full-time students (group B). Focus group interviews and content analysis were conducted to capture the students' perception of the CSL learning environment. The study documents students' experience of the physical (facilities, material equipment, learning tools, standard procedures), psychosocial (expectations, feedback, relations) and organizational (faculty resources, course structure) factors that affect the CSL learning environment. Creating an authentic environment, facilitating motivation, and providing resources for multiple methods and repetitions within clinical skills training are all important for improving CSL learning environments from the student perspective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Factors Affecting Examination Attrition: Does Academic Support Help? A Survey of ACN203S (Cost Accounting and Control) Students at Unisa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tladi, Lerato Sonia

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to determine the attributing and contributing factors to examination absence as well as whether the academic and social support available to students had a role to play in discouraging or reducing absence from examinations using results from a quantitative survey of ACN203S (Cost Accounting and Control) students who were admitted…

  4. External and Institutional Factors Affecting Community College Student-Transfer Activity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Banks, Debra L.

    A study was conducted to identify the environmental conditions and relationships between external and institutional conditions that have a significant effect upon student transfer activity. A sample of 78 colleges in 15 states were selected from institutions participating in a national transfer project; 42% were located in Texas or California. The…

  5. Factors Affecting Student Progression and Achievement: Prediction and Intervention. A Two-Year Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowis, Mike; Castley, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    First-year student dropout in the university sector can reach 20% or higher. Over a two-year period, a simple instrument was developed to identify potential student low performance and withdrawal. It was based on a measure of students' early expectation of higher education, matched subsequently with their actual experience. The instrument design…

  6. Systematic review into factors associated with the recruitment crisis in psychiatry in the UK: students', trainees' and consultants' views.

    PubMed

    Choudry, Abid; Farooq, Saeed

    2017-12-01

    Aims and method To review the literature to examine the factors that may be affecting recruitment into psychiatry in the UK. We systematically searched four databases to identify studies from 1974 to 2016 and identified 27 papers that met the specified inclusion criteria. Results Most papers ( n = 24) were based on questionnaire surveys. The population in all studies comprised of 1879 psychiatrists, 6733 students and 220 746 trainees. About 4-7% of students opt for a career in psychiatry. Enrichment activities helped to attract students more towards psychiatry than just total time spent in the specialty. Job content in terms of the lack of scientific basis, poor prognosis and stigma towards psychiatry, work-related stress and problems with training jobs were common barriers highlighted among students and trainees, affecting recruitment. Job satisfaction and family-friendly status of psychiatry was rated highly by students, with lifestyle factors appearing to be important for trainees who tend to choose psychiatry. Clinical implications Negative attitudes and stigma towards psychiatry continue to persist. Teaching and training in psychiatry needs rethinking to improve student experience and recruitment into the specialty.

  7. Systematic review into factors associated with the recruitment crisis in psychiatry in the UK: students', trainees' and consultants' views

    PubMed Central

    Choudry, Abid; Farooq, Saeed

    2017-01-01

    Aims and method To review the literature to examine the factors that may be affecting recruitment into psychiatry in the UK. We systematically searched four databases to identify studies from 1974 to 2016 and identified 27 papers that met the specified inclusion criteria. Results Most papers (n = 24) were based on questionnaire surveys. The population in all studies comprised of 1879 psychiatrists, 6733 students and 220 746 trainees. About 4–7% of students opt for a career in psychiatry. Enrichment activities helped to attract students more towards psychiatry than just total time spent in the specialty. Job content in terms of the lack of scientific basis, poor prognosis and stigma towards psychiatry, work-related stress and problems with training jobs were common barriers highlighted among students and trainees, affecting recruitment. Job satisfaction and family-friendly status of psychiatry was rated highly by students, with lifestyle factors appearing to be important for trainees who tend to choose psychiatry. Clinical implications Negative attitudes and stigma towards psychiatry continue to persist. Teaching and training in psychiatry needs rethinking to improve student experience and recruitment into the specialty. PMID:29234513

  8. Factors Affecting Mathematics Achievement of First-Year Secondary School Students in Central Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kiwanuka, Henry Nsubuga; Van Damme, Jan; Van Den Noortgate, Wim; Anumendem, Dickson Nkafu; Namusisi, Speranza

    2015-01-01

    This study explores the sources of variability in Mathematics achievement of Ugandan students at the student, classroom and school level. The Mathematics score and questionnaire responses of 4,819 first-year secondary school students (Grade Seven, about 14-15 years old) from 78 classrooms of 49 schools were analysed. A three-level linear model was…

  9. Secondary Students' Writing Achievement Goals: Assessing the Mediating Effects of Mastery and Performance Goals on Writing Self-Efficacy, Affect, and Writing Achievement

    PubMed Central

    Yilmaz Soylu, Meryem; Zeleny, Mary G.; Zhao, Ruomeng; Bruning, Roger H.; Dempsey, Michael S.; Kauffman, Douglas F.

    2017-01-01

    The two studies reported here explored the factor structure of the newly constructed Writing Achievement Goal Scale (WAGS), and examined relationships among secondary students' writing achievement goals, writing self-efficacy, affect for writing, and writing achievement. In the first study, 697 middle school students completed the WAGS. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fit for this data with a three-factor model that corresponds with mastery, performance approach, and performance avoidance goals. The results of Study 1 were an indication for the researchers to move forward with Study 2, which included 563 high school students. The secondary students completed the WAGS, as well as the Self-efficacy for Writing Scale, and the Liking Writing Scale. Students also self-reported grades for writing and for language arts courses. Approximately 6 weeks later, students completed a statewide writing assessment. We tested a theoretical model representing relationships among Study 2 variables using structural equation modeling including students' responses to the study scales and students' scores on the statewide assessment. Results from Study 2 revealed a good fit between a model depicting proposed relationships among the constructs and the data. Findings are discussed relative to achievement goal theory and writing. PMID:28878707

  10. Factors Affecting Acceptance & Use of ReWIND: Validating the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nair, Pradeep Kumar; Ali, Faizan; Leong, Lim Chee

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to explain the factors affecting students' acceptance and usage of a lecture capture system (LCS)--ReWIND--in a Malaysian university based on the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model. Technological advances have become an important feature of universities' plans to improve the…

  11. Understanding How Domestic Violence Affects Behavior in High School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frank, Malika

    2011-01-01

    This paper will provide the reader with an understanding of how domestic violence affects the behavior of high school students. The presentation is designed to provide the reader with a working definition of domestic violence, the rate of occurrence and its effects on high school students. Additionally the paper will summarize the negative effects…

  12. Economy Affects Students' Academic Performance as Well as Spending Decisions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sander, Libby

    2012-01-01

    Like many Americans caught up in the economic downturn, college students are worried about money. Now research indicates that financial worries may affect their academic performance. The author presents the results of this year's National Survey of Student Engagement. The survey reveals that more than a third of seniors and more than a quarter of…

  13. Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function.

    PubMed

    Poulose, Shibu M; Miller, Marshall G; Scott, Tammy; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

    2017-11-01

    Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plasticity, brain homeostasis, and maintenance in the central nervous system and is a crucial factor in preserving the cognitive function and repair of damaged brain cells affected by aging and brain disorders. Intrinsic factors such as aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and brain injury, as well as lifestyle factors such as high-fat and high-sugar diets and alcohol and opioid addiction, negatively affect adult neurogenesis. Conversely, many dietary components such as curcumin, resveratrol, blueberry polyphenols, sulforaphane, salvionic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and diets enriched with polyphenols and PUFAs, as well as caloric restriction, physical exercise, and learning, have been shown to induce neurogenesis in adult brains. Although many of the underlying mechanisms by which nutrients and dietary factors affect adult neurogenesis have yet to be determined, nutritional approaches provide promising prospects to stimulate adult neurogenesis and combat neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. In this review, we summarize the evidence supporting the role of nutritional factors in modifying adult neurogenesis and their potential to preserve cognitive function during aging. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

  14. Professors' Facebook content affects students' perceptions and expectations.

    PubMed

    Sleigh, Merry J; Smith, Aimee W; Laboe, Jason

    2013-07-01

    Abstract Facebook users must make choices about level of self-disclosure, and this self-disclosure can influence perceptions of the profile's author. We examined whether the specific type of self-disclosure on a professor's profile would affect students' perceptions of the professor and expectations of his classroom. We created six Facebook profiles for a fictitious male professor, each with a specific emphasis: politically conservative, politically liberal, religious, family oriented, socially oriented, or professional. Undergraduate students randomly viewed one profile and responded to questions that assessed their perceptions and expectations. The social professor was perceived as less skilled but more popular, while his profile was perceived as inappropriate and entertaining. Students reacted more strongly and negatively to the politically focused profiles in comparison to the religious, family, and professional profiles. Students reported being most interested in professional information on a professor's Facebook profile, yet they reported being least influenced by the professional profile. In general, students expressed neutrality about their interest in finding and friending professors on Facebook. These findings suggest that students have the potential to form perceptions about the classroom environment and about their professors based on the specific details disclosed in professors' Facebook profiles.

  15. Prevalence and Associated Factors for Musculoskeletal Pain and Disability Among Spanish Music Conservatory Students.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Romero, Beatriz; Pérez-Valiño, Coral; Ageitos-Alonso, Beatriz; Pértega-Díaz, Sonia

    2016-12-01

    To assess the prevalence of and factors associated with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and neck and upper limb disability among music conservatory students. An observational study in two Spanish conservatories, investigating a total of 206 students, administered the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, visual analog scale for pain intensity, Neck Disability Index, DASH, and SF-36. Demographic and lifestyle characteristics and musical performance variables were recorded. Regression models were performed to identify variables associated with MSP for the four most affected anatomical regions and with neck and upper limb disability. The locations with the highest prevalence of MSP were the neck, upper back, shoulders, and lower back. Mild disability affected 47% of participants in the neck and 31% in the upper limbs. Mental health (SF-36) was below the average for the general population (45.5±10.2). Women were more likely to suffer neck pain (odds ratio [OR] 1.1-5.2), lower back pain (OR 1.7-8.7), and neck disability (B 0.6-7.8). The risk for shoulder pain was higher in those who played for more hours (OR 1.7-24.7) and lower among those who performed physical activity (OR 0.23-1.00). Disability in the neck (B -0.3) and upper limbs (B -0.4) was associated with poorer mental health (SF-36). MSP is highly prevalent in music students. Neck and upper limb disability were slight to moderate and both were associated with poorer mental health. The main factors associated with MSP were being female, hours spent practicing, and physical activity. Physical and psychological factors should be taken into account in the prevention of MSP in student-musicians.

  16. Factors affecting willingness to practice medicine in underserved areas: a survey of Argentine medical students.

    PubMed

    Borracci, Raul A; Arribalzaga, Eduardo B; Couto, Juan L; Dvorkin, Mario; Ahuad Guerrero, Rodolfo A; Fernandez, Carmen; Ferreira, Luis N; Cerezo, Leticia

    2015-01-01

    Previous research has explored the effect of motivations, incentives and working conditions on willingness to accept jobs in rural and remote areas. These studies demonstrated that difficult working conditions, low job satisfaction and remuneration, and poor security, predisposed new medical graduates to select cities instead of rural districts. Since Argentina has a critical shortage of health staff in rural and low-income marginal suburban settings, and limited qualitative and quantitative local research has been done to address this issue, the present study was developed to assess the factors associated with the willingness of medical students to work in low-resource underprivileged areas of the country after graduation. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used with data collected from a self-administered questionnaire and using quantitative analysis methods. A total of 400 eligible second-year medical students were invited to participate in a survey focused on sociodemographic characteristics, incentives and working conditions expected in deprived areas, extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, university medical education and government promotion policies. Twenty-one per cent of medical students showed a strong willingness to work in a deprived area, 57.3% manifested weak willingness and 21.5% unwillingness to work in a low-resource setting. Being female, of older age, not having a university-trained professional parent, previous exposure or service in a poor area, choice of pediatrics as a specialty and strong altruistic motivations were highly associated with the willingness to practice medicine in rural or underprivileged areas. Only 21.5% of respondents considered that medical schools encourage the practice of medicine in poor deprived regions. Likewise, only 6.2% of students considered that national public health authorities suitably stimulate physician distribution in poorer districts. One-third of students expressed high altruistic motivations and

  17. Factors Affecting Talent Development: Differences in Graduate Students across Domains

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hartzell, Stephanie Allyssa

    2012-01-01

    There is an abundance of literature on young individuals who show early signs of talent and on older individuals who have demonstrated their abilities throughout the years. This research aims to look at those individuals who are in between, that is, graduate students who have the demonstrated potential to achieve within their fields of study. This…

  18. Gender, Gender Roles Affecting Mate Preferences in Turkish College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gazioglu, A. Esra Ismen

    2008-01-01

    The subject of this study is gender and gender roles affecting mate preferences. The sample of the study consists of 300 undergraduates and master students. To identify students' gender roles the Sex Role Evaluation Inventory (Bem, 1974) is used. The Question List (Bacanli 2001; Buss et. al., 1990) is applied to the sample group to determine the…

  19. Do students' and authors' genders affect evaluations? A linguistic analysis of Medical Student Performance Evaluations.

    PubMed

    Isaac, Carol; Chertoff, Jocelyn; Lee, Barbara; Carnes, Molly

    2011-01-01

    Recent guidelines for the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) have standardized the "dean's letter." The authors examined MSPEs for linguistic differences according to student or author gender. This 2009 study analyzed 297 MSPEs for 227 male and 70 female medical students applying to a diagnostic radiology residency program. Text analysis software identified word counts, categories, frequencies, and contexts; factor analysis detected patterns of word categories in student-author gender pairings. Analyses showed a main effect for student gender (P=.046) and a group difference for the author-student gender combinations (P=.048). Female authors of male student MSPEs used the fewest "positive emotion" words (P=.006). MSPEs by male authors were shorter than those by females (P=.014). MSPEs for students ranked in the National Resident Matching Program contained more "standout" (P=.002) and "positive emotion" (P=.001) words. There were no differences in the author-gender pairs in the proportion of students ranked, although predominant word categories differed by author and student gender. Factor analysis revealed differences among the author-student groups in patterns of correlations among word categories. MSPEs differed slightly but significantly by student and author gender. These differences may derive from societal norms for male and female behaviors and the subsequent linguistic interpretation of these behaviors, which itself may be colored by the observer's gender. Although the differences in MSPEs did not seem to influence students' rankings, this work underscores the need for awareness of the complex effects of gender in evaluating students and guiding their specialty choices.

  20. Factors affecting dignity of patients with multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Sharifi, Simin; Borhani, Fariba; Abbaszadeh, Abbas

    2016-12-01

    MS is one of the most common chronic diseases of the nervous system. Apart from disease progression, other complications such as unemployment, separation and divorce could potentially threat patients' dignity. Most of the previous studies have been done of maintaining patients' dignity in interaction with healthcare team, but studies on affecting factors of dignity in chronic patients in the society and in interaction with usual people are scarce. We aimed to investigate factors affecting dignity of Iranian patients with MS in daily living and in interaction of them with the society. In this qualitative study, 13 patients with multiple sclerosis were chosen by purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation. The study was done in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Factors affecting dignity were classified as 'personal factors' and 'social factors'. Personal factors consist of the following subcategories: patients' communication with self, patients' knowledge, patients' values and beliefs and patients' resources. Social factors include others' communication with patients, social knowledge, social values and beliefs and social resources. Multiple personal and social factors interfere in perceived patient dignity. In fact, interaction between personal and social factors can be influential in final perceived dignity. By focusing on whole aspects of the patients' lives, we can identify dignity-promoting or dignity-threatening factors and help patients maintain their dignity by taking appropriate measures for moderating threatening factors and improving dignity enhancing ones. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  1. Student Motivation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Practitioner, 1987

    1987-01-01

    Although ability partly explains why some students are eager to learn in school whereas others are disinterested, motivation is another significant factor. This newsletter discusses factors that affect students' motivation to learn, considers techniques that can increase motivation, and identifies schools that have developed activities to enhance…

  2. Investigation of Factors Affecting Frequency of Intestinal Parasites in Primary School Students in an Urban Region in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Arıkan, İnci; Gülcan, Aynur; Dıbeklıoğlu, Saime Ergen

    2016-09-01

    The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of intestinal parasitic diseases (IPD) and associated factors in primary school students and to assess the knowledge and practices of mothers about these diseases. This is a cross-sectional study carried out in January-March 2014 in 471 students aged 5-11 years, studying at 3 schools randomly selected from the city centre regions with different socioeconomic levels. Stratified sampling method was used in the present study and the data were collected in two stages. In the first stage, parents were informed about the study and pre-prepared questionnaire forms were used to collect the data about the students and parents. In the second stage, laboratory analyses of collected stool samples were performed. The total prevalence of IPD was 18.3%, it was higher in the primary school located in a region with a lower socioeconomic level compared to other two schools (27.6% vs. 14.4%, and 10%, respectively). Most commonly detected parasite was E. vermicularis (12.1%). The prevalence of IPD was not associated with the classroom, gender, number of siblings, and the use of purified drinking water at home, while it was found to decrease with the increasing maternal education level. The maternal knowledge level score was 12.01±4.29 vs. 13.41±3.94 in students with and without IPD, respectively. With regard to the methods used to treat IPD, 23% of the mothers reported that they are using conventional methods. The health education programmes about the associated risk factors are of great importance for early detection and treatment of childhood parasitic infections. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2016

  3. Strategies to Affect Student Awareness of Natural and Social Environments in Outdoor Education: A Resource Guide.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peters, Richard O.

    Several instructional strategies have been developed and employed to affect student awareness of natural and social environmental settings. Three instructional strategy orientations have been structured for affecting student conceptual learning and values acquisition-clarification: affective, cognitive, and affective-cognitive. Outdoor education…

  4. Effects of an Educational Experience Incorporating an Inventory of Factors Potentially Influencing Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wiles, Jason R.; Alters, Brian

    2011-12-01

    This investigation provides an extensive review of scientific, religious, and otherwise non-scientific factors that may influence student acceptance of biological evolution. We also measure the extent to which students' levels of acceptance changed following an educational experience designed to address an inclusive inventory of factors identified as potentially affecting student acceptance of evolution (n = 81, pre-test/post-test) n = 37, one-year longitudinal). Acceptance of evolution was measured using the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument among participants enrolled in a secondary-level academic programme during the summer prior to their final year of high school and as they transitioned to the post-secondary level. Student acceptance of evolution was measured to be significantly higher than initial levels both immediately following and over one year after the educational experience. Results reported herein carry implications for future quantitative and qualitative research as well as for cross-disciplinary instruction plans related to evolutionary science and non-scientific factors which may influence student understanding of evolution.

  5. Factors affecting the retention of first-year female science and engineering students at the University of Michigan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballard, Juliet Webb

    analysis was conducted on the open-ended focus group questions. Three themes emerged from the data set: (a) general contributing factors to retention, (b) support networks and programmatic features that contributed to retention, (c) individual/gender specific challenges that students faced. It found that the initial mission of the program has been accomplished, as evidenced by the findings of this study. The University is graduating and retaining female SEM students at a higher rate than at the program's inception. The challenges for the University at this point include: increasing numbers of female SEM faculty, enhancing and focusing the living learning community mission of the program, integrating student affairs components to the program features on an administrative level, committing to longitudinal analysis and assessment of individual incoming students toward identifying strengths and weaknesses, and finally---committing increased resources to these objectives.

  6. The critical success factors and impact of prior knowledge to nursing students when transferring nursing knowledge during nursing clinical practise.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Ming-Tien; Tsai, Ling-Long

    2005-11-01

    Nursing practise plays an important role in transferring nursing knowledge to nursing students. From the related literature review, prior knowledge will affect how learners gain new knowledge. There has been no direct examination of the prior knowledge interaction effect on students' performance and its influence on nursing students when evaluating the knowledge transfer success factors. This study explores (1) the critical success factors in transferring nursing knowledge, (2) the impact of prior knowledge when evaluating the success factors for transferring nursing knowledge. This research utilizes in-depth interviews to probe the initial success factor phase. A total of 422 valid questionnaires were conducted by the authors. The data were analysed by comparing the mean score and t-test between two groups. Seventeen critical success factors were identified by the two groups of students. Twelve items were selected to examine the diversity in the two groups. Students with prior knowledge were more independent than the other group. They also preferred self-directed learning over students without prior knowledge. Students who did not have prior knowledge were eager to take every opportunity to gain experience and more readily adopted new knowledge.

  7. Does perceived teacher affective support matter for middle school students in mathematics classrooms?

    PubMed

    Sakiz, Gonul; Pape, Stephen J; Hoy, Anita Woolfolk

    2012-04-01

    The purpose of the present study was to explore the importance of perceived teacher affective support in relation to sense of belonging, academic enjoyment, academic hopelessness, academic self-efficacy, and academic effort in middle school mathematics classrooms. A self-report survey was administered to 317 seventh- and eighth-grade students in 5 public middle schools. Structural equation modeling indicated significant associations between perceived teacher affective support and middle school students' motivational, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. The structural model explained a significant proportion of variance in students' sense of belonging (42%), academic enjoyment (43%), self-efficacy beliefs (43%), academic hopelessness (18%), and academic effort (32%) in mathematics classrooms. In addition to providing the basis for a concise new measure of perceived teacher affective support, these findings point to the importance of students' perceptions of the affective climate within learning environments for promoting academic enjoyment, academic self-efficacy, and academic effort in mathematics. Copyright © 2011 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Personal factors that influence deaf college students' academic success.

    PubMed

    Albertini, John A; Kelly, Ronald R; Matchett, Mary Karol

    2012-01-01

    Research tells us that academic preparation is key to deaf students' success at college. Yet, that is not the whole story. Many academically prepared students drop out during their first year. This study identified entering deaf college students' personal factors as assessed by their individual responses to both the Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory Form B and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, second edition (LASSI). Entering students in 3 successive cohorts (total n =437) participated in this study. Results show that in addition to entry measurements of reading and mathematic skills, personal factors contributed to the academic performance of students in their first quarter in college. The Noel-Levitz provided the comparatively better predictive value of academic performance: Motivation for Academic Study Scale (e.g., desire to finish college). The LASSI also showed statistically significant predictors, the Self-Regulation Component (e.g., time management) and Will Component (e.g., self-discipline), but accounted for relatively less variability in the students' initial grade point averages. For this group of underprepared students, results show that personal factors can play a significant role in academic success. Deaf students' personal factors are discussed as they relate to other first-year college students and to their subsequent academic performance and persistence.

  9. Classification of Student Affective Responses to Teaching Films.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haller, Charles R.

    To help teachers assess students' affective responses to teaching films, a scale as established and displayed graphically under which reactions may be rated as positive/active, positive/passive, negative/active, and negative/passive. Procedure in using the scale is explained and a "film reaction sheet" provided. Suggested ways of utilizing the…

  10. Smoking in korean-chinese middle school students: prevalence and risk factors.

    PubMed

    Park, Soonbok E; Yun, Soon-Nyung; Cui, Wenying; Kim, Hyang

    2013-06-01

    Cigarette smoking is rising among Chinese adolescents, and adolescent smoking is a crucial public health issue. Despite the number of studies that have explored the prevalence and various aspects of adolescent smoking in China, we know of no data currently available on smoking behavior among Korean-Chinese adolescents. This article studies the prevalence of smoking and factors affecting smoking behavior among Korean-Chinese adolescents. Data were collected from six Korean-Chinese middle schools in the Yanbian region of Jilin, China. The differences in data from three groups (never-smokers, ever-smokers, and current smokers) were analyzed using χ2 tests and analysis of variance. Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors affecting smoking behavior. Among the 2,116 participants, 7.3% of the boys and 3.7% of the girls were ever-smokers, and 7.2% of the boys and 0.8% of the girls were current smokers. Differences among groups in terms of gender, number of friends currently smoking, parental smoking behavior, academic performance, alcohol consumption, and intention not to smoke were all significant (p < .001, .05). Compared with never-smoking and ever-smoking students, currently smoking students perceived a significantly less antismoking environment (p = .000). The smoking rate was 2.24 times higher in boys than girls and was 11.57 times higher in students who had three smoking friends compared with those who had no smoking friends. The findings may help develop more effective intervention approaches to prevent adolescent smoking. Preventive programs should involve smoking parents by increasing the value they place on their children's nonsmoking behavior and equipping them to help deter adolescent smoking.

  11. What Are They Thinking? Students' Affective Reasoning and Attitudes about Course Withdrawal

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wheland, Ethel R.; Butler, Kevin A.; Qammar, Helen; Katz, Karyn Bobkoff; Harris, Rose

    2012-01-01

    In this mixed-methods study we identify situations that impact students' decisions to withdraw from a course and examine their affective reasoning and attitudes toward course withdrawal. Exploring students' decision-making processes through the lens of self-authorship, we show that students frequently seek information from people with whom they…

  12. Student Engagement in the Classroom: The Impact of Classroom, Teacher, and Student Factors.

    PubMed

    Dykstra Steinbrenner, Jessica R; Watson, Linda R

    2015-08-01

    Researchers have highlighted engagement as a critical component of effective interventions for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet there is limited research related to engagement in school-age children with ASD. This descriptive study was designed to examine joint engagement and its relationship with classroom factors and student characteristics. The sample included 25 elementary and middle school students with ASD. Mixed level modeling was used to examine relationships between joint engagement and classroom factors and student characteristics. Joint engagement was significantly related to group size, use of student-directed practices, autism severity, and expressive communication skills. These findings have important implications for educational policies and practices and future research related to engagement and effective interventions for students with ASD.

  13. Development and Validation of the ADAS Scale and Prediction of Attitudes Toward Affective-Sexual Diversity Among Spanish Secondary Students.

    PubMed

    Garrido-Hernansaiz, Helena; Martín-Fernández, Manuel; Castaño-Torrijos, Aida; Cuevas, Isabel

    2018-01-01

    Violence against non-heterosexual adolescents in educational contexts remains a worrying reality, but no adequate attitudes toward affective-sexual diversity (AtASD) measure exists for Spanish adolescent students. We developed a 27-item scale including cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects, which was completed by 696 secondary school students from the Madrid area. Factor analyses suggested a unidimensional model, Cronbach's alpha indicated excellent scale scores reliability, and item calibration under the item response theory framework showed that the scale is especially informative for homophobic attitudes. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that variables traditionally related to AtASD (gender, age, religion, nationality, perceived parental/peer attitudes, direct contact with LGB people) also were so in our sample. Moreover, interest in sexuality topics and perceived center's efforts to provide AtASD education were related to better AtASD. Our scale was reliable and valid, and it may also prove useful in efforts to detect those students with homophobic attitudes and to guide interventions.

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

    PubMed

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

    2013-01-01

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

  15. Malaysian and Singaporean students' affective characteristics and mathematics performance: evidence from PISA 2012.

    PubMed

    Thien, Lei Mee; Ong, Mei Yean

    2015-01-01

    This paper attempts to identify the extent to which the affective characteristics of Malaysian and Singaporean students' attainment compared to the OECD average in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012, and examine the influence of students' affective characteristics, gender, and their socioeconomic status on mathematics performance at both student and school levels. Sample consisted of 5197 and 5546 15-year-old Malaysian and Singaporean students. Data were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling approach with HLM 7.0 software. Results showed that the Index of economic, social, and cultural status (ESCS), mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics anxiety have significant effects on mathematics performance in Malaysia and Singapore at the student level. Proportion of boys at the school level has no significant effects on mathematics performance for both Malaysian and Singaporean students. ESCS mean at the school level has positive and significant effects on mathematics performance in Malaysia, but not in Singapore. Limitations, implications, and future studies were discussed.

  16. Students' Perspectives on University Experiences; The Role of Protective Factors in Students' Lives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jdaitawi, Malek; Maya-Panorama; Nawafleh, Ahmad; Nabrawi, Ismaeel; Talafha, Feras; Mohd, Amani

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between protective factors and students' university experiences among 289 first year university students. The study made use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to reveal initial support for the research variables. In addition, path analysis was utilized to investigate the relationship among the…

  17. An Investigation of Institutional Enhancement Factors on Student College Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nwaokoro, Amaechi Nkemakolem

    2010-01-01

    This study focuses on the importance of students' hard work and institutional factors--technology, advising, mentoring, and tutoring on student's academic performance. It is important for institutions to emphasize both students' hard work and effective institutional factors that will have positive impact on student success.

  18. Contrasts in Student Affect by Institution and Instructor: Establishing a National Baseline for Geoscience Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mcconnell, D. A.; Perkins, D.; Stempien, J.; Husman, J.

    2011-12-01

    The GARNET (Geoscience Affective Research Network) project examines the connection between student learning and the affective domain, which includes student motivations, values, attitudes and learning strategies - factors that can both promote and limit learning. This is the first study to compare and contrast the relationship between student motivation and learning strategies, the nature of classroom instruction, and learning outcomes across a common course taught by multiple instructors at different types of academic institutions. In 2009-2011 we administered pre- and post-course Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaires (MSLQ; Pintrich et al, 1993) to 1990 students in more than 40 introductory geology classes taught by 25 instructors at nine colleges and universities. Students primarily register for the introductory courses to fulfill a general education requirement with a relatively modest proportion (25%) declaring a prior interest in the course topic. This institutional requirement produces a situation where students' motivational orientation is not likely to adjust to their newfound academic environment. The students do not have an interest in the topic, they have little prior knowledge about the content, they do not see connections between the content and their future goals, and they have limited autonomy in their choice of a course (the course is required). In general, we find that across different institutions and instructors, students' motivation and self-regulation degrades. Through classroom observations, and student surveys we have evidence that specific faculty are able to help students maintain some of the positive motivational orientations students bring to the class. The MSLQ contains 15 subscales, six measure motivation (e.g., task value, self-efficacy), and nine focus on different learning strategies (e.g., elaboration, effort regulation). Regardless of institution or instructor, MSLQ scores on many subscales declined from beginning to

  19. Factors related to the nursing student-patient relationship: the students' perspective.

    PubMed

    Suikkala, Arja; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Katajisto, Jouko

    2008-07-01

    The aim of this study was to describe nursing students' perceptions of factors related to three types of student-patient relationship identified in an earlier study: mechanistic, authoritative and facilitative. Another aim was to identify which factors predict the type of relationship. A convenience sample of 310 Bachelor of Health Care students was recruited. The data were collected by using a questionnaire especially designed for this study. Data analysis used the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, one-way analysis of variance and multinomial logistic regression. Older age was the only significant predictor of a facilitative relationship, whereas fourth-year studies and support received from a person other than supervisor predicted an authoritative relationship. Furthermore, students in authoritative and facilitative relationships had a more positive perception of the patient's attributes as a patient and of patient's improved health and commitment to self-care than students in a mechanistic relationship. A positive perception of the atmosphere during collaboration was more common among students in an authoritative relationship than in a mechanistic relationship. The findings of this study offer useful clues for developing nursing education and empowering patients with a view to improving the quality of nursing care.

  20. Factors affecting the social problem-solving ability of baccalaureate nursing students.

    PubMed

    Lau, Ying

    2014-01-01

    The hospital environment is characterized by time pressure, uncertain information, conflicting goals, high stakes, stress, and dynamic conditions. These demands mean there is a need for nurses with social problem-solving skills. This study set out to (1) investigate the social problem-solving ability of Chinese baccalaureate nursing students in Macao and (2) identify the association between communication skill, clinical interaction, interpersonal dysfunction, and social problem-solving ability. All nursing students were recruited in one public institute through the census method. The research design was exploratory, cross-sectional, and quantitative. The study used the Chinese version of the Social Problem Solving Inventory short form (C-SPSI-R), Communication Ability Scale (CAS), Clinical Interactive Scale (CIS), and Interpersonal Dysfunction Checklist (IDC). Macao nursing students were more likely to use the two constructive or adaptive dimensions rather than the three dysfunctional dimensions of the C-SPSI-R to solve their problems. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that communication ability (ß=.305, p<.0001), clinical interaction (ß=.129, p=.047), and interpersonal dysfunction (ß=-.402, p<.0001) were associated with social problem-solving after controlling for covariates. Macao has had no problem-solving training in its educational curriculum; an effective problem-solving training should be implemented as part of the curriculum. With so many changes in healthcare today, nurses must be good social problem-solvers in order to deliver holistic care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Secondary School Students' Predictors of Science Attitudes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tosun, Cemal; Genç, Murat

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that affect the secondary school students' attitudes in science. This study was conducted using survey method. The sample of the study was 503 students from four different secondary schools in Bartin and Düzce. Data were obtained using the Survey of Factors Affecting Students' Science Attitudes…

  2. Examining Factors Predicting Students' Digital Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hatlevik, Ove Edvard; Guðmundsdóttir, Gréta Björk; Loi, Massimo

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine factors predicting lower secondary school students' digital competence and to explore differences between students when it comes to digital competence. Results from a digital competence test and survey in lower secondary school will be presented. It is important to learn more about and investigate what…

  3. Teacher and Student Attitudes to Affective Education: A European Collaborative Research Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puurula, Arja; Neill, Sean; Vasileiou, Lisa; Husbands, Chris; Lang, Peter; Katz, Yaacov J.; Romi, Shlomo; Menezes, Isabel; Vriens, Lennart

    2001-01-01

    Reports on the outcomes of a comparative research project examining teacher and student attitudes about affective education across Europe. Defines affective education as concern for feelings, values, beliefs, attitudes, and emotional well-being of learners. Considers some of the conceptual issues in affective education as a basis for stressing…

  4. Conceptualizing Student Affect for Science and Technology at the Middle School Level: Development and Implementation of a Measure of Affect in Science and Technology (MAST)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romine, William L.; Sadler, Troy D.; Wulff, Eric P.

    2017-10-01

    We describe the development of the Measure of Affect in Science and Technology (MAST), and study its usefulness for measuring science affect in middle school students via both classical and Rasch measurement perspectives. We then proceed to utilize the measurement structure of the MAST to understand how middle school students at varying levels of affect express their interest and attitudes toward science and technology and gender differences in how students express their affect. We found that affect in science and technology comprises a main dimension, science interest, and four peripheral dimensions: interest in careers in science and technology, attitudes toward science, and interest in attending science class. Of these, careers in science and technology carry the highest affective demand. While males showed higher levels of personal and situational interest in science, a greater interest in careers in science and technology was the biggest contributor to males' higher affect toward science and technology. We argue that whether the MAST is used as a measure of a single construct or multiple subconstructs depends upon specific research or evaluation goals; however, both uses of the MAST yield measures which produce valid inferences for student affect.

  5. Perceptions of College Students on Social Factors That Influence Student Matriculation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Jeremy L.; LaVergne, Douglas D.; Boone, Harry N., Jr.; Boone, Deborah A.

    2012-01-01

    This study analyzed undergraduate students' (n = 280) attitudes toward selected social factors that would influence and discourage student persistence at a four-year research university. Using a modified Delphi technique to construct the questionnaire, the researchers discovered that family encouragement, positive relationships with professors,…

  6. Factors affecting interest in orthopedics among female medical students: a prospective analysis.

    PubMed

    Baldwin, Keith; Namdari, Surena; Bowers, Andrea; Keenan, Mary Ann; Levin, L Scott; Ahn, Jaimo

    2011-12-06

    The field of orthopedics has a limited ability to recruit high-quality female applicants. The purpose of this study was to determine whether early exposure to the field affects a woman's decision to pursue orthopedics. We performed a prospective, nonrandomized cohort study between academic years 2005 and 2009 and compared interest in orthopedic surgery among female (n=271) and male (n=71) medical students at 2 urban teaching institutions. Elective lectures and orthopedic literature were distributed via e-mail to the study participants. These materials included articles published in the medical literature, materials produced and distributed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Web sites providing educational materials. The primary outcome was the likelihood of application for orthopedic residency. We studied the influence of demographics, exposure, and attitudes on interest in pursuing an orthopedic career. Men had a significantly higher baseline level of interest in orthopedic surgery than women (P=.005). Younger age (P<.001) and personal (P<.001), independent (P<.001), and school (P=.023) exposures to orthopedics were significantly related to interest among women. At final follow-up, total personal exposures (P=.003) and total independent exposures (P<.001) in the form of our literature and lectures were correlated with final interest in women. Female interest was decreased by the long hours, physical demands, and predominantly male nature of the field. Early exposure to orthopedic educational resources may be useful in generating female interest. Perceptions and attitudes regarding orthopedic surgery must to be changed to attract the best and brightest minds, regardless of sex. Copyright © 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

  7. Student Buy-In Toward Formative Assessments: The Influence of Student Factors and Importance for Course Success †

    PubMed Central

    Brazeal, Kathleen R.; Couch, Brian A.

    2017-01-01

    Formative assessment (FA) techniques, such as pre-class assignments, in-class activities, and post-class homework, have been shown to improve student learning. While many students find these techniques beneficial, some students may not understand how they support learning or may resist their implementation. Improving our understanding of FA buy-in has important implications, since buy-in can potentially affect whether students fully engage with and learn from FAs. We investigated FAs in 12 undergraduate biology courses to understand which student characteristics influenced buy-in toward FAs and whether FA buy-in predicted course success. We administered a mid-semester survey that probed student perceptions toward several different FA types, including activities occurring before, during, and after class. The survey included closed-ended questions aligned with a theoretical framework outlining key FA objectives. We used factor analysis to calculate an overall buy-in score for each student and general linear models to determine whether certain characteristics were associated with buy-in and whether buy-in predicted exam scores and course grades. We found that unfixed student qualities, such as perceptions, behaviors, and beliefs, consistently predicted FA buy-in, while fixed characteristics, including demographics, previous experiences, and incoming performance metrics, had more limited effects. Importantly, we found that higher buy-in toward most FA types predicted higher exam scores and course grades, even when controlling for demographic characteristics and previous academic performance. We further discuss steps that instructors can take to maximize student buy-in toward FAs. PMID:28512523

  8. Affect: How Important Is It?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higbee, Jeanne L.; Dwinell, Patricia L.

    1995-01-01

    Reviews the current literature to determine the extent to which affect influences the achievement levels of students. Highlights research findings in mathematics, reading, writing, and instructional strategies. Suggests that although affect may be a significant factor in determining the academic success of developmental freshmen, more research is…

  9. The student fieldwork experience: influencing factors and implications for learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boyle, Alan; Stokes, Alison

    2010-05-01

    Fieldwork has always been a crucial component of undergraduate geoscience degrees, yet our understanding of the learning processes that operate in a field environment is limited. Learning is a complex process, and there is increasing interest in the role played in this process by the affective domain, in particular the link between affect (emotion and attitude) and cognition (understanding). This presentation covers two UK-based studies that investigated the impact of residential geoscience fieldwork on students' affective responses (e.g. feelings, attitudes, motivations), and their subsequent learning outcomes; student affective responses are thought to be linked to the adoption of effective approaches to learning. The first study involved ~300 students from 7 UK universities undertaking residential field classes in, geography, earth and environmental sciences (GEES disciplines). Mixed-format surveys applied before and after fieldwork demonstrated significant effects in the affective domain. In general, student responses were very positive prior to fieldwork and became more positive as a result of the field experience. The data were analysed for any subgroup differences (gender, age, previous experience) but the only significant difference concerned levels of anxiety amongst some groups of students prior to fieldwork. However, post fieldwork surveys showed that the field experience mitigated these anxieties; for most it was not as bad as they thought it would be. This study demonstrated that fieldwork generated positive attitudes amongst students to their subject of study as well as development of ‘soft' interpersonal skills. The second study collected qualitative and quantitative data from 62 students at a single UK university before, during and after a nine day geologic mapping-training field course, a style of fieldwork not surveyed in the first study. As with the first study, pre-field class positive affects became strengthened, while negative feelings and

  10. Development of Affective Characteristics in Students in Vocational-Technical Nursing Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kintgen-Andrews, Jean

    A study was conducted to determine what progress is made by nursing students during their first two years of study in the development of affective characteristics closely associated with professional level practice. Two affective characteristics associated with professionalism were studied; autonomy and assertiveness. The Inner Directed Scale of…

  11. What factors influence British medical students' career intentions?

    PubMed

    Ibrahim, Michael; Fanshawe, Angela; Patel, Vanash; Goswami, Karan; Chilvers, Geoffrey; Ting, Michelle; Pilavakis, Yiannis; Rao, Christopher; Athanasiou, Thanos

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence career choice in UK medical students. Students at seven institutions were invited to rate how important various factors were on influencing their career choices and how interested they were in pursuing different specialties. The influence of interpersonal relationship networks on career choice was also evaluated. 641 responses were collected. 44% (283) were male, 16% (105) were graduates and 41% (263) were final-year students. For Dermatology (p = 0.009), Paediatrics (p = 0.000), Radiology (p = 0.000), Emergency Medicine (p = 0.018) and Cardiothoracic Surgery (p = 0.000), there was a clear correlation between completing a clinical attachment and an interest in pursuing the specialty. Perceived characteristics of the speciality, individually and in clusters were considered important by specific subgroups of students, such as those interested in surgery. These students considered prestige (p = 0.0003), role models (p = 0.014), financial rewards after training (p = 0.0196) and technical challenge (p = 0.0011) as important factors. Demographics such as sex and age played a significant role in career choice. Interpersonal relationship networks do not have a significant influence on career intentions. This study shows that the career intentions of British medical students are influenced by their undergraduate experience and by the weight they place on different specialty-related factors.

  12. Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Affecting Body Mass Index of Adolescents Students Aged 10–19 in Ambo (a Rural Town) in Ethiopia

    PubMed Central

    Yetubie, Mesert; Haidar, Jemal; Kassa, Hailu; Fallon, Fleming

    2010-01-01

    Background: Body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used anthropometric measurement to estimate the level of nutritional indices (underweight/overweight) of adolescents and adults. Knowledge of the factors affecting BMI is essential for developing intervention programs. This study was conducted to measure BMI and determine the socioeconomic and demographic factors affecting the relative weight of adolescents living in rural districts in Ethiopia. Methods: A randomized cross-sectional study of 425 adolescent students living in the Ambo region of Ethiopia was conducted. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect the socioeconomic and demographic status of the participants. BMI (weight/height2, kg/m2) was measured and used as index of relative weight. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. A stepwise backward logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the major determinant abnormal weight of the adolescents while controlling for co-linearity. Results: The prevalence of underweight was 27.2% with male preponderance. The proportion of normal weight females was higher than that of males. There was no significant difference in the proportion of overweight males and females. Age, number of meals, parental education level, source of food, and number of cattle owned were correlated with being underweight. After adjusting for confounding variables only being a member of the younger age group (AOR=1.99; 95% CI=1.01 to 3.57), source of food (AOR=2.4; 95% CI=1.24 to 4.74), and a greater number of cattle owned (AOR=4.9; 95% CI=1.27 to 19.28 were positively correlated with being underweight. Conclusion: Younger age adolescents, those who come from homes with no or few cattle, and their parents purchased food were likely to be underweight. This study will help local governments, educators and community groups develop programs to assist underweight adolescents attending schools. PMID:23675209

  13. Economic and Cultural Factors Affecting University Excellence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jabnoun, Naceur

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The ranking of top universities in the world has generated increased interest in the factors that enhance university performance. The purpose of this paper is to identify economic and cultural factors that affect the number of top ranking universities in each country. Design/methodology/approach: This paper first identifies the number of…

  14. Factors that Influence Community College Students' Interest in Science Coursework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sasway, Hope

    There is a need for science education research that explores community college student, instructor, and course characteristics that influence student interest and motivation to study science. Increasing student enrollment and persistence in STEM is a national concern. Nearly half of all college graduates have passed through a community college at some point in their higher education. This study at a large, ethnically diverse, suburban community college showed that student interest tends to change over the course of a semester, and these changes are related to student, instructor, and course variables. The theoretical framework for this study was based upon Adult Learning Theory and research in motivation to learn science. Adult Learning Theory relies heavily on self-directed learning and concepts of andragogy, or the art and science of teaching adults. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods case study of student course interest utilized quantitative data from 639 pre-and post-surveys and a background and personal experience questionnaire. The four factors of the survey instrument (attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction) were related to motivation and interest by interviewing 12 students selected through maximum variation sampling in order to reach saturation. Qualitative data were collected and categorized by these factors with extrinsic and intrinsic themes emerging from personal and educational experiences. Analysis of covariance showed student characteristics that were significant included age and whether the student already held a post-secondary degree. Significant instructor characteristics included whether the instructor taught full- or part-time, taught high school, held a doctoral degree, and had pedagogical training. Significant course characteristics included whether the biology course was a major, elective, or service course; whether the course had a library assignment; and high attrition rate. The binary logistic regression model showed

  15. Dental Students' Perceptions of Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Adapting the Job Factors Questionnaire for Dentistry.

    PubMed

    Presoto, Cristina D; Wajngarten, Danielle; Domingos, Patrícia A S; Campos, Juliana A D B; Garcia, Patrícia P N S

    2018-01-01

    The aims of this study were to adapt the Job Factors Questionnaire to the field of dentistry, evaluate its psychometric properties, evaluate dental students' perceptions of work/study risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders, and determine the influence of gender and academic level on those perceptions. All 580 students enrolled in two Brazilian dental schools in 2015 were invited to participate in the study. A three-factor structure (Repetitiveness, Work Posture, and External Factors) was tested through confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent validity was estimated using the average variance extracted (AVE), discriminant validity was based on the correlational analysis of the factors, and reliability was assessed. A causal model was created using structural equation modeling to evaluate the influence of gender and academic level on students' perceptions. A total of 480 students completed the questionnaire for an 83% response rate. The responding students' average age was 21.6 years (SD=2.98), and 74.8% were women. Higher scores were observed on the Work Posture factor items. The refined model presented proper fit to the studied sample. Convergent validity was compromised only for External Factors (AVE=0.47), and discriminant validity was compromised for Work Posture and External Factors (r 2 =0.69). Reliability was adequate. Academic level did not have a significant impact on the factors, but the women students exhibited greater perception. Overall, the adaptation resulted in a useful instrument for assessing perceptions of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. Gender was found to significantly influence all three factors, with women showing greater perception of the risk factors.

  16. An Analysis of the Factors Affecting Students' Adjustment at a University in Zimbabwe

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mutambara, Julia; Bhebe, Veni

    2012-01-01

    This study provides insight into transition experiences and adjustment of students at a university in Zimbabwe. Research was based on students in the first three semesters of college. Based on prior research college adjustment was conceptualised in this study as involving personal, emotional, social and academic issues. The study was qualitative…

  17. Factors Affecting Students' Career Choice in Accounting: The Case of a Turkish University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Uyar, Ali; Güngörmüs, Ali Haydar; Kuzey, Cemil

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the reasons that influence students' career choices in accounting. In order to determine these reasons, a questionnaire survey has been employed. The empirical findings can be divided into two categories. First, students who have a desire to work in accounting field assume that accounting field provides good job…

  18. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING BREAST CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Environmental Factors Affecting Breast Cancer Susceptibility
    Suzanne. E. Fenton
    US EPA, ORD, MD-67 NHEERL, Reproductive Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

    Breast cancer is still the most common malignancy afflicting women in the Western world. Alt...

  19. Students' Achievement Goals, Emotion Perception Ability and Affect and Performance in the Classroom: A Multilevel Examination

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vassiou, Aikaterini; Mouratidis, Athanasios; Andreou, Eleni; Kafetsios, Konstantinos

    2016-01-01

    Performance at school is affected not only by students' achievement goals but also by emotional exchanges among classmates and their teacher. In this study, we investigated relationships between students' achievement goals and emotion perception ability and class affect and performance. Participants were 949 Greek adolescent students in 49 classes…

  20. Factors Affecting Radon Concentration in Houses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Sharif, Abdel-Latif; Abdelrahman, Y. S.

    2001-03-01

    The dangers to the human health upon exposure to radon and its daughter products is the main motivation behind the vast number of studies performed to find the concentration of radon in our living environment, including our houses. The presence of radon and its daughter products in houses are due to various sources including building materials and the soil under the houses. Many factors affect radon concentration in our houses, the elevation above ground level,ventilation, building materials and room usage being among these factors. In our paper, we discuss the effect of elevation above ground level, room usage and ventilation on the Radon concentration in houses. The faculty residences of the Mu'tah University (Jordan) were chosen in our study. Our results showed that the concentration of radon decreases with elevation. Ventilation rate was also found to affect radon concentration, where low concentrations observed for areas with good ventilation.

  1. Factors Related to Perceived Status in the Campus Community for First Generation Students at an HBCU

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Longmire-Avital, Buffie; Miller-Dyce, Cherrel

    2013-01-01

    Research that has examined the complexities of within-group difference as they related to socioeconomic diversity has been necessary to fully understand the myriad of factors that affected college experience, persistence, and graduation rates of Black students not just at predominately White institutions (PWI's), but also at the Historically Black…

  2. A Study of Factors Affecting Student Performance in Community College General Chemistry Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez, Karen; Betkouski, Marianne

    High risk students in college chemistry are often identified by low mathematics SAT scores, low American Chemical Society Toledo scores, and secondary school chemistry grades. This study was designed to identify additional variables that can be used at the community college level as predictors of success in chemistry. The study compared students'…

  3. Factors affecting caregivers' ability to make environmental modifications.

    PubMed

    Messecar, D C

    2000-12-01

    This study explored factors that family caregivers described as affecting their ability to use environmental modifications. Intensive interviews and participant observation were used to collect detailed data from 24 primary family caregivers. Several factors that affect the caregivers' ability to implement modification strategies were identified in the analysis. These factors included attributes of the elderly individual, attributes of the modification, quality of the caregiver-elderly relationship, caregivers' skills, personal resources of the caregiver, and the informal and formal supports available. Of these factors, the most important were the salient skills that caregivers need to implement environmental modifications. These findings point to the importance of caregivers receiving skills training in this important dimension of caregiving. Intervention should be based on a collaborative approach that ensures the caregiver and care receiver's needs and preferences are respected.

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

    PubMed Central

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

    2013-01-01

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

  5. A Peer-Assessment Mobile Kung Fu Education Approach to Improving Students' Affective Performances

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuo, Fon-Chu; Chen, Jun-Ming; Chu, Hui-Chun; Yang, Kai-Hsiang; Chen, Yi-Hsuan

    2017-01-01

    Peer-assessment and video comment-sharing are effective learning strategies for students to receive feedback on their learning. Researchers have emphasized the need for well-designed peer involvement in order to improve students' abilities in the cognitive and affective domains. Although student perceptions of peer-assessment have been studied…

  6. Timing of Emergency Medicine Student Evaluation Does Not Affect Scoring.

    PubMed

    Hiller, Katherine M; Waterbrook, Anna; Waters, Kristina

    2016-02-01

    Evaluation of medical students rotating through the emergency department (ED) is an important formative and summative assessment method. Intuitively, delaying evaluation should affect the reliability of this assessment method, however, the effect of evaluation timing on scoring is unknown. A quality-improvement project evaluating the timing of end-of-shift ED evaluations at the University of Arizona was performed to determine whether delay in evaluation affected the score. End-of-shift ED evaluations completed on behalf of fourth-year medical students from July 2012 to March 2013 were reviewed. Forty-seven students were evaluated 547 times by 46 residents and attendings. Evaluation scores were means of anchored Likert scales (1-5) for the domains of energy/interest, fund of knowledge, judgment/problem-solving ability, clinical skills, personal effectiveness, and systems-based practice. Date of shift, date of evaluation, and score were collected. Linear regression was performed to determine whether timing of the evaluation had an effect on evaluation score. Data were complete for 477 of 547 evaluations (87.2%). Mean evaluation score was 4.1 (range 2.3-5, standard deviation 0.62). Evaluations took a mean of 8.5 days (median 4 days, range 0-59 days, standard deviation 9.77 days) to complete. Delay in evaluation had no significant effect on score (p = 0.983). The evaluation score was not affected by timing of the evaluation. Variance in scores was similar for both immediate and delayed evaluations. Considerable amounts of time and energy are expended tracking down delayed evaluations. This activity does not impact a student's final grade. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Examination of Substance Use, Risk Factors, and Protective Factors on Student Academic Test Score Performance.

    PubMed

    Arthur, Michael W; Brown, Eric C; Briney, John S; Hawkins, J David; Abbott, Robert D; Catalano, Richard F; Becker, Linda; Langer, Michael; Mueller, Martin T

    2015-08-01

    School administrators and teachers face difficult decisions about how best to use school resources to meet academic achievement goals. Many are hesitant to adopt prevention curricula that are not focused directly on academic achievement. Yet, some have hypothesized that prevention curricula can remove barriers to learning and, thus, promote achievement. We examined relationships among school levels of student substance use and risk and protective factors that predict adolescent problem behaviors and achievement test performance. Hierarchical generalized linear models were used to predict associations involving school-averaged levels of substance use and risk and protective factors and students' likelihood of meeting achievement test standards on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, statistically controlling for demographic and economic factors known to be associated with achievement. Levels of substance use and risk/protective factors predicted the academic test score performance of students. Many of these effects remained significant even after controlling for model covariates. Implementing prevention programs that target empirically identified risk and protective factors has the potential to have a favorable effect on students' academic achievement. © 2015, American School Health Association.

  8. Factors Affecting Persistence of Undergraduate Students in a Fisheries and Wildlife Program: Leavers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolter, Bjorn H. K.; Millenbah, Kelly F.; Montgomery, Robert A.; Schneider, James W.

    2011-01-01

    Undergraduate enrollment in natural resources-related programs are 13% lower than they were 30 years ago, even though overall collegiate enrollment has increased by roughly 8.5 million students during the same period. Because of this, we decided to investigate the question of student retention in a fisheries and wildlife (FW) program from the…

  9. Factors influencing US medical students' decision to pursue surgery.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Lauren E; Cooper, Clairice A; Guo, Weidun Alan

    2016-06-01

    Interest and applications to surgery have steadily decreased over recent years in the United States. The goal of this review is to collect the current literature regarding US medical students' experience in surgery and factors influencing their intention to pursue surgery as a career. We hypothesize that multiple factors influence US medical students' career choice in surgery. Six electronic databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Education Resources Information Center, Embase, and PsycINFO) were searched. The inclusion criteria were studies published after the new century related to factors influencing surgical career choice among US medical students. Factors influencing US medical student surgical career decision-making were recorded. A quality index score was given to each article selected to minimize risk of bias. We identified 38 relevant articles of more than 1000 nonduplicated titles. The factors influencing medical student decision for a surgical career were categorized into five domains: mentorship and role model (n = 12), experience (clerkship n = 9, stereotype n = 4), timing of exposure (n = 9), personal (lifestyle n = 8, gender n = 6, finance n = 3), and others (n = 2). This comprehensive systemic review identifies mentorship, experience in surgery, stereotypes, timing of exposure, and personal factors to be major determinants in medical students' decisions to pursue surgery. These represent areas that can be improved to attract applicants to general surgery residencies. Surgical faculty and residents can have a positive influence on medical students' decisions to pursue surgery as a career. Early introduction to the field of surgery, as well as recruitment strategies during the preclinical and clinical years of medical school can increase students' interest in a surgical career. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Factors influencing students' decision in choosing obstetrics and gynecology as a career in a university hospital in Central Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Abu-Rafea, Basim F; Al-Hassan, Basmah F; Al Nakshabandi, Kholoud A; Rahbini, Nora O; Al-Shaikh, Ghadeer K

    2011-07-01

    To determine factors influencing final year medical undergraduate trainees at King Saud University in choosing a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In this cross sectional study, the undergraduate final year medical students and interns at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were asked to complete a survey instrument designed to assess possible attracting and detracting factors. The survey was conducted from January 2010 to February 2010. Factors were analyzed in a univariable and multivariable analysis. The survey was distributed to 507 students. Completed questionnaires were returned by 330 participants (response rate 65%). Overall, 32 (9.7 %) of students listed Obstetrics and Gynecology in their top 3 choices. The rotation of students through Obstetrics and Gynecology was the most influential factor attracting 81.3% of the students who chose to take this course. Faculty interaction was a major reason for attracting students accounting for 71.9%, but resident interaction was less attractive where only 37.5% of students mentioned that they were affected positively by residents. Hands-on experience such as performing deliveries and other procedures were significant attracting factors. (p=0.006 and p=0.004). The findings in this study will hopefully aid in recruiting trainees to the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Saudi Arabia. Identifying the 5 major attracting factors from our study will allow our institute to integrate these factors in Obstetrics and Gynecology curriculum design, eventually increasing interest in postgraduate training in this specialty.

  11. Factors Affecting Learners with Disabilities-Instructor Interaction in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alamri, Abdulrahman; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

    2017-01-01

    Little research is available documenting the success of students with various types of disabilities in online classroom environments. This study investigates which factors associated with learners with disabilities impact student outcomes in an online learning environment. Forty learners with disabilities participating in online higher education…

  12. Factors That Influence School Board Policy Making: The Political Context of Student Diversity in Urban-Suburban Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diem, Sarah; Frankenberg, Erica; Cleary, Colleen

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This article examines factors that affect school board policy making about student diversity within two southern urban-suburban school districts experiencing changing demographics: Jefferson County Public Schools and the Wake County Public School System. Both districts have a history of voluntary integration efforts, and research shows…

  13. College Student Affect and Heavy Drinking: Variable Associations Across Days, Semesters, and People

    PubMed Central

    Howard, Andrea L.; Patrick, Megan E.; Maggs, Jennifer L.

    2014-01-01

    This study tested associations between positive and negative affect and heavy drinking in 734 college students who completed daily diaries in 14-day bursts once per semester over 7 semesters (≤98 days per person). Three-level multilevel models tested whether affect and heavy drinking were linked across days, semesters, and persons. Higher daily, between-semester, and between-person positive affect were each associated with a greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays and on weekend days. A significant interaction with semester in college showed that the association between daily positive affect and heavy drinking on weekend days became stronger over time. That is, heavy drinking on a weekend day with higher positive affect was more likely in later years of college (OR=2.93, Fall of 4th year), compared to earlier in college (OR=1.80, Fall of 1st year). A similar interaction was found for between-semester positive affect and heavy drinking on weekdays. Higher daily negative affect was associated with a greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays only for students who first began drinking in 7th grade or earlier (OR=2.36). Results of this study highlight the importance of varied time spans in studying the etiology, consequences, and prevention of heavy drinking. Harm-reduction strategies that target positive affect-related drinking by encouraging protective behaviors during celebratory events may become increasingly important as students transition to later years of college. PMID:25347017

  14. College student affect and heavy drinking: Variable associations across days, semesters, and people.

    PubMed

    Howard, Andrea L; Patrick, Megan E; Maggs, Jennifer L

    2015-06-01

    This study tested associations between positive and negative affect and heavy drinking in 734 college students who completed daily diaries in 14-day bursts once per semester over 7 semesters (≤98 days per person). Three-level multilevel models tested whether affect and heavy drinking were linked across days, semesters, and persons. Higher daily, between-semester, and between-person positive affect were each associated with greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays and on weekend days. A significant interaction with semester in college showed that the association between daily positive affect and heavy drinking on weekend days became stronger over time. That is, heavy drinking on a weekend day with higher positive affect was more likely in later years of college (OR = 2.93, Fall of 4th year), compared to earlier in college (OR = 1.80, Fall of 1st year). A similar interaction was found for between-semester positive affect and heavy drinking on weekdays. Higher daily negative affect was associated with a greater odds of heavy drinking on weekdays only for students who first began drinking in 7th grade or earlier (OR = 2.36). Results of this study highlight the importance of varied time spans in studying the etiology, consequences, and prevention of heavy drinking. Harm-reduction strategies that target positive affect-related drinking by encouraging protective behaviors during celebratory events may become increasingly important as students transition to later years of college. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Which factors affect software projects maintenance cost more?

    PubMed

    Dehaghani, Sayed Mehdi Hejazi; Hajrahimi, Nafiseh

    2013-03-01

    The software industry has had significant progress in recent years. The entire life of software includes two phases: production and maintenance. Software maintenance cost is increasingly growing and estimates showed that about 90% of software life cost is related to its maintenance phase. Extraction and considering the factors affecting the software maintenance cost help to estimate the cost and reduce it by controlling the factors. In this study, the factors affecting software maintenance cost were determined then were ranked based on their priority and after that effective ways to reduce the maintenance costs were presented. This paper is a research study. 15 software related to health care centers information systems in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and hospitals function were studied in the years 2010 to 2011. Among Medical software maintenance team members, 40 were selected as sample. After interviews with experts in this field, factors affecting maintenance cost were determined. In order to prioritize the factors derived by AHP, at first, measurement criteria (factors found) were appointed by members of the maintenance team and eventually were prioritized with the help of EC software. Based on the results of this study, 32 factors were obtained which were classified in six groups. "Project" was ranked the most effective feature in maintenance cost with the highest priority. By taking into account some major elements like careful feasibility of IT projects, full documentation and accompany the designers in the maintenance phase good results can be achieved to reduce maintenance costs and increase longevity of the software.

  16. Persistence and Degree Attainment: The Role of Individual Decision Making, Various Forms of Capital, and Institutional Factors among Mexican-American Undergraduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernandez, Eliza Aguirre

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this dissertation research was to analyze a nationally representative dataset of first-year beginning students to examine the factors that affect Mexican-origin Latinos undergraduate students' persistence and degree attainment outcomes. Several theoretical perspectives are used in this research in order to address the complex…

  17. Mathematics Teachers and ICT: Factors Affecting Pre-Service Use in School Placements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bozkurt, Gulay

    2016-01-01

    This study examines the factors influencing student teachers' use of information and communication technology (ICT) to teach mathematics. Data collection involved questionnaire surveys and individual follow-up semi-structured interviews of student teachers concerning the factors that they felt had hindered or promoted their development in the use…

  18. 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…

  19. Preslaughter factors affecting poultry meat quality chapter 2.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Poultry meat quality is affected by numerous antemortem factors, in particular those occurring during the last 24 hours that the bird is alive. These short term factors influence carcass yield (live shrink), carcass defects (bruising, broken/dislocated bones), carcass microbiological contamination, ...

  20. Special Education Placement Factors for Latino Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kraemer, Robert J.

    2010-01-01

    The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has been a problem for over forty years. Factors contributing to minority overrepresentation include the lack of primary prevention, inappropriate language and educational assessment, over-referral of minority students for suspected learning difficulties,…

  1. ADHD and College Students: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Structures With Student and Parent Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glutting, Joseph J.; Youngstrom, Eric A.; Watkins, Marley W.

    2005-01-01

    Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to investigate the structure of the Student Report Inventory (SRI) and Parent Report Inventory (PRI) of the College Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Response Evaluation. The sample was composed of 1,080 college students and their parents and was…

  2. Perception on obesity among university students: A case study using factor analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hassan, Suriani; Rahman, Nur Amira Abdol; Ghazali, Khadizah; Ismail, Norlita; Budin, Kamsia

    2014-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the university students' perceptions on obesity and to compare the difference in mean scores factor based on demographic factors. Data was collected randomly using questionnaires. There were 321 university students participated in this study. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, normality test, independent t test, one-way ANOVA and non-parametric tests were used in this study. Factor analysis results managed to retrieve three new factors namely impact of the health, impact of the physical appearance and personal factors. The study found that Science students have higher awareness and perceptions than Art students on Factor 1, impact of the health towards overweight problems and obesity. The findings of the study showed students, whose family background has obesity problem have higher awareness and perceptions than students' whose family background has no obesity problem on Factor 1, impact of the health towards overweight problems and obesity. The study also found that students' whose father with primary school level had the lowest awareness and perceptions on Factor 2, impact of the physical appearance towards overweight problems and obesity than other students whose father with higher academic level.

  3. Factors, Correlates, Emotional Barriers Affecting Career Decisions of College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Neil, James M.; And Others

    The correlates of career choice and the problem areas affecting career decisions are important to counseling psychologists. They are important to understanding the complexities of vocational behavior, facilitating differential treatment in counseling, and developing preventive career programs for men, women, and special groups. The effects of the…

  4. Affective and cognitive factors influencing sensitivity to probabilistic information.

    PubMed

    Tyszka, Tadeusz; Sawicki, Przemyslaw

    2011-11-01

    In study 1 different groups of female students were randomly assigned to one of four probabilistic information formats. Five different levels of probability of a genetic disease in an unborn child were presented to participants (within-subject factor). After the presentation of the probability level, participants were requested to indicate the acceptable level of pain they would tolerate to avoid the disease (in their unborn child), their subjective evaluation of the disease risk, and their subjective evaluation of being worried by this risk. The results of study 1 confirmed the hypothesis that an experience-based probability format decreases the subjective sense of worry about the disease, thus, presumably, weakening the tendency to overrate the probability of rare events. Study 2 showed that for the emotionally laden stimuli, the experience-based probability format resulted in higher sensitivity to probability variations than other formats of probabilistic information. These advantages of the experience-based probability format are interpreted in terms of two systems of information processing: the rational deliberative versus the affective experiential and the principle of stimulus-response compatibility. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

  5. Factors affecting metacognition of undergraduate nursing students in a blended learning environment.

    PubMed

    Hsu, Li-Ling; Hsieh, Suh-Ing

    2014-06-01

    This paper is a report of a study to examine the influence of demographic, learning involvement and learning performance variables on metacognition of undergraduate nursing students in a blended learning environment. A cross-sectional, correlational survey design was adopted. Ninety-nine students invited to participate in the study were enrolled in a professional nursing ethics course at a public nursing college. The blended learning intervention is basically an assimilation of classroom learning and online learning. Simple linear regression showed significant associations between frequency of online dialogues, the Case Analysis Attitude Scale scores, the Case Analysis Self Evaluation Scale scores, the Blended Learning Satisfaction Scale scores, and Metacognition Scale scores. Multiple linear regression indicated that frequency of online dialogues, the Case Analysis Self Evaluation Scale and the Blended Learning Satisfaction Scale were significant independent predictors of metacognition. Overall, the model accounted for almost half of the variance in metacognition. The blended learning module developed in this study proved successful in the end as a catalyst for the exercising of metacognitive abilities by the sample of nursing students. Learners are able to develop metacognitive ability in comprehension, argumentation, reasoning and various forms of higher order thinking through the blended learning process. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  6. Factors affecting the internal brain drain of Saudi healthcare professionals.

    PubMed

    Bakhsh, Zuhair T; Mansour, Ameerah Y; Mensah, Edward K; Croke, Kevin G; Drummond, James L; Koerber, Anne

    2012-12-01

    To investigate factors affecting the internal brain drain of healthcare professionals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous self-administered online questionnaire sent to all Saudi students enrolled in healthcare profession programs in North America. The data was collected between January and March 2008 at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America. Results were analyzed using logistic regression analyses. A total of 377 completed questionnaires were returned. Results revealed that 71% of respondents intended to return to work within the 2 major urban cities Riyadh and Jeddah. Respondents who completed their undergraduate studies in a large city were more likely to work in the same city (odds ratio [OR]=3.2; p=0.000; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0-5.2). Furthermore, 51% of the students were willing to work in a rural area for a 50% or more increase in their salary. Finally, men were more willing to work in a rural area for a financial incentive (OR=2.3; p=0.006, 95% CI = 1.3-4.3). This study suggests that realistic financial incentives would probably not suffice to attract Saudi healthcare providers to rural areas. The provision of medical schools in smaller cities and rural areas is predicted to be a more effective method for improving the current maldistribution of healthcare providers.

  7. FACTORS ADVERSELY AFFECTING AMPHIBIAN POPULATIONS IN THE US

    EPA Science Inventory

    Factors known or suspected to be adversely affecting native amphibian populations in the US were identified using information from species accounts written in a standardized format by multiple authors in a forthcoming book. Specific adverse factors were identified for 53 (58%) of...

  8. Student Global Mobility: An Analysis of International STEM Student Brain Drain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gesing, Margaret E.

    2017-01-01

    This study seeks to understand global mobility patterns of international graduate STEM students studying in the United States. Using data from the NSF Graduate Students in Science Survey (GSSS), this study investigates the political, economic, and social factors affecting students' intent to stay or go, identifying differences based on students'…

  9. Non-Native Student's Communication Is Affected Due to the Lack of Pragmatic Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Latha, V. G.; Rajan, Premalatha

    2012-01-01

    This paper aims at focusing how the lack of pragmatic competence affects student's communication in L2 (Second language) at tertiary level. The city based Indian students learn English which is their second language from 3 years onwards whereas the rural based students learn English only from 6 years onwards. This exposure of the L2 shows the…

  10. Modification of the Affective Work Competencies Inventory for Use with Vocational Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beach, David P.

    A project was conducted to determine whether a vocational student's version of the Affective Work Competencies Inventory could be prepared to measure the psychological constructs of values, habits, and attitudes. A revised inventory was developed and administered to 194 students in eight selected programs at Toledo vocational high schools (data…

  11. Factors affecting radiographers' organizational commitment.

    PubMed

    Akroyd, Duane; Jackowski, Melissa B; Legg, Jeffrey S

    2007-01-01

    A variety of factors influence employees' attitudes toward their workplace and commitment to the organization that employs them. However, these factors have not been well documented among radiologic technologists. To determine the predictive ability of selected organizational, leadership, work-role and demographic variables on organizational commitment for a national sample of radiographers. Three thousand radiographers registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists working full time in clinical settings were surveyed by mail regarding their commitment to their employers, leadership within the organization that employs them, employer support and demographic information. Overall, radiographers were found to have only a moderate level of commitment to their employers. Among the factors that significantly affected commitment were the radiographer's educational level, perceived level of organizational support, role clarity and organizational leadership. The results of this study could provide managers and supervisors with insights on how to empower and challenge radiographers and offer opportunities that will enhance radiographers' commitment to the organization, thus reducing costly turnover and improving employee performance.

  12. Secondary School Students' Views of Inhibiting Factors in Seeking Counselling

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Stephanie; Quinn, Philip

    2012-01-01

    This study examines secondary school students' perceptions of inhibiting factors in seeking counselling. Responses to a questionnaire completed by 1346 secondary school students were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Exploratory factor analysis highlighted that within 21 pre-defined inhibiting factors, items loaded strongly on…

  13. Student Success Factors in Graduate Psychology Professional Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newhouse, Noelle K.; Cerniak, Jessica

    2016-01-01

    Research examining factors contributing to online students' success typically focuses on a single point in time or completion of a single course, as well as individual difference variables, such as learning style or motivation, that may predispose a student to succeed. However, research concerning longer term online student outcomes, such as…

  14. Learning with Interactive Whiteboards: Determining the Factors on Promoting Interactive Whiteboards to Students by Technology Acceptance Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilic, Eylem; Güler, Çetin; Çelik, H. Eray; Tatli, Cemal

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors which might affect the intention to use interactive whiteboards (IWBs) by university students, using Technology Acceptance Model by the structural equation modeling approach. The following hypothesis guided the current study: H1. There is a positive relationship between IWB…

  15. Norming of Student Evaluations of Instruction: Impact of Noninstructional Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nargundkar, Satish; Shrikhande, Milind

    2014-01-01

    Student Evaluations of Instruction (SEIs) from about 6,000 sections over 4 years representing over 100,000 students at the college of business at a large public university are analyzed, to study the impact of noninstructional factors on student ratings. Administrative factors like semester, time of day, location, and instructor attributes like…

  16. Factors Affecting Faculty Web Portal Usability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bringula, Rex P.; Basa, Roselle S.

    2011-01-01

    The study investigated the factors that might significantly affect web portal usability. Results of the study were intended to serve as inputs for faculty web portal development of the University of the East-Manila. Descriptive statistics utilized questionnaire data from 82 faculty members. The data showed that most of the respondents were…

  17. Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors

    MedlinePlus

    ... Research News From NIH Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors Past Issues / Summer 2006 Table of ... project sponsored by the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA) to learn more about the effects of ...

  18. What Factors Affect Response to Ads? A Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rotzoll, Kim B.

    The concept of "frame of reference" offers a perspective from which to examine the many factors which affect advertising response. The advertiser is interested in affecting two types of overt behavior. First, the individual is induced to select a particular stimulus (the advertisement) from competing stimuli (such as other people, noise,…

  19. Evaluation of ergonomic factors and postures that cause muscle pains in dentistry students' bodies.

    PubMed

    Shirzaei, Masoumeh; Mirzaei, Ramazan; Khaje-Alizade, Ali; Mohammadi, Mahdi

    2015-07-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders commonly experienced by dental professionals are one of the main occupational health problem affecting their health and well-being.This study was conducted to evaluate ergonomic factors and profession-related postures and also investigate relationship between demographic factors and work condition with pain in dental students. 60 freshman and sophomore dentistry students were randomly chosen as the subjects of control group, and 60 of 5th and 6th-year students were selected as the members of exposure group. Data related to the subjects such as sex, doing exercise, severity of musculoskeletal pain were obtained through questionnaire. Students' postures were directly observed while treating patients and they were scored by REBA method. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using Man-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman and Kendall correlation tests. 80.8% of the subjects were not aware of the correct ergonomic postures for dental procedures. Severity of musculoskeletal pain in the exposure group (15.9± 4.2) was significantly higher than the control group (10.5 ±3.2), (p <0.001). Risk of the most subjects (84%) was at the medium level. Students who were more involved in clinical activities experienced more muscular pains. The musculoskeletal disorders are probable prolonged in working hours in static positions, incorrect work postures, implying more force and even tools and instruments. Therefore, students who are aware of ergonomic principals of their own profession would be able to maintain their health through activities and lifelong. Key words:Posture, dentistry, students, musculoskeletal pain.

  20. Influence of Social Factors on Student Satisfaction among College Students with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleming, Allison R.; Oertle, Kathleen Marie; Plotner, Anthony J.; Hakun, Jonathan G.

    2017-01-01

    A significant body of research on student retention reflects that social and environmental factors influence continued enrollment in postsecondary education and academic success. Yet, for students with disabilities, more emphasis is placed on accommodations, access, and support services without sufficient attention to the social aspect of the…

  1. Factors Influencing Career Aspirations of Primary and Secondary Grade Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canale, Joseph R.; Dunlap, Linda L.

    Many studies have examined factors influencing the career aspirations of high school students, but little has been done to explore this issue with primary school students. This study investigated factors that might influence the career aspirations of children across a broad age spectrum. Students (N=150) from grades 2, 5, 8, and 12 completed…

  2. Factors that Influence Students' Decision to Dropout of Online Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willging, Pedro A.; Johnson, Scott D.

    2009-01-01

    Although there are many reasons why students dropout of college courses, those reasons may be unique for students who are enrolled in an online program. Issues of isolation, disconnectedness, and technological problems may be factors that influence a student to leave a course. To understand these factors, an online survey was developed to collect…

  3. An Investigation of High Ability Adolescent Students' Affective and Motivational Responses to Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carmody, Heather Jean

    2017-01-01

    Students' motivational and affective responses to mathematics are related to their academic performance. This mixed methods study involved survey results from 394 middle and high school high ability students. Data revealed that students believed success was possible, and that the usefulness and enjoyment of mathematics precipitated high…

  4. Exploring Non-Instructional Factors in Student Evaluations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ali, Holi Ibrahim Holi; Al Ajmi, Ahmed Ali Saleh

    2013-01-01

    The use of student ratings to measure instructors' teaching performance and effectiveness in tertiary education has been an important but controversial tool in the improvement of teaching quality during the past few decades. This is an attempt to explore non-instructional factors of student evaluations by discussing and reviewing relevant…

  5. Financial Literacy among Israeli College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shahrabani, Shosh

    2013-01-01

    In this study, responses of 574 students from two colleges in Israel were used to examine three issues: (a) financial literacy (FL) among Israeli college students, (b) gaps in FL between Jews and Arabs, and (c) factors affecting students' FL. The results showed that Israeli students exhibit a low level of FL and that FL is affected by gender,…

  6. [Binge Eating Disorder: Prevalence, Associated Factors and Obesity in University Students].

    PubMed

    Morales, Adaucio; Gómes, Angélica; Jiménez, Baudimar; Jiménez, Francismar; León, Greidys; Majano, Anny; Rivas, Daniuska; Rodríguez, Mairoly; Soto, Claudia

    2015-01-01

    Binge eating disorder (BED) is a disorder of eating behavior that can affect people of all ages. To determine the prevalence of BED according to criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V, associated factors and their relationship to obesity in university students at Barquisimeto (Venezuela), between September 2013 and February 2014. A study was conducted on a sample of 497 university students of both sexes (371 females), between 18 and 28 years old. A questionnaire was applied and anthropometric measurements were recorder: Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (CW) and waist-height ratio (WHR). The prevalence of BED was 3.20%. Factors associated with BED were body image dissatisfaction, family dysfunction, and depressive symptoms. BED was significantly associated with global obesity and central obesity. Changes in diagnostic criteria of BED, introduced in DSM-V, do not appear to increase the prevalence of BED. Important psychosocial factors associated with BED were identified. BED was strongly associated with global and central obesity. Further studies need to be carried out, withmore rigorous designs to elucidate the effects of the new definition by DSM-V, and to determine the causal nature of the associations found. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  7. Academic Students' Attitudes toward Students with Learning Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonen, Ayala; Grinberg, Keren

    2016-01-01

    Background: Learning disabilities (LD) are lifelong disabilities that affect all facets of a person's life. Aim: Identifying the relationship between academic students' attitudes toward learning disability, self-image, and selected factors. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 213 students from an academic center in Israel. Two different…

  8. Negative affect, stress, and smoking in college students: unique associations independent of alcohol and marijuana use.

    PubMed

    Magid, Viktoriya; Colder, Craig R; Stroud, Laura R; Nichter, Mimi; Nichter, Mark

    2009-11-01

    Stress and negative affect (NA) figure prominently in theoretical models of smoking initiation, maintenance and relapse, yet few studies have examined these associations among college students. Further complicating examination of these associations, smoking often occurs in the context of other substance use (e.g., alcohol, marijuana) in college populations. Thus, it remains unclear whether stress and NA are associated with cigarette use among college students, and if so, whether these associations are evident after controlling for effects of other substance use. The goals of this study were: a) to examine whether several aspects of stress (objective events, subjective experiences) and NA (sad mood, general emotional distress) were associated with cigarette smoking among college students and b) whether associations remained after accounting for alcohol and marijuana use. A large sample of college freshmen (N=633) followed longitudinally over 35 weeks via internet assessments. Results of hierarchical linear modeling demonstrated that measures of subjective stress and NA were positively related to cigarette use, whereas measures of objective stressful events were negatively related to cigarette use. When alcohol and marijuana use were added to the models, associations between smoking and stress/NA were diminished. Associations between NA and smoking remained significant; however, associations between subjective stress/stressful events and smoking were no longer significant. This is the first study to comprehensively examine links between subjective and objective measures of stress and smoking behavior among college students while also considering the influence of other substance use. Negative affect was the most robust correlate of smoking among college students. Subjective and objective stress do not appear to be strongly associated with college smoking above and beyond alcohol and marijuana use. Stress may not be an important etiological factor for relatively low

  9. The Florida Student Student Services Centers: Factors Influencing Students' Decisions To Enroll in Nova Southeastern University's Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atherton, Blair

    A brief survey was administered to 182 students in selected business master's program classes in April and May 2001 at the Florida Student Service Centers of Nova Southeastern University (NSU). The purpose was to gain insight into the factors that led to students' decisions to attend NSU rather than some other institution. The survey included…

  10. Too young for rainforests? The impact of a rainforest curriculum on elementary students' affective responses to nature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matteson, Kathryn Alice

    A theory relating to children's affective responses to education about large-scale, distant environmental issues has become fairly widely accepted among environmental educators. The theory is encapsulated in the term "ecophobia," coined by David Sobel in Beyond Ecophobia (1996). According to this notion, elementary school children may become fearful of, or dissociated from, nature as they receive little direct exposure to nature and as they learn about distant environmental issues such as rainforest depletion. However, this seems a conflation of two discrete factors (lack of exposure to nature and education about distant environmental issues) that should be examined separately. Although children's exposure to nature has been studied, there appears to be no scientific research that examines elementary school students' affective responses to nature following education about distant environmental issues. This study endeavors to fill the apparent gap by measuring 4th graders' affective responses to nature following a unit on tropical rainforests. Deforestation represents a "distant" environmental issue that is thought to cause fear of, or dissociation from, nature among elementary school students. This quasi-experimental study involved a pretest, a posttest, and 150 4th grade participants in 8 classes. Students in all eight classes were administered a pretest questionnaire, inquiring about their affective responses to nature. Four classes then underwent a week-long unit on rainforests while four control group classes did not. All eight classes were then administered a posttest questionnaire. The data did not support the hypotheses that participants would feel more appreciative of nature and more empowered to protect nature following the rainforest unit. However, the data do support the hypotheses that the unit would not cause participants to feel increased fear of or dissociation from, nature. The data also suggest that greater amounts of time spent in nature were

  11. The Functional Effect of Teacher Positive and Neutral Affect on Task Performance of Students with Significant Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Sungho; Singer, George H. S.; Gibson, Mary

    2005-01-01

    The study uses an alternating treatment design to evaluate the functional effect of teacher's affect on students' task performance. Tradition in special education holds that teachers should engage students using positive and enthusiastic affect for task presentations and praise. To test this assumption, we compared two affective conditions. Three…

  12. Affective and Social Factors in a Project-Based Writing Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kathpalia, Sujata Surinder; Heah, Carmel

    2011-01-01

    Much of the work in academic writing has focused on the cognitive rather than the affective and social aspects involved in project-based writing. Emphasis in past research has been on skills and processes of writing rather than on affective factors such as motivation, attitudes, feelings or social factors involving intrapersonal and interpersonal…

  13. Substrate-Related Factors Affecting Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocelluloses: Our Recent Understanding

    Treesearch

    Shao-Yuan Leu; J.Y. Zhu

    2013-01-01

    Enzymatic saccharification of cellulose is a key step in conversion of plant biomass to advanced biofuel and chemicals. Many substrate-related factors affect saccharification. Rather than examining the role of each individual factor on overall saccharification efficiency, this study examined how each factor affects the three basic processes of a heterogeneous...

  14. Online social networking addiction among college students in Singapore: Comorbidity with behavioral addiction and affective disorder.

    PubMed

    Tang, Catherine So-Kum; Koh, Yvaine Yee Woen

    2017-02-01

    This study aimed to determine the prevalence of addiction to social networking sites/platforms (SNS) and its comorbidity with other behavioral addiction and affective disorder among college students in Singapore. 1110 college students (age: M=21.46, SD=1.80) in Singapore completed measures assessing online social networking, unhealthy food intake and shopping addiction as well as depression, anxiety and mania. Descriptive analyses were conducted to investigate the prevalence and comorbidity of behavioral addiction and affective disorder. Chi-square tests were used to examine gender differences. The prevalence rates of SNS, food and shopping addiction were 29.5%, 4.7% and 9.3% respectively for the total sample. SNS addiction was found to co-occur with food addiction (3%), shopping addiction (5%), and both food and shopping addiction (1%). The comorbidity rates of SNS addiction and affective disorder were 21% for depression, 27.7% for anxiety, and 26.1% for mania. Compared with the total sample, students with SNS addiction reported higher comorbidity rates with other behavioral addiction and affective disorder. In general, females as compared to males reported higher comorbidity rates of SNS addiction and affective disorder. SNS addiction has a high prevalence rate among college students in Singapore. Students with SNS addiction were vulnerable to experience other behavior addiction as well as affective disorder, especially among females. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Teaching with Student Response Systems (SRS): Teacher-Centric Aspects that Can Negatively Affect Students' Experience of Using SRS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nielsen, Kjetil L.; Hansen, Gabrielle; Stav, John B.

    2013-01-01

    In this article, we describe and discuss the most significant teacher-centric aspects of student response systems (SRS) that we have found to negatively affect students' experience of using SRS in lecture settings. By doing so, we hope to increase teachers' awareness of how they use SRS and how seemingly trivial choices or aspects when using SRS…

  16. Intuition, Affect, and Peculiar Beliefs

    PubMed Central

    Boden, Matthew Tyler; Berenbaum, Howard; Topper, Maurice

    2012-01-01

    Research with college students has found that intuitive thinking (e.g., using hunches to ascribe meaning to experiences) and positive affect interactively predict ideas of reference and odd/magical beliefs. We investigated whether these results would generalize to a diverse community sample of adults that included individuals with elevated levels of peculiar perceptions and beliefs. We measured positive and negative affect and intuitive thinking through questionnaires, and peculiar beliefs (i.e., ideas of reference and odd/magical beliefs) through structured clinical interviews. We found that peculiar beliefs were associated with intuitive thinking and negative affect, but not positive affect. Furthermore, in no instance did the interaction of affect and intuitive thinking predict peculiar beliefs. These results suggest that there are important differences in the factors that contribute to peculiar beliefs between college students and clinically meaningful samples. PMID:22707815

  17. Microbiologic factors affecting Clostridium difficile recurrence.

    PubMed

    Chilton, C H; Pickering, D S; Freeman, J

    2018-05-01

    Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) places a huge economic and practical burden on healthcare facilities. Furthermore, rCDI may affect quality of life, leaving patients in an rCDI cycle and dependant on antibiotic therapy. To discuss the importance of microbiologic factors in the development of rCDI. Literature was drawn from a search of PubMed from 2000 onwards with the search term 'recurrent Clostridium difficile infection' and further references cited within these articles. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews have shown that CDI and rCDI risk factors are similar. Development of rCDI is attendant on many factors, including immune status or function, comorbidities and concomitant treatments. Studies suggest that poor bacterial diversity is correlated with clinical rCDI. Narrow-spectrum gut microflora-sparing antimicrobials (e.g. surotomycin, cadazolid, ridinilazole) are in development for CDI treatment, while microbiota therapeutics (faecal microbiota transplantation, nontoxigenic C. difficile, stool substitutes) are increasingly being explored. rCDI can only occur when viable C. difficile spores are present, either within the gut lumen after infection or when reacquired from the environment. C. difficile spore germination can be influenced by gut environmental factors resulting from dysbiosis, and spore outgrowth may be affected stage by some antimicrobials (e.g. fidaxomicin, ramoplanin, oritavancin). rCDI is a significant challenge for healthcare professionals, requiring a multifaceted approach; optimized infection control to minimize reinfection; C. difficile-targeted antibiotics to minimize dysbiosis; and gut microflora restoration to promote colonization resistance. These elements should be informed by our understanding of the microbiologic factors involved in both C. difficile itself and the gut microbiome. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Family Factors and Student Outcomes. PRGS Dissertation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xia, Nailing

    2010-01-01

    There is considerable debate about the relative importance of family versus school factors in producing academic and nonacademic student outcomes, and whether and how their impacts vary across different student groups. In addition to critically reviewing and synthesizing earlier work, this study extends the literature by (a) using the ECLS-K, a…

  19. [The influencing factors on alienation in high school students].

    PubMed

    Lee, Eun-Sook

    2004-02-01

    This study was performed to identify the influencing factors on alienation among high school students. Data was collected by questionnaires from 550 students of academic and vocational high schools in G city. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. The scores of alienation among students in financially lower middle class and lower class were higher than those of the upper middle class students, resulting in significant differences(F=6.87, p=.00). A sense of alienation showed a significantly negative correlation with the scores of responding parenting style(r=-.32), family cohesion(r=-.33), school attachment(r=-.51), academic performance(r=-.34), peer relationships(r=-.38), self-control (r=-.43), and social skills(r=-.33). The most powerful predictor of alienation among high school students was school attachment and the variance explained was 26%. A combination of school attachment, self control, peer relationships, family cohesion, demanding parenting style, and academic performance account for 40% of the variance in alienation among high school students. This study suggests that school attachment, self control, peer relationships, family cohesion, demanding parenting style, and academic performance are significant influencing factors on alienation in high school students. Therefore, nursing strategy is needed to manage these revealed factors.

  20. A Cross-Cultural Examination of the Impact of Social, Organisational and Individual Factors on Educational Technology Acceptance between British and Lebanese University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tarhini, Ali; Hone, Kate; Liu, Xiaohui

    2015-01-01

    This paper examines the social, organisational and individual factors that may affect students' acceptance of e-learning systems in higher education in a cross-cultural context. A questionnaire was developed based on an extended technology acceptance model (TAM). A total sample of 1173 university students from two private universities in Lebanon…

  1. Influencing factors of mental health of medical students in China.

    PubMed

    Yang, Fan; Meng, Heng; Chen, Hui; Xu, Xin-hao; Liu, Zhuo; Luo, Ai; Feng, Zhan-chun

    2014-06-01

    This study investigated the mental health status of medical students in China, and analyzed the influencing factors in order to provide evidence for mental health education for medical students. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit medical students from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. The questionnaire survey on general information and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) were used for investigation and analysis. The results showed among the 1137 valid questionnaires, 278 (24.45%) participants had SCL-90 score ≥ 160. The top three mental problems of medical students were obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity and depression in terms of the factor score ≥ 2.5 and the number of participants who reflected on the diseases. The third-year medical students had the worst mental health status, and fifth-year medical students had the best mental health status. Students from rural area had more psychological problems than those from urban area; furthermore, students with high professional satisfaction, those who were the single child of the family, non-poor students, and those whose parents had high education level had better mental health status. It was concluded that the mental health of medical students is not optimistic in China. Medical students have some mental health problems of different degrees. Factors that influence the mental health of medical students include academic pressure, professional satisfaction level and family environment.

  2. Depression in College Students: Student Experience Inventory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kirkland, Angela G.; Redfield, Doris L.

    To assess depression in college students, two inventories were compared: the Student Experience Inventory (SEI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). SEI, a self-report questionnaire, contains 56 items that are designed to measure hopelessness and decreased energy levels, as well as five factors covered in BDI: (1) negative affect toward self,…

  3. Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Filipino University Students

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Romeo B.; Maria, Madelene Sta.; Estanislao, Susana; Rodriguez, Cristina

    2013-01-01

    Depression can be prevented if its symptoms are addressed early and effectively. Prevention against depression among university students is rare in the Philippines, but is urgent because of the rising rates of suicide among the group. Evidence is needed to systematically identify and assist students with higher levels of depressive symptoms. We carried out a survey to determine the social and demographic factors associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among 2,436 Filipino university students. The University Students Depression Inventory with measures on lethargy, cognition-emotion, and academic motivation, was used. Six of the 11 factors analyzed were found to be statistically significantly associated with more intense levels of depressive symptoms. These factors were: frequency of smoking, frequency of drinking, not living with biological parents, dissatisfaction with one’s financial condition, level of closeness with parents, and level of closeness with peers. Sex, age category, course category, year level and religion were not significantly related. In identifying students with greater risk for depression, characteristics related to lifestyle, financial condition, parents and peers are crucial. There is a need to carry out more surveys to develop the pool of local knowledge on student depression. PMID:24223198

  4. Hierarchical Effects of School-, Classroom-, and Student-Level Factors on the Science Performance of Eighth-Grade Taiwanese Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsai, Liang-Ting; Yang, Chih-Chien

    2015-05-01

    This study was conducted to understand the effect of student-, classroom-, and school-level factors on the science performance of 8th-grade Taiwanese students in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 by using multilevel analysis. A total of 5,042 students from 153 classrooms of 150 schools participated in the TIMSS 2011 study, in which they were required to complete questionnaires. A 3-level multilevel analysis was used to assess the influence of factors at 3 levels on the science performance of 8th-grade Taiwanese students. The results showed that the provision of education resources at home, teachers' level of education, and school climate were the strongest predictor of science performance at the student, classroom, and school level, respectively. It was concluded that the science performance of 8th-grade Taiwanese students is driven largely by individual factors. Classroom-level factors accounted for a smaller proportion of the total variance in science performance than did school-level factors.

  5. Group Random Call Can Positively Affect Student In-Class Clicker Discussions

    PubMed Central

    Knight, Jennifer K.; Wise, Sarah B.; Sieke, Scott

    2016-01-01

    Understanding how instructional techniques and classroom norms influence in-class student interactions has the potential to positively impact student learning. Many previous studies have shown that students benefit from discussing their ideas with one another in class. In this study of introductory biology students, we explored how using an in-class accountability system might affect the nature of clicker-question discussions. Clicker-question discussions in which student groups were asked to report their ideas voluntarily (volunteer call) were compared with discussions in which student groups were randomly selected to report their ideas (random call). We hypothesized that the higher-accountability condition (random call) would impress upon students the importance of their discussions and thus positively influence how they interacted. Our results suggest that a higher proportion of discussions in the random call condition contained exchanges of reasoning, some forms of questioning, and both on- and off-topic comments compared with discussion in the volunteer call condition. Although group random call does not impact student performance on clicker questions, the positive impact of this instructional approach on exchanges of reasoning and other features suggests it may encourage some types of student interactions that support learning. PMID:27856544

  6. Factors affecting strategic plan implementation using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).

    PubMed

    Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Tajik, Hamidreza; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba

    2018-06-11

    Purpose Strategic planning is the best tool for managers seeking an informed presence and participation in the market without surrendering to changes. Strategic planning enables managers to achieve their organizational goals and objectives. Hospital goals, such as improving service quality and increasing patient satisfaction cannot be achieved if agreed strategies are not implemented. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting strategic plan implementation in one teaching hospital using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach The authors used a descriptive study involving experts and senior managers; 16 were selected as the study sample using a purposive sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed and prepared based on previous studies. Data were analyzed using ISM. Findings Five main factors affected strategic plan implementation. Although all five variables and factors are top level, "senior manager awareness and participation in the strategic planning process" and "creating and maintaining team participation in the strategic planning process" had maximum drive power. "Organizational structure effects on the strategic planning process" and "Organizational culture effects on the strategic planning process" had maximum dependence power. Practical implications Identifying factors affecting strategic plan implementation is a basis for healthcare quality improvement by analyzing the relationship among factors and overcoming the barriers. Originality/value The authors used ISM to analyze the relationship between factors affecting strategic plan implementation.

  7. Identify the Motivational Factors to Affect the Higher Education Students to Learn Using Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yau, Hon Keung; Cheng, Alison Lai Fong; Ho, Wing Man

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is twofold. Firstly, engineering students' motivation in using technology for learning in one of Hong Kong universities is investigated. Secondly, new research model about students' perception in using technology for learning is developed. Survey was employed and the questionnaires were distributed to targeted university…

  8. Conceptualizing Student Affect for Science and Technology at the Middle School Level: Development and Implementation of a Measure of Affect in Science and Technology (MAST)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Romine, William L.; Sadler, Troy D.; Wulff, Eric P.

    2017-01-01

    We describe the development of the Measure of Affect in Science and Technology (MAST), and study its usefulness for measuring science affect in middle school students via both classical and Rasch measurement perspectives. We then proceed to utilize the measurement structure of the MAST to understand how middle school students at varying levels of…

  9. [The prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis in schoolchildren and affecting factors].

    PubMed

    Giray, Hatice; Keskinoğlu, Pembe

    2006-01-01

    This study was carried out in order to determine the factors affecting the presence of Enterobius vermicularis in schoolchildren. This investigation was a cross-sectional and analytic study. The dependent variable was the presence of parasites and the independent variables were the characteristics of the children, families, houses, toilets and drinking water. A stool specimen was taken in the morning using the cellophane tape method, and examined the same day by microscopy. Data were evaluated using the Chi square test and logistic regression analysis and p < 0.05 was accepted as being statistically significant. There were 529 students in the kindergarten and 1-5 classes in the Isikkent and Sait Guzelcan primary schools in the region of the Isikkent Health Center in Izmir. However specimens could only be obtained from 477 (90.2%) students. The mean age of children was 8.6+/-2.0 years. The number of residents in their homes averaged 5.4+/-2.0, the average number of children in the homes was 3.2+/-1.9 and 290 (60.8%) houses were single dwellings. The source for piped water in 404 houses (84.7%) was the city network, and there were modern sanitary facilities (toilets) in 377 (70.6%) houses. Enterobius vermicularis was found in 209 (43.8%) children. According to logistic regression analyses, the rate of Enterobius vermicularis was found to be 3.05 times higher in students from the Sait Guzelcan primary school, if there were more than 6 residents in the home 2.05 times even higher and 2.02 times still higher if there were no sanitary facilities at his/her home. When there was a history of parasites in the family, the risk was significantly decreased. The prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis in schoolchildren was higher in slum areas, in crowded homes and in those that lacked modern sanitary facilities.

  10. Turkish Primary Students' Perceptions about Scientist and What Factors Affecting the Image of the Scientists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turkmen, Hakan

    2008-01-01

    Students' views of science and scientists have been widely studied. The purpose of this study is to analyze image of scientist from drawn picture of scientists using The Draw-a-Scientist Test (DAST) by 5th grade students and to analyze where this image comes from students minds in changing Turkish educational perspective. Two hundred eighty seven…

  11. Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils.

    PubMed

    García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

    2014-07-01

    Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO 3 - ) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L 16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L 16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO 3 - addition were the main factors affecting N 2 O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO 3 - and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time.

  12. Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils

    PubMed Central

    García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

    2014-01-01

    Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO3−) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO3− addition were the main factors affecting N2O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO3− and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO2 and CH4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time. PMID:25177207

  13. Motivational factors for choosing the degree course in nursing: a focus group study with nursing students.

    PubMed

    Ferri, Paola; Laffi, Patrizia; Rovesti, Sergio; Artioli, Giovanna; Di Lorenzo, Rosaria; Magnani, Daniela

    2016-05-26

    Maintaining the number of new students entering nursing programs and remaining in the nursing occupation largely depends on the ability to recruit and retain young people. The motivational factors that induce young people to choose nursing as a career were investigated through a qualitative research approach. Different focus groups were organised involving 32 students at the end of the first year of Nursing. Then the factors affecting their choice of course and the reasons for satisfaction and frustration connected with the course of study were analyzed. The main motivational factors for choosing Nursing that emerged include the following: having done voluntary work in the care area, attraction to the occupation since childhood/adolescence, failure of other plans, possibility to find work, personal acquaintance of nurses. The reasons for satisfaction with the course include: tutor support, workshop activities, placement experience. The reasons for frustration among the students included the complexity and extent of the study plan, elements that often they had not envisaged or had underestimated upon enrolment. Providing more information on the course of study, the working conditions and characteristics of the nursing occupation, could help young people to make an informed and aware decision, in order to reduce any disappointment and students dropping out of nursing education and attrition in the future. Improving the organisation of the course of study, supporting students' motivation through counselling activities and choosing suitable placement sites, could prevent drop outs.

  14. Tertiary Students' ICT Self-Efficacy Beliefs and the Factors Affecting Their ICT-Use

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turel, Vehbi; Calik, Sinan; Doganer, Adem

    2015-01-01

    This study looked at tertiary (i.e. undergraduate /a four-year degree) students' information and communication technology (ICT) self-efficacy beliefs and their level in use of certain common programmes at a newly established (i.e. 2007) university in Turkey in the spring of 2012. The study examined the tertiary students' (a) demographic…

  15. Using Affective Assessment to Understand Our Students' Identities as Readers (and Non-Readers)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Givens, Susannah M.

    2010-01-01

    Given the focus on increasing student persistence at many community colleges through programs such as "Achieving the Dream", it seems more than appropriate that faculty and institutions integrate more affective measures into their assessments of student readiness. These types of assessment will not determine the grades that teachers give…

  16. Factors across home, work, and school domains influence nutrition and physical activity behaviors of nontraditional college students.

    PubMed

    Quintiliani, Lisa M; Bishop, Hillary L; Greaney, Mary L; Whiteley, Jessica A

    2012-10-01

    Nontraditional college students (older, part-time, and/or working) have less healthful nutrition and physical activity behaviors compared to traditional students, yet few health promotion efforts focus on nontraditional students. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to explore factors affecting nutrition and physical activity behaviors of nontraditional students. Fourteen semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with nontraditional undergraduate students attending a large university. The sample had a median age of 25 (range, 21-64), 57% were men, 43% were racial/ethnic minorities, and 57% were employed (mean 22 hours/week). Data were coded using a systematic team-based approach. Consistent themes (mentioned by 4+ students) were identified and categorized into three domains: home, work, and school. Home (themes: neighborhood characteristics, family, partners), work (theme: work environment), and school (themes: cafeteria, vending machines) factors consistently influenced positive nutrition behaviors. Similarly, home (themes: neighborhood including safety, friends from home, partner,), work (theme: work environment), and school (themes: not having a car, campus structure, campus gym, friends at school) factors consistently influenced positive physical activity. Financial resources and perceptions of autonomy had influence across domains. Results indicate consistent influences on nutrition and physical activity behaviors across home, work, and school domains for nontraditional college students. Study findings suggest possible, and sometimes unconventional, intervention strategies to promote healthful eating and physical activity. For example, when cafeteria meal plans are not offered and financial constraints limit eating at the cafeteria, encouraging healthful choices from vending machines could be preferable to not eating at all. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Environmental Factors of Distance Learning: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klaus, Tim; Changchit, Chuleeporn

    2014-01-01

    The widespread use of the Internet has opened new avenues for learning in higher education. Distance education through the Internet has had a large increase over the last decade. This study focuses on examining factors of the online course environment that affect student satisfaction. The results identify factors that affect students' satisfaction…

  18. Exploring Factors That Affect Adoption of Computer Security Practices among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alqarni, Amani

    2017-01-01

    Cyber-attacks threaten the security of computer users' information, networks, machines, and privacy. Studies of computer security education, awareness, and training among ordinary computer users, college students, non-IT-oriented user groups, and non-technically trained citizens are limited. Most research has focused on computer security standards…

  19. Factors Affecting Student Success with a Google Earth-Based Earth Science Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blank, Lisa M.; Almquist, Heather; Estrada, Jen; Crews, Jeff

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated to what extent the implementation of a Google Earth (GE)-based earth science curriculum increased students' understanding of volcanoes, earthquakes, plate tectonics, scientific reasoning abilities, and science identity. Nine science classrooms participated in the study. In eight of the classrooms, pre- and post-assessments…

  20. Change in Affect and Needs Satisfaction for Amotivated Students within the Sport Education Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perlman, Dana

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the Sport Education Model ("SEM") on amotivated students affect and needs satisfaction. 78 amotivated students from an original pool of 1,176 students enrolled in one of 32 physical education classes. Classes were randomly assigned to either the "SEM" (N = 16)or traditional class (N = 16).…