A Time Hazard Analysis of Student Persistence: A US University Undergraduate Mathematics Major Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahi, Saïd; Higgins, Devin; Staley, Patrick

2015-01-01

Individual level data for the entire cohort of undergraduate mathematics students of a relatively small US public university was used to estimate the risk that a student will switch major to another one before degree completion. The data set covers the period from 1999 to 2006. Survival tables and logistic models were estimated and used to discuss…

Cultivating and Nurturing Undergraduate IS Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tams, Stefan

2014-01-01

Assurance of student motivation and retention is a central challenge for Information Systems faculty. A promising means of stimulating interest in the Information Systems major and in subsequent graduate degree programs is undergraduate Information Systems research. Undergraduate Information Systems research allows students to engage more deeply…

The Undergraduate Spanish Major Curriculum: Faculty, Alumni, and Student Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertel, Tammy Jandrey; Dings, Abby

2017-01-01

This article presents the quantitative and qualitative results of a nationwide survey of the perceptions of faculty, alumni, and students regarding the contribution to the undergraduate Spanish major curriculum of various types of courses and experiences. Quantitative results indicated that all participants valued the importance of study abroad as…

Is There a Correlation between Cheating in Undergraduate Institutions and the Mess on Wall Street? ... Are We Addicted to Cheating?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Constance J.; Stellenwerf, Anita L.

2009-01-01

A recent survey of undergraduate business students indicated that an overwhelming majority, over 75%, of the participants admitted to cheating. When graduate school majors were surveyed, research indicates that the biggest cheaters, 56% overall, were business majors. Are students behaving in response to societal rewards of corporate malfeasance…

Patterns of Individual and Organizational Adaptation: The Impact of Blacks in Predominantly White Organizations,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-07-01

3%) were full-time, undergraduate black students (the target population). They were concentrated in three major areas: 23% were in the biological...with their overtones of secrecy and exclusiveness, contributed to the highly differentiated undergraduate student body, Athletes, variously esteemed as... undergraduate student enrollment. And, the black students were thinly distributed across disciplines. Furthermore, one-third of them did not live on campus

The Conundrum of Social Class: Disparities in Publishing among STEM Students in Undergraduate Research Programs at a Hispanic Majority Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grineski, Sara; Daniels, Heather; Collins, Timothy; Morales, Danielle X.; Frederick, Angela; Garcia, Marilyn

2018-01-01

Research on the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) student development pipeline has largely ignored social class and instead examined inequalities based on gender and race. We investigate the role of social class in undergraduate student research publications. Data come from a sample of 213 undergraduate research participants…

Precursors of Professionalism in Senior-Level Undergraduate Business Students and the Implications of These Precursors for Business Education and the Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nino, Lana Sami

2012-01-01

Understanding the professional identity of senior-level undergraduate business students may shed light on the rampant unethical acts of business managers in industry. Business education is the largest segment of undergraduate majors, constituting more than 20% of students in four-year institutions, year after year. To explain the professional…

Learning by Doing: The Challenge of Engaging Undergraduates in Economics Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunnermeier, Smita

2017-01-01

This article describes strategies developed at Princeton University to foster and promote research by all undergraduate students majoring in economics. It describes core features of the undergraduate research program and provides tangible recommendations for addressing resource constraints, and for incentivizing faculty advisors and students to…

Near-peer mentorship for undergraduate training in Ugandan medical schools: views of undergraduate students

PubMed Central

Rukundo, Godfrey Zari; Burani, Aluonzi; Kasozi, Jannat; Kirimuhuzya, Claude; Odongo, Charles; Mwesigwa, Catherine; Byona, Wycliff; Kiguli, Sarah

2016-01-01

Introduction Masters Students are major stakeholders in undergraduate medical education but their contribution has not been documented in Uganda. The aim of the study was to explore and document views and experiences of undergraduate students regarding the role of masters students as educators in four Ugandan medical schools. Methods This was a cross-sectional descriptive study using qualitative data collection methods. Eight Focus Group Discussions were conducted among eighty one selected preclinical and clinical students in the consortium of four Ugandan medical schools: Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Makerere College of Health Sciences, Gulu University and Kampala International University, Western Campus. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis. Participants’ privacy and confidentiality were respected and participant identifiers were not included in data analysis. Results Undergraduate students from all the medical schools viewed the involvement of master's students as very important. Frequent contact between masters and undergraduate students was reported as an important factor in undergraduate students’ motivation and learning. Despite the useful contribution, master’ students face numerous challenges like heavy workload and conflicting priorities. Conclusion According to undergraduate students in Ugandan medical schools, involvement of master's students in the teaching and learning of undergraduate students is both useful and challenging to masters and undergraduate students. Masters students provide peer mentorship to the undergraduate students. The senior educators are still needed to do their work and also to support the master's students in their teaching role. PMID:27347289

Increasing Persistence in Undergraduate Science Majors: A Model for Institutional Support of Underrepresented Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H.; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these…

Undergraduate Public Health Majors: Why They Choose Public Health or Medicine?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilton, Warren

2013-01-01

This mixed methods study examined the relationship between the motivations for attending college of undergraduate students with a focus on students with a public health major, and their desire to pursue graduate training in public health and subsequently, public health careers. The study highlighted the current public health workforce shortage and…

Assessment of the benefits of a summer undergraduate research program for physics and chemistry majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Chris; MacDonald, Gina

2006-11-01

Presently at James Madison University, there are slightly more than 100 physics majors and 150 chemistry majors. Each summer, a significant fraction of these students participate in either the chemistry or interdisciplinary materials science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program on campus. This provides a large pool of students from which to draw data comparing the influence of undergraduate research on both classroom performance and attitudes toward science as a profession. By analyzing the grade point averages of chemistry and physics majors, we have shown slightly larger increases from spring semester to fall semester for students who participated in the REU than those who did not. We have also measured changes in attitudes using surveys of the students both at the beginning and at the end of the summer experience. An analysis of these surveys will be presented.

Sense of Place and Student Engagement among Undergraduate Students at a Major Public Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okoli, Daniel T.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between sense of place and student engagement among undergraduate students, in order to influence how higher education institutions view the role of the physical environment in fostering student engagement, learning, and personal development. Student engagement, a very important predictor…

Understanding the Factors That Influence Student Satisfaction with the Undergraduate Business Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Melanie Beth; Haug, James C.; Huckabee, W. Allen

2016-01-01

A survey was administered to undergraduate business students to gain insight into 34 factors influencing satisfaction, divided into curriculum matters, interaction between faculty and students, and activities beyond coursework. Students expressed a desire for experienced faculty, degree customization, and career paths through internships, with…

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

PubMed

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

2013-07-01

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

Effects of Curriculum and Nonacademic Factors on Undergraduate Electronic Engineering Program Retention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulaiman, Munir

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs in higher education institutions, particularly engineering programs, face challenges related to recruitment, retention, and graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are significant relationships among students' major preference, academic skills, nonacademic characteristics and perceptions, and retention to year 2 among students in electronic engineering, other STEM, and non STEM majors. The academic skills considered were study habits, intellectual interest, verbal and writing confidence, and academic assistance. The non-academic factors included academic support, family support, financial support, and student social integration into the campus environment. Tinto's theory of retention served as the theoretical framework. The research design was quantitative with a general linear method of analysis using responses to the College Student Inventory (CSI) survey as secondary data to determine the relationships among the independent variables (major and academic and non-academic factors) and dependent variable (retention). Participants were 3,575 first year undergraduate full-time students from three entering classes, 2012 to 2014. Findings suggested that student major and non-academic factors had no effect on student retention, but student study habits and seeking academic assistance were predictors of retention in each of the three groups of majors: engineering, other STEM majors, and nonSTEM majors. Strategies to help increase undergraduate students' study skills and help seeking behaviors may contribute to positive social change at HBCU institutions.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zangori, Laura; Koontz, Jason A.

2017-01-01

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

Undergraduate Research in Physics as a course for Engineering and Computer Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, James; Rueckert, Franz; Sirokman, Greg

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research has become more and more integral to the functioning of higher educational institutions. At many institutions undergraduate research is conducted as capstone projects in the pure sciences, however, science faculty at some schools (including that of the authors) face the challenge of not having science majors. Even at these institutions, a select population of high achieving engineering students will often express a keen interest in conducting pure science research. Since a foray into science research provides the student the full exposure to the scientific method and scientific collaboration, the experience can be quite rewarding and beneficial to the development of the student as a professional. To this end, the authors have been working to find new contexts in which to offer research experiences to non- science majors, including a new undergraduate research class conducted by physics and chemistry faculty. An added benefit is that these courses are inherently interdisciplinary. Students in the engineering and computer science fields step into physics and chemistry labs to solve science problems, often invoking their own relevant expertise. In this paper we start by discussing the common themes and outcomes of the course. We then discuss three particular projects that were conducted with engineering students and focus on how the undergraduate research experience enhanced their already rigorous engineering curriculum.

Drivers of Engagement in Professional Development Activity: A Study of Undergraduate Business Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snell, Corinne M.

2012-01-01

Since college and university students typically vary in their utilization of student services and resources, the variance in undergraduate business student engagement levels in professional development activity was explored by this quantitative study. Professional development is defined as career-related preparation of students for entry into the…

Undergraduate ESL Students' Difficulties in Writing the Introduction for Research Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maznun, Mirrah Diyana Binti; Monsefi, Roya; Nimehchisalem, Vahid

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the difficulties encountered by undergraduate ESL students in writing the introduction section of their project reports. Five introduction sections of bachelor of arts students, majoring in English language, were analyzed and a lecturer was interviewed regarding the areas of the students' weaknesses. Swales'…

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

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

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

Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors' Emotions about Mathematics.

PubMed

Wachsmuth, Lucas P; Runyon, Christopher R; Drake, John M; Dolan, Erin L

2017-01-01

Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of Mathematics Inventory (ASMI). We collected data from 359 science and math majors at two research universities and conducted a series of statistical tests that indicated that four AMSI items comprised a reasonable measure of students' emotional satisfaction with math. We then compared life science and non-life science majors and found that major had a small to moderate relationship with students' responses. Gender also had a small relationship with students' responses, while students' race, ethnicity, and year in school had no observable relationship. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three groups-students who were emotionally satisfied with math, emotionally dissatisfied with math, and neutral. These results and the emotional satisfaction with math scale should be useful for identifying differences in other undergraduate populations, determining the malleability of undergraduates' emotional satisfaction with math, and testing effects of interventions aimed at improving life science majors' attitudes toward math. © 2017 L.P. Wachsmuth et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Student Preferences for Academic Advisors as Transformational Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drozd, Deborah Suzanne

2010-01-01

A quantitative study was conducted to determine the preferences of undergraduate students for academic advisors as transformational leaders. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to undergraduate students enrolled in leadership classes at a major land grant university to determine importance ratings based on the variables including…

Evolution of Physical Education Undergraduate Majors in Higher Education in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiahong, Wang; Xiang, Ping; Dazhi, Zhang; Liu, Weidong; Gao, Xiaofeng

2017-01-01

Physical education (PE) undergraduate programs in higher education in China have evolved over the last 100 years. As a result, a comprehensive system of physical education undergraduate majors in higher education has been established in today's colleges/universities in China. The large number of students who have completed a physical education…

Phys21:Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormack, Elizabeth

2017-04-01

The Phys21: Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careersreport was commissioned by the APS and the AAPT and prepared by the Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP). It addresses the question: What skills and knowledge should the next generation of undergraduate physics majors possess to be well prepared for a diverse set of careers? J-TUPP members were particularly interested to understand better the needs of students who do not plan to pursue academic research careers. The major findings of the report and a summary of the guidelines that were developed for revising the undergraduate curriculum, addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse population of students, providing professional skills development, and enhancing student engagement through high impact teaching practices will be presented.

Two-Year Community: A 3+8 Model of Undergraduate Research for Community College STEM Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leggett-Robinson, Pamela M.; Villa, Brandi C.; Mooring, Suazette Reid

2015-01-01

This article describes the implementation of an innovative undergraduate research model for students attending a two-year institution. It gives students an opportunity to engage in undergraduate research at nearby four-year institutions, which provides a foundation that allows them to successfully make the transition to STEM programs at the…

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…

Astrology Beliefs among Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2011-01-01

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

Evaluating Psychology Students' Library Skills and Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Steve; Allen, Julie

2012-01-01

Extensive engagement with current academic sources is expected of all psychology undergraduates. Thirty-eight undergraduate psychology students took part in a series of focus group discussions of their information-searching experiences and skills. The majority of students had not been required to engage with any form of information searching while…

The Influence of Parents on Undergraduate and Graduate Students' Entering the STEM Disciplines and STEM Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Cheryl J.; Verma, Rakesh; Stokes, Donna; Evans, Paige; Abrol, Bobby

2018-01-01

This research examines the influence of parents on students' studying the STEM disciplines and entering STEM careers. Cases of two graduate students (one female, one male) and one undergraduate student (male) are featured. The first two students in the convenience sample are biology and physics majors in a STEM teacher education programme; the…

A Pharmacology-Based Enrichment Program for Undergraduates Promotes Interest in Science

PubMed Central

Godin, Elizabeth A.; Wormington, Stephanie V.; Perez, Tony; Barger, Michael M.; Snyder, Kate E.; Richman, Laura Smart; Schwartz-Bloom, Rochelle; Linnenbrink-Garcia, Lisa

2015-01-01

There is a strong need to increase the number of undergraduate students who pursue careers in science to provide the “fuel” that will power a science and technology–driven U.S. economy. Prior research suggests that both evidence-based teaching methods and early undergraduate research experiences may help to increase retention rates in the sciences. In this study, we examined the effect of a program that included 1) a Summer enrichment 2-wk minicourse and 2) an authentic Fall research course, both of which were designed specifically to support students' science motivation. Undergraduates who participated in the pharmacology-based enrichment program significantly improved their knowledge of basic biology and chemistry concepts; reported high levels of science motivation; and were likely to major in a biological, chemical, or biomedical field. Additionally, program participants who decided to major in biology or chemistry were significantly more likely to choose a pharmacology concentration than those majoring in biology or chemistry who did not participate in the enrichment program. Thus, by supporting students' science motivation, we can increase the number of students who are interested in science and science careers. PMID:26538389

Undergraduate Neuroscience Majors: A Missed Opportunity for Psychiatry Workforce Development.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Matthew N; Krystal, John H

2017-04-01

This study sought to determine whether and to what extent medical students with an undergraduate college major in neuroscience, relative to other college majors, pursue psychiatry relative to other brain-based specialties (neurology and neurosurgery) and internal medicine. The authors analyzed data from AAMC matriculation and graduation surveys for all students who graduated from US medical schools in 2013 and 2014 (n = 29,714). Students who majored in neuroscience, psychology, and biology were compared to all other students in terms of their specialty choice at both time points. For each major, the authors determined rates of specialty choice of psychiatry, neurology, neurosurgery, and, for comparison, internal medicine. This study employed Chi-square statistic to compare odds of various specialty choices among different majors. Among medical students with an undergraduate neuroscience major (3.5% of all medical students), only 2.3% preferred psychiatry at matriculation, compared to 21.5% who chose neurology, 13.1% neurosurgery, and 11% internal medicine. By graduation, psychiatry specialty choice increased to 5.1% among neuroscience majors while choice of neurology and neurosurgery declined. Psychology majors (OR = 3.16, 95% CI 2.60-4.47) but not neuroscience majors (OR 1.28, 0.92-1.77) were more likely than their peers to choose psychiatry. Psychiatry struggles to attract neuroscience majors to the specialty. This missed opportunity is an obstacle to developing the neuroscience literacy of the workforce and jeopardizes the neuroscientific future of our field. Several potential strategies to address the recruitment challenges exist.

Undergraduates achieve learning gains in plant genetics through peer teaching of secondary students.

PubMed

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

2014-01-01

This study tests the hypothesis that undergraduates who peer teach genetics will have greater understanding of genetic and molecular biology concepts as a result of their teaching experiences. Undergraduates enrolled in a non-majors biology course participated in a service-learning program in which they led middle school (MS) or high school (HS) students through a case study curriculum to discover the cause of a green tomato variant. The curriculum explored plant reproduction and genetic principles, highlighting variation in heirloom tomato fruits to reinforce the concept of the genetic basis of phenotypic variation. HS students were taught additional activities related to mole-cular biology techniques not included in the MS curriculum. We measured undergraduates' learning outcomes using pre/postteaching content assessments and the course final exam. Undergraduates showed significant gains in understanding of topics related to the curriculum they taught, compared with other course content, on both types of assessments. Undergraduates who taught HS students scored higher on questions specific to the HS curriculum compared with undergraduates who taught MS students, despite identical lecture content, on both types of assessments. These results indicate the positive effect of service-learning peer-teaching experiences on undergraduates' content knowledge, even for non-science major students. © 2014 H. E. Chrispeels et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

A model for undergraduate physics major outcomes objectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, G. R.; Erwin, T. Dary

1989-06-01

Concern with assessment of student outcomes of undergraduate physics major programs is rapidly rising. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and many other regional and state organizations are requiring explicit outcomes assessment in the accrediting process. The first step in this assessment process for major programs is the establishment of student outcomes objectives. A model and set of physics outcomes (educational) objectives that were developed by the faculty in the Physics Department at James Madison University are presented.

Monitoring undergraduate student needs and activities at Experimental Biology: APS pilot survey.

PubMed

Nichols, Nicole L; Ilatovskaya, Daria V; Matyas, Marsha L

2017-06-01

Life science professional societies play important roles for undergraduates in their fields and increasingly offer membership, fellowships, and awards for undergraduate students. However, the overall impacts of society-student interactions have not been well studied. Here, we sought to develop and test a pilot survey of undergraduate students to determine how they got involved in research and in presenting at the Experimental Biology (EB) meeting, what they gained from the scientific and career development sessions at the meeting, and how the American Physiological Society (APS) can best support and engage undergraduate students. This survey was administered in 2014 and 2015 to undergraduate students who submitted physiology abstracts for and attended EB. More than 150 students responded (38% response rate). Respondents were demographically representative of undergraduate students majoring in life sciences in the United States. Most students (72%) became involved in research through a summer research program or college course. They attended a variety of EB sessions, including poster sessions and symposia, and found them useful. Undergraduate students interacted with established researchers at multiple venues. Students recommended that APS provide more research fellowships (25%) and keep in touch with students via both e-mail (46%) and social media (37%). Our results indicate that APS' EB undergraduate activities are valued by students and are effective in helping them have a positive scientific meeting experience. These results also guided the development of a more streamlined survey for use in future years. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Controlled Free Choice Method: A Proposal for a New Undergraduate Major Selection Policy at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Dosarya, Adel S.; Rahman, Syed Masiur

2006-01-01

The prevalent undergraduate major selection at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) mostly depends on the student's choice regardless of academic abilities and qualifications. Owing to the adoption of this Free Choice Method (FCM), the number of students will continue to grow and external pressures at the national level may…

"To Finally Understand How to Do Well Is the Hardest Part": Seeing the Transfer Journey, Research and Research-Inclusive Careers through the Eyes of Undergraduate Transfer Students Pursuing Science Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewers, Tola Latola Marie

2014-01-01

This multi-case qualitative study explored how University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) undergraduate science major transfer students' backgrounds, transfer journey, previous research and/or other academic experiences and future aspirations shaped perceptions and beliefs about research, research-inclusive careers and integration and engagement…

Relationship between Measures of Academic Quality and Undergraduate Student Attrition: The Case of Higher Education Institutions in the Colombian Caribbean Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martínez, Anabella; Borjas, Mónica; Herrera, Mariela; Valencia, Jorge

2015-01-01

Undergraduate student attrition is a major concern in higher education. It is usually explained by the impact of student attributes; however, recent developments in student success literature point to the need of exploring institutional practices that may impact a student's decision to abandon their studies. The current weight of academic quality…

Preparing Undergraduate Students for the Major Field Test in Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bisalski, Heather Cooper; Helms, Marilyn M.; Whitesell, Melissa

2017-01-01

Many business programs address the learning of undergraduate students with an exit exam. A reference librarian and the business school faculty created an online test preparation study guide (or LibGuide) which included no-cost resources that were readily available yet academically authoritative to aid students in studying for the Educational…

"Quietly Stripping the Pastels": The Undergraduate Gender Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yakaboski, Tamara

2011-01-01

The "new" gender gap refers to women as the majority of the undergraduate student population, and the national newspaper discourse on this trend represents a value system that translates into societal implications and potential policy. The media portrays a "boy crisis" with male students as the victims of female students' enrollment success. The…

Doing Publishable Research with Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2010-01-01

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

Student Attitude towards and Use of Powerpoint[R] Slides as Study Guides in Undergraduate Introductory Financial Accounting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozub, Robert M.

2010-01-01

This study examines undergraduate business students' attitude towards and use of Powerpoint[R] slides provided as a supplement to class attendance, textbook reading, and other traditional course resources. A survey of students with six majors (accounting, finance, marketing, management, international business and management information systems)…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montague-Winebarger, Caitlin N.

2012-01-01

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

Improving undergraduate biology education in a large research university.

PubMed Central

Bender, C; Ward, S; Wells, M A

1994-01-01

The campus-wide Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP) at the University of Arizona improves undergraduate science education by expanding student opportunities for independent research in faculty laboratories. Within the supportive community of a research laboratory, underclassmen, nonscience majors, and those aspiring to scientific careers all learn to appreciate the process of science. The Program impacts more than the students, promoting departmental cooperation, interdisciplinary collaborations, and improvements in undergraduate science education throughout a Research I University. PMID:8018999

Undergraduate Education with the WIYN 0.9-m Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilachowski, Catherine A.

2017-01-01

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

A Tri-part Model for Genetics Literacy: Exploring Undergraduate Student Reasoning About Authentic Genetics Dilemmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shea, Nicole A.; Duncan, Ravit Golan; Stephenson, Celeste

2015-08-01

Genetics literacy is becoming increasingly important as advancements in our application of genetic technologies such as stem cell research, cloning, and genetic screening become more prevalent. Very few studies examine how genetics literacy is applied when reasoning about authentic genetic dilemmas. However, there is evidence that situational features of a reasoning task may influence how students apply content knowledge as they generate and support arguments. Understanding how students apply content knowledge to reason about authentic and complex issues is important for considering instructional practices that best support student thinking and reasoning. In this conceptual report, we present a tri-part model for genetics literacy that embodies the relationships between content knowledge use, argumentation quality, and the role of situational features in reasoning to support genetics literacy. Using illustrative examples from an interview study with early career undergraduate students majoring in the biological sciences and late career undergraduate students majoring in genetics, we provide insights into undergraduate student reasoning about complex genetics issues and discuss implications for teaching and learning. We further discuss the need for research about how the tri-part model of genetics literacy can be used to explore students' thinking and reasoning abilities in genetics.

Major Re-Selection Advising and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Deborah; Tan, Tony Xing; Fletcher, Edward C.; Jackson-Williams, Andrea

2017-01-01

We sought to determine whether receiving major re-selection (MRS) advising benefits undergraduate students' grade-point averages (GPAs). We used a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design to compare a treatment group (n = 219) of undergraduates who changed their majors after receiving MRS advising with a control group (n = 206) who…

Study on diversified cultivation orientation and pattern of optoelectronic major undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhiying

2017-08-01

To improve the research quality preparation for graduate study and looking for job competition ability of undergraduates students, the education orientation objective need to be explicit. Universities need develop undergraduates' cultivation plan according to students' classification. Based on analysis of students export characteristic, there will be corresponding cultivation plan. Keep tracking study during the cultivation plan implantation process, the Curriculum system and related manage documents are revised corresponding to exist problems. There are mainly three kinds of undergraduates' career direction plan for opto-electronic major undergraduates. In addition to the vast majority university graduates opting for direct employment, nearly one third of university students choose to take part in the postgraduate entrance exams and other further education abroad, and also one-tenth choose their own businesses, university chooses are diversified. The exports are further studying as graduates, working and study abroad. Because national defense students are also recruited, the cultivation plan will be diversified to four types. For students, who go to work directly after graduation, the "Excellence engineers plan" is implemented to enhance their practice ability. For students, who will study further as graduate student, the scientific innovation research ability cultivation is paid more attention to make good foundation for their subsequent development. For students, who want to study abroad after graduation, the bilingual teaching method is introduced, and the English environment is built. We asked foreign professionals to give lectures for students. The knowledge range is extending, and the exchange and cooperation chance is provided at the same time. And the cultivation plan is revised during docking with Universities abroad. For national defense students, combat training and other defense theory courses are added to make them familiar with force knowledge. And with national defense students' excellence engineer plan, more army practice chance is provided. The students can integrate into army life much faster. The advantages of national defense students are much more highlighted. The graduates can serve motherland better than before. It is shown from the practice process that the revised cultivation plan is suitable for diversified undergraduates. And the education result is improved in a large amount consequently.

Undergraduate students' perspectives on primary care.

PubMed

Gold, Jessica A; Barg, Frances K; Margo, Katherine

2014-10-01

Despite the need for more primary care physicians, the number of medical students choosing primary care careers remains lower than other specialties. While undergraduate premedical education is an essential component in the development of future physicians, little is known about undergraduate students' perspectives on becoming primary care physicians. To better understand the early factors in career selection, we asked premed and former premed students their perceptions of primary care. Open-ended, semistructured interviews were conducted with 58 undergraduate students who represented three different groups: those who were currently premed and science majors, those who were nonscience majors and were currently premed, and those who were formerly premed. Specifically, we asked, "Why do you think there is a shortage of people who go into primary care?" Undergraduates cited financial reasons, lack of "glamour," and the career being "uninteresting." Many believed that primary care lacked prestige, and others felt it had a negative stigma attached. Most had never even considered a career in primary care. A number of students also misunderstood what a career in primary care actually entailed. As early as freshman year in college, undergraduate students harbor misconceptions and negative opinions about primary care. Many of those who express interest in such a career seem to drop out of the premedical program. It is important to consider the early onset of these attitudes and a way to target this interested population when trying to address the shortage of primary care physicians. © The Author(s) 2014.

Using Interactive Data Visualizations for Exploratory Analysis in Undergraduate Genomics Coursework: Field Study Findings and Guidelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirel, Barbara; Kumar, Anuj; Nong, Paige; Su, Gang; Meng, Fan

2016-02-01

Life scientists increasingly use visual analytics to explore large data sets and generate hypotheses. Undergraduate biology majors should be learning these same methods. Yet visual analytics is one of the most underdeveloped areas of undergraduate biology education. This study sought to determine the feasibility of undergraduate biology majors conducting exploratory analysis using the same interactive data visualizations as practicing scientists. We examined 22 upper level undergraduates in a genomics course as they engaged in a case-based inquiry with an interactive heat map. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed students' visual analytic behaviors, reasoning and outcomes to identify student performance patterns, commonly shared efficiencies and task completion. We analyzed students' successes and difficulties in applying knowledge and skills relevant to the visual analytics case and related gaps in knowledge and skill to associated tool designs. Findings show that undergraduate engagement in visual analytics is feasible and could be further strengthened through tool usability improvements. We identify these improvements. We speculate, as well, on instructional considerations that our findings suggested may also enhance visual analytics in case-based modules.

Why Do Undergraduate Marketing Majors Select Marketing as a Business Major? Evidence from Australasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pappu, Ravi

2004-01-01

This research examines the reasons behind marketing majors' decision to select marketing as a major, where students have the option to select more than one major toward their undergraduate degree. Results of surveys conducted at two universities, one in Australia and one in New Zealand, provide some new findings as well as extending findings from…

Ethics education in undergraduate pre-health programs. The contribution of undergraduate colleges and universities to the ethical and moral development of future doctors in the medical and dental professions.

PubMed

Erratt, Tamie D

2011-08-01

There are many barriers to ethics education of students attending medical and dental schools. The question is asked, "Should more attention be given to addressing students' ethics education during their undergraduate years of preparation for professional healthcare programs?" This qualitative study utilizes digitally recorded personal interviews with two undergraduate pre-healthcare students, one medical student, one recently matriculated dental student, one undergraduate pre-healthcare faculty member, three dental school faculty members, and three medical school faculty members. Interview participants discuss areas of personal knowledge and experience concerning: the admissions process and screening of potential medical/dental students for ethical traits and behaviors, influences on student ethical development, undergraduate pre-healthcare ethics training, and preferred college major for pre-healthcare students. The study concludes that undergraduate pre-healthcare programs should take the initiative to be proactive and deliberate in strengthening the positive influences on students. Strategies include: 1) humanities curricula to broaden perspectives and increase non-prejudice; 2) mentoring and modeling by older students, faculty, and community and professional volunteers; 3) ethical case study discussions in class or extracurricular activities; and 4) volunteer/service learning activities. Additionally, curriculum learning is enhanced by the use of reflection and writing, discussions, and media.

Incorporating Modern Piano Music into the Core Repertoire of Undergraduate Piano Majors: An Accessible and Manageable Syllabus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmonstone, Alastair Graham

2012-01-01

This dissertation will deal with the issue of incorporating modern piano music into the repertoire of piano students at the undergraduate degree level. For the purposes of this paper, it is assumed the students will be pursuing a major in music at a conservatory or university with piano as their instrument. In no way does this paper serve as an…

How Students Experience and Navigate Transitions in Undergraduate Medical Education: An Application of Bourdieu's Theoretical Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balmer, Dorene F.; Richards, Boyd F.; Varpio, Lara

2015-01-01

Using Bourdieu's theoretical model as a lens for analysis, we sought to understand how students experience the undergraduate medical education (UME) milieu, focusing on how they navigate transitions from the preclinical phase, to the major clinical year (MCY), and to the preparation for residency phase. Twenty-two medical students participated in…

Campus Eco Tours: An Integrative & Interactive Field Project for Undergraduate Biology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boes, Katie E.

2013-01-01

Outdoor areas within or near college campuses offer an opportunity for biology students to observe the natural world and apply concepts from class. Here, I describe an engaging and integrative project where undergraduate non-major biology students work in teams to develop and present professional "eco tours." This project takes place over multiple…

A Research Experience for American Indian Undergraduates: Utilizing an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to Examine the Student-Mentor Dyad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griese, Emily R.; McMahon, Tracey R.; Kenyon, DenYelle Baete

2017-01-01

The majority of research examining Undergraduate Research Experiences focuses singularly on student-reported outcomes, often overlooking assessment of the mentor role in student learning and outcomes after these experiences. The goal of the current study was to examine the student-mentor dyad at the beginning and end of a 10-week summer research…

Older Undergraduate English Majors and Their Self-Described Value of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Joseph W.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this multiple case study was to develop an understanding of what older nontraditional undergraduate English majors voiced as the challenges, attributes, and promises concerning their choice of that academic major. Ten participants took part in this study; these were students enrolled during the Spring 2012 semester as English majors…

Mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking behaviors among male college students.

PubMed

Rafal, Gregor; Gatto, Amy; DeBate, Rita

2018-01-01

Mental health literacy (MHL) is low in college-aged men potentially resulting in impaired mental wellbeing. This study assessed MHL, psychosocial determinants, and help-seeking behaviors among male university students. Male undergraduate and graduate students were surveyed in Spring 2017 (n = 1,242) at a large southeastern university in the United States. Preexisting validated scales for MHL, psychosocial determinants, and help-seeking intention were used in measurement and demographic variables were collected. T-tests and one-way ANOVA were performed to measure differences between groups. Participants showed low scores for all constructs with statistically significant differences between undergraduate and graduate students, as well as between races and major classifications. Undergraduate men had moderate MHL and low intentions to seek professional care. Interventions focusing on increasing mental health knowledge and improving beliefs can improve MHL among male college students. Further, interventions should be tailored for racial groups and major classifications.

Assessing the Perceived Value of Research Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanWormer, Lisa A.; Jordan, Erica F.; Blalock, Lisa Durrance

2014-01-01

Undergraduate psychology majors are encouraged to engage in research to improve understanding of research methods and increase research skills. This study examines the potential of volunteering as a research participant to increase student perceptions of knowledge and interest in research. Undergraduate students completed a survey regarding the…

Brain literate: making neuroscience accessible to a wider audience of undergraduates.

PubMed

Salomon, Danielle; Martin-Harris, Laurel; Mullen, Brian; Odegaard, Brian; Zvinyatskovskiy, Aleksey; Chandler, Scott H

2015-01-01

The ability to critically evaluate neuroscientific findings is a skill that is rapidly becoming important in non-science professions. As neuroscience research is increasingly being used in law, business, education, and politics, it becomes imperative to educate future leaders in all areas of society about the brain. Undergraduate general education courses are an ideal way to expose students to issues of critical importance, but non-science students may avoid taking a neuroscience course because of the perception that neuroscience is more challenging than other science courses. A recently developed general education cluster course at UCLA aims to make neuroscience more palatable to undergraduates by pairing neuroscientific concepts with philosophy and history, and by building a learning community that supports the development of core academic skills and intellectual growth over the course of a year. This study examined the extent to which the course was successful in delivering neuroscience education to a broader undergraduate community. The results indicate that a majority of students in the course mastered the basics of the discipline regardless of their major. Furthermore, 77% of the non-life science majors (approximately two-thirds of students in the course) indicated that they would not have taken an undergraduate neuroscience course if this one was not offered. The findings also demonstrate that the course helped students develop core academic skills and improved their ability to think critically about current events in neuroscience. Faculty reported that teaching the course was highly rewarding and did not require an inordinate amount of time.

Career Exploration among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouad, Nadya A.; Ghosh, Arpita; Chang, Wen-hsin; Figueiredo, Catia; Bachhuber, Thomas

2016-01-01

College is a significant time for undergraduates to declare majors and choose career paths. For many undergraduates, choosing both a major and a career path is challenging. Research shows that many universities deliver career interventions through dedicated career decision-making courses (Mead & Korschgen, 1994). However, there has been…

An Inquiry-Based Approach to Teaching Space Weather to Undergraduate Non-Science Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cade, W. B., III

2016-12-01

Undergraduate Space Weather education is an important component of creating a society that is knowledgeable about space weather and its societal impacts. The space physics community has made great strides in providing academic education for students, typically physics and engineering majors, who are interested in pursuing a career in the space sciences or space weather. What is rarely addressed, however, is providing a broader space weather education to undergraduate students as a whole. To help address this gap, I have created an introductory space weather course for non-science majors, with the idea of expanding exposure to space weather beyond the typical physics and engineering students. The philosophy and methodologies used in this course will be presented, as well as the results of the first attempts to teach it. Using an approach more tailored to the non-scientist, courses such as this can be an effective means of broadening space weather education and outreach.

Experiences Gained Creating a Biophysics Major at a Predominately Undergraduate Institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Link, Justin; Herbert, Steven

2014-03-01

Xavier University, a liberal arts predominately undergraduate institution (PUI) located in Cincinnati, OH, implemented a Biophysics major in the Department of Physics in spring 2012. The program is built upon foundational physics courses and is unique due to the possible selection of upper-division courses that students elect to take towards their undergraduate degree. A capstone course is offered to bring all prior knowledge in the fundamental sciences together to approach complex problems in biology. Due to the flexibility of the program, it serves students well who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees in Biophysics or Biomedical Engineering. It also offers students interested in the health professions an alternate path towards medical school which can be advantageous in the application process. This session will express some of the advantages and challenges to creating such a program at a liberal arts PUI and discuss the capstone course within the major.

Evaluation of a filmed clinical scenario as a teaching resource for an introductory pharmacology unit for undergraduate health students: A pilot study.

PubMed

East, Leah; Hutchinson, Marie

2015-12-01

Simulation is frequently being used as a learning and teaching resource for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, however reporting of the effectiveness of simulation particularly within the pharmacology context is scant. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a filmed simulated pharmacological clinical scenario as a teaching resource in an undergraduate pharmacological unit. Pilot cross-sectional quantitative survey. An Australian university. 32 undergraduate students completing a healthcare degree including nursing, midwifery, clinical science, health science, naturopathy, and osteopathy. As a part of an undergraduate online pharmacology unit, students were required to watch a filmed simulated pharmacological clinical scenario. To evaluate student learning, a measurement instrument developed from Bloom's cognitive domains (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation) was employed to assess pharmacological knowledge conceptualisation and knowledge application within the following fields: medication errors; medication adverse effects; medication interactions; and, general pharmacology. The majority of participants were enrolled in an undergraduate nursing or midwifery programme (72%). Results demonstrated that the majority of nursing and midwifery students (56.52%) found the teaching resource complementary or more useful compared to a lecture although less so compared to a tutorial. Students' self-assessment of learning according to Bloom's cognitive domains indicated that the filmed scenario was a valuable learning tool. Analysis of variance indicated that health science students reported higher levels of learning compared to midwifery and nursing. Students' self-report of the learning benefits of a filmed simulated clinical scenario as a teaching resource suggest enhanced critical thinking skills and knowledge conceptualisation regarding pharmacology, in addition to being useful and complementary to other teaching and learning methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mathematics, Race, and Space: An Investigation into the Construction of Mathematics Achievement Identities of Black Undergraduate Students at the University of Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClain, Oren Leondus

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the phenomenon of the ways in which Black undergraduate students, majoring in mathematics intensive disciplines, at the University of Virginia construct mathematics achievement identities. Specifically, this study sought to identify and examine factors that impacted these students' identity construction…

Designing Learning Strategy to Improve Undergraduate Students' Problem Solving in Derivatives and Integrals: A Conceptual Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hashemi, Nourooz; Abu, Mohd Salleh; Kashefi, Hamidreza; Mokhtar, Mahani; Rahimi, Khadijeh

2015-01-01

Derivatives and integrals are two important concepts of calculus which are precondition topics for most of mathematics courses and other courses in different fields of studies. A majority of students at the undergraduate level have to master derivatives and integrals if they want to be successful in their studies However, students encounter…

Enticing Students to Enter into Undergraduate Research: The Instrumentality of an Undergraduate Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S.; Johnson, Melissa L.

2010-01-01

To encourage students to seek research opportunities with campus faculty, one large university in the Southeast created a course entitled Science for All. A major goal of the course was to encourage students to work directly with faculty on research projects of their interest. Overall, the findings show that some of the participants began to…

Marketing Internships: How Values and Search Strategies Differ across the Student-Employer Dyad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Scott R.; Tomkovick, Chuck

2012-01-01

This study identifies the value undergraduate marketing students are placing on various aspects of a marketing internship and compares the relative importance that internship providers place on these same factors. Results were obtained by surveying 140 internship providers and 336 undergraduate marketing majors. Internship providers rated…

Can Undergraduates Be Transdisciplinary? Promoting Transdisciplinary Engagement through Global Health Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hay, M. Cameron

2017-01-01

Undergraduate student learning focuses on the development of disciplinary strength in majors and minors so that students gain depth in particular fields, foster individual expertise, and learn problem solving from disciplinary perspectives. However, the complexities of real-world problems do not respect disciplinary boundaries. Complex problems…

A Framework for Teaching Social and Environmental Sustainability to Undergraduate Business Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brumagim, Alan L.; Cann, Cynthia W.

2012-01-01

The authors outline an undergraduate exercise to help students more fully understand the environmental and social justice aspects of business sustainability activities. A simple hierarchical framework, based on Maslow's (1943) work, was utilized to help the students understand, analyze, and judge the vast amount of corporate sustainability…

Undergraduate Student Preferences for Graduate Training in Psychology: Implications for School Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stinnett, Terry A.; Bui, Levita; Capaccioli, Kristen

2013-01-01

There continues to be a critical shortage of school psychologist practitioners and academicians. Undergraduate students in psychology, education, and other majors (N = 674) from a large comprehensive university in the southwest completed an examiner-made web-based questionnaire designed to assess their attitudes and preferences for choosing…

Skill-Related Fitness of Undergraduate Kinesiology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spaniol, Frank J.; Jarrett, Lindsey M.; Ocker, Liette B.; Bonnette, Randy A.; Melrose, Don R.

2013-01-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate the skill-related fitness levels of undergraduate kinesiology majors in relation to the general population of college students of the same age, to investigate whether a difference exists between females and males in overall performance, and to examine the relationship between fitness and kinesiology…

Integrated Laboratories: Laying the Foundation for Undergraduate Research Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillner, Debra K.; Ferrante, Robert F.; Fitzgerald, Jeffrey P.; Schroeder, Maria J.

2011-01-01

Interest in undergraduate student research has grown in response to initiatives from various professional societies and educational organizations. Participation in research changes student attitudes towards courses as they realize the utility and relevance of what they are learning. At the U.S. Naval Academy, the chemistry majors' curriculum was…

Dynamic Assessment, Tutor Mediation and Academic Writing Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrestha, Prithvi; Coffin, Caroline

2012-01-01

Supporting undergraduate students with their academic literacies has recently been a major focus in higher education in the UK. This paper explores the value of tutor mediation in the context of academic writing development among undergraduate business studies students in open and distance learning, following the dynamic assessment (DA) approach…

Investigation of the Factors That Influence Undergraduate Student Chemistry Course Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinds, Elsa M.; Shultz, Ginger V.

2018-01-01

The introductory chemistry sequence is a common pathway for undergraduates pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and prehealth careers. Student's academic decision-making has far-reaching consequences for their trajectory, including persistence in the major and ultimate career choice. This phenomenon was studied using a survey…

The Assessment of the Impact of REU Programs on Student Classroom Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Chris

2009-03-01

Supporters of undergraduate research claim that the research experience enhances the success of students in their classes and promotes their progress toward completing a science major. Since there are many other variables that can influence a student's progress through a curriculum, it is frequently difficult to compare students from undergraduate research programs with a suitable control group. At James Madison University, a significant number of chemistry and physics majors participate in summer REU programs on campus. However, since JMU is among the top 10% of undergraduate institutions in the US in undergraduate physics enrollment, there are also a significant number who choose not to stay on campus for summer research. Using several years worth of data, we have determined the change in the GPAs of REU students (N=75) from the semester before the REU to the semester after the REU and compared these with the students who did not participate in summer research (N=663). We have found that the REU students' average GPA increased by a statistically significant amount while the non-REU students' average GPA was unchanged to within a standard deviation. We will also discuss other assessment methods used at JMU and some of the limitations in the interpretation of this study.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cleveland, Lacy

High attrition among undergraduate Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors has led national and business leaders in the United States to call for both research and educational reform within the collegiate STEM classrooms. Included among suggestions for reform are ideas to improve retention of first-year students and to improve critical thinking and depth of knowledge, instead of covering large quantities of materials. Past research on graphic organizers suggest these tools assist students in learning information and facilitate conceptual and critical thinking. Despite their widespread use in high school science departments, collegiate humanities departments, and even medical schools, their use is considerably less prevalent in the undergraduate biology classroom. In addition to their lack of use, little research has been conducted on their academic benefits in the collegiate classroom. Based on national calls for improving retention among undergraduate STEM majors and research suggesting that academic success during an individual first major's related course highly determine if that individual will continue on in their intended major, the researcher of this dissertation chose to conduct research on an introductory general biology class. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the research in this dissertation examines the effectiveness of graphic organizers in promoting academic success and also examines their influence on student attitudes. This research is grounded in the theories of constructivism and cognitive load theory. Constructivism suggests that individuals must build their knowledge from their personal experiences, while the cognitive load theory recognizes the limited nature of one's working memory and suggests that instructional practices minimize cognitive overload. The results of this dissertation suggest that the use of graphic organizers in an undergraduate general biology classroom can increase students' academic success when the cognitive load is high; however, when the instructors make effort to reduce cognitive load, while providing the students an opportunity to participate in metacognitive activities and to engage their germane working memory, graphic organizers do not provide an additional benefit to the students.

Impact of Media on Major Choice: Survey of Communication Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoag, Anne; Grant, August E.; Carpenter, Serena

2017-01-01

Popular and news media sources may play a key role in influencing undergraduate choice of major, yet their unique impact has not been investigated. Most research has focused on the influence of unmediated salient referents, such as parents, on students' major choices. Therefore, we developed a scale to examine the role of media professionals and…

To Stay or Leave: Factors That Impact Undergraduate Women's Persistence in Science Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gayles, Joy Gaston; Ampaw, Frim

2016-01-01

This study examined factors that influenced undergraduates' decision to enter, leave, or stay within science majors. In addition, we sought to understand if such decisions differed by gender and type of science major. Using Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) longitudinal survey data, we found that women were less likely to select a science…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBride, Duncan

2015-03-01

NSF has supported a wide range of projects in physics that involve undergraduate students. These projects include NSF research grants in which undergraduates participate; Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) centers and supplements; and education grants that range from upper-division labs that may include research, to curriculum development for upper- and lower-level courses and labs, to courses for non-majors, to Physics Education Research (PER). The NSF Divisions of Physics, Materials Research, and Astronomy provide most of the disciplinary research support, with some from other parts of NSF. I recently retired as the permanent physicist in NSF's Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE), which supports the education grants. I was responsible for a majority of DUE's physics grants and was involved with others overseen by a series of physics rotators. There I worked in programs entitled Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI); Course and Curriculum Development (CCD); Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI); Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education (TUES); and Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE). NSF support has enabled physics Principal Investigators to change and improve substantially the way physics is taught and the way students learn physics. The most important changes are increased undergraduate participation in physics research; more teaching using interactive engagement methods in classes; and growth of PER as a legitimate field of physics research as well as outcomes from PER that guide physics teaching. In turn these have led, along with other factors, to students who are better-prepared for graduate school and work, and to increases in the number of undergraduate physics majors. In addition, students in disciplines that physics directly supports, notably engineering and chemistry, and increasingly biology, are better and more broadly prepared to use their physics education in these fields. I will describe NSF support for undergraduate physics with both statistics and examples. In addition I will talk about trends in support for undergraduate physics at NSF and speculate about directions such support might go. Contents of this paper reflect the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.

Selection of Undergraduate Majors by High Ability Students: Sex Differences and the Attrition of Science Majors. ASHE 1987 Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovely, Richard

The relative participation of high ability male and female college students as natural science majors and attrition of these students from the sciences to other majors were studied at a highly selective, comprehensive research university. Of concern were the following major fields: biology, microbiology, biophysics, premedicine, astronomy,…

Guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major: Version 2.0.

PubMed

2016-01-01

The APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major: Version 2.0 (henceforth Guidelines 2.0; APA, 2013) represents a national effort to describe and develop high-quality undergraduate programs in psychology. The task force charged with the revision of the original guidelines for the undergraduate major examined the success of the document's implementation and made changes to reflect emerging best practices and to integrate psychology's work with benchmarking scholarship in higher education. Guidelines 2.0 abandoned the original distinction drawn between psychology-focused skills and psychology skills that enhance liberal arts development. Instead, Guidelines 2.0 describes five inclusive goals for the undergraduate psychology major and two developmental levels of student learning outcomes. Suggestions for assessment planning are provided for each of the five learning goals. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

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

PubMed

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

2017-01-01

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

Assessment of a Competency-Based Undergraduate Course on Genetic and Genomics.

PubMed

Kronk, Rebecca; Colbert, Alison; Lengetti, Evelyn

2017-08-24

In response to new demands in the nursing profession, an innovative undergraduate genetics course was designed based on the Essential Nursing Competencies and Curricula Guidelines for Genetics and Genomics. Reflective journaling and storytelling were used as major pedagogies, alongside more traditional approaches. Thematic content analysis of student reflections revealed transformational learning as the major theme emerging from genomic and genetic knowledge acquisition. Quantitative analyses of precourse/postcourse student self-assessments of competencies revealed significant findings.

Teaching Old French Literature to Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Harry E.

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

An Introductory Research Experience in Mathematics for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, William W.; Webster, Jonathan E.; Wilson, Christopher James

2017-01-01

This paper offers a strategic initiative designed to boost the level of collaborative mathematical research involving undergraduate mathematics students at Butler University. It describes goals, program design, logistics, and outcomes for an 8-day intensive summer experience in which undergraduate mathematics majors engaged in original…

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

PubMed

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

2015-03-11

Learning styles and approaches of individual undergraduate medical students vary considerably and as a consequence, their learning needs also differ from one student to another. This study was conducted to identify different learning styles and approaches of pre-clinical, undergraduate medical students and also to determine the relationships of learning preferences with performances in the summative examinations. A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 419 pre-clinical, undergraduate medical students of the International Medical University (IMU) in Kuala Lumpur. The number of students from Year 2 was 217 while that from Year 3 was 202. The Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, Kinesthetic (VARK) and the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) questionnaires were used for data collection. This study revealed that 343 students (81.9%) had unimodal learning style, while the remaining 76 (18.1%) used a multimodal learning style. Among the unimodal learners, a majority (30.1%) were of Kinesthetic (K) type. Among the middle and high achievers in summative examinations, a majority had unimodal (Kinaesthetic) learning style (30.5%) and were also strategic/deep learners (79.4%). However, the learning styles and approaches did not contribute significantly towards the learning outcomes in summative examinations. A majority of the students in this study had Unimodal (Kinesthetic) learning style. The learning preferences (styles and approaches) did not contribute significantly to the learning outcomes. Future work to re-assess the viability of these learning preferences (styles and approaches) after the incorporation of teaching-learning instructions tailored specifically to the students will be beneficial to help medical teachers in facilitating students to become more capable learners.

Undergraduate basic science preparation for dental school.

PubMed

Humphrey, Sue P; Mathews, Robert E; Kaplan, Alan L; Beeman, Cynthia S

2002-11-01

In the Institute of Medicines report Dental Education at the Crossroads, it was suggested that dental schools across the country move toward integrated basic science education for dental and medical students in their curricula. To do so, dental school admission requirements and recommendations must be closely reviewed to ensure that students are adequately prepared for this coursework. The purpose of our study was twofold: 1) to identify student dentists' perceptions of their predental preparation as it relates to course content, and 2) to track student dentists' undergraduate basic science course preparation and relate that to DAT performance, basic science course performance in dental school, and Part I and Part II National Board performance. In the first part of the research, a total of ninety student dentists (forty-five from each class) from the entering classes of 1996 and 1997 were asked to respond to a survey. The survey instrument was distributed to each class of students after each completed the largest basic science class given in their second-year curriculum. The survey investigated the area of undergraduate major, a checklist of courses completed in their undergraduate preparation, the relevance of the undergraduate classes to the block basic science courses, and the strength of requiring or recommending the listed undergraduate courses as a part of admission to dental school. Results of the survey, using frequency analysis, indicate that students felt that the following classes should be required, not recommended, for admission to dental school: Microbiology 70 percent, Biochemistry 54.4 percent, Immunology 57.78 percent, Anatomy 50 percent, Physiology 58.89 percent, and Cell Biology 50 percent. The second part of the research involved anonymously tracking undergraduate basic science preparation of the same students with DAT scores, the grade received in a representative large basic science course, and Part I and Part II National Board performance. Using T-test analysis correlations, results indicate that having completed multiple undergraduate basic science courses (as reported by AADSAS BCP hours) did not significantly (p < .05) enhance student performance in any of these parameters. Based on these results, we conclude that student dentists with undergraduate preparation in science and nonscience majors can successfully negotiate the dental school curriculum, even though the students themselves would increase admission requirements to include more basic science courses than commonly required. Basically, the students' recommendations for required undergraduate basic science courses would replicate the standard basic science coursework found in most dental schools: anatomy, histology, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, and immunology plus the universal foundation course of biology.

Green Chemistry and Sustainability: An Undergraduate Course for Science and Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Erin M.

2013-01-01

An undergraduate lecture course in Green Chemistry and Sustainability has been developed and taught to a "multidisciplinary" group of science and nonscience majors. The course introduced students to the topics of green chemistry and sustainability and also immersed them in usage of the scientific literature. Through literature…

Emphasizing Research (Further) in Undergraduate Technical Communication Curricula: Involving Undergraduate Students with an Academic Journal's Publication and Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Julie Dyke; Newmark, Julianne

2011-01-01

This article presents follow-up information to a previous publication regarding ways to increase emphasis on research skills in undergraduate Technical Communication curricula. We detail the ways our undergraduate program highlights research by requiring majors to complete senior thesis projects that culminate in submission to an online…

An examination of variables which influence high school students to enroll in an undergraduate engineering or physical science major

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, Christopher H.

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables which influence a high school student to enroll in an engineering discipline versus a physical science discipline. Data was collected utilizing the High School Activities, Characteristics, and Influences Survey, which was administered to students who were freshmen in an engineering or physical science major at an institution in the Southeastern United States. A total of 413 students participated in the survey. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, two-sample Wilcoxon tests, and binomial logistic regression techniques. A total of 29 variables were deemed significant between the general engineering and physical science students. The 29 significant variables were further analyzed to see which have an independent impact on a student to enroll in an undergraduate engineering program, as opposed to an undergraduate physical science program. Four statistically significant variables were found to have an impact on a student's decision to enroll in a engineering undergraduate program versus a physical science program: father's influence, participation in Project Lead the Way, and the subjects of mathematics and physics. Recommendations for theory, policy, and practice were discussed based on the results of the study. This study presented suggestions for developing ways to attract, educate, and move future engineers into the workforce.

Perception Bias among Undergraduate Business Students by Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlee, Regina Pefanis; Curren, Mary T.; Harich, Katrin R.; Kiesler, Tina

2007-01-01

In this article, the authors examined business students' perceptions of themselves and their peers of the same and different majors on several traditional dimensions of academic performance and personal characteristics. The authors found that business students exhibited substantial perceptual biases in their perceptions of students in a major…

A unique large-scale undergraduate research experience in molecular systems biology for non-mathematics majors.

PubMed

Kappler, Ulrike; Rowland, Susan L; Pedwell, Rhianna K

2017-05-01

Systems biology is frequently taught with an emphasis on mathematical modeling approaches. This focus effectively excludes most biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology students, who are not mathematics majors. The mathematical focus can also present a misleading picture of systems biology, which is a multi-disciplinary pursuit requiring collaboration between biochemists, bioinformaticians, and mathematicians. This article describes an authentic large-scale undergraduate research experience (ALURE) in systems biology that incorporates proteomics, bacterial genomics, and bioinformatics in the one exercise. This project is designed to engage students who have a basic grounding in protein chemistry and metabolism and no mathematical modeling skills. The pedagogy around the research experience is designed to help students attack complex datasets and use their emergent metabolic knowledge to make meaning from large amounts of raw data. On completing the ALURE, participants reported a significant increase in their confidence around analyzing large datasets, while the majority of the cohort reported good or great gains in a variety of skills including "analysing data for patterns" and "conducting database or internet searches." An environmental scan shows that this ALURE is the only undergraduate-level system-biology research project offered on a large-scale in Australia; this speaks to the perceived difficulty of implementing such an opportunity for students. We argue however, that based on the student feedback, allowing undergraduate students to complete a systems-biology project is both feasible and desirable, even if the students are not maths and computing majors. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(3):235-248, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Retaining Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Jessica; Mazur, Eric

2013-01-01

In this paper we present results relating undergraduate student retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors to the use of Peer Instruction (PI) in an introductory physics course at a highly selective research institution. We compare the percentages of students who switch out of a STEM major after taking a physics…

Promoting Information Systems Major to Undergraduate Students--A Comprehensive Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Lei; Zhang, Chi; Zheng, Guangzhi

2014-01-01

Weak enrollment growth has been a concern for many Information Systems (IS) programs in recent years although the IT/IS job market remains strong. Stimulating undergraduate students' interest to IS programs have been a challenge. In this paper, the researchers took a comprehensive approach to study how to effectively promote a Management…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Joe C.; Johnstone, Jennifer

2018-01-01

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

Lessons Learned from Undergraduate Students in Designing a Science-Based Course in Bioethics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loike, John D.; Rush, Brittany S.; Schweber, Adam; Fischbach, Ruth L.

2013-01-01

Columbia University offers two innovative undergraduate science-based bioethics courses for student majoring in biosciences and pre-health studies. The goals of these courses are to introduce future scientists and healthcare professionals to the ethical questions they will confront in their professional lives, thus enabling them to strategically…

Who Leaves, Who Stays? Psychological Predictors of Undergraduate Chemistry Students' Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shedlosky-Shoemaker, Randi; Fautch, Jessica M.

2015-01-01

The number of undergraduate students completing degrees in STEM disciplines has been declining over the last few decades. With a growing body of research considering what predicts persistence in STEM fields, one approach is to consider individual differences as predictors of attrition in the major. The current study utilized a variety of…

Can One Undergraduate Course Increase Cross-Cultural Competence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spitzer, Lois

2015-01-01

The majority of students who took this general education undergraduate course in developing cross-cultural understanding at a state college in the northeastern United States reported that their level of cross-cultural competence and global awareness increased by the end of the course. The primary course objective was to help students better…

Undergraduate Research Experiences: Mentoring, Awareness, and Perceptions--A Case Study at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodríguez Amaya, Laura; Betancourt, Tania; Collins, Kristina Henry; Hinojosa, Orlando; Corona, Carlos

2018-01-01

Background: Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have been proposed as means to increase the retention and engagement of minority--and more specifically Hispanic--college students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. This study explores the impact of student characteristics such as gender, classification,…

Learning Posts: A Pedagogical Experiment with Undergraduate Music Education Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Countryman, June

2012-01-01

This article describes the effects of a year-long reflective writing assignment--weekly Learning Posts--designed for students in an undergraduate music education course. I created this assignment to cause students to regularly interrogate the teaching and learning they experience in their own daily lives. This study's research question emerged…

Predicting Success for Actuarial Students in Undergraduate Mathematics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Richard Manning; Schumacher, Phyllis A.

2005-01-01

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

Experiences with the Development of an Undergraduate Degree in Ecohydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, L.; Walker, M.; Markee, N.

2014-12-01

In 2007, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science established the first undergraduate degree in Ecohydrology in the United States. The degree was designed to prepare students for careers as hydrologists while also including coursework equivalent to a minor in ecology (UNR does not officially offer a minor in ecology). The development of the major was intended to provide students with useful skills and training for the job market, and also to increase enrollment in the University's water-related undergraduate majors. The Department also established an Ecohydrology minor. Since the degree was established, average enrollment in the major has been almost two times higher than the previous Watershed Science option in Environmental Science (the closest comparable degree offering at UNR). The Department has graduated 19 students as of May 2014, and an additional 8 students have graduated with the Ecohydrology minor. Several Ecohydrology graduates have gone on to graduate degrees, and most of the remainder are employed in water-related areas. The students have established an Ecohydrology Club at UNR and are active in organizing water-related activities to do together. This presentation will describe the development of the degree, its implementation, and challenges and opportunities for carrying out an undergraduate degree in Ecohydrology. It will also discuss potential development of a 5-year Bachelor of Science-Master of Science (BS-MS) degree in Ecohydrology.

A Virtual Embedded Microcontroller Laboratory for Undergraduate Education: Development and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Jeffrey J.; Adamo-Villani, Nicoletta

2010-01-01

Laboratory instruction is a major component of the engineering and technology undergraduate curricula. Traditional laboratory instruction is hampered by several factors including limited access to resources by students and high laboratory maintenance cost. A photorealistic 3D computer-simulated laboratory for undergraduate instruction in…

Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors' Emotions about Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wachsmuth, Lucas P.; Runyon, Christopher R.; Drake, John M.; Dolan, Erin L.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of…

Gender in the Geosciences: Factors Supporting the Recruitment and Retention of Women in the Undergraduate Major

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riggs, E. M.; Sexton, J. M.; Pugh, K.; Bergstrom, C.; Parmley, R.; Phillips, M.

2014-12-01

The proportion of women earning undergraduate geoscience degrees has remained about 40% for over a decade. Little research has investigated why women select and persist in a geoscience major. This study addresses why students major in the geosciences and why some programs are more successful at recruiting and retaining female students. We collected interview and survey data from faculty and students at six public US universities. Four sites had a low proportion of female degree recipients (< 38%) and two sites had a high proportion of female degree recipients (> 48%). 408 students (64% female) completed surveys. Interviews were conducted with 49 faculty members and 151 students. Survey data analysis showed that interest/identity and transformative experiences were significant predictors of students' decision to major in geoscience. Institutional barriers and supports were significant predictors of confidence in the major while connection to instructor predicted students' intent to major. Analysis of pre- and post-course surveys show that students with a greater connection to instructors and students whose instructors expressed more passion for the content also reported higher levels of transformative experiences. This effect was especially pronounced for women and was a significant predictor of persistence in the major. Qualitative data show differences in departmental practices and climate between low and high female graduation sites. High sites used many student-centered approaches to teaching, had extensive opportunities for and a high number of undergraduate students involved in research, and had many opportunities for faculty-student interaction outside of class. Low sites had few of these practices. Qualitative data also showed differences in the gendered equity climate between high and low sites. High sites had more positive gender equity climates and low sites had more negative gender equity climates. At this time, we do not fully understand the causal relationships among all of these findings and higher female graduation rates, but this research is ongoing and these relationships are a focus of our final year of this research project.

Learning styles and approaches to learning among medical undergraduates and postgraduates

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The challenge of imparting a large amount of knowledge within a limited time period in a way it is retained, remembered and effectively interpreted by a student is considerable. This has resulted in crucial changes in the field of medical education, with a shift from didactic teacher centered and subject based teaching to the use of interactive, problem based, student centered learning. This study tested the hypothesis that learning styles (visual, auditory, read/write and kinesthetic) and approaches to learning (deep, strategic and superficial) differ among first and final year undergraduate medical students, and postgraduates medical trainees. Methods We used self administered VARK and ASSIST questionnaires to assess the differences in learning styles and approaches to learning among medical undergraduates of the University of Colombo and postgraduate trainees of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo. Results A total of 147 participated: 73 (49.7%) first year students, 40 (27.2%) final year students and 34(23.1%) postgraduate students. The majority (69.9%) of first year students had multimodal learning styles. Among final year students, the majority (67.5%) had multimodal learning styles, and among postgraduates, the majority were unimodal (52.9%) learners. Among all three groups, the predominant approach to learning was strategic. Postgraduates had significant higher mean scores for deep and strategic approaches than first years or final years (p < 0.05). Mean scores for the superficial approach did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions The learning approaches suggest a positive shift towards deep and strategic learning in postgraduate students. However a similar difference was not observed in undergraduate students from first year to final year, suggesting that their curriculum may not have influenced learning methodology over a five year period. PMID:23521845

Learning styles and approaches to learning among medical undergraduates and postgraduates.

PubMed

Samarakoon, Lasitha; Fernando, Tharanga; Rodrigo, Chaturaka

2013-03-25

The challenge of imparting a large amount of knowledge within a limited time period in a way it is retained, remembered and effectively interpreted by a student is considerable. This has resulted in crucial changes in the field of medical education, with a shift from didactic teacher centered and subject based teaching to the use of interactive, problem based, student centered learning. This study tested the hypothesis that learning styles (visual, auditory, read/write and kinesthetic) and approaches to learning (deep, strategic and superficial) differ among first and final year undergraduate medical students, and postgraduates medical trainees. We used self administered VARK and ASSIST questionnaires to assess the differences in learning styles and approaches to learning among medical undergraduates of the University of Colombo and postgraduate trainees of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo. A total of 147 participated: 73 (49.7%) first year students, 40 (27.2%) final year students and 34(23.1%) postgraduate students. The majority (69.9%) of first year students had multimodal learning styles. Among final year students, the majority (67.5%) had multimodal learning styles, and among postgraduates, the majority were unimodal (52.9%) learners.Among all three groups, the predominant approach to learning was strategic. Postgraduates had significant higher mean scores for deep and strategic approaches than first years or final years (p < 0.05). Mean scores for the superficial approach did not differ significantly between groups. The learning approaches suggest a positive shift towards deep and strategic learning in postgraduate students. However a similar difference was not observed in undergraduate students from first year to final year, suggesting that their curriculum may not have influenced learning methodology over a five year period.

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

PubMed

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

2012-06-01

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

Ethnicity matters for undergraduate majors in challenges, experiences, and perceptions of psychology.

PubMed

Lott, Bernice; Rogers, Margaret R

2011-04-01

In this investigation of a national sample of undergraduate psychology majors, we directly compare the experiences and perceptions of students of color with those of European Americans. Our aim was to identify factors that might contribute to our discipline's educational pipeline, in which the relative lack of ethnic diversity is a recognized problem. We found that students of color and European American majors are similar in a number of ways but also different in others. Students of color are challenged by less encouragement from and interaction with faculty, perceive a lack of respect, and wish to see more attention to diversity in curriculum, research, faculty, and textbooks. It is not surprising that students of color were significantly less satisfied than European Americans with their studies in psychology.

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

PubMed

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

2018-01-01

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

Making Data Management Accessible in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisner, Barbara A.; Vaughan, K. T. L.; Shorish, Yasmeen L.

2014-01-01

In the age of "big data" science, data management is becoming a key information literacy skill for chemistry professionals. To introduce this skill in the undergraduate chemistry major, an activity has been developed to familiarize undergraduates with data management. In this activity, students rename and organize cards that represent…

Reforming an Undergraduate Environmental Science Course for Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazempour, Mahsa; Amirshokoohi, Aidin

2013-01-01

This article discusses the key components of a reform-based introductory undergraduate environmental science course for nonscience majors and elementary teacher candidates as well as the impact of such components on the participants. The main goals for the course were to actively engage the students in their learning and, in doing so, to enhance…

Geologic Problem Solving in the Field: Analysis of Field Navigation and Mapping by Advanced Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riggs, Eric M.; Lieder, Christopher C.; Ballliet, Russell

2009-01-01

Field instruction is a critical piece of undergraduate geoscience majors' education, and fieldwork remains a major part of the work of professional geologists. Despite the central importance of field education, there exists relatively little educational research exploring how students learn to solve problems in geological fieldwork. This study…

A Multi-Institution Exploration of Secondary Socialization and Occupational Identity among Undergraduate Music Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, James R.; Isbell, Daniel S.; Russell, Joshua A.

2012-01-01

Researchers are increasingly interested in the psychological and sociological processes by which college students develop competence and confidence as musicians. We surveyed 454 undergraduate music majors enrolled in one of three NASM-accredited music schools in the US. Participants completed a questionnaire that addressed beliefs about…

Better Understanding of Homologous Recombination through a 12-Week Laboratory Course for Undergraduates Majoring in Biotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Ming; Shen, Xiaodong; Zhao, Yan; Hu, Xiaomei; Hu, Fuquan; Rao, Xiancai

2017-01-01

Homologous recombination, a central concept in biology, is defined as the exchange of DNA strands between two similar or identical nucleotide sequences. Unfortunately, undergraduate students majoring in biotechnology often experience difficulties in understanding the molecular basis of homologous recombination. In this study, we developed and…

Do Gender-Science Stereotypes Predict Science Identification and Science Career Aspirations among Undergraduate Science Majors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cundiff, Jessica L.; Vescio, Theresa K.; Loken, Eric; Lo, Lawrence

2013-01-01

The present research examined whether gender-science stereotypes were associated with science identification and, in turn, science career aspirations among women and men undergraduate science majors. More than 1,700 students enrolled in introductory science courses completed measures of gender-science stereotypes (implicit associations and…

High Performers in Marketing and Advertising Majors: Do Their Perceptions of Business Programs Differ from Their Peers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Ann D.; Woosley, Sherry A.

2013-01-01

This study examined the perceptions of high performing undergraduate students in marketing and advertising majors. Specifically, it examined the relationships among three levels of student performance and student satisfaction with their business programs and learning outcomes. High performing students were more satisfied with their programs and…

SPIN-UP and Preparing Undergraduate Physics Majors for Careers in Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howes, Ruth

2011-03-01

Seven years ago, the Strategic Programs for Innovations in Undergraduate Physics (SPIN-UP) Report produced by the National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics identified several key characteristics of thriving undergraduate physics departments including steps these departments had taken to prepare students better for careers in industry. Today statistical data from AIP shows that almost 40% of students graduating with a degree in physics seek employment as soon as they graduate. Successful undergraduate physics programs have taken steps to adapt their rigorous physics programs to ensure that graduating seniors have the skills they need to enter the industrial workplace as well as to go on to graduate school in physics. Typical strategies noted during a series of SPIN-UP workshops funded by a grant from NSF to APS, AAPT, and AIP include flexible curricula, early introduction of undergraduates to research techniques, revised laboratory experiences that provide students with skills they need to move directly into jobs, and increased emphasis on ``soft'' skills such as communication and team work. Despite significant success, undergraduate programs face continuing challenges in preparing students to work in industry, most significantly the fact that there is no job called ``physicist'' at the undergraduate level. supported by grant NSF DUE-0741560.

Science Café Course: An Innovative Means of Improving Communication Skills of Undergraduate Biology Majors

PubMed Central

Goldina, Anna; Weeks, Ophelia I.

2014-01-01

To help bridge the increasing gap between scientists and the public, we developed an innovative two-semester course called Science Café. In this course, undergraduate biology majors learn to develop communication skills to be better able to explain science concepts and current developments in science to non-scientists. Students develop and host outreach events on various topics relevant to the community, thereby increasing interactions between budding scientists and the public. Such a Science Café course emphasizes development of science communication skills early, at the undergraduate level, and empowers students to use their science knowledge in everyday interactions with the public to increase science literacy, get involved in the local community and engage the public in a dialogue on various pressing science issues. We believe that undergraduate science majors can be great ambassadors for science and are often overlooked since many aspire to go on to medical/veterinary/pharmacy schools. However, science communication skills are especially important for these types of students because when they become healthcare professionals, they will interact with the public as part of their everyday jobs and can thus be great representatives for the field. PMID:24839510

Science café course: an innovative means of improving communication skills of undergraduate biology majors.

PubMed

Goldina, Anna; Weeks, Ophelia I

2014-05-01

To help bridge the increasing gap between scientists and the public, we developed an innovative two-semester course called Science Café. In this course, undergraduate biology majors learn to develop communication skills to be better able to explain science concepts and current developments in science to non-scientists. Students develop and host outreach events on various topics relevant to the community, thereby increasing interactions between budding scientists and the public. Such a Science Café course emphasizes development of science communication skills early, at the undergraduate level, and empowers students to use their science knowledge in everyday interactions with the public to increase science literacy, get involved in the local community and engage the public in a dialogue on various pressing science issues. We believe that undergraduate science majors can be great ambassadors for science and are often overlooked since many aspire to go on to medical/veterinary/pharmacy schools. However, science communication skills are especially important for these types of students because when they become healthcare professionals, they will interact with the public as part of their everyday jobs and can thus be great representatives for the field.

Students' Choice of College Major and Their Perceived Fairness of the Procedure: Evidence from Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yazici, Sedat; Yazici, Asli

2010-01-01

This study investigated the relative influence of factors and persons in college major choice and procedural justice perceptions of 449 undergraduate students enrolled in 1 private and 2 public universities in Turkey. Results showed that students found themselves to be the most influential person in their choice of college major, followed by…

Midwestern Millennial University Students' Tolerance for Ambiguity in a Period of Complex World Conflicts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahdi, Ghada S.

2012-01-01

Though age and gender do not affect students' knowledge of global issues and associated ambiguity, the academic major of undergraduates did. Students' combined perceptions on knowledge of these issues and their associated ambiguities varied among the four academic groups of majors. Unlike teacher education majors and in combined other majors…

Gender, College Major Selections, Classifications within Majors, and Its Relationship with Locus of Control: An Empirical Evidence for Counseling Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jemi-Alade, Tunji

2008-01-01

To help counselors develop strategies to enhance students' social, personal, and psychological well-being, this research provides an understanding of how students perceive their environment. Specifically examining graduate and undergraduate students, the researcher was concerned with ascertaining the effect of the college-major variable (Business…

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

The present study addressed concerns over the high risk of university students' academic failure. It examined how perceived academic control and academic emotions predict undergraduate students' academic success, conceptualized as both low dropout intention and high achievement (indicated by GPA). A cross-sectional survey was administered to 883 undergraduate students across all disciplines of a German STEM orientated university. The study additionally compared freshman students (N = 597) vs. second-year students (N = 286). Using structural equation modeling, for the overall sample of undergraduate students we found that perceived academic control positively predicted enjoyment and achievement, as well as negatively predicted boredom and anxiety. The prediction of dropout intention by perceived academic control was fully mediated via anxiety. When taking perceived academic control into account, we found no specific impact of enjoyment or boredom on the intention to dropout and no specific impact of all three academic emotions on achievement. The multi-group analysis showed, however, that perceived academic control, enjoyment, and boredom among second-year students had a direct relationship with dropout intention. A major contribution of the present study was demonstrating the important roles of perceived academic control and anxiety in undergraduate students' academic success. Concerning corresponding institutional support and future research, the results suggested distinguishing incoming from advanced undergraduate students. PMID:28326043

Methods of teaching the physics of climate change in undergraduate physics courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadler, Michael

2015-04-01

Although anthropogenic climate change is generally accepted in the scientific community, there is considerable skepticism among the general population and, therefore, in undergraduate students of all majors. Students are often asked by their peers, family members, and others, whether they ``believe'' climate change is occurring and what should be done about it (if anything). I will present my experiences and recommendations for teaching the physics of climate change to both physics and non-science majors. For non-science majors, the basic approach is to try to develop an appreciation for the scientific method (particularly peer-reviewed research) in a course on energy and the environment. For physics majors, the pertinent material is normally covered in their undergraduate courses in modern physics and thermodynamics. Nevertheless, it helps to review the basics, e.g. introductory quantum mechanics (discrete energy levels of atomic systems), molecular spectroscopy, and blackbody radiation. I have done this in a separate elective topics course, titled ``Physics of Climate Change,'' to help the students see how their knowledge gives them insight into a topic that is very volatile (socially and politically).

Teaching climate change in undergraduate courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadler, Michael

2013-04-01

Although anthropogenic climate change is generally accepted in the scientific community, there is considerable skepticism among the general population and, therefore, in undergraduate students of all majors. Students are often asked by their peers, family members, and others, whether they ``believe'' climate change is occurring and what should be done about it (if anything). I will present my experiences and recommendations for teaching the physics of climate change to both physics and non-science majors. For non-science majors, the basic approach is to try to develop an appreciation for the scientific method (particularly peer-reviewed research) in a course on energy and the environment. For physics majors, the pertinent material is normally covered in their undergraduate courses in modern physics and thermodynamics. Nevertheless, it helps to review the basics, e.g. introductory quantum mechanics (discrete energy levels of atomic systems), molecular spectroscopy, and blackbody radiation. I have done this in a separate elective topics course, titled ``Physics of Climate Change,'' to help the students see how their knowledge gives them insight into a topic that is very volatile (socially and politically).

Major Differences: Variations in Undergraduate and Graduate Student Mental Health and Treatment Utilization across Academic Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipson, Sarah Ketchen; Zhou, Sasha; Wagner, Blake, III; Beck, Katie; Eisenberg, Daniel

2016-01-01

This article explores variations in mental health and service utilization across academic disciplines using a random sample of undergraduate and graduate students (N = 64,519) at 81 colleges and universities. We report prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and self-injury, and rates of help-seeking across disciplines, including results…

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: A Model for Involving Undergraduates in Major Legacy Astronomy Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Higdon, Sarah; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Kornreich, David A.; Lebron, Mayra E.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; Alfalfa Team

2015-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The collaborative nature of the UAT allows faculty and students from a wide ​range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to develop scholarly collaborations. Components of the program include an annual undergraduate workshop at Arecibo Observatory, observing runs at Arecibo, computer infrastructure, summer and academic year research projects, and dissemination at national meetings (e.g., Alfvin et al., Martens et al., Sanders et al., this meeting). Through this model, faculty and students are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. In the 7 years of the program, 23 faculty and more than 220 undergraduate students have participated at a significant level. 40% of them have been women and members of underrepresented groups. Faculty, many of whom were new to the collaboration and had expertise in other fields, contribute their diverse sets of skills to ALFALFA ​related projects via observing, data reduction, collaborative research, and research with students. 142 undergraduate students have attended the annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 131 summer research projects and 94 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 62 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 46 have presented their results at national meetings. 93% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. Half of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST075267/0903394, AST0725380, and AST-1211005.

Developing leaders: implementation of a peer advising program for a public health sciences undergraduate program.

PubMed

Griffin, Megan; DiFulvio, Gloria T; Gerber, Daniel Shea

2014-01-01

Peer advising is an integral part of our undergraduate advising system in the Public Health Sciences major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The program was developed in 2009 to address the advising needs of a rapidly growing major that went from 25 to over 530 majors between 2007 and 2014. Each year, 9-12 top performing upper-level students are chosen through an intensive application process. A major goal of the program is to provide curriculum and career guidance to students in the major and empower students in their academic and professional pursuits. The year-long program involves several components, including: staffing the drop-in advising center, attending training seminars, developing and presenting workshops for students, meeting prospective students and families, evaluating ways to improve the program, and collaborating on self-directed projects. The peer advisors (PAs) also provide program staff insight into the needs and perspectives of students in the major. In turn, PAs gain valuable leadership and communication skills, and learn strategies for improving student success. The Peer Advising Program builds community and fosters personal and professional development for the PAs. In this paper, we will discuss the undergraduate peer advising model, the benefits and challenges of the program, and lessons learned. Several methods were used to understand the perceived benefits and challenges of the program and experiences of students who utilized the Peer Advising Center. The data for this evaluation were drawn from three sources: (1) archival records from the Peer Advising Center; (2) feedback from PAs who completed the year-long internship; and (3) a survey of students who utilized the Peer Advising Center. Results of this preliminary evaluation indicate that PAs gain valuable skills that they can carry into their professional world. The program is also a way to engage students in building community within the major.

Student Perceptions of the First Course in Accounting: Majors versus Non-Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tickell, Geoffrey; Lim, Tiong Kiong; Balachandran, Balasinghan

2012-01-01

This paper contributes to the continuing debate regarding the curriculum for the first undergraduate course in accounting by examining student perceptions from studying such a course. Participants are divided into two cohorts--Accounting & Finance Majors (AFM) and Other Business Majors (OBM). Results reported in this paper indicate that…

Understanding How Peer Mentoring and Capitalization Link Stem Students to Their Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Jonathan M.; Major, Debra A.; Orvis, Karin A.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the role of peer mentoring and voluntary self-development activities (i.e., capitalization) in anchoring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students to their college majors. Online data were collected from 214 undergraduate students. As hypothesized, mentoring was positively related to capitalization, and…

Role of the Undergraduate Student Research Assistant in the New Millennium

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

In this study, we analyze the contribution of the undergraduate student who participates in the process of generating scientific data and developing a research project using Brazilian research as an example. Historically, undergraduate students have performed the critical role of research assistants in developing countries. This aspect has been underappreciated as a means of generating scientific data in Brazilian research facilities. Brazilian educational institutions are facing major age-related generational changes among the science faculty within the next 5–10 yr. A lack of adequate support for graduate students leads to a concern that undergraduates will not be interested in choosing research assistant programs and, subsequently, academic research careers. To remedy this situation it is important to focus on ways to encourage new research careers and enhance university–industry collaborations. PMID:15592596

The characteristics of general practice and the attractiveness of working as a GP: medical students' views.

PubMed

Landstrom, Bjorn; Mattsson, Bengt; Nordin, Per; Rudebeck, Carl E

2014-03-15

The aim of the study was to investigate medical students' views on general practice based on their experiences in training, and to find out whether there were certain views associated with the intention to become a GP. A questionnaire, based on our earlier studies about GP working behaviour, was handed out to medical students in terms 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 11 of undergraduate studies in Gothenburg, Sweden. The analysis comprised statistical descriptions and comparisons. The students regarded general practice positively. They found the work environment good, the GP's awareness of patients' living conditions necessary, and that GP work requires medical breadth. The status of the GP in the medical profession was not considered high. One-fourth of the students strongly agreed with the possibility of a future as a GP. This attitude was statistically associated with support to the statements that general practice offers a good work environment and should be a major component in undergraduate training. Students with a negative attitude to working as GPs were also negative to having a major component of general practice in undergraduate training. Medical students with a positive stated attitude towards becoming GPs support changes in undergraduate training to include more general practice. The risk of increasing a negative attitude should be considered when changes are discussed.

Knowledge and attitude toward human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immuno deficiency syndrome among dental and medical undergraduate students

PubMed Central

Kumar, Vinod; Patil, Kavitha; Munoli, Karishma

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a major public health challenge. Unjustified calls for the isolation of patients with HIV infection might further constrain the potential for expansion of clinical services to deal with a greater number of such patients. This infectious illness can evoke irrational emotions and fears in health care providers. Keeping this in view, a study was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitudes related to HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) among dental and medical students. Methodology: Descriptive cross-sectional survey of the entire dental and medical undergraduate students from two colleges was carried out using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as percentage was used to present the data. Results: Ninety-eight percentage medical and dental undergraduate graduate students knew about HIV transmission in the hospital. Journals and internet were the leading source of information among both medical and dental undergraduates. The majority of respondents discussed HIV-related issues with their classmates. Surprisingly, 38% medical and 52% dental undergraduates think that HIV patient should be quarantined (isolation) to prevent the spread of infection. 68% medical and 60% dental undergraduates are willing to rendering dental/medical care to HIV-infected patients. Relatively large proportion (98%) of participants was willing to participate for HIV prevention program. Conclusion: The knowledge of medical and dental students is adequate, but the attitude needs improvement. Dental and medical students constitute a useful public health education resource. Comprehensive training, continuing education, and motivation will improve their knowledge and attitude, which enable them to provide better care to HIV patients. PMID:26538940

Human papillomavirus vaccine awareness, acceptability, and decision-making factors among Chinese college students.

PubMed

Wang, Shao-Ming; Zhang, Shao-Kai; Pan, Xiong-Fei; Ren, Ze-Fang; Yang, Chun-Xia; Wang, Zeng-Zhen; Gao, Xiao-Hong; Li, Man; Zheng, Quan-Qing; Ma, Wei; Zhao, Fang-Hui; Qiao, You-Lin; Sivasubramaniam, Priya

2014-01-01

College students are recommended as the target groups for catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Systematical exploration of awareness, acceptability, and decision-making factors of HPV vaccination among Chinese college students has been limited. A multi-center survey was conducted in mainland China between November 2011 and May 2012. College students aged 18-22 years were stratified by their grade, gender, and major for sampling. Socio-demographic and HPV-related information such as knowledge, perceptions, acceptability, and attitudes were collected through a questionnaire. A total of 3,497 undergraduates completed the questionnaire, among which 1,686 were males. The acceptability of the HPV vaccine was high (70.8%). Undergraduates from high-level universities, at lower grade, or with greater prior knowledge of HPV vaccines showed higher acceptability of HPV vaccination (ptrend <0.001). Additionally, undergraduates with vaccination experience outside the National Expanded Program on Immunization (OR=1.29; 95%CI: 1.10-1.51) or fear of HPV-related diseases (OR=2.79; 95%CI: 2.28-3.41) were more willing to accept HPV vaccination. General knowledge of HPV vaccine was low among undergraduates, and safety was a major concern (71.05%). The majority of students wished to pay less than 300RMB for HPV vaccine and chose the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention as the most appropriate venue for vaccination. Although most undergraduates demonstrate positive attitudes towards HPV vaccination, challenges pertaining to introduction exist in China. Corresponding proactive education and governmental subsidy to do so are urgently needed by this age-group population. Suggestions and potential strategies indicated may help shape the future HPV vaccination program in China.

Involving Undergraduate Students in Educational Research: Achieving Two Goals at Once.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staik, Irene M.; Rogers, Julia S.

In a relatively small, predominantly undergraduate university, it is often hard to find the time and resources to conduct educational research. One small liberal arts college, the University of Montevallo (Alabama), has addressed this problem by involving undergraduate psychology majors in collaboration in educational research with faculty. It is…

Transformative Undergraduate Science Courses for Non-Majors at a Historically Black Institution and at a Primarily White Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marbach-Ad, Gili; McGinnis, J. Randy; Pease, Rebecca; Dai, Amy; Benson, Spencer; Dantley, Scott Jackson

2010-01-01

We investigated curricular and pedagogical innovations in undergraduate science courses for non-science majors at a Historically Black Institution (HBI) and a Primarily White Institution (PWI). The aims were to improve students' understanding of science, increase their enthusiasm towards science by connecting their prior experience and interest to…

Fostering Empathy in Undergraduate Health Science Majors through the Reconciliation of Objectivity and Subjectivity: An Integrated Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunbar, Robert L.; Nichols, Marcia D.

2012-01-01

The demand for empathetic health care practitioners requires an academic curriculum suited to that need. Here we describe a series of integrated activities that were designed to foster empathy in undergraduate health science majors. By combining content and pedagogical approaches from the humanities and sciences, we asked students to reconcile…

Design and Evaluation of a One-Semester General Chemistry Course for Undergraduate Life Science Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnoebelen, Carly; Towns, Marcy H.; Chmielewski, Jean; Hrycyna, Christine A.

2018-01-01

The chemistry curriculum for undergraduate life science majors at Purdue University has been transformed to better meet the needs of this student population and prepare them for future success. The curriculum, called the 1-2-1 curriculum, includes four consecutive and integrated semesters of instruction in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and…

Research and Teaching: Photovoice as a Pedagogical Tool--Student Engagement in Undergraduate Introductory Chemistry for Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroud, Mary W.

2014-01-01

This study explores the use of Photovoice as a pedagogical tool in two introductory undergraduate chemistry courses for nonscience majors. Photovoice, historically linked to participatory action research, is a qualitative mode of inquiry in which the perspectives provided in narratives and pictures are generally personal, subjective, and unique.…

Undergraduate Psychology's Scientific Identity Dilemma: Student and Instructor Interests and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

Could the same interests that draw many students to psychology also predict departure from the major? I present a comparison of students and instructors with respect to professional interests and views of the scientific nature of psychology (Study 1) and an examination of the link between student interests and persistence in the major (Study 2).…

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

PubMed Central

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

2013-01-01

Objectives This study explored sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices of female only-child undergraduates and made a comparison with students with siblings. Methods Anonymously completed questionnaires were received from 4,769 female undergraduates, recruited using randomized cluster sampling by type of university and students' major and grade. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the effects of only-child on sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices among female undergraduates. Results Of 4,769 female undergraduate students, 41.0% were only-child and 59.0% were students with siblings. Compared with students with siblings, only-child students scored higher on sex-related knowledge, were more inclined to agree with premarital sex, multiple sex partners, one-night stands, extramarital lovers and homosexuality, and were more likely to have a boyfriend and experience sexual intercourse (73.6% vs. 61.4%; 24.0% vs. 14.0%). Only-children were less likely to experience coercion at first sex and have first sexual intercourse with men not their “boyfriends” than children with siblings (3.3% vs. 6.4%; 20.7% vs. 28.8%). There were no significant differences on other risky sexual behaviors (e.g. multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use) between the only-child students and students with siblings. Conclusions Sexual knowledge, attitudes and some practices of only-child female undergraduates were different from students with siblings. Intervention should be designed according to different requirements of only-children and non-only-children. PMID:24023905

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

PubMed

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

2013-01-01

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

What Does a Physics Undergraduate Education Give You? A Perspective from Australian Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Manjula; Pollard, Judith; Mendez, Alberto; Mills, David; O'Byrne, John; Scott, Dale; Hagon, Sue; Gribble, Joan; Kirkup, Les; Livett, Michelle; Low, David; Merchant, Alex; Rayner, Anton; Swan, Geoff; Zadnik, Marjan; Zealey, Willam

2008-01-01

In a study to assess how effectively undergraduate physics studies have prepared students for the workplace, we attempted to locate and interview traditional 3-year or 4-year physics students who had graduated in the past five years (2000 to 2004), and the employers of these graduates. The study was limited to recent graduates who have majored in…

How the Experience of Assessed Collaborative Writing Impacts on Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Assessed Group Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scotland, James

2016-01-01

A time-series analysis was used to investigate Arabic undergraduate students' (n = 50) perceptions of assessed group work in a major government institution of higher education in Qatar. A longitudinal mixed methods approach was employed. Likert scale questionnaires were completed over the duration of a collaborative writing event. Additionally,…

Interactive Computation for Undergraduates: The Next Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolan, Amy J.

2017-05-01

A generation ago (29 years ago), Leo Kadanoff and Michael Vinson created the Computers, Chaos, and Physics course. A major pedagogical thrust of this course was to help students form and test hypotheses via computer simulation of small problems in physics. Recently, this aspect of the 1987 course has been revived for use with first year physics undergraduate students at St. Olaf College.

Birds of a Feather Do Not Always Flock Together: A Critical Analysis of Latina Engineers and Their Involvement in Student Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banda, Rosa M.; Flowers, Alonzo M., III

2017-01-01

While an abundance of literature addresses undergraduate students' lack of success in engineering programs, fewer studies examine the persistence of minority females, especially of Latinas. This study employed a qualitative method of inquiry to gain insight into the reasons why Latina undergraduate engineering majors sought membership in student…

Gender and Subject Choice: An Empirical Study on Undergraduate Students' Majors in Phnom Penh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dom, Vannak; Yi, Gihong

2018-01-01

The empirical study on 610 undergraduate students between the age of 16 to 25 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was set to examine the relationship of gender and subject choice. The findings have revealed that women were overrepresented in non-science subjects and their gender identity has strong connection with subject choice (*** p < 0.001). The study…

Slut-Shaming and Victim-Blaming: A Qualitative Investigation of Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Sexual Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackman, Christine L.; Pember, Sarah E.; Wilkerson, Amanda H.; Burton, Wanda; Usdan, Stuart L.

2017-01-01

Sexual violence is a significant public health issue on US college campuses. This qualitative study aimed to better understand college student perceptions of sexual violence and bystander intervention. Gendered group and individual interviews were conducted with male (n = 3) and female (n = 12) undergraduates. Eight major themes emerged which…

Development and Evaluation of the "Tigriopus" Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Impacts on Students' Content Knowledge, Attitudes, and Motivation in a Majors Introductory Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olimpo, Jeffrey T.; Fisher, Ginger R.; DeChenne-Peters, Sue Ellen

2016-01-01

Within the past decade, course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have emerged as a viable mechanism to enhance novices' development of scientific reasoning and process skills in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Recent evidence within the bioeducation literature suggests that student engagement in…

Chemical Analysis of Soils: An Environmental Chemistry Laboratory for Undergraduate Science Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willey, Joan D.; Avery, G. Brooks, Jr.; Manock, John J.; Skrabal, Stephen A.; Stehman, Charles F.

1999-01-01

Describes a laboratory exercise for undergraduate science students in which they evaluate soil samples for various parameters related to suitability for crop production and capability for retention of contaminants. (Contains 18 references.) (WRM)

A research experience for American Indian undergraduates: Utilizing an actor–partner interdependence model to examine the student–mentor dyad

PubMed Central

Griese, Emily R.; McMahon, Tracey R.; Kenyon, DenYelle Baete

2016-01-01

The majority of research examining Undergraduate Research Experiences focuses singularly on student-reported outcomes, often overlooking assessment of the mentor role in student learning and outcomes following these experiences. The goal of the current study was to examine the student-mentor dyad at the beginning and end of a 10-week summer research experience for American Indian undergraduates utilizing a series of actor-partner interdependence models within SEM. Participants included 26 undergraduate interns (50% American Indian; 50% American Indian and White; M age = 24) and 27 mentors (89% White; M age = 47). Findings indicated that in accounting for all potential paths between students and mentors, the partner path between mentor beliefs at the beginning of the program and students’ skills related to autonomy (β =.59, p = .01) and academic resilience (β =.44, p = .03) at the end of the program were significant. These findings suggest the important impact of mentor beliefs on student outcomes, a relationship that should be adequately assessed and continue to be important focus of undergraduate research experiences. Findings further indicate the important role of mentors for American Indian undergraduates. PMID:28289486

Astrobites: Engaging Undergraduate Science Majors with Current Astrophysical Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zevin, Michael; Astrobites

2017-01-01

Astrobites is a graduate-student organization that publishes an online astrophysical literature blog (astrobites.com). The purpose of the site is to make current astrophysical research accessible to and exciting for undergraduate physical science majors and astronomy enthusiasts, and the site now hosts an archive of over 1300 posts summarizing recent astrophysical research. In addition, Astrobites presents posts on career guidance, practical 'how-to' articles, conference summaries, and astronomy news. Astrobites has an average of more than 1000 pageviews per day and reaches not only its target audience of undergraduates, but also graduate students and professionals within astronomy, astronomy enthusiasts, and educators. As we enter our seventh year of successful blogging, we share here the most up-to-date summary of our organization, readership, and growth.

Conceptual Change in Introductory-Level Astronomy Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeilik, Michael; Bisard, Walter

2000-01-01

Reports on students' preexisting knowledge and examines misconceptions among nonscience major undergraduate students. Focuses on evaluating results of misconceptions in selected astronomy courses. (YDS)

Laboratory-based educational and outreach activities in the framework of a CAREER award at the University of Oregon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bindeman, I. N.

2011-12-01

The Stable Isotope Laboratory at the University of Oregon has been used as a learning and outreach center in the framework of the 09 award entitled "Stable isotope insights into large-volume volcanic eruptions". The PI and other members of the group have actively recruitted undergraduate students, summer session and catalytic outreach undergraduates, and hosted international students, visitors, and collaborators from Russia, Iceland, France, the UK, Australia, and Switzerland. We also integrated closely with the Oregon-wide summer program that brings community college students to the University of Oregon for 2.5 months summer research residence (UCORE). In total we gave supervised five undergraduate students and three UCORE students. Additionally, we recruited undergraduates from U of Chicago, Colorado and Pomona Colleges to spend summers in the lab and in the field. In conjunction with the NSF funded PIRE program, two female graduate and one female undergraduate students participated in fieldwork in Kamchatka, and three Kamchatka undergraduates, and one Moscow graduate student visited the University Oregon. Students performed their own projects or Senior Theses and reported their results locally and at AGU conferences. We developed a management structure in which graduate students, a postdoc, and lab technician co-supervised students and visitors and this exposed them into the supervisory roles, contributed to the project progress, and liberated PI from micromanagement duties. The talk will present our experience with this management concept of a lab-based-learning initiative, which defines roles for each member of the lab. Our outreach activities included public lectures at community colleges by PI and a graduate student, and the topical Penrose conference co-organized by the PI, which attracted many students and visitors who collected their data in the lab. PI has introduced a voluntary fieldtrip as a part of his Volcanoes and Earthquake large enrollment class for non-majors. PI had less success in an attempt to involve non-geoscience majors into an optional satellite class due to the low interest among non-majors to explore geological and volcanological topics. Students in the Isotope Geochemistry and General Geochemistry classes used the Stable Isotope laboratory for their course papers, mostly related to the analyses of carbonate for isotopes of carbon and oxygen (paleoclimate projects), and using oxygen and hydrogen isotopes for sources of precipitation. Overall CAREER award provided excellent chance for multi-dimensional research that cross cut international boundaries, brings new projects in and contributes to the educational development of the PI and his group.

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

PubMed

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

2010-01-01

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

Distinguishing the Factors Influencing College Students' Choice of Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beggs, Jeri Mullins; Bantham, John H.; Taylor, Steven

2008-01-01

Choosing a college major represents a major life decision--a decision that research has shown to be the most frequently identified life regret for Americans. The focus of this study is to identify the foundations of the psychological process by which undergraduate students select their academic majors. A means-end analysis was first employed to…

A Comparison of the Majors of Deaf and Hearing Students at California State University, Northridge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Harry J.; Jacobs, L. Ronald

1978-01-01

Academic majors (by school) are compared for deaf and hearing students registered at California State University, Northridge, for the Fall semester of 1976. A greater proportion of deaf than hearing students study liberal arts at the undergraduate level and education at the graduate level. (SW)

Experiences of Judeo-Christian Students in Undergraduate Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, M. Elizabeth; Truong, Jasmine M.; Brownell, Sara E.

2017-01-01

A major research thrust in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is focused on how to retain students as STEM majors. The accumulation of seemingly insignificant negative experiences in STEM classes can, over time, lead STEM students to have a low sense of belonging in their disciplines, and this can lead to lower…

What Attracts High-Achieving Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students to the Physical Sciences and Engineering?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Sarah; Canetto, Silvia Sara; MacPhee, David; Farro, Samantha

2009-01-01

Socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students are less likely to major in physical sciences or engineering. To guide recruitment and retention of a diversity of talent, this study examined what attracts high-achieving SED students to these fields. Participants were 50 undergraduates majoring in physical sciences or engineering enrolled in the…

Using History and Philosophy as the Capstone to a Biology Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haave, Neil C.

2017-01-01

Capstone experiences have high educational impact with a number of approaches for biology. In most capstones, students produce a major project, typically as an undergraduate research experience, with a primary goal to integrate students' learning. At Augustana, our senior biology capstone uses history and philosophy to frame students' reflections…

Differences in Performance between Male and Female Business Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hornaday, Robert W.; And Others

1989-01-01

A study analyzed the grade point averages (GPAs) and scores on a business concepts quiz of 419 undergraduate business students. Effect of student major was also controlled. Females earned higher overall grades than males; males outperformed females in ability to describe basic business concepts. Gender and academic major accounted for over 10…

Differential diagnosis of dental fluorosis made by undergraduate dental students

PubMed Central

Rigo, Lilian; Lodi, Leodinei; Garbin, Raíssa Rigo

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To check knowledge of undergraduate dental students to make diagnosis of dental fluorosis with varying degrees of severity and choose its appropriate treatment. Methods Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire addressing knowledge of undergraduates based on ten images of mouths presenting enamel changes. Results Only three images were correctly diagnosed by most undergraduates; the major difficulty was in establishing dental fluorosis severity degree. Conclusion Despite much information about fluorosis conveyed during the Dentistry training, as defined in the course syllabus, a significant part of the students was not able to differentiate it from other lesions; they did not demonstrate expertise as to defining severity of fluorosis and indications for treatment, and could not make the correct diagnosis of enamel surface changes. PMID:26761552

An Outline of a Proposed Five- plus Three-Year Combined Undergraduate-Master's Degree for Clinical Medicine Majors at Nanjing Medical University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Xing-Ya; Yu, Rong-Bin; Shen, Hong-Bing; Chen, Qi

2014-01-01

To build an effective model to train excellent doctors, Nanjing Medical University has proposed a five- plus three-year combined undergraduate-master's clinical medicine degree program. The program integrates undergraduate education, the education of research students, and standardized doctor residency training into a single system, allowing…

Pursuing Benefit or Avoiding Detriment: Term-Time Job Selection of Sports Major Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Huan-Hung; Chen, Shan-Hua

2013-01-01

Higher education expansion accompanied with the tuition rising has resulted in the increasing number of term-time employed students in many countries. Taiwan is no exception to this trend. Thus, there were a few studies to explore the impact of term-time employment on undergraduates. However, very few researchers focus on how undergraduates make…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2014-01-01

This study tests the hypothesis that undergraduates who peer teach genetics will have greater understanding of genetic and molecular biology concepts as a result of their teaching experiences. Undergraduates enrolled in a non-majors biology course participated in a service-learning program in which they led middle school (MS) or high school (HS)…

Explorations: A Research-Based Program Introducing Undergraduates to Diverse Biology Research Topics Taught by Grad Students and Postdocs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownell, Sara E.; Khalfan, Waheeda; Bergmann, Dominique; Simoni, Robert

2013-01-01

Undergraduate biology majors are often overwhelmed by and underinformed about the diversity and complexity of biological research that is conducted on research-intensive campuses. We present a program that introduces undergraduates to the diversity and scope of biological research and also provides unique teaching opportunities for graduate…

Contrasts Between Science and Humanities Majors in Undergraduate Outcomes and Activities. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, C. Robert

This paper seeks evidence of a culture gulf, first voiced by C.P. Snow in 1959, between science and humanities as reflected in the understanding which undergraduate science and humanities majors have of the other field. The 1995 study evaluated responses of students at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and California's Humboldt State…

Determinants of Success on the ETS Business Major Field Exam for Students in an Undergraduate Multisite Regional University Business Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagamery, Bruce D.; Lasik, John J.; Nixon, Don R.

2005-01-01

Extending previous studies, the authors examined a larger set of variables to identify predictors of student performance on the Educational Testing Service Major Field Exam in Business, which has been shown to be an externally valid measure of student learning outcomes. Significant predictors include gender, whether students took the SAT, and…

Definitions of and beliefs about wife abuse among undergraduate students of social work.

PubMed

Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M; Schiff, Miriam

2007-04-01

The article focuses on definitions of and beliefs about wife abuse among undergraduate social work students in Israel. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. The vast majority of students in Study 1 acknowledged acts thought to constitute wife assault and disapproved of a husband's use of force against his wife. The majority of students in Study 2 did not justify wife abuse nor tend to believe that battered women benefit from beating, although they tended to blame the violent husband for his behavior. Significant amounts of the variance in dependent variables were explained by the students' marital role expectations (Study 1) and their attitudes toward women and sex role stereotypes (Study 2). The students' year of study and participation in family violence or wife abuse courses did not contribute toward explaining the variance in their beliefs. Results are discussed in light of the students' patriarchal ideology, and implications for future research are presented.

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.

Analysis of Errors and Misconceptions in the Learning of Calculus by Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muzangwa, Jonatan; Chifamba, Peter

2012-01-01

This paper is going to analyse errors and misconceptions in an undergraduate course in Calculus. The study will be based on a group of 10 BEd. Mathematics students at Great Zimbabwe University. Data is gathered through use of two exercises on Calculus 1&2.The analysis of the results from the tests showed that a majority of the errors were due…

Developing a Problem-Based Course Based on Needs Analysis to Enhance English Reading Ability of Thai Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosuwon, Takwa; Woodrow, Lindy

2009-01-01

This paper reports on a needs analysis underlying a proposed business English reading course using a problem-based learning approach designed to enhance English reading abilities of Thai undergraduate students. As part of a work in progress, the needs analysis survey was done prior to the course design with the major stakeholders in business and…

Relationship between Gender Identity, Perceived Social Support for Using Computers, and Computer Self-Efficacy and Value Beliefs of Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deechuay, Naraphol; Koul, Ravinder; Maneewan, Sorakrich; Lerdpornkulrat, Thanita

2016-01-01

This study investigated relationship between gender identity, social support for using computers and computer self-efficacy and value beliefs. Data was collected from first year undergraduate students at a university near Bangkok (72.3% females, mean age = 18.52 years). The respondents in our survey did not intend to major in computer sciences.…

Non-traditional vs. Traditional Academic Delivery Systems: Comparing ETS Scores for Undergraduate Students in Business Programs, 1996-1999. AIR 1999 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Peter M.; Weimer, Don

This two-year study involving five colleges and universities compared the academic achievement, as measured by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Major Field Achievement Test (MFAT) in Business of students in traditional undergraduate programs and those in non-traditional accelerated adult degree programs. The study also compared the subjects'…

A High-Enrollment Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Improves Student Conceptions of Scientific Thinking and Ability to Interpret Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownell, Sara E.; Hekmat-Scafe, Daria S.; Singla, Veena; Seawell, Patricia Chandler; Imam, Jamie F. Conklin; Eddy, Sarah L.; Stearns, Tim; Cyert, Martha S.

2015-01-01

We present an innovative course-based undergraduate research experience curriculum focused on the characterization of single point mutations in p53, a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in more than 50% of human cancers. This course is required of all introductory biology students, so all biology majors engage in a research project as part of…

A Case Study Examining Undergraduate Public Health Student Experiences at a Large, Private, Urban Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baillie, Colleen P.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students represent a new but growing population at a school of public (SPH) health at a large, private, urban research university on the East Coast. This SPH has offered a minor in public health since 2010, and a major was initiated in 2014. The school also plans to offer an accelerated bachelor's-to-master's in public health…

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

PubMed

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

2015-10-27

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

Comparisons Between Science Knowledge, Interest, and Information Literacy of Learners in Introductory Astronomy Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, Sanlyn; Impey, Chris David; Formanek, Martin; Wenger, Matthew

2018-01-01

Introductory astronomy courses are exciting opportunities to engage non-major students in scientific issues, new discoveries, and scientific thinking. Many undergraduate students take these courses to complete their general education requirements. Many free-choice learners also take these courses, but for their own interest. We report on a study comparing the basic science knowledge, interest in science, and information literacy of undergraduate students and free choice learners enrolled in introductory astronomy courses run by the University of Arizona. Undergraduate students take both in-person and online courses for college credit. Free choice learners enroll in massive open online courses (MOOCs), through commercial platforms, that can earn them a certificate (although most do not take advantage of that opportunity). In general, we find that undergraduate students outperform the general public on basic science knowledge and that learners in our astronomy MOOCs outperform the undergraduate students in the study. Learners in the MOOC have higher interest in science in general. Overall, learners in both groups report getting information about science from online sources. Additionally, learners’ judgement of the reliability of different sources of information is weakly related to their basic science knowledge and more strongly related to how they describe what it means to study something scientifically. We discuss the implications of our findings for both undergraduate students and free-choice learners as well as instructors of these types of courses.

The Annotated Bibliography and Citation Behavior: Enhancing Student Scholarship in an Undergraduate Biology Course

PubMed Central

Rux, Erika M.; Flaspohler, John A.

2007-01-01

Contemporary undergraduates in the biological sciences have unprecedented access to scientific information. Although many of these students may be savvy technologists, studies from the field of library and information science consistently show that undergraduates often struggle to locate, evaluate, and use high-quality, reputable sources of information. This study demonstrates the efficacy and pedagogical value of a collaborative teaching approach designed to enhance information literacy competencies among undergraduate biology majors who must write a formal scientific research paper. We rely on the triangulation of assessment data to determine the effectiveness of a substantial research paper project completed by students enrolled in an upper-level biology course. After enhancing library-based instruction, adding an annotated bibliography requirement, and using multiple assessment techniques, we show fundamental improvements in students' library research abilities. Ultimately, these improvements make it possible for students to more independently and effectively complete this challenging science-based writing assignment. We document critical information literacy advances in several key areas: student source-type use, annotated bibliography enhancement, plagiarism reduction, as well as student and faculty/librarian satisfaction. PMID:18056306

Increasing Persistence in Undergraduate Science Majors: A Model for Institutional Support of Underrepresented Students

PubMed Central

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H.; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these students leave STEM majors at significantly higher rates than their non-URM peers. This study utilizes a matched comparison group design to examine the academic achievement and persistence of students enrolled in the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS), an academic support program at the University of California, Los Angeles, for first- and second-year science majors from underrepresented backgrounds. Results indicate that PEERS students, on average, earned higher grades in most “gatekeeper” chemistry and math courses, had a higher cumulative grade point average, completed more science courses, and persisted in a science major at significantly higher rates than the comparison group. With its holistic approach focused on academics, counseling, creating a supportive community, and exposure to research, the PEERS program serves as an excellent model for universities interested in and committed to improving persistence of underrepresented science majors and closing the achievement gap. PMID:25828403

Status and risk factors of unintentional injuries among Chinese undergraduates: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Shi, Hongying; Yang, Xinjun; Huang, Chenping; Zhou, Zumu; Zhou, Qiang; Chu, Maoping

2011-07-05

Injuries affect all age groups but have a particular impact on young people. To evaluate the incidence of non-fatal, unintentional, injuries among undergraduates in Wenzhou, China, assess the burden caused by these injuries, and explore the associated risk factors for unintentional injuries among these undergraduates, we conducted a college-based cross-sectional study. Participants were selected by a multi-stage random sampling method, and 2,287 students were asked whether they had had an injury in the last 12 months; the location, cause, and consequences of the event. The questionnaire included demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and the scale of type A behaviour pattern (TABP). Multivariate logistic regression models were used; crude odds ratios (ORs), adjusted ORs and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated, with students having no injuries as the reference group. The incidence of injuries among undergraduates in Wenzhou was 18.71 injuries per 100 person-years (95%CI: 17.12~20.31 injuries per 100 person-years). Falls were the leading cause of injury, followed by traffic injuries, and animal/insect bites. Male students were more likely to be injured than female students. Risk factors associated with unintentional injuries among undergraduates were: students majoring in non-medicine (adjusted OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.19-1.96); type A behaviour pattern (adjusted OR: 2.99; 95% CI: 1.45-6.14); liking sports (adjusted OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.41-2.45). Injuries have become a public health problem among undergraduates. Falls were the major cause of non-fatal injury. Therefore, individuals, families, schools and governments should promptly adopt preventive measures aimed at preventing and controlling morbidity due to non-fatal injury, especially among students identified to be at high-risk; such as male students with type A behaviour pattern who like sports.

Status and risk factors of unintentional injuries among Chinese undergraduates: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Injuries affect all age groups but have a particular impact on young people. To evaluate the incidence of non-fatal, unintentional, injuries among undergraduates in Wenzhou, China, assess the burden caused by these injuries, and explore the associated risk factors for unintentional injuries among these undergraduates, we conducted a college-based cross-sectional study. Methods Participants were selected by a multi-stage random sampling method, and 2,287 students were asked whether they had had an injury in the last 12 months; the location, cause, and consequences of the event. The questionnaire included demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and the scale of type A behaviour pattern (TABP). Multivariate logistic regression models were used; crude odds ratios (ORs), adjusted ORs and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated, with students having no injuries as the reference group. Results The incidence of injuries among undergraduates in Wenzhou was 18.71 injuries per 100 person-years (95%CI: 17.12~20.31 injuries per 100 person-years). Falls were the leading cause of injury, followed by traffic injuries, and animal/insect bites. Male students were more likely to be injured than female students. Risk factors associated with unintentional injuries among undergraduates were: students majoring in non-medicine (adjusted OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.19-1.96); type A behaviour pattern (adjusted OR: 2.99; 95% CI: 1.45-6.14); liking sports (adjusted OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.41-2.45). Conclusions Injuries have become a public health problem among undergraduates. Falls were the major cause of non-fatal injury. Therefore, individuals, families, schools and governments should promptly adopt preventive measures aimed at preventing and controlling morbidity due to non-fatal injury, especially among students identified to be at high-risk; such as male students with type A behaviour pattern who like sports. PMID:21729294

Introducing Mammalian Cell Culture and Cell Viability Techniques in the Undergraduate Biology Laboratory.

PubMed

Bowey-Dellinger, Kristen; Dixon, Luke; Ackerman, Kristin; Vigueira, Cynthia; Suh, Yewseok K; Lyda, Todd; Sapp, Kelli; Grider, Michael; Crater, Dinene; Russell, Travis; Elias, Michael; Coffield, V McNeil; Segarra, Verónica A

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students learn about mammalian cell culture applications in introductory biology courses. However, laboratory modules are rarely designed to provide hands-on experience with mammalian cells or teach cell culture techniques, such as trypsinization and cell counting. Students are more likely to learn about cell culture using bacteria or yeast, as they are typically easier to grow, culture, and manipulate given the equipment, tools, and environment of most undergraduate biology laboratories. In contrast, the utilization of mammalian cells requires a dedicated biological safety cabinet and rigorous antiseptic techniques. For this reason, we have devised a laboratory module and method herein that familiarizes students with common cell culture procedures, without the use of a sterile hood or large cell culture facility. Students design and perform a time-efficient inquiry-based cell viability experiment using HeLa cells and tools that are readily available in an undergraduate biology laboratory. Students will become familiar with common techniques such as trypsinizing cells, cell counting with a hemocytometer, performing serial dilutions, and determining cell viability using trypan blue dye. Additionally, students will work with graphing software to analyze their data and think critically about the mechanism of death on a cellular level. Two different adaptations of this inquiry-based lab are presented-one for non-biology majors and one for biology majors. Overall, these laboratories aim to expose students to mammalian cell culture and basic techniques and help them to conceptualize their application in scientific research.

Introducing Mammalian Cell Culture and Cell Viability Techniques in the Undergraduate Biology Laboratory †

PubMed Central

Bowey-Dellinger, Kristen; Dixon, Luke; Ackerman, Kristin; Vigueira, Cynthia; Suh, Yewseok K.; Lyda, Todd; Sapp, Kelli; Grider, Michael; Crater, Dinene; Russell, Travis; Elias, Michael; Coffield, V. McNeil; Segarra, Verónica A.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students learn about mammalian cell culture applications in introductory biology courses. However, laboratory modules are rarely designed to provide hands-on experience with mammalian cells or teach cell culture techniques, such as trypsinization and cell counting. Students are more likely to learn about cell culture using bacteria or yeast, as they are typically easier to grow, culture, and manipulate given the equipment, tools, and environment of most undergraduate biology laboratories. In contrast, the utilization of mammalian cells requires a dedicated biological safety cabinet and rigorous antiseptic techniques. For this reason, we have devised a laboratory module and method herein that familiarizes students with common cell culture procedures, without the use of a sterile hood or large cell culture facility. Students design and perform a time-efficient inquiry-based cell viability experiment using HeLa cells and tools that are readily available in an undergraduate biology laboratory. Students will become familiar with common techniques such as trypsinizing cells, cell counting with a hemocytometer, performing serial dilutions, and determining cell viability using trypan blue dye. Additionally, students will work with graphing software to analyze their data and think critically about the mechanism of death on a cellular level. Two different adaptations of this inquiry-based lab are presented—one for non-biology majors and one for biology majors. Overall, these laboratories aim to expose students to mammalian cell culture and basic techniques and help them to conceptualize their application in scientific research. PMID:28861134

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

PubMed

Wells, Jo Nell; Cagle, Carolyn Spence

2009-07-01

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

Students' perceptions of academic dishonesty in the chemistry classroom laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Carlo, Dawn I.; Bodner, George M.

2004-01-01

Although the literature on both academic dishonesty and scientific misconduct is extensive, research on academic dishonesty has focused on quizzes, exams, and papers, with the virtual exclusion of the classroom laboratory. This study examined the distinctions undergraduate chemistry majors made between academic dishonesty in the classroom laboratory and scientific misconduct in the research laboratory. Across the spectrum of undergraduate chemistry courses, from the introductory course for first-semester chemistry majors to the capstone course in instrumental analysis, we noted that students believe the classroom lab is fundamentally different from a research or industrial lab. This difference is so significant that it carries over into students' perceptions of dishonesty in these two environments.

A Theoretical Lens on a Biology Intensive Orientation Program: A Study of Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation of Freshman Biology Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Erin R.

2012-01-01

There is a national effort to increase the number of undergraduate students graduating in science, math, engineering, and technology (STEM) (National Science Foundation, 2007). The majority of students initially populating these STEM majors ultimately switch to and graduate from non-STEM majors (Seymour & Hewitt, 2000; Seymour, 2002). The…

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

PubMed

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

2009-08-22

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2009-01-01

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

Biomedical Science Undergraduate Major: A New Pathway to Advance Research and the Health Professions.

PubMed

Gunn, John S; Ledford, Cynthia H; Mousetes, Steven J; Grever, Michael R

2018-01-01

Many students entering professional degree programs, particularly M.D., Ph.D., and M.D./Ph.D., are not well prepared regarding the breadth of scientific knowledge required, communication skills, research experience, reading and understanding the scientific literature, and significant shadowing (for M.D.-related professions). In addition, physician scientists are a needed and necessary part of the academic research environment but are dwindling in numbers. In response to predictions of critical shortages of clinician investigators and the lack of proper preparation as undergraduates for these professions, the Biomedical Science (BMS) undergraduate major was created at The Ohio State University to attract incoming college freshmen with interests in scientific research and the healthcare professions. The intent of this major was to graduate an elite cohort of highly talented individuals who would pursue careers in the healthcare professions, biomedical research, or both. Students were admitted to the BMS major through an application and interview process. Admitted cohorts were small, comprising 22 to 26 students, and received a high degree of individualized professional academic advising and mentoring. The curriculum included a minimum of 4 semesters (or 2 years) of supervised research experience designed to enable students to gain skills in clinical and basic science investigation. In addition to covering the prerequisites for medicine and advanced degrees in health professions, the integrated BMS coursework emphasized research literacy as well as skills related to work as a healthcare professional, with additional emphasis on independent learning, teamwork to solve complex problems, and both oral and written communication skills. Supported by Ohio State's Department of Internal Medicine, a unique clinical internship provided selected students with insights into potential careers as physician scientists. In this educational case report, we describe the BMS undergraduate major and its outcomes after 10 years of implementation. Major outcomes include the strength of the major's matriculates (average ACT score = 32.6; average high school class percentile rank = 95.5) and the high percentage of BMS students who pursued graduate/professional degrees (91%; n = 110). Other markers of success include the strong focus on research, which resulted in 120 articles published by graduates to date (range = 0-12/student; 43% with at least 1 peer-reviewed journal article). Based on its successes, adoption of a similar program at other academic medical centers would help feed the pipeline of well-trained health professionals and biomedical researchers.

Citizen Science: The Small World Initiative Improved Lecture Grades and California Critical Thinking Skills Test Scores of Nonscience Major Students at Florida Atlantic University.

PubMed

Caruso, Joseph P; Israel, Natalie; Rowland, Kimberly; Lovelace, Matthew J; Saunders, Mary Jane

2016-03-01

Course-based undergraduate research is known to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics student achievement. We tested "The Small World Initiative, a Citizen-Science Project to Crowdsource Novel Antibiotic Discovery" to see if it also improved student performance and the critical thinking of non-science majors in Introductory Biology at Florida Atlantic University (a large, public, minority-dominant institution) in academic year 2014-15. California Critical Thinking Skills Test pre- and posttests were offered to both Small World Initiative (SWI) and control lab students for formative amounts of extra credit. SWI lab students earned significantly higher lecture grades than control lab students, had significantly fewer lecture grades of D+ or lower, and had significantly higher critical thinking posttest total scores than control students. Lastly, more SWI students were engaged while taking critical thinking tests. These results support the hypothesis that utilizing independent course-based undergraduate science research improves student achievement even in nonscience students.

Japanese Students' Academic and Social Experiences at a Predominantly White University in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sato, Takahiro; Hodge, Samuel R.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore Japanese students' views about their academic and social experiences at majority White university in the United States (US). The six participants were Japanese undergraduate students (4 males, 2 females) with various academic majors. This descriptive qualitative study was situated in the concept of an…

An Update on Academic Dishonesty in the College Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moberg, Chris; Sojka, Jane Z.; Gupta, Ashok

2008-01-01

The authors' research was designed to identify the cheating strategies college students are most likely to use and who is most likely to use them--men versus women, business majors versus other majors, and students with higher GPAs versus students with lower GPAs. In a survey of 372 undergraduates at a large, Midwestern university, students…

School Performance, Cultural, Social and Personality Factors and Their Relationships with Majoring in Foreign and First Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khodadady, Ebrahim; Zabihi, Reza

2011-01-01

This study reports the performance of 419 undergraduate and graduate students on three questionnaires addressing their biodata, social and cultural capitals and personality factors. The statistical analysis of the students' diploma Grade Point Averages (GPAs) and monthly family income (MFI) showed that the GPAs and MFIs of students majoring in…

Exploring Undergraduate Students' Ethical Perceptions in Barbados: Differences by Gender, Academic Major and Religiosity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alleyne, Philmore; Persaud, Nadini

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there were differences in students' ethical perceptions based on gender, academic major and religiosity. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered survey was conducted of 132 students at a university in Barbados, to determine ethical perceptions on five moral constructs: justice,…

Using a Personalized System of Instruction to Improve the Writing Skills of Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, George J.

1984-01-01

A traditional abnormal psychology course was restructured to emphasize writing using a personalized system of instruction. The major benefit was that students showed significant improvement in writing style and clarity. The major costs of the course were the high student turnover and the abnormally large workload for students and instructor. (RM)

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byer, John L.

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

Academic challenges and positive aspects: perceptions of male nursing students.

PubMed

Abushaikha, L; Mahadeen, A; AbdelKader, R; Nabolsi, M

2014-06-01

Nursing shortage remains a global issue that emphasizes the need for both male and female nurses. Understanding the educational experiences of male nursing students may help in recruiting and retaining male nurses in the nursing profession. The aim of this study was to explore the challenges and positive aspects that undergraduate male nursing students encounter during the course of their study. A qualitative research design using inductive content analysis approach was used to explore perceptions of 20 undergraduate male nursing students in a baccalaureate nursing programme at a major public university in Jordan. Content analysis revealed two major themes: challenges (academic difficulties, biased policies, no social life, negative views of nursing and negative self-view) and positive aspects (personal benefits of studying nursing, every home need a nurse and nursing is a science). The findings added new insights and knowledge regarding the educational experiences of undergraduate male nursing students in a developing country, which is an understudied population. Understanding the challenges and positive aspects of nursing education from the perspectives of undergraduate male nursing students may help nursing educators better understand their students' educational experiences and help clarify their roles and responsibilities in dealing with these issues. Nursing as a career should continue to be a viable choice for both male and female students to address global nursing shortages. This can be ensured by decreasing challenges and supporting positive aspects that nursing students face during their nursing education. Higher education policy makers can use the findings of this study to appreciate the challenges that university students face. They can also reconsider existing policies that may hinder the acceptance of male student into nursing programmes and contribute to educational challenges. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

Graduate Student Characteristics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, William H.

As a first step in "improving and building up" the graduate program at the Wisconsin State University at Stevens Point, a study of graduate students was initiated in 1967. It examined the interrelationships of their graduate majors, undergraduate majors and colleges, high school deciles and class size, age, sex, level taught, geographic…

Introductory Courses and the Search

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaffer, Dennis R.; Purohit, Anal

1975-01-01

This study surveyed 363 undergraduate students to determine the extent that introductory courses affected their selection of majors, minors, and career goals. The results indicated a significant relationship between an instructor perceived by students as better than average in teaching an introductory course and the selection of a major. (Author)

Undergraduate Understanding of Climate Change: The Influences of College Major and Environmental Group Membership on Survey Knowledge Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huxster, Joanna K.; Uribe-Zarain, Ximena; Kempton, Willett

2015-01-01

A survey covering the scientific and social aspects of climate change was administered to examine U.S. undergraduate student mental models, and compare knowledge between groups based on major and environmental group membership. A Knowledge Score (scale 0-35, mean score = 17.84) was generated for respondents at two, central East Coast, U.S.…

[Nursing as an option: profile of undergraduate of two teaching institutions].

PubMed

Spíndola, Thelma; Martins, Elizabeth Rose da Costa; Francisco, Márcio Tadeu Ribeiro

2008-01-01

This is a descriptive-exploratory study, aiming at comparing socioeconomic profile of students of two teaching institutions of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro and factors that interfere in their option to choose Nursing. The study was composed by 152 students of Institution (A) and 120 of (B) who were admitted to the undergraduate course in 2004 and 2005. The analysis evidenced that the majority belongs to middle and lower middle class and are young adults, single women. An expanding labor market and an opportunity of a better salary are the main factors that attract students of private schools to nursing career. It is important to the profession to be known in society and, especially, among students who search for a professional option, considering the lack of information of students who are admitted to the Nursing undergraduate course.

Student Financial Aid and Choice of Undergraduate Major. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zito, Eileen H.

This study evaluated whether the use of educational loans has an impact upon student choice of majors. In addition, the study demonstrated that the statistical technique of two-stage least squares can be appropriately used with educational data when reciprocal causation exists in the theoretical model. It was hypothesized that, since a majority of…

A Motivational Account of the Undergraduate Experience in Science: Brief Measures of Students' Self-System Appraisals, Engagement in Coursework, and Identity as a Scientist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Ellen; Saxton, Emily; Currie, Cailin; Shusterman, Gwen

2017-01-01

As part of long-standing efforts to promote undergraduates' success in science, researchers have investigated the instructional strategies and motivational factors that promote student learning and persistence in science coursework and majors. This study aimed to create a set of brief measures that educators and researchers can use as tools to…

[Smoking among undergraduate university students].

PubMed

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

2015-10-01

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

The Potential to use Publication of Undergraduate Research as a Teaching Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Eric C.; Lindbo, David L.; Belcher, Christopher

2015-04-01

Several studies crossing numerous disciplinary boundaries have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. These benefits include personal and intellectual development, more and closer contact with faculty, the use of active learning techniques, the creation of high expectations, the development of creative and problem-solving skills, and the development of greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn. The discipline also gains in that studies show undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program. Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline, therefore enhancing their professional socialization into their chosen field. If the goals achieved by undergraduate research include introducing these students to the advancement of their chosen field, it stands to reason the ultimate ending to this experience would be the publication of a peer-reviewed paper. While not all undergraduate projects will end with a product worthy of peer-reviewed publication, some definitely do, and the personal experience of the authors indicates that undergraduate students who achieve publication get great satisfaction and a sense of personal achievement from that publication. While a top-tier international journal probably isn't going to be the ultimate destination for many of these projects, there are several appropriate outlets. The SSSA journal Soil Horizons has published several undergraduate projects in recent years, and good undergraduate projects can often be published in state academy of science journals. Journals focused expressly on publishing undergraduate research include the Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Excellence, Reinvention, and the American Journal of Undergraduate Research. Case studies of students who have published undergraduate research will be discussed.

The ASSURE Summer REU Program: Introducing research to first-generation and underserved undergraduates through space sciences and engineering projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barron, Darcy; Peticolas, Laura; Multiverse Team at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab

2018-01-01

The Advancing Space Science through Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) summer REU program is an NSF-funded REU site at the Space Sciences Lab at UC Berkeley that first started in summer 2014. The program recruits students from all STEM majors, targeting underserved students including community college students and first-generation college students. The students have little or no research experience and a wide variety of academic backgrounds, but have a shared passion for space sciences and astronomy. We will describe our program's structure and the components we have found successful in preparing and supporting both the students and their research advisors for their summer research projects. This includes an intensive first week of introductory lectures and tutorials at the start of the program, preparing students for working in an academic research environment. The program also employs a multi-tiered mentoring system, with layers of support for the undergraduate student cohort, as well as graduate student and postdoctoral research advisors.

Field Research in the Teaching of Undergraduate Soil Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Eric C.; Senturklu, Songul; Landblom, Douglas

2015-04-01

Several studies have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. Benefits of undergraduate research include 1) personal and intellectual development, 2) more and closer contact with faculty, 3) the use of active learning techniques, 4) creation of high expectations, 5) development of creative and problem-solving skills, 6) greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn, and 7) exposure to practical skills. The scientific discipline also benefits, as studies have shown that undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program (Lopatto, 2007). Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline. Soils form in the field, therefore, field experiences are very important in developing a complete and holistic understanding of soil science. Combining undergraduate research with field experiences can provide extremely beneficial outcomes to the undergraduate student, including increased understanding of and appreciation for detailed descriptions and data analysis as well as an enhanced ability to see how various parts of their undergraduate education come together to understand a complex problem. The experiences of the authors in working with undergraduate students on field-based research projects will be discussed, along with examples of some of the undergraduate research projects that have been undertaken. In addition, student impressions of their research experiences will be presented. Reference Lopatto, D. 2007. Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning. CBE -- Life Sciences Education 6:297-306.

Exploring the undergraduate experience of Latina students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors: Motivators and strategies for achieving baccalaureate attainment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbajal, Sandy C.

Drawing from Latino/a Critical Race Theory and the related Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) model, I concentrate on three forms of CCW---aspirational, navigational, and resistance capital---for this qualitative study on the undergraduate experience of Latina students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors, focusing on strategies and achieving baccalaureate attainment. I interviewed ten Latina students and asked them questions regarding their educational experiences in STEM majors, what contributed to their degree completion, and the strategies they employed for achieving baccalaureate attainment. I identified and described six themes within the study (the underrepresentation of Latinas in STEM majors, the lack of preparation by academic programs for upper division courses, motivators, involvement, time management, and support networks) that, when combined, contributed to participants' degree attainment. This study concludes with implications for policy and practice that would allow universities to better assist Latinas in STEM majors to achieve baccalaureate attainment.

Selection of software for mechanical engineering undergraduates

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

Cheah, C. T.; Yin, C. S.; Halim, T.

A major problem with the undergraduate mechanical course is the limited exposure of students to software packages coupled with the long learning curve on the existing software packages. This work proposes the use of appropriate software packages for the entire mechanical engineering curriculum to ensure students get sufficient exposure real life design problems. A variety of software packages are highlighted as being suitable for undergraduate work in mechanical engineering, e.g. simultaneous non-linear equations; uncertainty analysis; 3-D modeling software with the FEA; analysis tools for the solution of problems in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanical system design, and solid mechanics.

Characteristics of Psychology Students Who Serve as Research Assistants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawlow, Laura A.; Meinz, Elizabeth J.

2017-01-01

Participation in undergraduate research has been shown to provide a wide array of benefits across many disciplines of study; however, relatively less is known about the impact of this experience on Psychology majors specifically. We collected measures of Psychology students' (N = 229) knowledge of the major (career, core, and…

Impact of Proof Validation on Proof Writing in Abstract Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Robert A.; Craviotto, Cathleen; Grassl, Richard M.

2010-01-01

Many undergraduate students have difficulty writing mathematical proofs even though this skill is important for the development of future teachers and those who may be involved in instruction or training as a graduate student or supervisor. In addition, research indicates that mathematics majors and secondary education mathematics majors possess…

Promoting Undergraduate Research through Integrative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Elise C.

2017-01-01

Educators in higher education often seek innovative pedagogies to include in their classrooms. This article describes an integrative learning experience and details the planning, implementation, considerations, and benefits of creating a major-specific undergraduate research day. The event created an opportunity for students to gain confidence and…

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

PubMed Central

Gradel, Maximilian; Pander, Tanja; Fischer, Martin R; von der Borch, Philip; Dimitriadis, Konstantinos

2015-01-01

Background Peer mentoring is a powerful pedagogical approach for supporting undergraduate medical students in their learning environment. However, it remains unclear what exactly peer mentoring is and whether and how undergraduate medical students use social media for peer-mentoring activities. Objective We aimed at describing and exploring the Facebook use of undergraduate medical students during their first 2 years at a German medical school. The data should help medical educators to effectively integrate social media in formal mentoring programs for medical students. Methods We developed a coding scheme for peer mentoring and conducted a mixed-methods study in order to explore Facebook groups of undergraduate medical students from a peer-mentoring perspective. Results All major peer-mentoring categories were identified in Facebook groups of medical students. The relevance of these Facebook groups was confirmed through triangulation with focus groups and descriptive statistics. Medical students made extensive use of Facebook and wrote a total of 11,853 posts and comments in the respective Facebook groups (n=2362 total group members). Posting peaks were identified at the beginning of semesters and before exam periods, reflecting the formal curriculum milestones. Conclusions Peer mentoring is present in Facebook groups formed by undergraduate medical students who extensively use these groups to seek advice from peers on study-related issues and, in particular, exam preparation. These groups also seem to be effective in supporting responsive and large-scale peer-mentoring structures; formal mentoring programs might benefit from integrating social media into their activity portfolio. PMID:27731859

Intention of Students in Less Developed Cities in China to Opt for Undergraduate Education Abroad: Does This Vary as Their Perceptions of the Attractions of Overseas Study Change?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Fan-sing

2010-01-01

This study is based on a survey in 2007 of 12,961 senior secondary final year students in seven major cities in China, and shows that students in less developed cities manifest a stronger intention to study abroad than students in better off cities, controlling for students' other demographic characteristics and their major perceived attractions…

Watershed Watch: The Importance of Mentors in Student-driven Full Inquiry Undergraduate Research Projects as the Foundation for an Introductory Course in Biogeoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, B. N.; Hale, S. R.; Graham, K. J.; Hayden, L.; Barber, L.; Perry, C.; Schloss, J.; Sullivan, E.; Yuan, J.; Abebe, E.; Mitchell, L.; Abrams, E.; Gagnon, M.

2008-12-01

Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer course, in which undeclared freshmen research various aspects of a local watershed. Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific or an oral poster presentation. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicated the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the course are 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors; and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination.

An Analysis of Attitudes toward Statistics: Gender Differences among Advertising Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullerton, Jami A.; Umphrey, Don

This study measures advertising students' attitudes toward statistics. Subjects, 275 undergraduate advertising students from two southwestern United States universities, completed a questionnaire used to gauge students' attitudes toward statistics by measuring 6 underlying factors: (1) students' interest and future applicability; (2) relationship…

Implementing the recommended curriculum in biochemistry and molecular biology at a regional comprehensive university through a biology/chemistry double major: The minnesota state university moorhead experience*.

PubMed

Wallert, Mark; Brisch, Ellen; Chastain, Chris; Malott, Michelle; Provost, Joseph

2004-05-01

Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) is a regional comprehensive university that is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system. The current student population consists of ∼7,600 full- and part-time students who are enrolled in one of 135 majors that lead to baccalaureate degrees. MSUM is committed to excellence in science teaching and research for undergraduates. It is an institutional member of the Council on Undergraduate Research and has three faculty members participating in Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) Faculty for the 21st Century. Fourteen years ago, MSUM renewed its effort to have faculty participate in active research. All science faculty members hired since that time have been required to establish research programs. The primary purpose for the faculty engaging in ongoing research projects is to involve undergraduates in a meaningful research experience, thus training these students to become scientists. Copyright © 2004 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Special needs dentistry: perception, attitudes and educational experience of Malaysian dental students.

PubMed

Ahmad, M S; Razak, I A; Borromeo, G L

2015-02-01

A compromised oral health condition amongst patients with special health care needs (SHCN) has been associated with the reluctance and shortage of skills of dental professionals in managing such patients. Lack of training and experience at the undergraduate level are reported barriers to the provision of care for this patient cohort. Undergraduate education therefore, plays an important role in producing professionals with the knowledge, skills and positive attitude in treating patients with SHCN. This study aims to determine the level of knowledge, comfort and attitudes of Malaysian undergraduate dental students towards caring for patients with SHCN, as well as their perception on education in this field. A self-administered questionnaire was administered in the classroom style to final year undergraduate dental students in Malaysian public dental schools. Most students were aware of Special Needs Dentistry (SND) as a specialty after being informed by academic staff. The majority of the students demonstrated poor knowledge in defining SND and felt uncomfortable providing care for such patients. They perceived their undergraduate training in SND as inadequate with most students agreeing that they should receive didactic and clinical training at undergraduate level. A high percentage of students also expressed interest in pursuing postgraduate education in this area of dentistry despite the lack of educational exposure during undergraduate years. The study supports a need for educational reform to formulate a curriculum that is more patient-centred, with earlier clinical exposure in various clinical settings for students to treat patients with special health care needs, applying the concept of holistic care in a variable clinical condition. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

College Students' Preinstructional Ideas about Stars and Star Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Janelle M.; Prather, Edward E.; Johnson, Bruce; Slater, Timothy F.

2009-01-01

This study (Note 1) investigated the beliefs about stars that students hold when they enter an undergraduate introductory astronomy course for nonscience majors. Students' preinstructional ideas were investigated through the use of several student-supplied-response (SSR) surveys, which asked students to describe their ideas about topics such as…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2014-02-01

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

Strength Through Options: Providing Choices for Undergraduate Education in the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furman, T.; Freeman, K. H.; Faculty, D.

2003-12-01

Undergraduate major enrollments in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State have held steady over the past 5 years despite generally declining national trends. We have successfully recruited and retained new students through intensive advising coupled with innovative curricular revision aimed to meet an array of students' educational and career goals. Our focus is on degree programs that reflect emerging interdisciplinary trends in both employment and student interest, and are designed to attract individuals from underrepresented groups. In addition to a traditional Geosciences BS program we offer a rigorous integrated Earth Sciences BS and a Geosciences BA tailored to students with interests in education and environmental law. The Earth Sciences BS incorporates course work from Geosciences, Geography and Meterology, and requires completion of an interdisciplinary minor (e.g., Climatology, Marine Sciences, Global Business Strategies). A new Geobiology BS program will attract majors with interests at the intersection of the earth and life sciences. The curriculum includes both paleontological and biogeochemical coursework, and is also tailored to accommodate pre-medicine students. We are working actively to recruit African-American students. A new minor in Science and Technology in Africa crosses disciplinary boundaries to educate students from the humanities as well as sciences. Longitudinal recruitment programs include summer research group experiences for high school students, summer research mentorships for college students, and dual undergraduate degree programs with HBCUs. Research is a fundamental component of every student's degree program. We require a capstone independent thesis as well as a field program for Geosciences and Geobiology BS students, and we encourage all students to pursue research as early as the freshman year. A new 5-year combined BS-MS program will enable outstanding students to carry their undergraduate research further before pursuing employment or doctoral programs. Enrollments in courses for non-majors have also increased substantially over the past 5 years, while those of other PSU science departments have decreased. We attribute this success to changes in pedagogic approaches, focusing on active learning exercises in large (200+) and small (<75) courses. Innovative use of an electronic personal response system has also improved attendance, enrollment and student learning in our general education courses. This approach was developed by a fixed-term faculty hire in Geoscience Education. As per our departmental strategic plan, we plan to hire again in this area to further these successes and implement new approaches to learning and teaching in our undergraduate educational programs.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2012-02-01

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

Students' Participation in an Interdisciplinary, Socioscientific Issues Based Undergraduate Human Biology Major and Their Understanding of Scientific Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eastwood, Jennifer L.; Sadler, Troy D.; Sherwood, Robert D.; Schlegel, Whitney M.

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether Socioscientific Issues (SSI) based learning environments affect university students' epistemological understanding of scientific inquiry differently from traditional science educational contexts. We identify and compare conceptions of scientific inquiry of students participating in an interdisciplinary, SSI-focused undergraduate human biology major (SSI) and those participating in a traditional biology major (BIO). Forty-five SSI students and 50 BIO students completed an open-ended questionnaire examining their understanding of scientific inquiry. Eight general themes including approximately 60 subthemes emerged from questionnaire responses, and the numbers of students including each subtheme in their responses were statistically compared between groups. A subset of students participated in interviews, which were used to validate and triangulate questionnaire data and probe students' understanding of scientific inquiry in relation to their majors. We found that both groups provided very similar responses, differing significantly in only five subthemes. Results indicated that both groups held generally adequate understandings of inquiry, but also a number of misconceptions. Small differences between groups supported by both questionnaires and interviews suggest that the SSI context contributed to nuanced understandings, such as a more interdisciplinary and problem-centered conception of scientific inquiry. Implications for teaching and research are discussed.

A survey on internet usage and online learning behaviour among medical undergraduates.

PubMed

Venkatesh, Soma; Chandrasekaran, Venkatesh; Dhandapany, Gunasekaran; Palanisamy, Soundararajan; Sadagopan, Srinivasan

2017-05-01

To determine the magnitude and pattern of internet usage by undergraduate medical students to retrieve medical information. A pretested questionnaire-based survey was conducted among undergraduate medical students who were willing to participate. The institute ethics committee approved the study. The responses of students to the questionnaire were analysed using VassarStats online statistical programme. Categorical variables were expressed as proportions. To determine the significance of the difference between proportions, the χ 2 test or Fisher's exact test was used. Log-linear analysis was performed for significance of association among interacting variables. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 115 undergraduate medical students participated in the survey. The response was 100% and involved mainly IX and VIII semester students. Internet usage was found to be 97.4%. Of the students interviewed, 35.7% were frequent internet users and 57.4% used their mobile phones to access the internet. The majority (60.9%) had their own portable 3G internet connection. Monthly expenditure for the majority (82.6%) was less than 1000 Indian Rupees per month. The most popular medical site accessed by students was Medscape, followed by Wikipedia and WebMD. Of the students studied, 8% had attended one or more online continuing medical education programmes. On log-linear analysis, a linear relationship was found for medical time and social time. An encouraging trend is seen in the use of the internet by medical students to access medical information, but this has not translated into improved online learning behaviour. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The EvoDevoCI: A Concept Inventory for Gauging Students’ Understanding of Evolutionary Developmental Biology

PubMed Central

Perez, Kathryn E.; Hiatt, Anna; Davis, Gregory K.; Trujillo, Caleb; French, Donald P.; Terry, Mark; Price, Rebecca M.

2013-01-01

The American Association for the Advancement of Science 2011 report Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education encourages the teaching of developmental biology as an important part of teaching evolution. Recently, however, we found that biology majors often lack the developmental knowledge needed to understand evolutionary developmental biology, or “evo-devo.” To assist in efforts to improve evo-devo instruction among undergraduate biology majors, we designed a concept inventory (CI) for evolutionary developmental biology, the EvoDevoCI. The CI measures student understanding of six core evo-devo concepts using four scenarios and 11 multiple-choice items, all inspired by authentic scientific examples. Distracters were designed to represent the common conceptual difficulties students have with each evo-devo concept. The tool was validated by experts and administered at four institutions to 1191 students during preliminary (n = 652) and final (n = 539) field trials. We used student responses to evaluate the readability, difficulty, discriminability, validity, and reliability of the EvoDevoCI, which included items ranging in difficulty from 0.22–0.55 and in discriminability from 0.19–0.38. Such measures suggest the EvoDevoCI is an effective tool for assessing student understanding of evo-devo concepts and the prevalence of associated common conceptual difficulties among both novice and advanced undergraduate biology majors. PMID:24297293

Undergraduate Research in Physics as an Educational Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim, Toufic M.; Garg, Shila

2001-03-01

The National Science Foundation's 1996 report "Shaping the Future: New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology" urged that in order to improve SME&T education, decisive action must be taken so that "all students have access to excellent undergraduate education in science .... and all students learn these subjects by direct experience with the methods and processes of inquiry." Research-related educational activities that integrate education and research have been shown to be valuable in improving the quality of education and enhancing the number of majors in physics departments. Student researchers develop a motivation to continue in science and engineering through an appreciation of how science is done and the excitement of doing frontier research. We will address some of the challenges of integrating research into the physics undergraduate curriculum effectively. The departmental and institutional policies and infrastructure required to help prepare students for this endeavor will be discussed as well as sources of support and the establishment of appropriate evaluation procedures.

Student Growth from Service-Learning: A Comparison of First-Generation and Non-First-Generation College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelco, Lynn E.; Ball, Christopher T.; Lockeman, Kelly S.

2014-01-01

The effect of service-learning courses on student growth was compared for 321 first-generation and 782 non-first-generation undergraduate students at a large urban university. Student growth encompassed both academic and professional skill development. The majority of students reported significant academic and professional development after…

University science students' knowledge of fats.

PubMed

Mazier, M J Patricia; McLeod, Sheena L

2007-01-01

Students entering university often lack knowledge about fats; whether students gain such information during four years at university is unclear. Students' knowledge of fat in the first and fourth years was measured and compared. The effect of a nutrition course on knowledge was also examined. A total of 215 science students at a small undergraduate university completed a 15-item, closed-ended questionnaire concerning knowledge of fats in the diet. Fourth-year science students have greater nutrition knowledge of fats than do first-year science students (p<0.005). Given that the majority of first-year students reside on campus and the majority of fourth-year students reside off campus, the purchasing of food and preparation of meals may explain the senior students' greater knowledge of fat. Students who have taken a nutrition course know more about fats than do those who have not (p<0.001). Taking even one course in nutrition greatly increases nutrition knowledge. Universities could encourage undergraduate students to take a basic nutrition course, which should emphasize the identification and understanding of different types of dietary fats.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Undergraduate Multicultural Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chappell, Charisse

2014-01-01

The American Psychological Association (APA) recently revised their "Guidelines for the undergraduate psychology major" in 2013. In this updated version diversity is included in the broad goal of ethical and social responsibility in a diverse world. Indicators associated with this goal include student awareness of prejudice within…

Alcohol Consumption and Prehypertension: An Investigation of University Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgensen, Randall S.; Maisto, Stephen A.

2008-01-01

Prehypertension and heavy alcohol consumption increase the risk for primary hypertension (PH), a major predictor of cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality. Although undergraduate college students have exhibited prehypertensive blood pressure (BP) levels and more than 40% of undergraduates drink heavily, few researchers have examined both…

Teaching clinical pharmacology and therapeutics with an emphasis on the therapeutic reasoning of undergraduate medical students

PubMed Central

Richir, Milan C.; Tichelaar, Jelle; Geijteman, Eric C. T.

2008-01-01

Background The rational prescribing of drugs is an essential skill of medical doctors. Clinical pharmacologists play an important role in the development of these skills by teaching clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CP&T) to undergraduate medical students. Although the approaches to teaching CP&T have undergone many changes over the last decennia, it is essential that the actual teaching of CP&T continues to be a major part of the undergraduate medical curriculum. Objectives The learning objectives of CP&T teaching in terms of developing the therapeutic competencies of undergraduate medical students are described, with an emphasis on therapeutic decision-making. On the basis of current theories of cognitive psychology and medical education, context-learning is presented as an effective approach by which to achieve therapeutic competencies. An example of a CP&T curriculum is presented. PMID:18228012

Gestalt Therapy: Student Perceptions of Fritz Perls in "Three Approaches to Psychotherapy"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Joe; Jacobus, Veronica

2009-01-01

The "Three Approaches to Psychotherapy" ("TAP") videotape series introduces students to three major schools of psychotherapy: client-centered therapy, Gestalt therapy, and rational-emotive therapy. A sample of undergraduate students viewed the "TAP" series. The students were surveyed about their observations of…

Earth Science Pipeline: Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences Through Outreach and Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGill, S. F.; Fryxell, J. E.; Smith, A. L.; Leatham, W. B.; Brunkhorst, B. J.

2004-12-01

Our efforts to increase diversity in the geosciences have been directed towards pre-college students and their teachers as well as towards undergraduate students. We made presentations about the geosciences and careers in geosciences at local schools, and we invited school groups to visit our campus (located near the San Andreas fault) for hands-on activities related to Earth Science. We also led field trips for high school students to other areas of geologic interest in southern California. We hired undergraduate students, including several from under-represented groups, from both our introductory and upper-division geology courses to help with these outreach activities. During 2001-2004, we conducted 169 outreach sessions that involved over 12,000 contact hours with about 5700 students, mostly middle and high school students. The majority (about 74%) of the students participating in these activities were from ethnic groups that are under-represented in the geosciences. Ninety per cent of the students said they would like to go on another field trip like the one they took to our department. At many outreach events we conducted a pre- and post-survey in which we asked students to what extent they agreed with the statement: "It would be fun to be a geologist." The pre-surveys indicated that 42% of the students either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement before participating in the outreach event. After participating, 61% of the students agreed or strongly agreed with the statement. We have also offered summer field trips and research opportunities for high school teachers. In order to attract and retain undergraduate students to the geology major, we have recruited undergraduate students from under-represented groups (and high school teachers) to participate in various research projects. The two largest projects are (1) geologic mapping and monitoring of volcanoes on the island of Dominica, in the Lesser Antilles and (2) using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to monitor elastic strain accumulation across the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults along a 70-km-long transect near our campus. To date 80 participants have been involved in the GPS project, including 23 undergraduate students from under-represented ethnic groups and 23 teachers. Several participants have remained involved in the project, helping to process and model the GPS data, leading to presentations at SCEC and AGU meetings. In addition, all of our data has been submitted to the Southern California Earthquake Center's Data Center and is available for use by other scientists. Of the participants in the GPS project, 100% would recommend the program to other students or teachers, 93% regarded the experience as very worthwhile, and 81% said that the project had greatly increased their interest in the Earth Sciences. It is still too early to measure the long-term fruit of our work with middle and early high school students. However, our work with undergraduate students is already beginning to show some promise. During the four years prior to the start of our efforts, the average number of geology majors from under-represented groups in our department was 5 (22.7% of the total number of geology majors). During the three years of focused effort, the average was 8.3 students from under-represented groups (28.4% of the total). This work was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation's program Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences.

Development of an undergraduate bioinformatics degree program at a liberal arts college.

PubMed

Bagga, Paramjeet S

2012-09-01

The highly interdisciplinary field of bioinformatics has emerged as a powerful modern science. There has been a great demand for undergraduate- and graduate-level trained bioinformaticists in the industry as well in the academia. In order to address the needs for trained bioinformaticists, its curriculum must be offered at the undergraduate level, especially at four-year colleges, where a majority of the United States gets its education. There are many challenges in developing an undergraduate-level bioinformatics program that needs to be carefully designed as a well-integrated and cohesive interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares the students for a wide variety of career options. This article describes the challenges of establishing a highly interdisciplinary undergraduate major, the development of an undergraduate bioinformatics degree program at Ramapo College of New Jersey, and lessons learned in the last 10 years during its management.

Development and Validation of the Homeostasis Concept Inventory

PubMed Central

McFarland, Jenny L.; Price, Rebecca M.; Wenderoth, Mary Pat; Martinková, Patrícia; Cliff, William; Michael, Joel; Modell, Harold; Wright, Ann

2017-01-01

We present the Homeostasis Concept Inventory (HCI), a 20-item multiple-choice instrument that assesses how well undergraduates understand this critical physiological concept. We used an iterative process to develop a set of questions based on elements in the Homeostasis Concept Framework. This process involved faculty experts and undergraduate students from associate’s colleges, primarily undergraduate institutions, regional and research-intensive universities, and professional schools. Statistical results provided strong evidence for the validity and reliability of the HCI. We found that graduate students performed better than undergraduates, biology majors performed better than nonmajors, and students performed better after receiving instruction about homeostasis. We used differential item analysis to assess whether students from different genders, races/ethnicities, and English language status performed differently on individual items of the HCI. We found no evidence of differential item functioning, suggesting that the items do not incorporate cultural or gender biases that would impact students’ performance on the test. Instructors can use the HCI to guide their teaching and student learning of homeostasis, a core concept of physiology. PMID:28572177

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

PubMed

Chuck, Jo-Anne

2011-01-01

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

The creation of a synchronous learning environment to support a study abroad program for nursing majors at a traditional liberal arts university.

PubMed

Folse, Victoria N; Jarvis, Carolyn M; Swanlund, Susan L; Timan, Mitzi Runyard

2015-01-01

In response to an increased need for Spanish-speaking and culturally competent nurses, a small private undergraduate-only liberal arts university implemented a semester-long study abroad program for nursing majors in Barcelona, Spain. Prior to the creation of this program, study abroad for nursing students was limited because of prelicensure requirements and limitations of a traditional nursing curriculum. Students studying in Spain enroll in four courses--including two core nursing courses delivered using Polycom hardware and telepresence software by nursing faculty who remain in the United States, a Spanish language course, and one general education course taught either by the University's Spain Director or by an experienced Spanish professor. Participants live with host families and participate in clinical and community observational experiences in Spanish health care agencies. Students then complete direct patient care requirements upon return to the United States. To our knowledge, no other undergraduate-only institution offers a semester-long study abroad experience for nursing majors embedded within the curriculum using synchronous learning; we believe our Spain program, which is in its fourth year being open to nursing majors, is truly an innovative approach to establish cultural competence for undergraduate nursing majors that could serve as a model for other schools of nursing and health disciplines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blended learning: how can we optimise undergraduate student engagement?

PubMed

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

2016-08-04

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

Engaging Undergraduate Education Majors in the Practice of Astronomy through a Coherent Science Content Storyline Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plummer, Julia; Palma, Christopher

2015-08-01

For the next generation of students to learn astronomy as both a body of knowledge and a process of continually extending, refining, and revising that knowledge, teachers at all levels must learn how to engage their students in the practices of astronomy. This begins by designing science coursework for undergraduate education majors in ways that reflect how we hope they will teach their own future students. We have designed an undergraduate astronomy course for elementary education majors around a coherent science content storyline (CSCS) framework in order to investigate methods that support education majors’ uptake of astronomy practices. CSCS instruction purposefully sequences lessons in ways that make explicit the connections between science ideas in order to move students towards increasingly sophisticated explanations for a single big idea in science. We used this framework to organize our course around a series of astronomical investigations that build towards a big idea in astronomy: how the formation model explains current patterns observed in the Solar System. Each investigation helps students begin to explain observations of the Solar System from a coherent, systems-based perspective as they make choices on how to design their own data collection and analysis strategies. Through these investigations, future teachers begin to view astronomy as a process of answering scientific questions using evidence-based explanations and model-based reasoning. The course design builds on our prior research into students’ ideas about Solar System phenomena and its formation as well as students’ ideas about how astronomers carry out investigations. Preliminary results, based on analysis of student conversations during in-class investigations, science notebook entries, and scientific reports, suggest that the course helps students learn to construct evidence-based explanations while also increasing the accuracy of the explanations for astronomical phenomena. We will discuss implications for undergraduate astronomy education towards increasing future teachers’ proficiency in doing astronomy in ways that move them towards understanding how astronomers investigate the universe.

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

PubMed

Doran, Frances; Hutchinson, Marie

2017-08-01

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

Academic Boot Camp for the Writing of Psychology Research Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skues, Jason L.; Wise, Lisa

2014-01-01

Herein, we describe the implementation of, and responses to, a structured writing workshop in the form of an academic boot camp. Participants were 42 undergraduate psychology students from a medium-sized Australian university who were completing their major assignment for the semester. A majority of the students expressed satisfaction with the…

Ecohydrology as an Undergraduate Degree: Challenges in Developing an Interdisciplinary Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saito, Laurel; Walker, Mark; Chandra, Sudeep; Miller, W. Watkins; Tyler, Scott

2009-01-01

In the new ecohydrology major at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), students learn about the relationships between hydrologic mechanisms and ecological patterns and processes in watersheds and aquatic systems. The curriculum provides students with the option of meeting the requirements for federal positions as a hydrologist (GS 1315) and is…

Access Barriers to Distance Education Perceived by Inservice and Preservice Career and Technical Education Majors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zirkle, Chris

The access barriers to distance education faced by inservice and preservice career and technical education (CTE) majors were examined through a survey of 76 students enrolled in undergraduate- and graduate-level CTE education programs. Completed questionnaires were received from 60 students (response rate, 78.9%). Forty respondents worked…

Differential Gender Performance on the Major Field Test-Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bielinska-Kwapisz, Agnieszka; Brown, F. William

2013-01-01

The Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B), a standardized assessment test of business knowledge among undergraduate business seniors, is widely used to measure student achievement. Many previous studies analyzing scores on the MFT-B report gender differences on the exam even after controlling for student's aptitude, general intellectual ability,…

C-MORE Scholars Program: Encouraging Hawaii`s Undergraduates to Explore the Ocean and Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, B. C.; Gibson, B.

2008-05-01

Hawaii residents make up 60% of the undergraduate student body at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), but they are not studying ocean and earth science. The UHM School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology offers four undergraduate majors: Geology (22%), Geology & Geophysics (19%), Meteorology (16%), and Global Environmental Science (23%). The numbers in parentheses show the proportion of Hawaii residents in each major, based on 2006 data obtained from the UHM Institutional Research Office. The numbers of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) are considerably smaller. The primary goal of the C-MORE Scholars Program, which will launch in Summer 2008, is to recruit and retain local Hawaii students (esp. NHPI) into earth and ocean science majors. To achieve this goal, the C-MORE Scholars Program will: 1. Actively recruit local students, partly by introducing them and their families to job opportunities in their community. Recruiting will be done in partnership with organizations that have successful track records in working with NHPI students; 2. Retain existing students through proactive counseling and course tutoring. Math and physics courses are stumbling blocks for many ocean and earth science majors, often delaying or even preventing graduation. By offering individual and group tutoring, we hope to help local students succeed in these courses; 3. Provide closely mentored, paid undergraduate research experiences at three different academic levels (trainee, intern, and fellow). This research is the cornerstone of the C-MORE Scholars Program. As students progress through the levels, they conduct higher level research with less supervision. Fellows (the highest level) may serve as peer advisors and tutors to underclassmen and assist with recruitment-related activities; and 4. Create a sense of community among the cohort of C-MORE scholars. A two-day summer residential experience will be instrumental in developing a strong cohort, emphasizing links between Hawaiian culture and science, and establishing pathways towards a science career. During the academic year, cohort-building activities will be scheduled each month or so, and will include career-oriented activities.

Using "Pseudomonas Putida xylE" Gene to Teach Molecular Cloning Techniques for Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Xu; Xin, Yi; Ye, Li; Ma, Yufang

2009-01-01

We have developed and implemented a serial experiment in molecular cloning laboratory course for undergraduate students majored in biotechnology. "Pseudomonas putida xylE" gene, encoding catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase, was manipulated to learn molecular biology techniques. The integration of cloning, expression, and enzyme assay gave students…

From Surprise Parties to Mapmaking: Undergraduate Journeys toward Interdisciplinary Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Carolyn; Leonard, Jeannie Brown

2010-01-01

As educators in academic programs featuring interdisciplinary learning, the authors can attest that helping undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary studies major engage in interdisciplinary learning--that is, draw from two or more disciplines to advance understanding of a problem, question, or phenomenon--is no mean feat. Consequently, the…

Negotiating Identity: A Look at the Educational Experiences of Black Undergraduates in Stem Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClain, Oren L.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the mathematics educational experiences of Black undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines at the University of Virginia. Using Murrell's (2009) situated-mediated identity theory as the theoretical framework, this study examines factors…

Peer Mentoring for Undergraduates in a Research-Focused Diversity Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Thomas E.; Logan, Kay; Lindwall, Jennifer; Beals, Caitlyn

2017-01-01

To provide multi-dimensional support for undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds who aspire to careers in research, the BUILD EXITO project, part of a major NIH-funded diversity initiative, matches each scholar with three mentors: peer mentor (advanced student), career mentor (faculty adviser), and research mentor (research…

Life Science Literacy of an Undergraduate Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medina, Stephanie R.; Ortlieb, Evan; Metoyer, Sandra

2014-01-01

Science content knowledge is a concern for educators in the United States because performance has stagnated for the past decade. Investigators designed this study to determine the current levels of scientific literacy among undergraduate students in a freshman-level biology course (a core requirement for majors and nonmajors), identify factors…

Comparing Amide-Forming Reactions Using Green Chemistry Metrics in an Undergraduate Organic Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fennie, Michael W.; Roth, Jessica M.

2016-01-01

In this laboratory experiment, upper-division undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry majors investigate amide-bond-forming reactions from a green chemistry perspective. Using hydrocinnamic acid and benzylamine as reactants, students perform three types of amide-forming reactions: an acid chloride derivative route; a coupling reagent promoted…

Women in Business: Influences on the Undergraduate Major Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geyfman, Victoria; Force, Christina M.; Davis, Laura M.

2015-01-01

This study employs a survey of undergraduate business school freshmen to examine factors that influence their decision to study business and whether these factors differ by gender. Specifically, the study examines internal factors, such as students' perceived aptitudes and interests in the subject; external factors, such as compensation and job…

Gender and Medical Leadership: Student Perceptions and Implications for Developing Future Leaders in Primary and Secondary Care--a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Crolla, Elizabeth; O'Sullivan, Helen; Bogg, Jan

2011-10-01

To explore perceptions of leadership in undergraduate medical students. A quantitative pilot study; anonymous online survey. All undergraduates were invited to participate from one UK medical school; 469 students participated. The survey used Likert scales and open and closed questions. Lack of self-confidence and perceptions of women leaders were issues for undergraduates. A significant number of male undergraduates rated women less able to perform 10 of 12 attributes of leadership. Furthermore, male undergraduates showed greater ambition towards future leadership, with 42.2% males compared to 21.7% females strongly agreeing that they saw themselves in a position of leadership in the future. Networking and tradition were also seen as barriers to females gaining the highest office in the student medical society. The importance of embedding leadership in the curriculum was highlighted by both genders. CONCLUSIONS Barriers to progression still need to be investigated and removed especially because women are expected to comprise the majority of the medical workforce by 2017. There needs to be greater emphasis on mentoring and role models at the undergraduate level and beyond and more awareness of leadership in curricula at all levels. These changes should ultimately improve confidence and change the perception of women in the medical workforce.

Student Engagement and Making Community Happen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Wayne S.; Partridge, Lee

2014-01-01

Student engagement and making community happen is a policy manoeuvre that shapes the political subjectivity of the undergraduate student In Australia, making community happen as a practice of student engagement is described as one of the major challenges for policy and practice in research-led universities (Krause, 2005). Current efforts to meet…

Understanding Perceptions of the Geosciences among Minority and Nonminority Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman-Morris, Kathleen; McNeal, Karen S.

2016-01-01

This study augments existing literature in understanding student perceptions about the geosciences; we examined the choice of major and science courses taken by 645 students at a large southeastern research university. Differences were examined between underrepresented minority (URM) and nonminority students. We compared responses regarding not…

Fostering Student Engagement through a Multi-Day Industry Tour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Lorraine L.; Hartman, Cindy L.; Baldwin, Elizabeth D.

2015-01-01

Student engagement may be enhanced by providing educationally purposeful activities outside of the classroom. This study considers the influence of a multi-day industry tour on student engagement for undergraduates majoring in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Data were collected from students' reflections in journal entries focused on an…

Health Behaviors of Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clement, Madeleine; Jankowski, Louis W.; Bouchard, Louise; Perreault, Michel; Lepage, Yves

2002-01-01

A 3-year study compared 52 undergraduate nursing students with 93 education majors and with the general population. No significant differences among students on 9 health behaviors appeared. Compared with the general population, nursing students had inadequate time for sleep, exercise, and eating breakfast. (Contains 77 references.) (SK)

Social Cognitive Predictors of Interest in Environmental Science: Recommendations for Environmental Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quimby, Julie L.; Seyala, Nazar D.; Wolfson, Jane L.

2007-01-01

The authors examined the influence of social cognitive variables on students' interest in environmental science careers and investigated differences between White and ethnic minority students on several career-related variables. The sample consisted of 161 undergraduate science majors (124 White students, 37 ethnic minority students). Results of…

Students' Attitudes toward Statistics across the Disciplines: A Mixed-Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, James D.; Adams, Lea T.; Gu, Lucy L.; Hart, Christian L.; Nichols-Whitehead, Penney

2012-01-01

Students' attitudes toward statistics were investigated using a mixed-methods approach including a discovery-oriented qualitative methodology among 684 undergraduate students across business, criminal justice, and psychology majors where at least one course in statistics was required. Students were asked about their attitudes toward statistics and…

Male Students Give Voice to Supportive Campus Environments: A Qualitative Case Study of Undergraduate STEM Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amon, Julie L.

2010-01-01

Research supports the importance of student engagement in enhancing student learning, success, and various desirable educational outcomes. In the last decade, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has been the primary instrument through which student engagement has been explored. "Supportive Campus Environment", one of the…

Better understanding of homologous recombination through a 12-week laboratory course for undergraduates majoring in biotechnology.

PubMed

Li, Ming; Shen, Xiaodong; Zhao, Yan; Hu, Xiaomei; Hu, Fuquan; Rao, Xiancai

2017-07-08

Homologous recombination, a central concept in biology, is defined as the exchange of DNA strands between two similar or identical nucleotide sequences. Unfortunately, undergraduate students majoring in biotechnology often experience difficulties in understanding the molecular basis of homologous recombination. In this study, we developed and implemented a 12-week laboratory course for biotechnology undergraduates in which gene targeting in Streptococcus suis was used to facilitate their understanding of the basic concept and process of homologous recombination. Students worked in teams of two to select a gene of interest to create a knockout mutant using methods that relied on homologous recombination. By integrating abstract knowledge and practice in the process of scientific research, students gained hands-on experience in molecular biology techniques while learning about the principle and process of homologous recombination. The learning outcomes and survey-based assessment demonstrated that students substantially enhanced their understanding of how homologous recombination could be used to study gene function. Overall, the course was very effective for helping biotechnology undergraduates learn the theory and application of homologous recombination, while also yielding positive effects in developing confidence and scientific skills for future work in research. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(4):329-335, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Trends in Selecting Undergraduate Business Majors & International Enrollment & Expected Salaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozgur, Ceyhun; Li, Yang; Rogers, Grace

2015-01-01

The paper begins with a brief review of the literature and how business students choose their major in the U.S. and we list the most popular majors in the U.S. Universities. We also talk about the factors that influenced student's choice. In our next research project, we will not only use a larger sample size but also the sample will come from a…

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Higdon, S.; Balonek, T. J.; Haynes, M. P.; Giovanelli, R.

2010-01-01

The Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team is a consortium of 16 institutions engaged in an NSF-sponsored program to promote undergraduate research within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project. In the first two years of the program, more than three dozen undergraduate students have been closely involved in ALFALFA science, observing, and data analysis. A total of 34 students have attended the annual undergraduate workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, their peers, ALFALFA experts, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 26 summer research projects and 14 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. Students and faculty have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and to national meetings to present their results. Eight Team schools have joined to work collaboratively to analyze HI properties of galaxy groups within the ALFALFA volume. (See O'Brien et al., O'Malley et al., and Odekon et al. posters, this meeting.) Students involved in this program are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918, AST-0725267, and AST-0725380.

The Python Project: A Unique Model for Extending Research Opportunities to Undergraduate Students

PubMed Central

Harvey, Pamela A.; Wall, Christopher; Luckey, Stephen W.; Langer, Stephen

2014-01-01

Undergraduate science education curricula are traditionally composed of didactic instruction with a small number of laboratory courses that provide introductory training in research techniques. Research on learning methodologies suggests this model is relatively ineffective, whereas participation in independent research projects promotes enhanced knowledge acquisition and improves retention of students in science. However, availability of faculty mentors and limited departmental budgets prevent the majority of students from participating in research. A need therefore exists for this important component in undergraduate education in both small and large university settings. A course was designed to provide students with the opportunity to engage in a research project in a classroom setting. Importantly, the course collaborates with a sponsor's laboratory, producing a symbiotic relationship between the classroom and the laboratory and an evolving course curriculum. Students conduct a novel gene expression study, with their collective data being relevant to the ongoing research project in the sponsor's lab. The success of this course was assessed based on the quality of the data produced by the students, student perception data, student learning gains, and on whether the course promoted interest in and preparation for careers in science. In this paper, we describe the strategies and outcomes of this course, which represents a model for efficiently providing research opportunities to undergraduates. PMID:25452492

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

Student Engagement and Marketing Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Steven A.; Hunter, Gary L.; Melton, Horace; Goodwin, Stephen A.

2011-01-01

A study is reported that investigates the goals underlying undergraduate students' engagement in their major classes, nonmajor classes, and in extracurricular activities. The qualitative study employs both focus groups and goal-mapping exercises. The results suggest that students tend to focus on utilitarian, attribute-level considerations mainly…

A quantitative analysis of factors that influence and predict students' intention to major in and complete an undergraduate program in STEM or non-STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xuemei

2005-11-01

The goal of this study was to explore and understand the factors that influence students' intention to major in and complete an undergraduate program in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) discipline, in a non-STEM field, and how students' gender directly and indirectly affects their success in college. A quantitative study of three thousand four (3004) ACT-tested students who entered a Midwestern, land-grant university as freshmen in fall, 1999 was conducted based on their ACT Assessment information and their enrollment and graduation status after five years. A wide variety of variables were considered and logistic regression, factor analysis, and path analysis were used to analyze the data. The results show that students who intended to major in or completed STEM programs generally have better academic qualifications than their counterparts who intended to major in non-STEM fields. Students who intended to major in or completed STEM programs came from lower income families and smaller communities than those who intended to major in or graduated from non-STEM programs. In this study, gender's direct effect on students' college achievement is eleven times the total of gender's indirect effects through several major factors for students in both STEM fields and non-STEM fields. Perhaps nature has favored females when students' achievement is measured as their college GPA. The results also show that the overall high dropout rate is strongly associated with students' inadequate preparation in high school and family income. Out-of-school accomplishment in community service is a negative influence on their completion of a college degree. ACT scores are not necessary for prediction of college graduation.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weir, Michael J.

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

Investigating knowledge regarding antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance among pharmacy students in Sri Lankan universities.

PubMed

Sakeena, M H F; Bennett, Alexandra A; Jamshed, Shazia; Mohamed, Fahim; Herath, Dilanthi R; Gawarammana, Indika; McLachlan, Andrew J

2018-05-08

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major challenge for global health care. Pharmacists play a key role in the health care setting to help support the quality use of medicines. The education, training, and experiences of pharmacy students have the potential to impact on patterns of antibiotic use in community and hospital settings. The aim of this study was to investigate antibiotic use, knowledge of antibiotics and AMR among undergraduate pharmacy students at Sri Lankan universities and to compare this between junior and senior pharmacy student groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the six universities in Sri Lanka that offer pharmacy undergraduate programmes. All pharmacy students in each university were invited to participate in this study using a self-administered questionnaire with ethics approval. The study instrument comprised five major sections: demographic information, self-reported antibiotic use, knowledge of antibiotic uses in human health, knowledge of AMR and antibiotic use in agriculture. Descriptive data analyses were conducted and Chi-squared analysis was used to explore associations between different variables and level of pharmacy education. Four hundred sixty-six pharmacy students completed the questionnaire. A majority of participants (76%) reported antibiotic use in the past year. More than half (57%) of the junior pharmacy students incorrectly indicated that antibiotic use is appropriate for the management of cold and flu conditions. Senior pharmacy students (n = 206) reported significantly better antibiotic knowledge than junior students (n = 260), p < 0.05. Overall pharmacy students showed good understanding of AMR and their knowledge level increased as the year of pharmacy study increased. This study found that pharmacy students commonly report using antibiotics. Junior students report some misconceptions about antimicrobials. A comparison between junior and senior pharmacy students suggests that pharmacy education is associated with improved understanding of appropriate antibiotic use and AMR among undergraduate pharmacy students in Sri Lanka.

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

PubMed

Chacha, Chacha Emmanuel; Kazaura, Method R

2015-01-01

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

Teaching Spatial Thinking in Undergraduate Geology Courses Using Tools and Strategies from Cognitive Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-12-01

Spatial visualization is an essential skill in the STEM disciplines, including the geological sciences. Undergraduate students, including geoscience majors in upper-level courses, bring a wide range of spatial skill levels to the classroom. Students with weak spatial skills may struggle to understand fundamental concepts and to solve geological problems with a spatial component. However, spatial thinking skills are malleable. Using strategies that have emerged from cognitive science research, we developed a set of curricular materials that improve undergraduate geology majors' abilities to reason about 3D concepts and to solve spatially complex geological problems. Cognitive science research on spatial thinking demonstrates that predictive sketching, making visual comparisons, gesturing, and the use of analogy can be used to develop students' spatial thinking skills. We conducted a three-year study of the efficacy of these strategies in strengthening the spatial skills of students in core geology courses at three universities. Our methodology is a quasi-experimental quantitative design, utilizing pre- and post-tests of spatial thinking skills, assessments of spatial problem-solving skills, and a control group comprised of students not exposed to our new curricular materials. Students taught using the new curricular materials show improvement in spatial thinking skills. Further analysis of our data, to be completed prior to AGU, will answer additional questions about the relationship between spatial skills and academic performance, spatial skills and gender, spatial skills and confidence, and the impact of our curricular materials on students who are struggling academically. Teaching spatial thinking in the context of discipline-based exercises has the potential to transform undergraduate education in the geological sciences by removing one significant barrier to success.

'Disaster day': global health simulation teaching.

PubMed

Mohamed-Ahmed, Rayan; Daniels, Alex; Goodall, Jack; O'Kelly, Emily; Fisher, James

2016-02-01

As society diversifies and globalisation quickens, the importance of teaching global health to medical undergraduates increases. For undergraduates, the majority of exposure to 'hands-on' teaching on global health occurs during optional elective periods. This article describes an innovative student-led initiative, 'Disaster Day', which used simulation to teach global health to undergraduates. The teaching day began with an introduction outlining the work of Médecins Sans Frontières and the basic principles of resuscitation. Students then undertook four interactive simulation scenarios: Infectious Diseases in a Refugee Camp, Natural Disaster and Crush Injury, Obstetric Emergency in a Low-Income Country, and Warzone Gunshot Wound. Sessions were facilitated by experienced doctors and fourth-year students who had been trained in the delivery of the scenarios. Students completed pre- and post-session evaluation forms that included the self-rating of confidence in eight learning domains (using a five-point Likert scale). Twenty-seven students voluntarily attended the session, and all provided written feedback. Analysis of the pre- and post-session evaluations demonstrated statistically significant improvements in confidence across all but one domains (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Free-text feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with students appreciating the practical aspect of the scenarios. For undergraduates, the majority of exposure to 'hands-on' teaching on global health occurs during optional elective periods Simulation-based teaching can provide students with 'hands-on' exposure to global health in a controlled, reproducible fashion and appears to help develop their confidence in a variety of learning domains. The more widespread use of such teaching methods is encouraged: helping tomorrow's doctors develop insight into global health challenges may produce more rounded clinicians capable of caring for more culturally diverse populations. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Study Of Undergraduate Students' Alternative Conceptions Of Earth's Interior Using Drawing Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McAllister, Meredith L.

2014-12-01

Learning fundamental geoscience topics such as plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes requires students to develop a deep understanding of the conceptual models geologists use when describing the structure and dynamics of Earth's interior. Despite the importance of these mental models underlying much of the undergraduate geoscience curriculum, surprisingly little research related to this complex idea exists in the discipline-based science education research literature. To better understand non-science-majoring undergraduates' conceptual models of Earth's interior, student-generated drawings and interviews were used to probe student understanding of the Earth. Ninety-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with non-science-major college students at the beginning of an entry-level geology course at a large Midwestern university. Students were asked to draw a picture of Earth's interior and provide think-aloud explanations of their drawings. The results reveal that students hold a wide range of alternative conceptions about Earth, with only a small fraction having scientifically accurate ideas. Students' understandings ranged from conceptualizing Earth's interior as consisting of horizontal layers of rock and dirt, to more sophisticated views with Earth's interior being composed of concentric layers with unique physical and chemical characteristics. Processes occurring within Earth, such as "convection," were rarely mentioned or explained. These results provide a first-steps basis from which to further explore college students' thinking and contribute to the growing body of knowledge on earth science teaching and geoscience education research.

Food safety knowledge and practices of young adults.

PubMed

Green, Eric J; Knechtges, Paul L

2015-06-01

The objective of the study described in this article was to ascertain the food safety knowledge and practices of undergraduate students attending a major American university. The study participants were undergraduate college students (mean age 18.9 +/- 1.14 SD) enrolled in a required health course. The students were invited to take a validated food safety knowledge questionnaire as part of a health risk behavior online survey. The 786 respondents indicated their food is most often prepared at on-campus dining facilities and the majority of the students (72%) felt they were "unlikely or "very unlikely" at risk of foodborne disease. The mean food safety knowledge score of the participants was 10.23 (43%) +/- 4.13 SD (25%-60%), indicating the study population overall has poor knowledge of safe food practices. As a result, food safety educational initiatives and awareness campaigns should be developed to better inform young adults about safe food handling practices and habits.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, L. K.; Singer, J.

2015-12-01

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

How Our Majors Believe They Learn: Student Learning Strategies in an Undergraduate Theory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelton, Julie A.

2014-01-01

In this study, I set out to gain a better understanding of the learning strategies typically used by sociology majors, whether and to what extent they engage in metacognitive strategies, and whether teaching about learning results in students reporting greater use of self-regulatory behaviors. I discuss the importance of self-regulated learning…

When Are Students Ready for Research Methods? A Curriculum Mapping Argument for the Political Science Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergbower, Matthew L.

2017-01-01

For many political science programs, research methods courses are a fundamental component of the recommended undergraduate curriculum. However, instructors and students often see these courses as the most challenging. This study explores when it is most appropriate for political science majors to enroll and pass a research methods course. The…

Engaging Earth- and Environmental-Science Undergraduates through Weather Discussions and an eLearning Weather Forecasting Contest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, David M.; Anderson, Stuart; Seo-Zindy, Ryo

2013-01-01

For students who major in meteorology, engaging in weather forecasting can motivate learning, develop critical-thinking skills, improve their written communication, and yield better forecasts. Whether such advances apply to students who are not meteorology majors has been less demonstrated. To test this idea, a weather discussion and an eLearning…

Prospective Teachers from Urban Environments Examine Causes of the Achievement Gap in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Erik E.

2016-01-01

This study analyzes the educational achievement gap between low and high socioeconomic students from the perspective of sixty-two prospective teachers in an undergraduate educational foundations course at a public majority minority urban university in the northeastern United States. The majority of these college students come from, and plan to…

Attitudes of College Students toward Elderly Persons and Their Perceptions of Themselves at Age 75.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosher-Ashley, Pearl M.; Ball, Pamilee

1999-01-01

A study of 119 undergraduates (22 business majors, 30 psychology, 37 nursing, 30 occupational therapy) found no significant differences in attitudes toward the elderly by major or age group (18-22 vs. 23 and over). Younger students were significantly more concerned about their personal aging than those over 22. (SK)

College Student Persistence in Scientific Disciplines: Cultural and Social Capital as Contributing Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceglie, Robert John; Settlage, John

2016-01-01

Underrepresentation of women of color in science majors and careers continues to be a concern for many science educators. Despite being the fastest growing population of college students, women of color have made insufficient gains in college science degree attainment. Sixteen women of color who were undergraduates majoring in a science field…

Gender Differences and Intra-Gender Differences amongst Management Information Systems Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beyer, Sylvia

2008-01-01

Few women major in Management Information Systems (MIS). The purpose of this paper is to examine the reasons for women's underrepresentation in MIS. In addition to examining gender differences, an important and novel goal of this study is to examine intra-gender differences in undergraduate students, i.e., differences among female MIS majors and…

Undergraduates study climate change science, philosophy, and public policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bullock, Mark A.; Frodeman, Robert L.

The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in ongoing scientific research. Existing either as stand-alone summer programs or as supplementary components to existing NSF research grants, the REU program focuses on introducing aspiring young scientists to the delights and complexities of science. Global Climate Change and Society (GCCS) is an intensive, 8-week REU program that began a 3-year run in the summer of 2001.Developed by a philosopher at the Colorado School of Mines, and a planetary scientist at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colrado, GCCS is a unique experiment in research and pedagogy that introduces students to science by using a distinctive approach. Choosing as its topic the questions surrounding global climate change, the program explores the interwoven scientific, philosophical, and public policy issues that make the climate change debate such a volatile topic in contemporary society. Last summer, the program selected 12 undergraduates through a nationally advertised competition. Student interns came from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds and included physics, philosophy and public policy majors from elite liberal arts schools, major research institutions, and mainstream state universities. The program was held at the University of Colorado and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), in Boulder, Colorado (Figure 1).

"Setting up for the Next Big Thing": Undergraduate Women Engineering Students' Postbaccalaureate Career Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kathleen N.; Gayles, Joy Gaston

2017-01-01

Using social cognitive career theory and the cognitive information processing model as frameworks, in this constructivist case study we examined the career-related experiences and decisions of 10 women engineering undergraduate seniors who accepted full-time positions. From the data analysis 3 major themes emerged: critical undergraduate…

Undergraduate Quality Management Project: Motorcycle Manufacturer Vendor Rating System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, James; McHaney, Roger

2009-01-01

A major motorcycle vendor, based in the U.S. Midwest, is the world's largest custom V-Twin motorcycle manufacturer and domestically the second largest motorcycle manufacturer behind Harley-Davidson. This project describes the process used used by a K-State undergraduate distance learning student to design and develop the initial version of a…

Student Opinions and Perceptions of Undergraduate Thermodynamics Courses in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugursal, V. Ismet; Cruickshank, Cynthia A.

2015-01-01

Thermodynamics is a fundamental foundation of all engineering disciplines. A vast majority of engineering undergraduate programmes contain one or more courses on thermodynamics, and many engineers use thermodynamics every day to analyse or design energy systems. However, there is extensive anecdotal evidence as well as a wide range of published…

Severe Weather Field Experience: An Undergraduate Field Course on Career Enhancement and Severe Convective Storms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godfrey, Christopher M.; Barrett, Bradford S.; Godfrey, Elaine S.

2011-01-01

Undergraduate students acquire a deeper understanding of scientific principles through first-hand experience. To enhance the learning environment for atmospheric science majors, the University of North Carolina at Asheville has developed the severe weather field experience. Participants travel to Tornado Alley in the Great Plains to forecast and…

Proceedings of the Undergraduate Mathematics Teaching Conference (Sheffield, England, September 4-7, 2000).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emery, David

The 26th Undergraduate Mathematics Teaching Conference took place in September of 2000 at Sheffield Hallam University. Major topics of the conference included what use might mathematics education research be to university mathematics teachers?, attracting students to mathematics, use of the internet in teaching mathematics, and supporting the…

Multidisciplinary "Boot Camp" Training in Cellular Bioengineering to Accelerate Research Immersion for REU Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shreiber, David I.; Moghe, Prabhas V.; Roth, Charles M.

2015-01-01

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites widely serve as the first major research gateway for undergraduates seeking a structured research experience. Given their lack of prior research skills, and the highly compressed duration of the REU programs, these students frequently encounter barriers to a seamless transition into a new…

Understanding Classrooms through Social Network Analysis: A Primer for Social Network Analysis in Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grunspan, Daniel Z.; Wiggins, Benjamin L.; Goodreau, Steven M.

2014-01-01

Social interactions between students are a major and underexplored part of undergraduate education. Understanding how learning relationships form in undergraduate classrooms, as well as the impacts these relationships have on learning outcomes, can inform educators in unique ways and improve educational reform. Social network analysis (SNA)…

Current Issues in Undergraduate Psychiatry Education: The Findings of a Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogra, Nisha; Edwards, Ruth; Karim, Khalid; Cavendish, Susan

2008-01-01

Background: Recruitment into psychiatry is correlated with the quality of undergraduate medical school teaching programmes and with a commitment of major resources to teaching students. There is an extensive literature related to attitudes towards psychiatry but less on the learning and teaching of psychiatry. Aims: To identify the current issues…

An Undergraduate Course on Operating Systems Principles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Engineering, Washington, DC. Commission on Education.

This report is from Task Force VIII of the COSINE Committee of the Commission on Education of the National Academy of Engineering. The task force was established to formulate subject matter for an elective undergraduate subject on computer operating systems principles for students whose major interest is in the engineering of computer systems and…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeKorver, Brittland K.; Towns, Marcy H.

2016-01-01

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

From Data to Policy: An Undergraduate Program in Research and Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuoco, Rebecca; Blum, Arlene; Peaslee, Graham F.

2012-01-01

To bridge the gap between science and policy, future scientists should receive training that incorporates policy implications into the design, analysis, and communication of research. We present a student Science and Policy course for undergraduate science majors piloted at the University of California, Berkeley in the summer of 2011. During this…

Evolving Impressions: Undergraduate Perceptions of Graduate Teaching Assistants and Faculty Members over a Semester

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendall, K. Denise; Schussler, Elisabeth E.

2013-01-01

Undergraduate experiences in lower-division science courses are important factors in student retention in science majors. These courses often include a lecture taught by faculty, supplemented by smaller sections, such as discussions and laboratories, taught by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Given that portions of these courses are taught by…

Depression and College Stress among University Undergraduates: Do Mattering and Self-Esteem Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Sarah K.; Kurpius, Sharon E. Robinson

2008-01-01

Depression and college stress, major concerns among undergraduates, are potentially related to self-esteem and mattering. This study investigated the interrelationships among these four variables. Participants included college students (199 males and 256 females) between the ages of 18 and 23. Significant sex differences were found with women…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, Ted C.; Domenici, Paula L.

2011-01-01

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

Thoughts on a "Liberating" Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Robert A.

2013-01-01

In describing the purpose of college, author Robert Scott believes that undergraduate education is and must be as much about character and citizenship as about careers and commerce. In addition to majoring in a particular subject, and in order to fulfill the purpose of a university education, Scott says that undergraduate students must learn about…

The Effect of Action Orientation on the Academic Performance of Undergraduate Marketing Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaramillo, Fernando; Spector, Paul E.

2004-01-01

Due to the effect of academic performance on employment opportunities and admission to graduate schools, researchers have long recognized the need for identifying factors that are linked to the academic performance of undergraduate marketing students. This research proposes a model that investigates the relationships among motivation, effort,…

The CLEM Model: Path Analysis of the Mediating Effects of Attitudes and Motivational Beliefs on the Relationship between Perceived Learning Environment and Course Performance in an Undergraduate Non-Major Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Partin, Matthew L.; Haney, Jodi J.

2012-01-01

In this study, the following questions were addressed in an undergraduate non-major biology course using a large lecture format: Is there a relationship between students' perceptions of their learning environment and course performance, and what roles do motivation and attitudes play in mediating that relationship? The purpose of this study was to…

Evaluating Psychosocial Mechanisms Underlying STEM Persistence in Undergraduates: Evidence of Impact from a Six-Day Pre–College Engagement STEM Academy Program

PubMed Central

Findley-Van Nostrand, Danielle; Pollenz, Richard S.

2017-01-01

The persistence of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is a national issue based on STEM workforce projections. We implemented a weeklong pre–college engagement STEM Academy (SA) program aimed at addressing several areas related to STEM retention. We validated an instrument that was developed based on existing, validated measures and examined several psychosocial constructs related to STEM (science identity, self-efficacy, sense of belonging to the university and to STEM, career expectancies, and intention to leave STEM majors) before and after the program. We also compared students in the SA program with a matched comparison group of first-year students. Results show that SA students significantly increased in science identity and sense of belonging to STEM and to the university, all predictive of increased STEM retention and a primary aim of the program. Relative to the matched comparison group, SA students began their first semester with higher STEM self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and science identity, positive career expectancies, and lower intention to leave STEM. The SA cohort showed 98% first-year retention and 92% STEM major retention. The SA program serves as a model of a scalable, first-level, cocurricular engagement experience to enhance psychosocial factors that impact undergraduate persistence in STEM. PMID:28572178

Impromptu Speech Gamification for ESL/EFL Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girardelli, Davide

2017-01-01

Courses: Any introductory undergraduate public-speaking course, in particular in ESL/EFL contexts. Objectives: This single-class activity is intended to (1) build students' ability to communicate orally "off the cuff;" (2) foster students' understanding of the major organizational formats used in organizing speeches; and (3) increase…

Can Students Write Their Own Textbooks? Thoughts on a New Type of Writing Assignment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frye, David

1999-01-01

Describes an assignment in an undergraduate course on Roman history for junior and senior history majors in which students create their own 15-page textbook using primary sources. Explains how each class session developed student analysis of primary sources. (CMK)

Statistical Methods for Protecting Personally Identifiable Information in the Disclosure of Graduation Rates of First-Time, Full-Time Degree- or Certificate-Seeking Undergraduate Students by 2-Year Degree-Granting Institutions of Higher Education. Technical Brief. NCES 2012-151

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xianglei; Bersudskaya, Vera; Cubarrubi, Archie

2011-01-01

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) requires that Title IV degree-granting institutions disclose annually the graduation rates of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students, disaggregated by gender, each major racial/ethnic subgroup, and receipt or non-receipt of a federal Pell grant or subsidized…

Pod Learning: Student Groups Create Podcasts to Achieve Economics Learning Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moryl, Rebecca L.

2016-01-01

In this article, the author describes a group project to create student-generated podcasts on economics topics. This project provides an innovative opportunity for students to demonstrate proficiency in skills required for the undergraduate economics major and valued in the professional marketplace. Results of a student self-assessment survey on…

Promoting Student Academic Achievement through Faculty Development about Inclusive Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmid, Megan E.; Gillian-Daniel, Donald L.; Kraemer, Sara; Kueppers, Mark

2016-01-01

The achievement gap, disparities in the academic achievement of marginalized students (e.g., underrepresented minority, first generation in their family to attend college, and low socio-economic status undergraduate students) relative to their non-minority peers is a pervasive problem in higher education. It impacts student access to the major and…

Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Dietetics, Athletic Training, and Exercise Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Meredith G.; Hansen, Pamela; Rhee, Yeong; Brundt, Ardith; Terbizan, Donna; Christensen, Bryan

2014-01-01

The study assessed the preferred learning style (LS) of college students and compared LS preferences among students majoring in Dietetics, Exercise Science, and Athletic Training. LS questionnaires were distributed to students (N = 693, mean age 20.5 ± 1.7) enrolled in health science courses at three Midwestern universities. Most students…

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

This study explored the knowledge and awareness about colorectal cancer (CRC) among undergraduate students of one of the leading universities in Saudi Arabia, along with the mode of information access. The present cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, among students of different faculties. The study questionnaire, containing 28 items, was adapted from surveys identified in the relevant literature. The CRC awareness questionnaire consisted of an awareness section (early CRC signs and symptoms, and risk factors) and a knowledge section. The data were analyzed using the SPSS version 21.0. A total of 525 undergraduate students participated in the study. The majority were females (63.0%) and approximately half (56.8%) were medical students. The majority of the students (82.3%) were aware of CRC, and 68% thought that CRC is a preventable disease. Regarding colorectal cancer screening tests, only one-third of students (33%) had actual knowledge, while the majority of the students (77.0%) thought that there are tests which help in early detection. Only 4% of the participants had a family history of CRC. The majority of the participants (84%) thought that CRC is a disease that can be cured. Almost 50-60% participants had good awareness level regarding risk factors, and signs and symptoms. Regarding knowledge, participant responses varied for family history (52%), age (59%), chronic infection of the colon (72%), obesity and lack of exercise (66%). More than one-third of the students had received information material regarding CRC from their curriculum followed by social media (20.4%), and nearly 40% from other sources such as TV, hospital and mass media. Female participants had significantly better awareness in a few questions regarding CRC awareness as compared to their male counterparts. There was a significant difference observed between medical and non-medical students (<0.001) in overall score of awareness and knowledge about CRC while no significant difference found in gender-wise comparison. Knowledge and awareness of students about CRC were not up to the mark. Medical students and female students had better knowledge in a few areas, but the overall situation is dismal.

Dermatology undergraduate skin cancer training: a disconnect between recommendations, clinical exposure and competence.

PubMed

Aldridge, R Benjamin; Maxwell, Susanne S; Rees, Jonathan L

2012-07-09

Skin cancers are the most common malignancies in Caucasian populations. Non-specialists are responsible for the initial assessment of skin lesions and are required to act as the gatekeepers to dermatological cancer services in many healthcare systems. The majority of such physicians receive very limited formal undergraduate or postgraduate dermatology training. The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) has produced guidelines that list the lesions that students should be able to diagnose on graduation and the majority of UK medical schools' operate curricula in keeping with these. There is, however, virtually no evidence as to whether these competencies are being achieved. We set out to determine students' competence at skin lesion diagnosis and to quantify their clinical exposure to examples of such lesions during their dermatology attachment. Three linked studies were undertaken. In the first, students' competence was tested by randomized slideshows of images containing the 16 lesions recommended in the UK guidelines. Students' accuracy was tested at the beginning (Day 1) and end (Day 10) of their clinical placement, with a random sample of students retested 12 months later. Secondly, students' exposure to these lesions was recorded during their attachments. Finally a survey of the additional dermatological resources used by the students was undertaken. Study 1: Students' diagnostic accuracy increased from 11% on Day 1 to 33% on Day 10 (effect size +2.72). After 12 months half of this effect had disappeared and the students accuracy had dropped to 24%. Study 2: Students' exposure to the recommended lesions was poor with 82% not even witnessing a single example of each of the 3 major skin cancers. Despite these measurements, only a minority of students reported that they were not confident at diagnosing skin tumours. Study 3: The majority of students use additional resources to supplement their learning. In the light of what we know about learning in dermatology, our data would suggest, that the current (traditional) undergraduate attachment is inadequate to meet the UK recommendations for graduate competence. As well as critically examining the basis for these recommendations, we need more empirical data on student performance and exposure, in order to improve teaching and learning.

Teaching Sustainability in Introductory Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coffey, David

Guiding students to a better understanding of sustainability is a key part of a modern undergraduate education. Since 2014, Warren Wilson College has incorporated a sustainability component into our introductory physics courses. Students perform energy audits and abatement plans for a business or building. In the process, students strengthen their competency with basic physics concepts including energy, power, units, and conservation of energy but also gain an appreciation of the complexity of sustainability as well as the need for quantitative understanding. These courses are taught to mostly undergraduate science majors. The challenges and opportunities of incorporating such a broad and personalized educational component will be discussed.

Promoting Undergraduate Research at Grand Valley State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riemersma, P.; Mekik, F. A.

2003-12-01

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is a relatively young, rapidly growing, predominately undergraduate institution of about 20,000 students located in western Michigan in which undergraduate research plays a vital role in the education of our students. Student research is supported and actively promoted by 1) creating university funding opportunities and taking advantage of small outside funding sources 2) building a tradition of undergraduate research 3) incorporating small research activities into classes and 4) educating students explicitly in how to prepare a professional poster, give a professional talk and write a journal article. As the saying goes, if you have money, the students will come. At GVSU most students recognize the value of a research experience but need income to pay for college expenses. The internally funded Student Summer Scholars program at GVSU provides student salary and faculty stipend for a summer research project (\\6000 per grant). The geology department has also been successful at obtaining grants from the NASA Michigan Space Grant Consortium (\\5,000 plus a 100% GVSU match). We have been successful in using these easier to obtain smaller grants to fund undergraduate projects. In some cases small grants actually allow us to pursue "risky" or otherwise difficult to fund projects. Undergraduate research "counts" at GVSU and once a tradition and critical mass of undergraduate research has been established, it can become self-sustaining. To recognize the achievements of undergraduate research at GVSU, there is an annual Student Scholarship Day in which the students (580 university wide) present the results of their research. Also, by persuading students in our introductory classes (for extra credit) to attend Student Scholarship Day, the students, early in their college career, can see what fellow students can accomplish and student presenters can revel in their role of researcher and educator. Such an event helps to build a tradition of undergraduate research. Students are more likely to tackle larger research projects if they have gained confidence and experience by successfully completing smaller research projects. Many upper level geology courses require that students complete a research project. Research projects can range from investigating the grain size variability of river sediment in sedimentology to analyzing a Superfund site in hydrogeology. The geology department is also committed to instructing all our majors in how to organize and communicate the results of their research. Students are required to complete a course in geology Information Literacy and a geology seminar course. The information literacy course instructs the students in how to search for articles, introduces common graphing and computing software and demonstrates how to design and produce a research poster. In seminar, the entire geology faculty participate and instruct and mentor the students as they prepare a research paper and professional talk. In conclusion, we have created a supportive undergraduate research atmosphere at GVSU by acquiring funding for their research, by training our students in how to conduct and present their research, and, perhaps most importantly, by celebrating their accomplishments.

Discovery and Broad Relevance May Be Insignificant Components of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for Non-Biology Majors.

PubMed

Ballen, Cissy J; Thompson, Seth K; Blum, Jessamina E; Newstrom, Nicholas P; Cotner, Sehoya

2018-01-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are a type of laboratory learning environment associated with a science course, in which undergraduates participate in novel research. According to Auchincloss et al. (CBE Life Sci Educ 2104; 13:29-40), CUREs are distinct from other laboratory learning environments because they possess five core design components, and while national calls to improve STEM education have led to an increase in CURE programs nationally, less work has specifically focused on which core components are critical to achieving desired student outcomes. Here we use a backward elimination experimental design to test the importance of two CURE components for a population of non-biology majors: the experience of discovery and the production of data broadly relevant to the scientific or local community. We found nonsignificant impacts of either laboratory component on students' academic performance, science self-efficacy, sense of project ownership, and perceived value of the laboratory experience. Our results challenge the assumption that all core components of CUREs are essential to achieve positive student outcomes when applied at scale.

Geoscience Academic Provenance: A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Geoscience Students' Pathways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houlton, H.; Keane, C.

2012-04-01

The demand and employment opportunities for geoscientists in the United States are projected to increase 23% from 2008 to 2018 (Gonzales, 2011). Despite this trend, there is a disconnect between undergraduate geoscience students and their desire to pursue geoscience careers. A theoretical framework was developed to understand the reasons why students decide to major in the geosciences and map those decisions to their career aspirations (Houlton, 2010). A modified critical incident study was conducted to develop the pathway model from 17, one-hour long semi-structured interviews of undergraduate geoscience majors from two Midwest Research Institutions (Houlton, 2010). Geoscience Academic Provenance maps geoscience students' initial interests, entry points into the major, critical incidents and future career goals as a pathway, which elucidates the relationships between each of these components. Analyses identified three geoscience student population groups that followed distinct pathways: Natives, Immigrants and Refugees. A follow up study was conducted in 2011 to ascertain whether these students continued on their predicted pathways, and if not, reasons for attrition. Geoscientists can use this framework as a guide to inform future recruitment and retention initiatives and target these geoscience population groups for specific employment sectors.

Bringing Students out of the Classroom and into Research Projects: An Undergraduate Team Research (UTR) Program at the University of Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, I. V.; Quirk, M.; Culbert, K. N.; Whitesides, A. S.; Sun, H.; Black, C. J.; Cao, W.; Zhang, T.; Paterson, S. R.; Memeti, V.; Anderson, J. L.

2010-12-01

In 2006, USC Earth Sciences professors Paterson and Anderson created the Undergraduate Team Research (UTR) program, a year-long, multidisciplinary, learner-centered, student research experience. This program is open to all USC undergraduate students, but has also involved a few outstanding undergraduate students from other universities. Since its inception the 47 participants have been a diverse group: 53% women, ~17% minorities, and 43% non-Earth Science majors. To date, 15 abstracts written by UTR participants have been presented at national GSA and AGU meetings and several research papers for publication are in preparation. 12 presentations have been produced at University-sponsored research symposia and culminated in a number of senior theses. The central component of this program is a field-based research experience which involves several weeks of geologic mapping in various locations around the world. During the summer expedition, participants organize themselves into 3-4 person mapping teams consisting of a mix of undergraduate geology majors, non-majors, and mentors (professors and graduate students). At the end of each day, student researchers (with limited mentoring) work together to draft a geologic map while discussing their findings, formulating hypotheses about possible geologic histories, and planning research goals and organizing mapping teams for the next day. Throughout the following academic year, the student researchers continue to work in teams to digitize their geologic map, decide which analyses need to be done, and prepare collected rock samples for various structural, geochemical, and geochronologic studies. Most student researchers agree that they learned more in a few weeks than they often did in an entire semester course. What aspects of the UTR program elicit these high-yield results, even for non-majors that can be applied to other learning environments? We speculate that three critical elements are important: (1) The most notable is the collaborative nature, both in regards to the research itself and meeting the daily demands of living in the backcountry or a foreign country while working together as a research group. Students divided tasks amongst themselves while instructing and helping each other. Students with more geology expertise were able to reinforce their own knowledge by assisting in the teaching process that led to more rapid learning for the newcomers. (2) Student researchers developed a greater feeling of ownership in the program, which led to a greater commitment to learning and to sharing a broad range of ideas about both science and non-science activities. (3) Researchers are rewarded not only through grades, but through the excitement of daily new scientific discoveries, the joint publications of their research, and recognition by their peers. It is intriguing to speculate on what would happen if classrooms and particularly labs were designed to function as collaborative, student- run exercises with the ultimate goal to not only learn a subject, but also produce research papers on the class material.

Exploring perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate physiotherapy students

PubMed Central

Lindquist, Ingrid; Sundberg, Tobias; Nilsson, Gunnar H.; Laksov, Klara B.

2014-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to explore areas of strength and weakness in the educational environment as perceived by undergraduate physiotherapy students and to investigate these areas in relation to the respondents’ demographic characteristics. Methods This study utilized a cross-sectional study design and employed the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure, a 50-item, self-administered inventory relating to a variety of topics directly pertinent to educational environments. Convenience sampling was used, and the scores were compared across demographic variables. All undergraduate physiotherapy students in their first five terms of the programme in a major Swedish university were invited to participate in the study. Results A total of 222 students (80%) completed the inventory. With an overall score of 150/200 (75%), the students rated the educational environment in this institution as “more positive than negative”. Two items consistently received deprived scores - authoritarian teachers and teaching with an overemphasis on factual learning. Students in term 4 differed significantly from others, and students with earlier university education experience perceived the atmosphere more negatively than their counterparts. There were no significant differences with regards to other demographic variables. Conclusions This study provides valuable insight into how undergraduate physiotherapy students perceive their educational environment. In general, students perceived that their educational programme fostered a sound educational environment. However, some areas require remedial measures in order to enhance the educational experience. PMID:25341223

Exploring perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate physiotherapy students.

PubMed

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

2014-07-19

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

How do students' perceptions of research and approaches to learning change in undergraduate research?

PubMed Central

Saiki, Takuya; Kawakami, Chihiro; Suzuki, Yasuyuki

2015-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to examine how students' perceptions of research and learning change through participation in undergraduate research and to identify the factors that affect the process of their engagement in re-search projects. Methods This qualitative study has drawn on phenomenography as research methodology to explore third-year medical students' experiences of undergraduate research from participants' perspectives (n=14). Data included semi-structured individual interviews conducted as pre and post reflections. Thematic analysis of pre-course interviews combined with researcher-participant observations in-formed design of end-of-course interview questions. Results Phenomenographic data analysis demonstrated qualitative changes in students' perceptions of research. At the beginning of the course, the majority of students ex-pressed a relatively narrow definition of research, focusing on the content and outcomes of scientific research. End-of-course reflections indicated increased attention to research processes including researcher autonomy, collaboration and knowledge construction processes. Furthermore, acknowledgement of the linkage between research and learning processes indicated an epistemological change leading them to take a deep approach to learning in undergraduate research. Themes included: an inquiring mind, synthesis of knowledge, active participation, collaborative and reflective learning. However, they also encountered some difficulties in undertaking group research projects. These were attributed to their prior learning experiences, differences in valuing towards interpersonal communication, understanding of the research process, and social relationships with others. Conclusions This study provided insights into the potential for undergraduate research in medical education. Medical students' awareness of the linkage between research and learning may be one of the most important outcomes in the undergraduate research process. PMID:25863495

Cognitive dissonance and undergraduate nursing students' knowledge of, and attitudes about, smoking.

PubMed

Clark, Eileen; McCann, Terence V; Rowe, Kathy; Lazenbatt, Anne

2004-06-01

Smoking is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Although nurses have an important role in health promotion, and are well placed to see the harmful effects of tobacco smoking, studies suggest that they smoke at much the same rate as the general population. The aim of this paper is to report a study examining undergraduate nursing students' knowledge about the impact of smoking on health, and their attitudes towards smokers and smoking. The study took place in 2001, using a non-probability sample of 366 undergraduate nursing students from an Australian university. Participants completed the Smoking and Health Promotion instrument. Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance provided an explanatory framework for the findings. Most respondents who were still smoking began the habit while in high school. Students had greater generic than specialized knowledge about the effects of smoking on health, and there was no significant difference between second and third year students' knowledge. Those who still smoked had less favourable attitudes towards smoking-related health promotion than those who had never smoked or stopped smoking. Non-smokers were more supportive of non-smokers' rights than those who continued to smoke, while those who had stopped smoking were undecided. There was minimal association between levels of knowledge and attitudes about being sensitive to smoking-related health risks. The findings have implications for both high school education and undergraduate nursing education, and for the recruitment of students to undergraduate nursing programmes. More attention needs to be given in undergraduate nursing programmes to smoking and smoking-related illnesses, and to nurses' role in smoking health promotion.

SPILC: An expert student advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Read, D. R.

1990-01-01

The Lamar University Computer Science Department serves about 350 undergraduate C.S. majors, and 70 graduate majors. B.S. degrees are offered in Computer Science and Computer and Information Science, and an M.S. degree is offered in Computer Science. In addition, the Computer Science Department plays a strong service role, offering approximately sixteen service course sections per long semester. The department has eight regular full-time faculty members, including the Department Chairman and the Undergraduate Advisor, and from three to seven part-time faculty members. Due to the small number of regular faculty members and the resulting very heavy teaching loads, undergraduate advising has become a difficult problem for the department. There is a one week early registration period and a three-day regular registration period once each semester. The Undergraduate Advisor's regular teaching load of two classes, 6 - 8 semester hours, per semester, together with the large number of majors and small number of regular faculty, cause long queues and short tempers during these advising periods. The situation is aggravated by the fact that entering freshmen are rarely accompanied by adequate documentation containing the facts necessary for proper counselling. There has been no good method of obtaining necessary facts and documenting both the information provided by the student and the resulting advice offered by the counsellors.

Undergraduate medical research: the student perspective

PubMed Central

Burgoyne, Louise N.; O'Flynn, Siun; Boylan, Geraldine B.

2010-01-01

Background Research training is essential in a modern undergraduate medical curriculum. Our evaluation aimed to (a) gauge students' awareness of research activities, (b) compare students' perceptions of their transferable and research-specific skills competencies, (c) determine students' motivation for research and (d) obtain students' personal views on doing research. Methods Undergraduate medical students (N=317) completed a research skills questionnaire developed by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Applied Undergraduate Research Skills (CETL-AURS) at Reading University. The questionnaire assessed students' transferable skills, research-specific skills (e.g., study design, data collection and data analysis), research experience and attitude and motivation towards doing research. Results The majority of students are motivated to pursue research. Graduate entrants and male students appear to be the most confident regarding their research skills competencies. Although all students recognise the role of research in medical practice, many are unaware of the medical research activities or successes within their university. Of those who report no interest in a career incorporating research, a common perception was that researchers are isolated from patients and clinical practice. Discussion Students have a narrow definition of research and what it entails. An explanation for why research competence does not align more closely with research motivation is derived from students' lack of understanding of the concept of translational research, as well as a lack of awareness of the research activity being undertaken by their teachers and mentors. We plan to address this with specific research awareness initiatives. PMID:20844608

Developing a Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS): measuring undergraduates' evaluation of scientific information and arguments.

PubMed

Gormally, Cara; Brickman, Peggy; Lutz, Mary

2012-01-01

Life sciences faculty agree that developing scientific literacy is an integral part of undergraduate education and report that they teach these skills. However, few measures of scientific literacy are available to assess students' proficiency in using scientific literacy skills to solve scenarios in and beyond the undergraduate biology classroom. In this paper, we describe the development, validation, and testing of the Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS) in five general education biology classes at three undergraduate institutions. The test measures skills related to major aspects of scientific literacy: recognizing and analyzing the use of methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge and the ability to organize, analyze, and interpret quantitative data and scientific information. Measures of validity included correspondence between items and scientific literacy goals of the National Research Council and Project 2061, findings from a survey of biology faculty, expert biology educator reviews, student interviews, and statistical analyses. Classroom testing contexts varied both in terms of student demographics and pedagogical approaches. We propose that biology instructors can use the TOSLS to evaluate their students' proficiencies in using scientific literacy skills and to document the impacts of curricular reform on students' scientific literacy.

Playing With Conflict: Teaching Conflict Resolution through Simulations and Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Richard B.; Kirkpatrick, Kat

2013-01-01

Playing With Conflict is a weekend course for graduate students in Portland State University's Conflict Resolution program and undergraduates in all majors. Students participate in simulations, games, and experiential exercises to learn and practice conflict resolution skills. Graduate students create a guided role-play of a conflict. In addition…

A Model of Effective Teaching in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tahir, Khazima; Ikram, Hamid; Economos, Jennifer; Morote, Elsa-Sophia; Inserra, Albert

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how graduate students with undergraduate majors in arts, humanities, and social sciences perceived individualized consideration, Student-Professor Engagement in Learning (SPEL), intellectual stimulation, and student deep learning, and how these variables predict effective teaching. A sample of 251 graduate…

The Influence of Employment on College Students' Academic Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curl, Angela L.; Benner, Kalea

2017-01-01

This cross-sectional survey study (N = 222) examined the influences of employment on graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in majors with significant internship or practicum requirements (journalism, social work, nursing and health sciences). The study is unique in that student perceptions regarding the challenges and rewards of working…

Improved Student Outcomes in a Flipped Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Laura; Phillips, Mark

2016-01-01

Statistics is a required competency in numerous college majors, but students frequently approach the topic with anxiety. This paper describes an undergraduate statistics course that was "flipped," with most of the content delivery moved online and class time devoted to application and practice. Students were given a menu of learning…

Assessing Learning Online: The Top Ten List

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klecker, Beverly M.

2005-01-01

The purpose of instruction, whether face-to-face or online, is to facilitate student achievement of intended learning objectives. Traditionally, the major function of classroom assessment in undergraduate and graduate university courses has been to measure the individual student's learning in order to provide feedback to the student and to…

The Impact of Supervised Mentorship on Music Education Master's Degree Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Joshua A.; Haston, Warren

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of supervised mentorship in an authentic-context learning setting on music education graduate students' graduate school experiences. Participants were six current and former graduate music education majors who acted as supervised mentors to undergraduate students teaching instrumental…

You Said "Neutral", but What Do You Mean?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jasien, Paul G.

2010-01-01

Using the term "neutral" as an example, this discussion examines difficulties that chemistry students face when trying to contextualize chemical terminology. Interview responses of 20 undergraduate students (majors in either chemistry or biology) indicate that some of students' context-based interpretations of "neutral" are shared, although up to…

The Effects of Self-Management Training on Academic Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dean, Mark R.; And Others

1983-01-01

Self-management techniques--e.g., self-monitoring and self-recording--designed to increase the amount of time a student studies had positive results in this study involving undergraduate psychology students. Increases of one letter grade were obtained, and the majority of the students continued use of the methods. (RM)

Flipping the Classroom and Student Performance in Advanced Statistics: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Touchton, Michael

2015-01-01

I administer a quasi-experiment using undergraduate political science majors in statistics classes to evaluate whether "flipping the classroom" (the treatment) alters students' applied problem-solving performance and satisfaction relative to students in a traditional classroom environment (the control). I also assess whether general…

Investigating Novice and Expert Conceptions of Genetically Modified Organisms

PubMed Central

Potter, Lisa M.; Bissonnette, Sarah A.; Knight, Jonathan D.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2017-01-01

The aspiration of biology education is to give students tools to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to everyday life. Genetic modification is a real-world biological concept that relies on an in-depth understanding of the molecular behavior of DNA and proteins. This study investigated undergraduate biology students’ conceptions of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) when probed with real-world, molecular and cellular, and essentialist cues, and how those conceptions compared across biology expertise. We developed a novel written assessment tool and administered it to 120 non–biology majors, 154 entering biology majors, 120 advanced biology majors (ABM), and nine biology faculty. Results indicated that undergraduate biology majors rarely included molecular and cellular rationales in their initial explanations of GMOs. Despite ABM demonstrating that they have much of the biology knowledge necessary to understand genetic modification, they did not appear to apply this knowledge to explaining GMOs. Further, this study showed that all undergraduate student populations exhibited evidence of essentialist thinking while explaining GMOs, regardless of their level of biology training. Finally, our results suggest an association between scientifically accurate ideas and the application of molecular and cellular rationales, as well as an association between misconceptions and essentialist rationales. PMID:28821537

A Structured Approach to Honours Undergraduate Research Course, Evaluation Rubrics and Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoukhi, Amar

2013-10-01

This paper presents a new approach to the Honours Undergraduate Research Course design and implementation. The course design process, assessment and evaluation rubrics are provided. Lessons learned and the experience of the faced challenges and opportunities for two cohort offerings of the course during the winter terms of 2011 and 2012 are highlighted. Assessments show that major benefits include increasing interaction with the faculty and increasing intellectual maturity, skills, knowledge and confidence for the students and for the faculty, the furthering of research projects by the participation of undergraduate students. The course can serve as a model that can be easily adapted for use across the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Designing Networks that are Capable of Self-Healing and Adapting

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-01

Undergrad. Res. Fellowship, visiting from Caltech. Undergraduate Eugene Park Math Duke Models of self-healing networks (undergrad. senior thesis...Graduate student Anastasia Deckard Math Duke 3rd/4th year PhD. Wrote software for simulation. Undergraduate Nick Day Math LIMS Summer project at...Harer gave a talk on this DTRA grant to undergraduate math majors at Duke. 11 Q UA D C HA R T Uploaded to the DTRA Basic and Fundamental Research

eHealth Literacy Skills Among Undergraduate Nursing Students in the U.S. and South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Hyejin; Park, Hyunmi

2016-01-01

Online health information is a critical resource for health consumers. Nursing professionals need to be eHealth literate to support patients and their families. The purpose of the study was to explore eHealth literacy skills among undergraduate nursing students in the U.S. and South Korea. One hundred and sixty-nine undergraduate nursing students in two universities, one in the southern area of the U.S. and one in the eastern area of South Korea, participated. Participants were asked to complete the eHealth Literacy Scale. The majority of participants perceived that the Internet is a useful or very useful tool in helping them make health-related decisions. The participants either agreed or strongly agreed with the 7 items of the eHealth literacy scale except an item such as they can call high to low quality of online health information. The U.S students have higher mean scores of all eHealth literacy items than students of South Korea.

Building Undergraduate Physics Programs for the 21st Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilborn, Robert

2001-04-01

Undergraduate physics programs in the United States are under stress because of changes in the scientific and educational environment in which they operate. The number of undergraduate physics majors is declining nationwide; there is some evidence that the "best" undergraduate students are choosing majors other than physics, and funding agencies seem to be emphasizing K-12 education. How can physics departments respond creatively and constructively to these changes? After describing some of the details of the current environment, I will discuss the activities of the National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics, supported by the American Institute of Physics, the America Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers and the ExxonMobil Foundation. I will also present some analysis of Task Force site visits to departments that have thriving undergraduate physics programs, pointing out the key features that seem to be necessary for success. Among these features are department-wide recruitment and retention efforts that are the theme of this session.

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

A Study on the Necessity of Introducing Teaching-Plan-Telling into Physical Education Undergraduates' Courses in Normal Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Guodong

2011-01-01

The cultivation target of physical education major in normal universities is mainly physical teachers' qualification in basic education. Training of teaching-plan-telling on students of sports teaching major in normal universities has significant meaning to enhance the quality of students in a comprehensive way, realize the target of professional…

Assessing Factors That Influence the Recruitment of Majors from Introductory Geology Classes at Northern Arizona University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoisch, Thomas D.; Bowie, James I.

2010-01-01

In order to guide the formulation of strategies for recruiting undergraduates into the geology program at Northern Arizona University, we surveyed 783 students in introductory geology classes and 23 geology majors in their junior and senior years. Our analysis shows that ~7% of students in the introductory classes are possible candidates for…

Unequal Achievement of Science Undergraduates: Does Sex Influence the Differences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Ajaja O.

2012-01-01

The major purpose of this study was to determine if gender influences grade points earned by university students who majored in biology, chemistry, and physics. The design of the study was ex-post facto, considering the academic records of science students admitted from 2003 to 2007. The total number of subjects used for the study was 637 biology,…

Accreditation standards for undergraduate forensic science programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Marilyn Tebbs

Undergraduate forensic science programs are experiencing unprecedented growth in numbers of programs offered and, as a result, student enrollments are increasing. Currently, however, these programs are not subject to professional specialized accreditation. This study sought to identify desirable student outcome measures for undergraduate forensic science programs that should be incorporated into such an accreditation process. To determine desirable student outcomes, three types of data were collected and analyzed. All the existing undergraduate forensic science programs in the United States were examined with regard to the input measures of degree requirements and curriculum content, and for the output measures of mission statements and student competencies. Accreditation procedures and guidelines for three other science-based disciplines, computer science, dietetics, and nursing, were examined to provide guidance on accreditation processes for forensic science education programs. Expert opinion on outcomes for program graduates was solicited from the major stakeholders of undergraduate forensic science programs-forensic science educators, crime laboratory directors, and recent graduates. Opinions were gathered by using a structured Internet-based survey; the total response rate was 48%. Examination of the existing undergraduate forensic science programs revealed that these programs do not use outcome measures. Of the accreditation processes for other science-based programs, nursing education provided the best model for forensic science education, due primarily to the balance between the generality and the specificity of the outcome measures. From the analysis of the questionnaire data, preliminary student outcomes, both general and discipline-specific, suitable for use in the accreditation of undergraduate forensic science programs were determined. The preliminary results were reviewed by a panel of experts and, based on their recommendations, the outcomes identified were revised and refined. The results of this study were used to identify student outcomes and to suggest accreditation standards and an accreditation process for undergraduate forensic science programs based on those outcomes.

The League of Astronomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Nancy H.; Brandel, A.; Paat, A. M.; Schmitz, D.; Sharma, R.; Trujillo, J.; Laws, C. S.

2014-01-01

The League of Astronomers is committed to engaging the University of Washington (UW) and the greater Seattle communities through outreach, research, and events. Since its re-founding two years ago, the LOA has provided a clear connection between the UW Astronomy Department, undergraduate students, and members of the public. Weekly outreach activities such as public star parties and planetarium talks in both the UW Planetarium and the Mobile Planetarium have connected enthusiastic LOA volunteers with hundreds of public observers. In addition, collaboration with organizations like the Seattle Astronomical Society and the UW Society of Physics Students has allowed the LOA to reach an even greater audience. The club also provides opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research projects. The UW Student Radio Telescope (SRT) and the Manastash Ridge Observatory (MRO) both allow students to practice collecting their own data and turning it into a completed project. Students have presented many of these research projects at venues like the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium and meetings of the American Astronomical Society. For example, the LOA will be observing newly discovered globular clusters at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) in Victoria, B.C. and constructing color-magnitude diagrams. The LOA also helps engage students with the Astronomy major through a variety of events. Bimonthly seminars led by graduate students on their research and personal experiences in the field showcase the variety of options available for students in astronomy. Social events hosted by the club encourage peer mentoring and a sense of community among the Astronomy Department’s undergraduate and graduate students. As a part of one of the nation’s largest undergraduate astronomy programs, members of the League of Astronomers have a unique opportunity to connect and interact with not only the Seattle public but also the greater astronomical community.

Implications for sexual assault prevention: college students as prosocial bystanders.

PubMed

Exner, Deinera; Cummings, Nina

2011-01-01

Prosocial bystander interventions are promising approaches to sexual assault prevention on college campuses. To assess bystander attitudes among undergraduate students at a northeastern university. A convenience sample of 188 students from 4 undergraduate classes was surveyed during regularly scheduled class sessions. Participants completed a short survey on bystander efficacy, readiness to change, and barriers to intervention prior to the start of class. The majority of students were not involved in activities or programs focused on sexual assault prevention. Although students agreed that violence could be prevented, they perceived many barriers to their own participation in intervention. There is a need for gender-targeted prevention programming that introduces the idea of prosocial bystander intervention, with a focus on increasing self-efficacy and lowering barriers.

Basic Navigator Battery: An Experimental Selection Composite for Undergraduate Navigator Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanahan, Frank M.; Kantor, Jeffrey E.

High rates of attrition among students in Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT) is a major concern for Air Training Command. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the Basic Navigator Battery (BNB), a multi-test experimental selection instrument, for its potential to increase the validity of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test…

A Modular Approach to Teaching Mathematical Modeling in Biotechnology in the Undergraduate Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larripa, Kamila R.; Mazzag, Borbala

2016-01-01

Our paper describes a solution we found to a still existing need to develop mathematical modeling courses for undergraduate biology majors. Some challenges of such courses are: (i) relatively limited exposure of biology students to higher-level mathematical and computational concepts; (ii) availability of texts that can give a flavor of how…

Analysis of Bromination of Ethylbenzene Using a 45 MHz NMR Spectrometer: An Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaac-Lam, Meden F.

2014-01-01

A 45 MHz benchtop NMR spectrometer is used to identify the structures and determine the amount of 1-bromoethylbenzene and 1,1-dibromoethylbenzene produced from free-radical bromination of ethylbenzene. The experiment is designed for nonchemistry majors, specifically B.S. Biology students, in a predominantly undergraduate institution with…

Expanding Course Goals beyond Disciplinary Boundaries: Physiology Education in an Undergraduate Course on Psychoactive Drugs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Near, Joseph A.; Martin, Bruce J.

2007-01-01

The topic of psychoactive drugs is one of inherent interest to college students. We used this insight to design and implement a multidisciplinary undergraduate course with psychoactive drugs as the central theme. The Medical Science of Psychoactive Drugs examines the biological mechanisms underlying all major effects of psychoactive drugs,…

"Hey, I Can Do This!" The Benefits of Conducting Undergraduate Psychology Research for Young Adult Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Searight, H. Russell; Ratwik, Susan; Smith, Todd

2010-01-01

Many undergraduate programs require students to complete an independent research project in their major field prior to graduation. These projects are typically described as opportunities for integration of coursework and a direct application of the methods of inquiry specific to a particular discipline. Evaluations of curricular projects have…

American Indian/Alaskan Native Undergraduate Retention at Predominantly White Institutions: An Elaboration of Tinto's Theory of College Student Departure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Junghee; Donlan, William; Brown, Eddie F.

2011-01-01

This article reports findings from a major public university sponsored study undertaken with the intention of (a) improving university understanding of factors affecting American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) undergraduates' persistence at this institution, and (b) identifying in what areas, and in what manner, this institution could improve…

Using Primary Literature in an Undergraduate Assignment: Demonstrating Connections among Cellular Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeong, Foong May

2015-01-01

Learning basic cell biology in an essential module can be daunting to second-year undergraduates, given the depth of information that is provided in major molecular and cell biology textbooks. Moreover, lectures on cellular pathways are organised into sections, such that at the end of lectures, students might not see how various processes are…

The Design and Implementation of a Career Orientation Course for Undergraduate Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Edward

2012-01-01

Over the past several years I have taught a career orientation course at St. John Fisher College. This course was designed to increase student awareness of potential careers following their undergraduate studies in our Biology program. Additionally, the course has also been used as a model for similar experiences in our Psychology, Chemistry,…

Information Fluency for Undergraduate Biology Majors: Applications of Inquiry-based Learning in a Developmental Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehring, Kathleen M.; Eastman, Deborah A.

2008-01-01

Many initiatives for the improvement of undergraduate science education call for inquiry-based learning that emphasizes investigative projects and reading of the primary literature. These approaches give students an understanding of science as a process and help them integrate content presented in courses. At the same time, general initiatives to…

Undergraduate Engineering--A Comparative Study of First Year Performance in Single Gender Campuses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dana-Picard, Thierry; Kidron, Ivy; Komar, Meir; Steiner, Joseph

2005-01-01

The Jerusalem College of Technology is an institution for higher education in Israel, where the majority of the students study towards an undergraduate degree in Engineering (Electronics, Applied Optics, Computers, etc.). The studies are held on three different campuses, one campus for men and two for women. We describe the organization of the…

Do Biology Students Really Hate Math? Empirical Insights into Undergraduate Life Science Majors’ Emotions about Mathematics

PubMed Central

Wachsmuth, Lucas P.; Runyon, Christopher R.; Drake, John M.; Dolan, Erin L.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate life science majors are reputed to have negative emotions toward mathematics, yet little empirical evidence supports this. We sought to compare emotions of majors in the life sciences versus other natural sciences and math. We adapted the Attitudes toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory to create an Attitudes toward the Subject of Mathematics Inventory (ASMI). We collected data from 359 science and math majors at two research universities and conducted a series of statistical tests that indicated that four AMSI items comprised a reasonable measure of students’ emotional satisfaction with math. We then compared life science and non–life science majors and found that major had a small to moderate relationship with students’ responses. Gender also had a small relationship with students’ responses, while students’ race, ethnicity, and year in school had no observable relationship. Using latent profile analysis, we identified three groups—students who were emotionally satisfied with math, emotionally dissatisfied with math, and neutral. These results and the emotional satisfaction with math scale should be useful for identifying differences in other undergraduate populations, determining the malleability of undergraduates’ emotional satisfaction with math, and testing effects of interventions aimed at improving life science majors’ attitudes toward math. PMID:28798211

Undergraduates' perceptions of the value of practical inhalation sedation experience in a UK dental school.

PubMed

Walley, S; Albadri, S

2015-10-01

This was to establish the level and reported value of paediatric IHS experience from the perspective of final year undergraduates and to evaluate whether those students with more experience expressed feeling better-prepared for future practice and more likely to undertake further postgraduate education in IHS. All final year students were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire designed to elicit undergraduate perceptions of IHS using visual analogue scales and free-text questions. A response rate of 77 % was achieved. Results revealed that only 21 % of participants reported acting as operator sedationist in ten or more IHS cases. Thus, the majority of undergraduates' did not meet the recommended quantity of practical IHS experiences, as outlined by the British Dental Sedation Teachers Group. In general, students felt on the value of IHS in the management of anxious children and expressed a desire to undertake further postgraduate education in conscious sedation. However, those students with more experience of practical IHS expressed feeling better able to describe the IHS experience with patients and parents, and were more satisfied with the quality of teaching. Furthermore free-text comments revealed that, regardless of experience, students wished to gain more experience of the practical administration of IHS. There is a need to increase the provision of IHS training within an undergraduate curriculum, in addition to improving the accessibility of postgraduate sedation courses.

The Secret Lives of Undergraduate International Business Students: An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Experience in Multinational Corporations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pederson de Castaneda, Viann

This study involved students majoring in business/economics and foreign language in an international business program. The students were participants in a semester-long international experience where students were integrated into a host university to learn about management, economics, and marketing from professors abroad, and in an internship in a…

Alternative Assessment Strategy and Its Impact on Student Comprehension in an Undergraduate Microbiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margulies, Barry J.; Ghent, Cynthia A.

2005-01-01

Medical Microbiology is a content-intensive course that requires a large time commitment from the students. Students are typically biology or prenursing majors, including students headed for professional schools, such as medical school and pharmacy school. This group is somewhat diverse in terms of background science coursework, so it can be…

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees

PubMed Central

Rodenbusch, Stacia E.; Hernandez, Paul R.; Simmons, Sarah L.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research laboratories. Yet there are few if any studies that examine the long-term effects of participating in CUREs on desired student outcomes, such as graduating from college and completing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major. One CURE program, the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI), has engaged thousands of first-year undergraduates over the past decade. Using propensity score–matching to control for student-level differences, we tested the effect of participating in FRI on students’ probability of graduating with a STEM degree, probability of graduating within 6 yr, and grade point average (GPA) at graduation. Students who completed all three semesters of FRI were significantly more likely than their non-FRI peers to earn a STEM degree and graduate within 6 yr. FRI had no significant effect on students’ GPAs at graduation. The effects were similar for diverse students. These results provide the most robust and best-controlled evidence to date to support calls for early involvement of undergraduates in research. PMID:27252296

Teaching post-mortem external examination in undergraduate medical education--the formal and the informal curriculum.

PubMed

Anders, Sven; Fischer-Bruegge, Dorothee; Fabian, Merle; Raupach, Tobias; Petersen-Ewert, Corinna; Harendza, Sigrid

2011-07-15

In undergraduate medical education, the training of post-mortem external examination on dead bodies might evoke strong emotional reactions in medical students that could counteract the intended learning goals. We evaluated student perception of a forensic medicine course, their perceived learning outcome (via self-assessment) and possible tutor-dependent influences on the overall evaluation of the course by a questionnaire-based survey among 150 medical students in Hamburg, Germany. The majority of students identified post-mortem external examination as an important learning objective in undergraduate medical education and did not feel that the dignity of the deceased was offended by the course procedures. After the course, more than 70% of the students felt able to perform an external examination and to fill in a death certificate. Respectful behavior of course tutors towards the deceased entailed better overall course ratings by students (p<0.001). Our findings highlight the importance of factors such as clearly defined learning goals and course standardization (formal curriculum) as well as tutor behavior (informal curriculum) in undergraduate education in forensic medicine. Furthermore, we suggest embedding teaching in forensic medicine in longitudinal curricula on death and dying and on the health consequences of interpersonal violence. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Changes in Conceptual Expertise during Postsecondary Biology Education

PubMed Central

Bissonnette, Sarah A.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Byers, Victor; Fernandez, Juliana; Le, Dinh; Realin, Jared; Woodham, Selina; Smith, Julia I.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2017-01-01

While there have been concerted efforts to reform undergraduate biology toward teaching students to organize their conceptual knowledge like experts, there are few tools that attempt to measure this. We previously developed the Biology Card Sorting Task (BCST), designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual biological knowledge. Previous results showed the BCST could differentiate between different populations, namely non–biology majors (NBM) and biology faculty (BF). In this study, we administered the BCST to three additional populations, using a cross-sectional design: entering biology majors (EBM), advanced biology majors (ABM), and biology graduate students (BGS). Intriguingly, ABM did not initially sort like experts any more frequently than EBM. However, once the deep-feature framework was revealed, ABM were able to sort like experts more readily than did EBM. These results are consistent with the conclusion that biology education enables advanced biology students to use an expert-like conceptual framework. However, these results are also consistent with a process of “selection,” wherein students who persist in the major may have already had an expert-like conceptual framework to begin with. These results demonstrate the utility of the BCST in measuring differences between groups of students over the course of their undergraduate education. PMID:28213584

Motivating factors influencing choice of major in undergraduates in communication sciences and disorders.

PubMed

Keshishian, Flora; McGarr, Nancy S

2012-04-01

The purposes of this study were to determine: (1) whether background factors influence the choice of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) as an academic major; (2) what motivates students to major in CSD; (3) the relationship between motivation to pursue CSD as a major and the attractiveness of the major; and (4) whether motivation influences the perceived value of a career in CSD. A survey of 143 undergraduates was created and administered to assess motivational factors that influence the choice of major. The participants had diverse ethnic/racial and cultural backgrounds and were enrolled in CSD courses in the Liberal Arts College of St John's University, a US American Institution in Queens, New York. Preliminary analyses indicated that ethnic/racial background and family income had no statistically significant relationship to motivations, attractiveness of CSD as a major, or career value of CSD as a major. Students scored highest on Intrinsic motivation factor (e.g., enjoy interacting with people) and the lowest on Science motivation (e.g., interested in science). Student confidence (e.g., in reaching career goals) was an important predictor in the perception of the career value of a CSD. Results of this study provide further insight into curriculum development and recruiting strategies.

Undergraduate paramedic students cannot do drug calculations.

PubMed

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

2012-01-01

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

A Case Study in the Use of Primary Literature in the Context of Authentic Learning Pedagogy in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Classroom.

PubMed

O'Keeffe, Gerard W; McCarthy, Marian M

2017-01-01

Providing opportunities for undergraduate science students to develop causal reasoning skills and the ability to think like research scientists is a crucial part of their preparation for professional practice as a scientist and/or a clinician. This has led many to question whether the traditional academic in-class lecture still has a functional role in today's undergraduate science education. Here, we performed a case study to attempt to maximize the use of in-class time to create a more authentic learning opportunity for undergraduate neuroscience students in our institution, the majority of whom go on to be research active scientists. We hypothesised that using seminal research papers as a teaching tool in a flipped classroom setting would model for neuroscience students what it means to think like a research scientist, would provide an opportunity for them to develop their causal reasoning skills and allow them to become more comfortable with the nature of professional practice (i.e., research) in the context of the discipline. We describe the design and implementation of this teaching approach to undergraduate final year neuroscience students, and evaluate their perception of it. We provide evidence that this approach models for the students what it means to reason like a research scientist, and discuss the implications of these findings for future practice. We propose that these findings will help add to the educational experience of all Neuroscience students whether they are on pre-med or on a research track.

Crossing professional barriers with peer-assisted learning: undergraduate midwifery students teaching undergraduate paramedic students.

PubMed

McLelland, Gayle; McKenna, Lisa; French, Jill

2013-07-01

Peer assisted learning (PAL) has been shown in undergraduate programmes to be as effective as learning from instructors. PAL is a shared experience between two learners often with one being more senior to the other but usually both are studying within the same discipline. Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professionals learn with, from and about each other. Benefits of PAL in an interprofessional context have not been previously explored. As part of a final year education unit, midwifery students at Monash University developed workshops for second year undergraduate paramedic students. The workshops focused on care required during and after the birth of the baby. To investigate the benefits of an interprofessional PAL for both midwifery and paramedic students. Data for this project were obtained by both quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaires were distributed to both cohorts of students to explore experiences of peer teaching and learning. Results were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Focus groups were conducted separately with both cohorts of students and transcripts analysed using a thematic approach. Response rates from the midwifery and paramedic students were 64.9% and 44.0% respectively. The majority of students regardless of discipline enjoyed the interprofessional activity and wanted more opportunities in their curricula. After initial anxieties about teaching into another discipline, 97.3 (n = 36) of midwifery students thought the experience was worthwhile and personally rewarding. Of the paramedic students, 76.9% (n = 60) reported enjoying the interaction. The focus groups supported and added to the quantitative findings. Both midwifery and paramedic students had a new-found respect and understanding for each other's disciplines. Midwifery students were unaware of the limited knowledge paramedics had around childbirth. Paramedic students admired the depth of knowledge displayed by the midwifery students. This study indicates both educational and professional benefits for undergraduate students from different disciplines having shared PAL activities. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vocational Interest Themes and Personality Traits in Relation to College Major Satisfaction of Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logue, Christen T.; Lounsbury, John W.; Gupta, Arpana; Leong, Frederick T. L.

2007-01-01

Based on 164 undergraduate business majors, we examined the relationship between satisfaction with major and Holland's vocational interests and with the Big Five and narrow personality traits. Contrary to our hypothesis, enterprising scores were unrelated to major satisfaction. As hypothesized, using ipsative and normative scores, investigative,…

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

PubMed

Lupi, Silvia; Bagordo, Francesco; Stefanati, Armando; Grassi, Tiziana; Piccinni, Lucia; Bergamini, Mauro; De Donno, Antonella

2015-01-01

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

Design-Oriented Enhanced Robotics Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, M.; Ozcelik, S.; Yilmazer, N.; Nekovei, R.

2013-01-01

This paper presents an innovative two-course, laboratory-based, and design-oriented robotics educational model. The robotics curriculum exposed senior-level undergraduate students to major robotics concepts, and enhanced the student learning experience in hybrid learning environments by incorporating the IEEE Region-5 annual robotics competition…

Teaching Pharmacology to College Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerald, Michael C.

1978-01-01

Although pharmaceutical and biomedical educators are best prepared for teaching undergraduate nonprofessional drug-related courses, few students can capitalize upon such expertise. An alternative described by a course director is to train the college teachers of such students. Major topics presented and representative interim projects are…

Stories of staying and leaving: A mixed methods analysis of biology undergraduate choice, persistence, and departure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Sarah Adrienne

Using a sequential, explanatory mixed methods design, this dissertation study compared students who persist in the biology major (persisters) with students who leave the biology major (switchers) in terms of how their pre-college experiences, college biology experiences, and biology performance figured into their choice of biology and their persistence in or departure from the biology major. This study combined (1) quantitative comparisons of biology persisters and switchers via a questionnaire developed for the study and survival analysis of a larger population of biology freshmen with (2) qualitative comparison of biology switchers and persisters via semi-structured life story interviews and homogenous focus groups. 319 students (207 persisters and 112 switchers) participated in the questionnaire and 36 students (20 persisters and 16 switchers) participated in life story and focus group interviews. All participants were undergraduates who entered The University of Texas at Austin as biology freshmen in the fall semesters of 2000 through 2004. Findings of this study suggest: (1) Regardless of eventual major, biology students enter college with generally the same suite of experiences, sources of personal encouragement, and reasons for choosing the biology major; (2) Despite the fact that they have also had poor experiences in the major, biology persisters do not actively decide to stay in the biology major; they simply do not leave; (3) Based upon survival analysis, biology students are most at-risk of leaving the biology major during the first two years of college and if they are African-American or Latino, women, or seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree (rather than a Bachelor of Science); (4) Biology switchers do not leave biology due to preference for other disciplines; they leave due to difficulties or dissatisfaction with aspects of the biology major, including their courses, faculty, and peers; (5) Biology performance has a differential effect on persistence in the biology major, depending on how well students perform in comparison to other courses or other students.

Trends in Public and Global Health Education among Nationally Recognized Undergraduate Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States.

PubMed

Robinson, Patrick A; Orroth, Kate K; Stutts, Lauren A; Baron, Patrick A; Wessner, David R

2018-05-01

The prevalence of public health and global health (PH/GH) curricular offerings appear to be increasing in terms of undergraduate curricula and in the context of liberal arts education in the United States. Liberal arts colleges (LACs) represent stand-alone institutions, which exclusively focus on undergraduate education. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of PH/GH study pathways and PH/GH course offerings among LACs. All LACs identified through the US News and World Report (USNWR) college rankings were contacted with a survey about the following: formal majors, minors, or concentrations in PH/GH; independent study (IS) pathways for PH/GH; specific PH/GH courses offered; and the number of students graduating in 2016, 2017, and 2018 with formal and IS degrees in PH/GH. Demographic characteristics of the colleges came from the USNWR database. Almost half (43%) of all LACs in our sample offer a PH/GH major, minor, concentration, or IS pathway. Almost all (90%) colleges offer at least one course in PH/GH. Approximately 2,000 students attending these LACs pursued or are pursuing graduation with majors, minors, or concentrations in PH/GH for the years 2016-2018. The number of students pursuing formal PH/GH programs has increased by 25% from 2016 to 2018. Student interest in public health is rising in U.S. LACs, with more students seeking formal curricular or IS PH degree pathways. Public health messages are prevalent even among institutions without formal programs. Colleges without programs should consider integrating public health into their curriculum.

Overview of the University of Washington's Pre-Major in Astronomy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haggard, Daryl; Pre-Major in Astronomy Program

2015-01-01

The fraction of science PhDs awarded to women, African American, Latino, and other minority students is currently far smaller than the fraction of the general population that these groups constitute (NSF 06-320, NSF 04-317). The future of Physics and Astronomy in the United States depends on recruiting and retaining these students in STEM majors and careers (Norman et al., 2009). The greatest obstacles for persistence in science reported by students are loss of interest, intimidation, poor advising, and lack of acceptance (Seymour & Hewitt, 1997). In 2005, a group of University of Washington graduate students created the Pre-Major in Astronomy Program (Pre-MAP) to connect incoming undergraduate students to authentic research experiences as a means of recruiting and retaining them in STEM. Pre-MAP was one of only 13 initiatives supported by the President's Diversity Appraisal Implementation Fund and has proved to be one of its greatest success stories. At its core is a 10-week seminar in which undergraduates learn astronomical research techniques (e.g., computing, data analysis, documentation, statistics, and literature review) and apply them to projects conducted in small groups, under the supervision of faculty and postdocs. Now in its tenth year, Pre-MAP has engaged more than 100 undergraduates — its ongoing success has made it a model for similar programs at UW and other universities.I will outline the beginnings, funding streams, and structure of this long-running diversity program. The Pre-MAP sessions that follow will highlight our best practices and lessons learned, and feature first-hand accounts from several of our fantastic Pre-MAP alumni.

High School and College Student Perceptions of the Ozone Depletion Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groves, Fred; Pugh, Ava

This paper examines the knowledge of high school biology students (n=107), undergraduate elementary education majors (n=42), and graduate students in an advanced elementary science methods course (n=22) about ozone depletion. The questionnaire used contained 30 items pertaining to ozone depletion which were divided into three subscales: (1)…

The Impact of Note-Taking Strategies on Listening Comprehension of EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayati, A. Majid; Jalilifar, Alireza

2009-01-01

The main concern of the present study is to probe the relationship between note-taking strategy and students' listening comprehension (LC) ability. To conduct the study, a language proficiency test was administered to the undergraduate students majoring in English Translation at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and sixty students were selected…

An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate College Students' Perceptions and Attitudes toward Foreign Accented Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kavas, Aysel; Kavas, Alican

2008-01-01

The findings of an exploratory survey related to students' perceptions of factors, including accent and pronunciation, influencing their learning were presented. Data were collected from students through a self-administered questionnaire at one Southeastern University. A big majority (82.4%) of the respondents indicated that instructors'…

Undergraduate Students' Self-Efficacy and Cognitive Behaviors for Learning in Multidisciplinary Project Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xiaojun

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate individual students' learning from the perspectives of self-efficacy and cognitive learning expressions in multidisciplinary project teams. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to address the major research questions, which are aimed at understanding individual students'…

The Bourgeoisie Dream Factory: Teaching Marx's Theory of Alienation through an Experiential Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Windsor, Elroi J.; Carroll, Alana M.

2015-01-01

Effectively teaching sociological theories to undergraduate students is challenging. Students often enroll in theory courses due to major requirements, not personal interest. Consequently, many students approach the study of theory with anxiety. This study examined the effectiveness of an experiential learning activity designed to teach Karl…

Revision Workshops in Elementary Mathematics Enhance Student Performance in Routine Laboratory Calculations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawbridge, Jenny L.; Qureshi, Haseeb K.; Boyd, Matthew J.; Brown, Angus M.

2014-01-01

The ability to understand and implement calculations required for molarity and dilution computations that are routinely undertaken in the laboratory are essential skills that should be possessed by all students entering an undergraduate Life Sciences degree. However, it is increasingly recognized that the majority of these students are ill…

Teaching Students about Plagiarism Using a Web-Based Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stetter, Maria Earman

2013-01-01

The following research delivered a web-based module about plagiarism and paraphrasing to avoid plagiarism in both a blended method, with live instruction paired with web presentation for 105 students, and a separate web-only method for 22 other students. Participants were graduates and undergraduates preparing to become teachers, the majority of…

Effects of Perceived Social Loafing, Social Interdependence, and Group Affective Tone on Students' Group Learning Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teng, Chih-Ching; Luo, Yu-Ping

2015-01-01

This study investigates how students perceived social loafing and social interdependence influence group learning performance through group affective tone in undergraduate hospitality and tourism curricula. A questionnaire survey was administered to collect data from college students majoring hospitality and tourism management at four Taiwanese…

An E-Learning Environment for Algorithmic: Toward an Active Construction of Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babori, Abdelghani; Fassi, Hicham Fihri; Hariri, Abdellah; Bideq, Mustapha

2016-01-01

Assimilating an algorithmic course is a persistent problem for many undergraduate students. The major problem faced by students is the lack of problem solving ability and flexibility. Therefore, students are generally passive, unmotivated and unable to mobilize all the acquired knowledge (loops, test, variables, etc.) to deal with new encountered…

"Evo in the News:" Understanding Evolution and Students' Attitudes toward the Relevance of Evolutionary Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Infanti, Lynn M.; Wiles, Jason R.

2014-01-01

This investigation evaluated the effects of exposure to the "Evo in the News" section of the "Understanding Evolution" website on students' attitudes toward biological evolution in undergraduates in a mixed-majors introductory biology course at Syracuse University. Students' attitudes toward evolution and changes therein were…

Students' Participation in an Interdisciplinary, Socioscientific Issues Based Undergraduate Human Biology Major and Their Understanding of Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastwood, Jennifer L.; Sadler, Troy D.; Sherwood, Robert D.; Schlegel, Whitney M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether Socioscientific Issues (SSI) based learning environments affect university students' epistemological understanding of scientific inquiry differently from traditional science educational contexts. We identify and compare conceptions of scientific inquiry of students participating in an…

Getting to Evo-Devo: Concepts and Challenges for Students Learning Evolutionary Developmental Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiatt, Anna; Davis, Gregory K.; Trujillo, Caleb; Terry, Mark; French, Donald P.; Price, Rebecca M.; Perez, Kathryn E.

2013-01-01

To examine how well biology majors have achieved the necessary foundation in evolution, numerous studies have examined how students learn natural selection. However, no studies to date have examined how students learn developmental aspects of evolution (evo-devo). Although evo-devo plays an increasing role in undergraduate biology curricula, we…

Anxiety in Chinese EFL Students at Different Proficiency Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Meihua

2006-01-01

This paper reports a study on anxiety in Chinese undergraduate non-English majors at three different proficiency levels. By way of survey, observations, reflective journals and interviews, the study revealed that (1) a considerable number of students at each level felt anxious when speaking English in class, (2) the more proficient students tended…

Textbook Use in the Sciences and Its Relation to Course Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Michelle; Taverna, Franco; Neumann, Melody; Paulo Kushnir, Lena; Harlow, Jason; Harrison, David; Serbanescu, Ruxandra

2015-01-01

There are limited studies with conflicting results examining textbook use and student performance at the university level. To learn more, we surveyed instructors and over one thousand students in 12 undergraduate introductory science courses. The majority (77%) of the students reported reading the textbook either "often" (>75% of the…

Performance in an Online Introductory Course in a Hybrid Classroom Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aly, Ibrahim

2013-01-01

This study compared the academic achievement between undergraduate students taking an introductory managerial accounting course online (N = 104) and students who took the same course in a hybrid classroom setting (N = 203). Student achievement was measured using scores from twelve weekly online assignments, two major online assignments, a final…

Successful Implementation of Inquiry-Based Physiology Laboratories in Undergraduate Major and Nonmajor Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casotti, G.; Rieser-Danner, L.; Knabb, M. T.

2008-01-01

Recent evidence has demonstrated that inquiry-based physiology laboratories improve students' critical- and analytical-thinking skills. We implemented inquiry-based learning into three physiology courses: Comparative Vertebrate Physiology (majors), Human Physiology (majors), and Human Anatomy and Physiology (nonmajors). The aims of our curricular…

Creating a Research-Rich Curriculum at Miami University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauckhorst, William H.

2007-10-01

Miami University has attempted in recent years to build upon a collection of individual student research participation opportunities at the University, and develop a comprehensive ``research-rich'' undergraduate curriculum. A major step in this direction was the creation of the Undergraduate Summer Scholars (USS) program. This program provides 10-week summer research experiences with faculty mentors for 100 juniors or seniors each year. The USS Program is not limited to science and engineering areas, as approximately 30 academic departments participate annually. Development of the USS program at Miami was motivated by the University's prior experience with student research appointments funded by the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and other sponsoring agencies. The University's evaluation of these earlier student research experiences provided evidence that such experiences were at least as significant in a student's education as formal course work. A second important step in Miami's effort was obtaining a grant from the National Science Foundation's Comprehensive Reform of Undergraduate Education program. This funding enabled the University to enhance the Undergraduate Summer Scholars (USS) Program and evaluate student intellectual growth within the program. Two outcomes of this NSF-funded project are noteworthy: first, the USS program now is firmly established within the University's offerings; second, the evaluation ndicated profound student intellectual growth as a result of mentored research experiences. We will describe the development of the Undergraduate Summer Scholars Program, our evaluation of the Program, and ongoing efforts to extend the benefits of research experience to more students by incorporating research components within traditional coursework.

A case study of undergraduate female students majoring in math, science and engineering: An analysis of persistence and success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, Michelle Smoot

This dissertation provides information concerning the educational experience of females studying in undergraduate fields of math, engineering and science at a large research institution in the West. The majority of the participants were Project Access students, chosen because of their high achievements in science and mathematics during their secondary education. The study identifies and attempts to understand critical factors within the academic environment of science that contribute to female persistence in math, engineering and science (MES) disciplines. The study postulates that universities can make a difference in the education of women by providing programs that assure quality education and the fostering of female interest in science domains. The study recommends the incorporation of collaborative learning processes and teaching methods, cohort involvement and the fostering of study groups, encouragement of professorial associations with students, and internship and lab programs in an attempt to provide a more holistic and less fragmented education, thus benefiting women seeking MES degrees. Also, the research presented in this paper determined that the formation of positive associations and support networks was crucial to college female population studied. The interpretive study's aim is to enhance persistence rates among undergraduate students studying in math, engineering and science fields.

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

PubMed

Puryer, J; Patel, A

2016-02-26

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

An ET-CURE Pilot Project Supporting Undergraduate Training in Cancer Research, Emerging Technology, and Health Disparities

PubMed Central

Wilson, Danyell S.; Fang, Bin; Dalton, William S.; Meade, Cathy; Koomen, John M.

2012-01-01

The National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities has created pilot training opportunities under the “Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences” (CURE) program that focus on emerging technologies (ET). In this pilot project, an eighteen month cancer biology research internship was reinforced with: instruction in an emerging technology (proteomics), a transition from the undergraduate laboratory to a research setting, education in cancer health disparities, and community outreach activities. A major goal was to provide underrepresented undergraduates with hands-on research experiences that are rarely encountered at the undergraduate level, including mentoring, research presentations, and participation in local and national meetings. These opportunities provided education and career development for the undergraduates, and they have given each student the opportunity to transition from learning to sharing their knowledge and from being mentored to mentoring others. Here, we present the concepts, curriculum, infrastructure, and challenges for this training program along with evaluations by both the students and their mentors. PMID:22528637

An ET-CURE pilot project supporting undergraduate training in cancer research, emerging technology, and health disparities.

PubMed

Wilson, Danyell S; Fang, Bin; Dalton, William S; Meade, Cathy D; Koomen, John M

2012-06-01

The National Cancer Institute's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities has created pilot training opportunities under the "Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences" program that focus on emerging technologies. In this pilot project, an 18-month cancer biology research internship was reinforced with: instruction in an emerging technology (proteomics), a transition from the undergraduate laboratory to a research setting, education in cancer health disparities, and community outreach activities. A major goal was to provide underrepresented undergraduates with hands-on research experiences that are rarely encountered at the undergraduate level, including mentoring, research presentations, and participation in local and national meetings. These opportunities provided education and career development for the undergraduates, and they have given each student the opportunity to transition from learning to sharing their knowledge and from being mentored to mentoring others. Here, we present the concepts, curriculum, infrastructure, and challenges for this training program along with evaluations by both the students and their mentors.

Assessment of knowledge about, attitudes toward, and awareness of a forensic medicine course among medical students at the University of Dammam.

PubMed

Madadin, Mohammed S

2013-11-01

This study assesses the knowledge about, awareness of, and attitudes toward forensic medicine and the forensic medicine undergraduate course among medical students at the University of Dammam in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 143 fourth-year students. We used a structured, self-administered questionnaire containing 10 items relating to forensic medicine to assess the knowledge about, awareness of, and attitudes toward forensic medicine and the forensic medicine undergraduate course. The results showed inadequate knowledge about, poor attitudes toward, and limited awareness of the importance of the forensic medicine course among medical students. Media had an effect on the students as they are a major source of forensic science information among medical students. The forensic medicine undergraduate course is important for medical students. We recommended that it be taught at the undergraduate level because it is the only academic source for forensic medicine that physicians may encounter in their careers. Teaching how to conduct an autopsy is important and has a positive role in medical education, and the forensic medicine curriculum must include instruction on autopsies, both from theoretical and practical perspectives. Medical institutes must take responsibility to increase awareness about the effect of media on medical education. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tümay, Halil

2016-03-01

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

Attitudes of psychology students to depression and its treatment: Implications for clinical practice.

PubMed

Economou, M; Peppou, L E; Geroulanou, K; Kontoangelos, K; Prokopi, A; Pantazi, A; Zervakaki, A; Stefanis, C N

2017-01-01

Stigma and mental health literacy affect access to and quality of treatment of major depression. Though mental health professionals seem better able to recognize major depression than the general public, they often hold similarly stigmatizing attitudes towards people suffering from the disorder. These attitudes are shaped jointly by the public stigma attached to mental illnesses as well as by the content and delivery of mental health professionals' undergraduate training. In line with this, the present study aimed to explore psychology students' ability to recognize major depression, their attitudes towards the disorder, and their views surrounding helpfulness of various interventions. A random sample of 167 undergraduate students was recruited from the psychology department of one public university in Athens. During one university hour, students were administered a vignette describing a woman fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria for major depression. A self-report questionnaire exploring students' recognition abilities, attitudes to depression and views on the helpfulness of various treatment modes was also administered. In total, 80.2% of students correctly recognized major depression from the vignette. Concerning their attitudes, students were unsure about the illness and ambivalent towards the person who suffers from it. With regard to available treatments for depression, students considered discussion with a friend to be the most helpful intervention. Counseling, cognitive behavioural therapy and psychoanalysis were also viewed in a positive light. On the contrary, antidepressants were not deemed helpful by most students. Finally, recognition of as well as attitudes towards depression and its treatments seemed to improve during the second year of undergraduate study; however they remained unchanged thereafter. Consistent with these, psychology students seem to have only a rudimentary knowledge on depression, that cannot not be qualified as mental health literacy. The core misconception espoused pertains to the view that major depression is not a medical illness; a finding which can also be interpreted in light of the lingering controversy on the medicalization of normal sadness and human predicament. The clinical implications of these findings are substantial. Mental health professionals-educators should reflect on their own beliefs and attitudes towards depression, as they may convey stigmatizing messages to their students and thus perpetuate the stigmatization of the illness. Concomitantly, psychology students' attitudes to depression and its treatment might render them incapable of understanding their patients, responding to their needs and providing them with appropriate help, while they may hinder their effective collaboration with psychiatrists.

Comparing the Impact of Course-Based and Apprentice-Based Research Experiences in a Life Science Laboratory Curriculum†

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Casey; Moberg-Parker, Jordan; Toma, Shannon; Ayon, Carlos; Zimmerman, Hilary; Roth-Johnson, Elizabeth A.; Hancock, Stephen P.; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Sanders, Erin R.

2015-01-01

This four-year study describes the assessment of a bifurcated laboratory curriculum designed to provide upper-division undergraduate majors in two life science departments meaningful exposure to authentic research. The timing is critical as it provides a pathway for both directly admitted and transfer students to enter research. To fulfill their degree requirements, all majors complete one of two paths in the laboratory program. One path immerses students in scientific discovery experienced through team research projects (course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs) and the other path through a mentored, independent research project (apprentice-based research experiences, or AREs). The bifurcated laboratory curriculum was structured using backwards design to help all students, irrespective of path, achieve specific learning outcomes. Over 1,000 undergraduates enrolled in the curriculum. Self-report survey results indicate that there were no significant differences in affective gains by path. Students conveyed which aspects of the curriculum were critical to their learning and development of research-oriented skills. Students’ interests in biology increased upon completion of the curriculum, inspiring a subset of CURE participants to subsequently pursue further research. A rubric-guided performance evaluation, employed to directly measure learning, revealed differences in learning gains for CURE versus ARE participants, with evidence suggesting a CURE can reduce the achievement gap between high-performing students and their peers. PMID:26751568

Use Of Psychoactive Drugs Among Medical Undergraduates In Abbottabad.

PubMed

Nawaz, Haq; Khan, Aftab Alam; Bukhari, Saima

2017-01-01

Psychoactive substance abuse is prevalent among medical undergraduates of Pakistan, India & Western countries which can adversely affect the physical & psychological grooming of a medical undergraduate thus threatening to compromise their role as future physicians & health-care providers in the society. The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to explore the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance/drug consumption among undergraduate students of a public sector medical college in Abbottabad. Seven hundred and eighty participants after informed consent were requested to fill a questionnaire seeking information about their demographics, patterns & behaviours regarding ten common psychoactive substances of abuse including (Cigarettes, Benzodiazepines, naswar, cannabis, alcohol, amphetamine, opium, cocaine, heroin & organic solvents). Overall students who responded were 698 (89.48%). One hundred and fifty (21.49%) admitted to the use of a psychoactive substance in past or at present. Majority users (71.33%) were males. Overall (81.33%) users were living in hostel or a rented apartment. Substance abuse was more prevalent among senior students, i.e., 30.06% & 24.24% in 4th year & final year MBBS respectively. Majority of the consumers, i.e., 93 (62%) were falling in an age group between 15-20 years. Main reasons behind substance abuse were: psychological stress (49.33%) and pleasure seeking (42.67%). Substances/drugs used by students in order of preference were Cigarettes 115 (76.67%), Benzodiazepines 48 (32%), naswar 42 (28%), Cannabis 41 (27.33%), Alcohol 24 (16%), Amphetamine 22 (14.67%), Opium 15 (10%), Cocaine 14 (9.33%), Heroin 11 (7.33%) & Organic solvents 05 (3.33%). Use of more than one substance was observed in 70 (46.67%) students. It is concluded that prevalence of cigarette smoking, naswar, benzodiazepines, cannabis & alcohol is high among medical undergraduates in Abbottabad which is a matter of concern. Efforts are needed to create better awareness among them about the hazards of substance abuse on their health, upcoming professional career and ailing humanity under their care.

An Analysis of Errors Committed by Saudi Non-English Major Students in the English Paragraph Writing: A Study of Comparisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuruzzaman, Mohammed; Islam, A. B. M. Shafiqul; Shuchi, Israt Jahan

2018-01-01

The present study investigates the writing errors of ninety Saudi non-English major undergraduate students of different proficiency levels from three faculties, who studied English as a foundation course at the English Language Center in the College of Languages &Translation at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2016-17.…

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

PubMed

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

2016-10-01

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

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

PubMed

Halabi, Jehad O; de Beer, Jennifer

2018-03-01

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

Approaching the Challenge of Student Retention through the Lens of Quality Control: A Conceptual Model of University Business Student Retention Utilizing Six Sigma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenicke, Lawrence O.; Holmes, Monica C.; Pisani, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Student retention in higher education is a major issue as academic institutions compete for fewer students and face declining enrollments. A conceptual model of applying the quality improvement methodology of Six Sigma to the problem of undergraduate student retention in a college of business is presented. Improvement techniques such as cause and…

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

PubMed

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

2018-03-01

Fear is a normal emotion that can evoke an appropriate response when facing threat. However, sometimes the consequences of fear can lead to responses that are maladaptive. Fear can have negative effects on learning. Research has focused on the experience of fear and its consequences among midwifery students during their undergraduate program. A qualitative analysis was conducted of interviews with ten midwifery students in different years of an undergraduate program. The data was analyzed through a content analysis approach. Two main categories and five subcategories emerged. The first category, areas of fear in midwifery students, consisted of the following subcategories: fear of doing harm, fear of encountering their first childbirth, and fear of penalties. The second category, consequences of fear, consisted of the following subcategories: general physical and psychological consequences and interference in adopting the professional role. In this study, fear not only raised the students' stress levels thereby, leading to physical and psychological issues but also hindered their adoption of their professional role. These findings will potentially inform support and retention strategies within midwifery undergraduate programs in the future. Maternity care in Iran is provided mainly within a medical model of care. The majority of women give birth in hospital, where care is provided by midwives who work under the direction and supervision of an obstetrician. Midwives within the medically dominated system lack autonomy and have very little opportunity to gain experience in providing continuity of care for women as midwife-led models of care are rare. This practice context means that midwifery students have very little opportunity to gain experience in autonomous midwifery practice. Midwifery undergraduate program in Iran is for four years. Admission to the undergraduate program is implemented via a direct entry route. Nearly all of the midwifery students are school leavers with their first exposure to university and hospital systems. Most of the midwifery students have chosen this career without sufficient understanding about midwifery and the work that it involves (Arfaee et al., 2008). The midwifery undergraduate program comprises theoretical and clinical elements. After the first semester, students enter clinical settings under the supervision of their clinical instructors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Collaborative Effort to Increase Enrollment and Retention in Geoscience Majors in North Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, C. J.; Fountain, J. C.; Bartek, C. S.; Tang, G.

2004-12-01

Under an NSF Opportunities for Enhancement of Diversity in Geosciences grant, the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at North Carolina State University partnered with NC A&T University, a HBCU, to implement a multi-faceted effort to increase enrollment and retention in geoscience majors, with particular emphasis on under represented groups. New student recruitment is facilitated by a trained graduate student who visits high schools and presents a multi-media presentation on research at NCSU and career opportunities in the geosciences. Interested high school students are then invited to participate in a hands-on, summer science camp. Community college students are recruited through a new introductory geology course developed for and offered at Robeson Community College (77% of students from under represented groups). NC A&T has developed a track in their physics curriculum to prepare students for a geophysics career. The track includes a planned semester in residence at NCSU. Students who choose to enroll at NCSU, register for an introductory course developed as part of our NSF STEP grant, Environmental Issues in Water Resources, during which geoscience careers are highlighted and in-class research focuses on a local watershed. The emphasis on undergraduate research continues with Environmental Geology, an upper division course in which the entire class studies water and sediment contamination on local watersheds. All courses developed build upon our physics department's successful model of integrating lectures and laboratories and engaging first-year students in group-oriented, undergraduate research (http://www.physics.ncsu.edu/physics_ed/). Following the group research courses, advanced undergraduate students are placed in traditional research labs with faculty mentors while participating in a career development seminar in which research methods, proposal writing and presentation skills are introduced. Tutoring and mentoring programs provide support for all majors. Formative assessment is ongoing, including pre and post surveys to assess course effectiveness and changes in attitudes toward science.

Increasing Student Success in Large Survey Science Courses via Supplemental Instruction in Learning Centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hooper, Eric Jon; Nossal, S.; Watson, L.; Timbie, P.

2010-05-01

Large introductory astronomy and physics survey courses can be very challenging and stressful. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Physics Learning Center (PLC) reaches about 10 percent of the students in four introductory physics courses, algebra and calculus based versions of both classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Participants include those potentially most vulnerable to experiencing isolation and hence to having difficulty finding study partners as well as students struggling with the course. They receive specially written tutorials, conceptual summaries, and practice problems; exam reviews; and most importantly, membership in small groups of 3 - 8 students which meet twice per week in a hybrid of traditional teaching and tutoring. Almost all students who regularly participate in the PLC earn at least a "C,” with many earning higher grades. The PLC works closely with other campus programs which seek to increase the participation and enhance the success of underrepresented minorities, first generation college students, and students from lower-income circumstances; and it is well received by students, departmental faculty, and University administration. The PLC staff includes physics education specialists and research scientists with a passion for education. However, the bulk of the teaching is conducted by undergraduates who are majoring in physics, astronomy, mathematics, engineering, and secondary science teaching (many have multiple majors). The staff train these enthusiastic students, denoted Peer Mentor Tutors (PMTs) in general pedagogy and mentoring strategies, as well as the specifics of teaching the physics covered in the course. The PMTs are among the best undergraduates at the university. While currently there is no UW-Madison learning center for astronomy courses, establishing one is a possible future direction. The introductory astronomy courses cater to non-science majors and consequently are less quantitative. However, the basic structure of small groups focusing on fundamental understanding taught mostly by dedicated undergraduates should transfer well.

BURECS: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Science Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, D. P.; Marchant, D. R.; Christ, A. J.; Ehrenfeucht, S.

2017-12-01

The current structure of many undergraduate programs, particularly those at large research universities, requires students to engage with a major or academic emphasis early in their university careers. This oftentimes curbs exploration outside the major and can inhibit interdisciplinary collaboration. The Boston University Research Education and Communication of Science (BURECS) program seeks to bridge this institutional divide by fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration on climate change-related issues by students from across Boston University (B.U.). Every year, approximately fifteen first-year students from B.U.'s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, and School of Education are selected to join BURECS, which includes a climate science seminar, a hands-on lab course, a supported summer internship with Boston-area researchers, and the opportunity to participate in Antarctic field work during subsequent B.U. Antarctic Research Group expeditions. Currently in its third year, BURECS is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program.

An Engineering Degree Does Not (Necessarily) an Engineer Make: Career Decision Making among Undergraduate Engineering Majors. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenstein, Gary; Loshbaugh, Heidi G.; Claar, Brittany; Chen, Helen L.; Jackson, Kristyn; Sheppard, Sheri

2009-01-01

This paper explores the career-related decision making of seniors enrolled in undergraduate engineering programs at two nationally recognized institutions. This strand of the Academic Pathways Study (APS) research revealed that many engineering students were undecided about their career plans, even late into their senior years and that many were…

Increasing Student Responsibility and Active Learning in an Undergraduate Capstone Finance Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, David; Bianco, Candy

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on the effectiveness of factors in designing and delivering a complex, capstone course in an undergraduate major in finance. The course uses an instructional delivery system that is contrasted to the standard lecture format and has a broader set of objectives than is usually specified for a finance course. An objective of the…

A Path Analysis Model Pertinent to Undergraduates' Academic Success: Examining Academic Confidence, Psychological Capital and Academic Coping Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirikkanat, Berke; Soyer, Makbule Kali

2018-01-01

The major purpose of this study was to create a path analysis model of academic success in a group of university students, which included the variables of academic confidence and psychological capital with a mediator variable--academic coping. 400 undergraduates from Marmara University and Istanbul Commerce University who were in sophomore, junior…

"It Feels More Important than Other Classes I Have Done": An "Authentic" Undergraduate Research Experience in Sociology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuthbert, Denise; Arunachalam, Dharma; Licina, Dunja

2012-01-01

This article reports on research into the development, teaching and student experiences of a one-semester subject designed to provide an undergraduate research experience in the social sciences. The subject was offered for the first time in 2009 in a large sociology program at a major research-intensive Australian university. Our findings are…

Assessment of Problem-Based Learning in the Undergraduate Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karpiak, Christie P.

2011-01-01

Undergraduate psychology majors (N = 51) at a mid-sized private university took a statistics examination on the first day of the research methods course, a course for which a grade of "C" or higher in statistics is a prerequisite. Students who had taken a problem-based learning (PBL) section of the statistics course (n = 15) were compared to those…

Hopes for the Future: Demographic and Personal Resources Associated with Self-Perceived Employability and Actual Employment among Senior Year Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasler, Jonathan; Zysberg, Leehu; Harel, Nofar

2017-01-01

Undergraduates approaching completion of their studies may embrace the prospect of entry into the world of work as a challenge or conversely, may view it with trepidation. This study explores three major personal resources that may be associated with how young undergraduates view their future employability: perceived hope, grit and emotional…

Connecting Ideas to Practice: The Development of an Undergraduate Student's Philosophy of Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salazar, Ryan; Randles, Clint

2015-01-01

This article considers the personal reflections of an undergraduate music education major on both the significance of his experience as a participant in the Seventh International Symposium on the Sociology of Music Education, held at Michigan State University, in the United States, in June 2011, and on his place as a pre-service music teacher…

Towards a Typology of Debt Attitudes among Contemporary Young UK Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Neil; Chudry, Farooq; Waller, Richard; Hatt, Sue

2015-01-01

As the UK sits on the verge of a major change in the financing of both universities and students, this study seeks to capture and analyse attitudes to money, borrowing and debt among contemporary young undergraduates. It reports findings from a qualitative study of 62 individuals in the second term of their first year at university, these being…

First Generation College Students in Engineering: A Grounded Theory Study of Family Influence on Academic Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Denise Rutledge

2012-01-01

This work develops a constructivist grounded theory describing the influence of family and those that serve a role similar to family on the academic decision making of undergraduate first generation in college (FGC) students majoring in engineering. FGC students, in this study, are students with neither parent having attained a bachelor's…

Students' Responses to Ethical Dilemmas in an Academic Setting and in the Work Place

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teer, Faye P.; Kruck, S. E.

2012-01-01

It is important for students to be prepared to act ethically when they face real world situations that test their ethical leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine university students' responses to ethical dilemmas. One hundred and sixty two students in numerous majors and both undergraduate and graduate classifications responded to a…

Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP): Overview and Major Findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heron, Paula

2016-03-01

The Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (JTUPP) was formed in response to growing awareness in the physics community that physics majors pursue a wide range of careers after graduation, with very few ending up in academia. The task force is charged with identifying the skills and knowledge that undergraduate physics degree holders should possess to be well prepared for a diverse set of careers, and providing guidance for physicists considering revising the undergraduate curriculum to improve the education of a diverse student population. Task force members represent large and small universities, professional societies, and industry, and have expertise in a broad range of areas including entrepreneurship, physics education research and systemic change in education. We reviewed employment data, surveys of employers, and reports generated by other disciplines. We also met with physicists in selected industries to get their views on the strengths and weaknesses of physics graduates, commissioned a series of interviews with recent physics graduates employed in the private sector, and identified exemplary programs that ensure that all of their students are well prepared to pursue a wide range of career paths. The findings and recommendations will be summarized.

Personal DNA testing in college classrooms: perspectives of students and professors.

PubMed

Daley, Lori-Ann A; Wagner, Jennifer K; Himmel, Tiffany L; McPartland, Kaitlyn A; Katsanis, Sara H; Shriver, Mark D; Royal, Charmaine D

2013-06-01

Discourse on the integration of personal genetics and genomics into classrooms is increasing; however, limited data have been collected on the perspectives of students and professors. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of undergraduate and graduate students as well as professors at two major universities to assess attitudes regarding the use of personal DNA testing and other personalized activities in college classrooms. Students indicated that they were more likely to enroll (60.2%) in a genetics course if it offered personal DNA testing; undergraduate students were more likely than graduate students to enroll if personal DNA testing was offered (p=0.029). Students who majored in the physical sciences were less likely to enroll than students in the biological or social sciences (p=0.019). Students also indicated that when course material is personalized, the course is more interesting (94.6%) and the material is easier to learn (87.3%). Professors agreed that adding a personalized element increases student interest, participation, and learning (86.0%, 82.6%, and 72.6%, respectively). The results of this study indicate that, overall, students and professors had a favorable view of the integration of personalized information, including personal DNA testing, into classroom activities, and students welcomed more opportunities to participate in personalized activities.

Promoting science for all by way of student interest in a transformative undergraduate microbiology laboratory for nonmajors.

PubMed

Marbach-Ad, Gili; McGinnis, J Randy; Dai, Amy H; Pease, Rebecca; Schalk, Kelly A; Benson, Spencer

2009-01-01

In this study, we investigated a pedagogical innovation in an undergraduate microbiology course, Microbes and Society, for non-microbiology majors and education majors. The aim was to improve students' understanding by connecting their science experience to their areas of interest. Based on this idea of teaching, we redesigned the laboratory portion of a microbiology course. We had students in the laboratory component choose their areas of interest and use the areas as a framework for understanding science and how it influences and shapes the world around them. This course was part of a longitudinal project (Project Nexus) which prepares, supports, and sustains upper elementary and middle-level specialist science teachers. We used a battery of data collection instruments. We analyzed all data in several dimensions including using active-learning techniques, forming linkages between science and teaching, and connecting science and society. Our hypothesis was that we could promote science for all by connecting the diverse students' areas of interest in science to the laboratory's curriculum. We assessed the success of achieving our goal by using researchers' observations, the instructors' perspectives, and students' feedback. Our findings suggested that this course was appreciated by the students, especially education majors, who recognized the innovations as engaging and worthwhile.

Student-guided field based investigations of microplastic contamination in urban waterways as a tool to introduce environmental science students to scientific inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pondell, C.

2016-12-01

Microplastic pollution is becoming an increasing concern in oceanographic and environmental studies, and offers an opportunity to engage undergraduate students in environmental research using a highly relevant field of investigation. For instance, a majority of environmental science majors not only know about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but can also list off several statistics about its size and impact on marine life. Building on this enthusiasm for understanding the impact of microplastics on the environment, a laboratory class was designed to introduce environmental science majors to the rigors of scientific investigation using microplastic pollution in urban waterways as the focus of their laboratory experience. Over a seven-week period, students worked in small groups to design an experiment, collect samples in the field, analyze the samples in the lab, and present their findings in a university-wide forum. Their research questions focused on developing a better understanding of the transportation and fate of microplastics in the urban waterways of Washington, D.C. This presentation will explore the benefits and challenges associated with a student guided field study for environmental science undergraduates, and will describe results and student feedback from their urban microplastic field study.

Oral Communication Apprehension among International Doctoral Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amiri, Fatemeh; Puteh, Marlia

2018-01-01

Communication apprehension has been identified as a major factor which inhibits an individual's willingness to communicate and his/her ability to develop effective communication skills. While many prior studies have investigated oral communication apprehension among undergraduate students, there has been little research exploring this phenomenon…

Teaching Cellular Automation Concepts through Interdisciplinary Collaborative Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biernacki, Joseph J.; Ayers, Jerry B.

2000-01-01

Reports on the experiences of 12 students--three senior undergraduates majoring in chemical engineering, five master-level, and four doctoral students--in a course titled "Interdisciplinary Studies in Multi-Scale Simulation of Concrete Materials". Course objectives focused on incorporating team-oriented interdisciplinary experiences into the…

A Series of Computational Neuroscience Labs Increases Comfort with MATLAB.

PubMed

Nichols, David F

2015-01-01

Computational simulations allow for a low-cost, reliable means to demonstrate complex and often times inaccessible concepts to undergraduates. However, students without prior computer programming training may find working with code-based simulations to be intimidating and distracting. A series of computational neuroscience labs involving the Hodgkin-Huxley equations, an Integrate-and-Fire model, and a Hopfield Memory network were used in an undergraduate neuroscience laboratory component of an introductory level course. Using short focused surveys before and after each lab, student comfort levels were shown to increase drastically from a majority of students being uncomfortable or with neutral feelings about working in the MATLAB environment to a vast majority of students being comfortable working in the environment. Though change was reported within each lab, a series of labs was necessary in order to establish a lasting high level of comfort. Comfort working with code is important as a first step in acquiring computational skills that are required to address many questions within neuroscience.

A Series of Computational Neuroscience Labs Increases Comfort with MATLAB

PubMed Central

Nichols, David F.

2015-01-01

Computational simulations allow for a low-cost, reliable means to demonstrate complex and often times inaccessible concepts to undergraduates. However, students without prior computer programming training may find working with code-based simulations to be intimidating and distracting. A series of computational neuroscience labs involving the Hodgkin-Huxley equations, an Integrate-and-Fire model, and a Hopfield Memory network were used in an undergraduate neuroscience laboratory component of an introductory level course. Using short focused surveys before and after each lab, student comfort levels were shown to increase drastically from a majority of students being uncomfortable or with neutral feelings about working in the MATLAB environment to a vast majority of students being comfortable working in the environment. Though change was reported within each lab, a series of labs was necessary in order to establish a lasting high level of comfort. Comfort working with code is important as a first step in acquiring computational skills that are required to address many questions within neuroscience. PMID:26557798

Spectroscopic Instrumentation in Undergraduate Astronomy Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludovici, Dominic; Mutel, Robert Lucien; Lang, Cornelia C.

2017-01-01

We have designed and built two spectrographs for use in undergraduate astronomy laboratories at the University of Iowa. The first, a low cost (appx. $500) low resolution (R ~ 150 - 300) grating-prism (grism) spectrometer consists of five optical elements and is easily modified to other telescope optics. The grism spectrometer is designed to be used in a modified filter wheel. This type of spectrometer allows students to undertake projects requiring sensitive spectral measurements, such as determining the redshifts of quasars. The second instrument is a high resolution (R ~ 8000), moderate cost (appx. $5000) fiber fed echelle spectrometer. The echelle spectrometer will allow students to conduct Doppler measurements such as those used to study spectroscopic binaries. Both systems are designed to be used with robotic telescope systems. The availability of 3D printing enables both of these spectrographs to be constructed in hands-on instrumentation courses where students build and commission their own instruments. Additionally, these instruments enable introductory majors and non-majors laboratory students to gain experience conducting their own spectroscopic observations.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merrill, J.

2017-12-01

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

What Works for Women in Undergraduate Physics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitten, Barbara L.; Dorato, Shannon R.; Foster, Suzanne R.; Duncombe, Margaret L.

2005-10-01

The physics community in the U.S. has been concerned about the low participation by women for many years. Although some progress has been made, the percentage of undergraduate women in physics is still less than half that in mathematics and chemistry. While the percentage of women in physics declines at every step up the academic ladder, the largest decrease occurs in the undergraduate years. Therefore it is worthwhile to look at how undergraduate physics departments might make women students comfortable. We have conducted a study of undergraduate physics departments in order to learn "what works" in attracting and retaining women in the undergraduate physics major. With a team of women physicists, we visited nine undergraduate physics departments, five with high participation by women and four with average participation. We also visited six departments in women's colleges, which are known for producing accomplished women in all fields, including science. Three of the 15 schools are historically Black colleges, which produce disproportionate numbers of African-American women scientists. We found that the most important factor in a female-friendly physics department is a warm and inclusive culture that reaches out to introductory students. We also discuss the effects of curriculum, pedagogy, and institutional policy.

Urban Field Experiences for Undergraduate Liberal Arts Students: Using Compromised Environments as Living Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacAvoy, S. E.; Knee, K.

2015-12-01

While urban environments may lack the beauty of relatively pristine field sites, they can be used to deliver an effective demonstration of actual environmental damage. Students demanding applied field experiences from their undergraduate environmental science programs can be well served in urban settings. Here, we present strategies for integrating degraded urban systems into the undergraduate field experience. Urban locations provide an opportunity for a different type of local "field-work" than would otherwise be available. In the upper-level undergraduate Environmental Methods class, we relied on a National Park area located a 10-minute walk from campus for most field exercises. Activities included soil analysis, measuring stream flow and water quality parameters, dendrochronology, and aquatic microbe metabolism. In the non-majors class, we make use of our urban location to contrast water quality in parks and highly channelized urban streams. Students spend labs immersed in streams and wetlands heavily impacted by the urban runoff their city generates. Here we share lesson plans and budgets for field activities that can be completed during a class period of 2.5 hours with a $75 course fee, show how these activities help students gain quantitative competency.

Learning outcomes and tutoring in problem based-learning: how do undergraduate medical students perceive them?

PubMed

AlHaqwi, Ali I

2014-04-01

To explore opinions of undergraduate medical students regarding learning outcomes of the instructional strategy of Problem Based Learning (PBL). In addition their views were sought about the role of tutors and qualities of effective tutors. This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire based study which was conducted in two colleges of Medicine, Central region, Saudi Arabia during the period of 1st of April to 30(th) June 2012. One hundred seventy four undergraduate medical students participated in this study. Seventy percent of participants have indicated that PBL strategy contributed to the development of their knowledge, presentation skills, team work abilities, and accepting criticism from other colleagues. Regarding the tutors' role in PBL tutorials, majority of the participants (75%) indicated that this role is essential, nevertheless, only 58% of students indicated that this role is clear and well identified. Sixty three percent of participants preferred a member role in the PBL tutorials and 80 percent of participants preferred both content and process expert tutors in the PBL tutorials. Significant statistical difference was noted between the views of students and their schools, gender, and study phase. Majority of the participants believed that PBL had a positive impact on the development of their cognitive, personal and teamwork skills. The view of the students in this study and the available evidence suggest that tutor should have both qualities; content and process expertise, in order to have the best outcomes from the PBL tutorials.

Progress update on a 2015 USIP interdisciplinary undergraduate student microgravity experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-12-01

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

How to double the number of undergraduate physics majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopp, Sacha

2015-03-01

Many colleges and universities around the country have a solid physics program that prepares students bound for graduate physics study. For a variety of reasons, the number of students choosing to major in physics may be small, typically <1% of the student body. When compared to other majors, this population is experiencing negligible growth. I will describe a campaign launched while at the University of Texas at Austin aimed at recruiting and retention of majors. This campaign includes actual programmatic changes in the curriculum and instruction of majors. Additionally, it includes a direct marketing campaign that attempted to change student attitudes about physics and its relation to their current major. Finally, it includes a program to reach out to local high schools and engage students in a discussion about their career choices before they apply for college. I will share some numerical and attitudinal data that suggests positive changes in the student population.

The Role of Internalized Stereotyping, Parental Pressure, and Parental Support on Asian Americans' Choice of College Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Frances C.

2015-01-01

The author explored the relationship between internalized stereotyping, parental pressure, and parental support on major choices among 315 Asian American undergraduate and graduate students. Results indicated that parental support, but not parental pressure, toward certain majors was associated with more stereotypical major choices. In addition,…

Watershed Watch: Using undergraduate student-driven inquiry-based research projects as a means of engaging undeclared students in the biogeosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, B. N.; Hale, S.; Graham, K.; Hayden, L. B.

2009-12-01

Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). The program is a partnership between two four-year campuses - the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU, in North Carolina); and two two-year campuses - Great Bay Community College (GBCC, in New Hampshire) and the College of the Albemarle (COA, in North Carolina). The program focuses on two watersheds: the Merrimack Ricer Watershed in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the Pasquotank River Watershed in Virginia and North Carolina. Both the terrestrial and aquatic components of both watersheds are evaluated using the student-driven projects. A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer Research Institute (SRI), in which undeclared freshmen and sophomores investigate various aspects of their local watershed. Two Summer Research Institutes have been held on the UNH campus (2006 and 2008) and two on the ECSU campus (2007 and 2009). Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific oral or poster presentation on the last day of the SRI. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich programs or courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicate the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the program are: 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors, and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination. The past four Summer Research Institutes have engaged over 100 entry-level undergraduate students in the process of learning science by doing it, and approximately 50% of those participating have declared majors in a wide range of science fields. A total of eight Watershed Watch students have presented findings from their SRI research projects at AGU meetings in 2007, 2008, and 2009. This presentation will highlight the lessons learned over the past four years in the Watershed Watch program.

A comparative study of traditional lecture methods and interactive lecture methods in introductory geology courses for non-science majors at the college level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hundley, Stacey A.

In recent years there has been a national call for reform in undergraduate science education. The goal of this reform movement in science education is to develop ways to improve undergraduate student learning with an emphasis on developing more effective teaching practices. Introductory science courses at the college level are generally taught using a traditional lecture format. Recent studies have shown incorporating active learning strategies within the traditional lecture classroom has positive effects on student outcomes. This study focuses on incorporating interactive teaching methods into the traditional lecture classroom to enhance student learning for non-science majors enrolled in introductory geology courses at a private university. Students' experience and instructional preferences regarding introductory geology courses were identified from survey data analysis. The information gained from responses to the questionnaire was utilized to develop an interactive lecture introductory geology course for non-science majors. Student outcomes were examined in introductory geology courses based on two teaching methods: interactive lecture and traditional lecture. There were no significant statistical differences between the groups based on the student outcomes and teaching methods. Incorporating interactive lecture methods did not statistically improve student outcomes when compared to traditional lecture teaching methods. However, the responses to the survey revealed students have a preference for introductory geology courses taught with lecture and instructor-led discussions and students prefer to work independently or in small groups. The results of this study are useful to individuals who teach introductory geology courses and individuals who teach introductory science courses for non-science majors at the college level.

The Astrophysics Major at the University of California, Berkeley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arons, J.; Heiles, C.

2001-12-01

The Astrophysics major offered by the Berkeley Astronomy Department has been redesigned to reflect broad educational goals. Students preparing for graduate school study mostly Physics and Mathematics, leavened with four semesters of astrophysics at the sophomore and senior level. These courses make heavy use of their concurrent Physics and Math. Astrophysics and Physics majors differ in the astrophysics courses replacing other electives which a Physics major might choose. The major's redesign also opened the door to students who wish to pursue a major which gives them broad technical training without having graduate school as a goal. Many such students follow the same track as those pursuing the graduate school option; others take courses specifically designed for people with alternate careers in mind. The major change has been a laboratory requirement for all Astrophysics majors, in either track. We now have advanced undergraduate laboratories: optical, radio, and near infrared; details are on our web page. These share the common thread of development of deep capabilities in data gathering, analysis, and presentation. Students achieve expertise in these areas because the labs include the complete range of activities normally encountered in observational or experimental research. Students use laboratory equipment to measure the fundamental parameters of devices and systems, make astronomical observations with those systems, write software in UNIX and IDL to control equipment and analyze the results, and write formal lab reports in LATEX. We avoid ``black box'' or ``cookbook'' procedures . The students leave the course having gained experience and knowledge, and a ``feel'' for how to proceed when faced with sometimes recalcitrant equipment and imperfect data. A by product of the training has been an increase in student involvement in undergraduate research projects. These innovations have led to a major that has doubled in size and, in a quite unanticipated development, has become gender balanced. We will present a number of aspects, both statistically and anecdotally, from this decade long experience with reform of an astronomy major.

Brief 77 Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2015 Data

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

None, None

The 2015 Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey reports degrees granted between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015. Enrollment information refers to the fall term 2015. Twenty-two academic programs were included in the survey universe, with all 22 programs providing data. The enrollments and degrees information comprises students majoring in health physics or in an option program equivalent to a major. The report includes enrollment information on undergraduate students and graduate students and information by degree level for post-graduation plans.

Cognitive diversity in undergraduate engineering: Dyslexia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, Velvet R.

In the United States, institutions have established multiple programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the diversity of both faculty and students in engineering as means to produce a workforce that will better serve society. However, there are two major problems in addressing engineering student diversity. First, the engineering education research community has paid little attention to date as to how engineering education research characterizes diversity in its broadest sense. Second, research on persons with disabilities in undergraduates engineering, a population of interests within diversity, is minimal. Available disability studies tend to be skewed toward physical disabilities, leading to a neglect of cognitive differences such as learning disabilities (LD). In addition, disability research questions and study designs are inherently steeped in ability bias. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the meaning of ability for students with dyslexia while in undergraduate engineering and establish the significance of cognitive diversity, focusing on LD and more specifically dyslexia, in undergraduate engineering education and answer the following research question: How do undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia experience ability while pursuing and persisting in engineering? The motivation was to lay the groundwork for future engineering education studies on undergraduate students with LD in general but dyslexia in specific. The first goal was to conduct a critical literature review pertaining to the academic strengths of undergraduate students with LD, specifically, dyslexia and the second goal was to describe how undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia experience ability. The intent was not to redefine dyslexia or disability. The intent is to provide an inclusive account of dyslexia, weakness and strengths, within the field of engineering education. This study was conducted from a qualitative inquiry approach, within the social constructivism paradigm, and utilized purposive sampling to identify appropriate participants. The thematic analysis methodological framework was used to portray a rich, complex description of experiences in which undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia constructed meaning around ability while pursuing and persisting in engineering. Eight students participated and semi-structured interviews were the data source. The findings are presented in three parts. First, significant findings that were also salient amongst the general undergraduate engineering student populations are presented. This is done to make a clear demarcation from those significant findings found to be unique to undergraduate engineering students with dyslexia presented in the themes: relationships, early exposure to engineering, and securing an internship or co-op position. Second, the four themes that developed from the analysis will were discussed: alignment, dissociation, ideal education environments, and time. Third, additional findings for further investigation were proposed: the role of remediation practices, the representation of dyslexia in media, gender differences in extracurricular activities that constructed different meanings of ability, the prevalence of co-occurring LD amongst the participants, and the visualization of science, engineering, mathematics concepts. The study is closed with a discussion; findings are discussed with respect to relevant research in the conclusion.

Calm to chaos: Engaging undergraduate nursing students with the complex nature of interruptions during medication administration.

PubMed

Hayes, Carolyn; Jackson, Debra; Davidson, Patricia M; Daly, John; Power, Tamara

2017-12-01

To describe undergraduate student nurse responses to a simulated role-play experience focussing on managing interruptions during medication administration. Improving patient safety requires that we find creative and innovative methods of teaching medication administration to undergraduate nurses in real-world conditions. Nurses are responsible for the majority of medication administrations in health care. Incidents and errors associated with medications are a significant patient safety issue and often occur as a result of interruptions. Undergraduate nursing students are generally taught medication administration skills in a calm and uninterrupted simulated environment. However, in the clinical environment medication administration is challenged by multiple interruptions. A qualitative study using convenience sampling was used to examine student perceptions of a simulated role-play experience. Data were collected from 451 of a possible 528 student written reflective responses and subject to thematic analysis. Students reported an increased understanding of the impacts of interruptions while administering medications and an improved awareness of how to manage disruptions. This study reports on one of three emergent themes: "Calm to chaos: engaging with the complex nature of clinical practice." Interrupting medication administration in realistic and safe settings facilitates awareness, allows for students to begin to develop management strategies in relation to interruption and increases their confidence. Students were given the opportunity to consolidate and integrate prior and new knowledge and skills through this role-play simulation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Short-term, informal, and low-stakes scientific laboratory and field experiences improve STEM student retention and academic success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hintz, C.; Pride, C. J.; Cox, T.

2017-12-01

Formal internship experiences strongly improve student success in the STEM fields. Classical programs like NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates are highly successful for traditional and non-traditional students. Moreover when early undergraduate and at-risk (e.g., low income, academically-challenged) students engage in these experiences, their career paths are re-enforced or changed, academic progress and retention improves, and they are encouraged to continue into graduate school. Students build connections to their course-based learning and experience the life of a working scientist. However, NSF formal experiences are relatively expensive to provide (>5000 per student per experience) and are available to fewer than 5% of geoscience majors each year. Although other funded formal internship opportunities exist, they are likely available to no more than 10% of total enrolled geoscience students. These high-quality programs cannot impact enough early undergraduate students to encourage their remaining in science and improve the current overall retention and graduation rates in the US. Savannah State University faculty successfully completed multiple grants funding low-stakes undergraduate field-science experiences. These short-term (semester to year), part-time (5-10h/week) experiences provide similar classroom-to-real-world science connections, offer students direct laboratory and field experiences, build skill sets, and provide a small source of revenue assisting financially-challenged students to stay on campus rather than seeking off-campus employment. For a much lower investment in time and grant resources (500-1500 per student per experience), participant graduation rates exceeded 80%, well above the university 27-34% graduation rate during the same time period. Relatively small infusions of research dollars targeting undergraduate experiences in the field and laboratory could significantly impact long-term student outcomes in STEM disciplines. These findings supported by NSF OCE-1460457, OCE-1156525, GEO-0914680; ONR N00014-12-1-0969.

A survey of students` ethical attitudes using computer-related scenarios

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

Hanchey, C.M.; Kingsbury, J.

Many studies exist that examine ethical beliefs and attitudes of university students ascending medium or large institutions. There are also many studies which examine ethical attitudes and beliefs of computer science and computer information systems majors. None, however, examines ethical attitudes of university students (regardless of undergraduate major) at a small, Christian, liberal arts institution regarding computer-related situations. This paper will present data accumulated by an on-going study in which students are presented seven scenarios--all of which involve some aspect of computing technology. These students were randomly selected from a small, Christian, liberal-arts university.

Cultivating Citizen Scientists in the Undergraduate Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egger, A. E.

2007-12-01

Several studies indicate a strong correlation between the number of college science courses and science literacy. It is not surprising, then, that the majority of participants in citizen science projects are college graduates who enrolled in at least two science courses. If one goal of citizen science projects is to increase civic science literacy, research suggests that most are preaching to the choir. Attracting a wider audience to citizen science is, therefore, a key challenge. One way to address this challenge is to attract students to enroll and succeed in science courses in college, even if they do not pursue a major in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In fact, only 20% of students receive a degree in STEM, yet virtually all undergraduates are required to take at least one science course. Introductory science courses are therefore critical to cultivating citizen scientists, as they include a large proportion of non- STEM majors. Indeed, a major thrust of recent undergraduate STEM educational reform has been the promotion of 'science for all'. The science for all concept goes beyond recruiting students into the STEM disciplines to promoting a level of scientific literacy necessary to make informed decisions. A clear implication of this inclusive attitude is the need to redesign introductory science courses to make them accessible and explicitly related to scientific literacy. This does not mean dumbing down courses; on the contrary, it means engaging students in real scientific investigations and incorporating explicit teaching about the process of science, thus fostering a lifelong appreciation for (and, hopefully, participation in) science. Unfortunately, many students enter college with minimal understanding of the process of science. And when they arrive in their introductory classes, science is presented to them as a system of facts to be memorized - comparable to memorizing a poem in a foreign language without understanding the vocabulary. New resources available through the Visionlearning project (http://www.visionlearning.com) provide the means to incorporate teaching about the process of science into disciplinary content, thus facilitating the reform the way that undergraduate students are taught science at the introductory level. This kind of educational reform may be a long-term approach to developing citizen scientists, but research from several different disciplines and perspectives suggests it is a critical step in building scientific literacy and lifelong participation in science.

A Service-Learning Project in Chemistry: Environmental Monitoring of a Nature Preserve

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kammler, David C.; Truong, Triet M.; VanNess, Garrett; McGowin, Audrey E.

2012-01-01

A collaborative environmental service-learning project was implemented between upper-level undergraduate science majors and graduate chemistry students at a large state school and first-year students at a small private liberal arts college. Students analyzed the water quality in a nature preserve by determining the quantities of 12 trace metals,…

Pitching Environmental Science to Business Majors: Engaging Students in Renewable Energy Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers, Vikki L.

2014-01-01

This article describes an active learning strategy for engaging undergraduate business students, a group often ignored in scientific pedagogy, in learning about renewable energy technology and associated trade-offs. I designed a small-group activity to appeal to and engage business students, but the exercise could easily be used for a variety of…

The Role of Work Experience and Self-Efficacy in STEM Student Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raelin, Joseph A.; Bailey, Margaret B.; Hamann, Jerry; Pendleton, Leslie K.; Reisberg, Rachelle; Whitman, David L.

2015-01-01

The authors report the results of a three-year longitudinal study of retention among undergraduate engineering students enrolled at four major universities. The study demonstrates that self-efficacy can be a critical factor in student persistence and can be broken down into three components: work, career, and academic self-efficacy. The authors…

Conjunctions in Argumentative Writing of Libyan Tertiary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamed, Muftah

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was an attempt to investigate the use of conjunctions in argumentative essays written by English as a Foreign Language fourth-year undergraduate Libyan students majoring in English at Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Libya. A corpus of 32 argumentative essays was collected from a sample of 16 students in order to be investigated…

Is Romanian Science School Curricula Open towards the Development of School Students' Critical Thinking Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciascai, Liliana; Haiduc, Lavinia

2009-01-01

Critical thinking is considered to be an important outcome that all students, regardless of their academic major, need to achieve during their undergraduate study. In addition, critical thinking allows students to respond to less-well defined problems and thus to be better prepared for both personal and professional challenges. Taking into…

Attitudes toward International Careers among Male and Female Canadian Business Students after 9-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Bruce C. Y.; Bu, Nailin

2004-01-01

Career aspirations of 145 senior undergraduate business students in Canada were analyzed. An overwhelming majority desired an overseas assignment at some point in their career, and they were not adversely affected by the 9-11 terrorist attack. While 60 percent of the students considered pursuing a global career with multiple international…

Computational Linguistic Assessment of Genre Differences Focusing on Text Cohesive Devices of Student Writing: Implications for Library Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xin; Cho, Kwangsu

2010-01-01

This study examined two major academic genres of writing: argumentative and technical writing. Three hundred eighty-four undergraduate student-produced texts were parsed and analyzed through a computational tool called Coh-Metrix. The results inform the instructional librarians that students used genre-dependent cohesive devices in a limited way…

Examining the Impact of the Engineering Successful/Unsuccessful Grading (SUG) Program on Student Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak, Heather; Paguyo, Christina; Siller, Thomas

2016-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the Successful/Unsuccessful Grading (SUG) program, an intervention that was founded at a large public university to support students during their transition into the first year of undergraduate engineering (EG) coursework. To understand how the SUG program impacts student retention of EG majors, we conducted an analysis…

The Importance of Course Design on Classroom Performance of Marketing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Gregory S.; Daughtrey, Clayton L.; Lewis, Jeffrey S.

2014-01-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of course design on marketing student outcomes by examining data gathered over several semesters from 563 undergraduate students enrolled in marketing classes at a major university. During this period of time, respondents were enrolled in one of four marketing courses, each of which…

Investigating Foreign Language Learning Anxiety: A Case of Saudi Undergraduate EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Khasawneh, Fadi Maher

2016-01-01

This study investigates the level and sources of foreign language learning anxiety experienced by Saudi students studying at King Khalid University (KKU). It also aims to examine the differences between the level of language anxiety and the students' study level. For this purpose, 97 English majored students from different levels were purposively…

Policy Levers to Strengthen Community College Transfer Student Success in Texas. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Thomas; Jenkins, Davis; Fink, John; Cullinane, Jenna; Schudde, Lauren

2017-01-01

Texas relies heavily on its community colleges to provide low-cost access to undergraduate coursework for students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Yet, while the majority of Texas students who enter higher education through a community college enroll in transfer programs, only 35 percent transfer and only 15 percent earn a bachelor's degree within…

The effect of parental education, prior achievement, self-efficacy, goal orientation, and effort on undergraduate science performance of Latinos and Caucasians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stansbury, Sydney Lynn

Compared with majority students, underrepresented minorities have demonstrated weaker undergraduate science performance. Previous research has attributed the weaker performance to socioeconomic factors that influence poorer precollege preparation. Studies also have found that, compared with majority students, underrepresented minorities are less confident about their science skills and more interested in extrinsic rewards of science careers. Social Cognitive Theory posits that low self-efficacy coupled with high extrinsic goal orientation diminishes cognitive engagement, resulting in weak performance. Applying motivational characteristics of underrepresented minority students to a Social Cognitive Model may explain why their performance is weaker than that of Caucasians. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the degree to which motivation variables account for the difference between underrepresented minority and majority students' undergraduate science performance. The study was conducted at a large, predominantly Caucasian, private university located in an urban setting in the Southwest. Two hundred twenty-two students--154 Caucasians and 68 Latinos--enrolled in a general chemistry course participated. Students were administered the Motivation for Learning Questionnaire, designed specifically for this study, consisting of scales measuring the following variables: ethnicity, level of parental education, and effort exertion; self-efficacy, effort regulation, intrinsic goal orientation, and extrinsic goal orientation, measures from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991); and ability orientation, a measure from the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey (Midgley, Maehr, & Urdan, 1995). Financial aid information, chemistry and math placement test scores, and chemistry grades were obtained from other on-campus departments. Results demonstrated that the hypotheses were only partially confirmed by the model. Motivation variables did account for a portion of the variance in performance, but not in the ways predicted. Increasing the number of subjects in each group and adding the following variables to the model would clarify the role that motivation plays in performance: realistic self-appraisal; perceived competition; and elaboration, organization, and rehearsal strategies. Based on results, the following interventions were recommended to increase undergraduate science performance: assessment in realistic self-appraisal of science skills; instruction in elaboration and organization strategies; and encouragement of intrinsic interest in science.

The Polaris Project: Undergraduate Research Catalyzing Advances in Arctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schade, J. D.; Holmes, R. M.; Natali, S.; Mann, P. J.; Bunn, A. G.; Frey, K. E.

2017-12-01

With guidance and sufficient resources, undergraduates can drive the exploration of new research directions, lead high impact scientific products, and effectively communicate the value of science to the public. As mentors, we must recognize the strong contribution undergraduates make to the advancement of scientific understanding and their unique ability and desire to be transdisciplinary and to translate ideas into action. Our job is to be sure students have the resources and tools to successfully explore questions that they care about, not to provide or lead them towards answers we already have. The central goal of the Polaris Project is to advance understanding of climate change in the Arctic through an integrated research, training, and outreach program that has at its heart a research expedition for undergraduates to a remote field station in the Arctic. Our integrative approach to training provides undergraduates with strong intellectual development and they bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and a unique willingness to take risks on new ideas that have an energizing effect on research and outreach. Since the projects inception in summer 2008, we have had >90 undergraduates participate in high-impact field expeditions and outreach activities. Over the years, we have also been fortunate enough to attract an ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse group of students, including students from Puerto Rico, Hispanic-, African- and Native-Americans, members of the LGBT community, and first-generation college students. Most of these students have since pursued graduate degrees in ecology, and many have received NSF fellowships and Fulbright scholarships. One of our major goals is to increase the diversity of the scientific community, and we have been successful in our short-term goal of recruiting and retaining a diverse group of students. The goal of this presentation is to provide a description of the mentoring model at the heart of the Polaris Project, share narratives to highlight student research and outreach activities, and summarize the impact these experiences have had on our students over the years. We hope that sharing our perspective will spur a wider conversation on the role of a diverse group of undergraduate researchers as catalysts of both scientific advancement and effective communication.

Attitudes of Students in Education Classes toward Censorship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naylor, Alice P.; And Others

1995-01-01

Attitudes toward censorship of 1,347 undergraduate education students were examined. Survey results indicated that the subjects had a propensity toward permitting free flow of information while objecting to censorship. A significant majority in one or more subgroups favored restricting free flow in certain situations. (SM)

The Opinions of Economics Majors before and after Learning Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammock, Michael R.; Routon, P. Wesley; Walker, Jay K.

2016-01-01

Using longitudinal data on undergraduates from 463 American colleges and universities from 1994-99, the authors examine how majoring in economics affects student opinions on 13 social, political, and economic issues. Economics majors were found to begin and end their college tenure with differing opinions on several issues when compared to other…

Attitudes, Perceptions, and Aging Knowledge of Future Law Enforcement and Recreation Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurth, Maria L.; Intrieri, Robert C.

2017-01-01

The present study assessed knowledge of aging, ageism, and attitudes toward aging in undergraduate recreation and law enforcement majors. Past research with psychology, social work, and nursing majors showed that greater knowledge of aging was related to fewer ageist attitudes and beliefs. The results showed that law enforcement students possessed…

Undergraduate paramedic students cannot do drug calculations

PubMed Central

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

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: Previous investigation of drug calculation skills of qualified paramedics has highlighted poor mathematical ability with no published studies having been undertaken on undergraduate paramedics. There are three major error classifications. Conceptual errors involve an inability to formulate an equation from information given, arithmetical errors involve an inability to operate a given equation, and finally computation errors are simple errors of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. The objective of this study was to determine if undergraduate paramedics at a large Australia university could accurately perform common drug calculations and basic mathematical equations normally required in the workplace. METHODS: A cross-sectional study methodology using a paper-based questionnaire was administered to undergraduate paramedic students to collect demographical data, student attitudes regarding their drug calculation performance, and answers to a series of basic mathematical and drug calculation questions. Ethics approval was granted. RESULTS: The mean score of correct answers was 39.5% with one student scoring 100%, 3.3% of students (n=3) scoring greater than 90%, and 63% (n=58) scoring 50% or less, despite 62% (n=57) of the students stating they ‘did not have any drug calculations issues’. On average those who completed a minimum of year 12 Specialist Maths achieved scores over 50%. Conceptual errors made up 48.5%, arithmetical 31.1% and computational 17.4%. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests undergraduate paramedics have deficiencies in performing accurate calculations, with conceptual errors indicating a fundamental lack of mathematical understanding. The results suggest an unacceptable level of mathematical competence to practice safely in the unpredictable prehospital environment. PMID:25215067

A Case Study in the Use of Primary Literature in the Context of Authentic Learning Pedagogy in the Undergraduate Neuroscience Classroom

PubMed Central

O’Keeffe, Gerard W.; McCarthy, Marian M.

2017-01-01

Providing opportunities for undergraduate science students to develop causal reasoning skills and the ability to think like research scientists is a crucial part of their preparation for professional practice as a scientist and/or a clinician. This has led many to question whether the traditional academic in-class lecture still has a functional role in today’s undergraduate science education. Here, we performed a case study to attempt to maximize the use of in-class time to create a more authentic learning opportunity for undergraduate neuroscience students in our institution, the majority of whom go on to be research active scientists. We hypothesised that using seminal research papers as a teaching tool in a flipped classroom setting would model for neuroscience students what it means to think like a research scientist, would provide an opportunity for them to develop their causal reasoning skills and allow them to become more comfortable with the nature of professional practice (i.e., research) in the context of the discipline. We describe the design and implementation of this teaching approach to undergraduate final year neuroscience students, and evaluate their perception of it. We provide evidence that this approach models for the students what it means to reason like a research scientist, and discuss the implications of these findings for future practice. We propose that these findings will help add to the educational experience of all Neuroscience students whether they are on pre-med or on a research track. PMID:29371836

Using Interactive Data Visualizations for Exploratory Analysis in Undergraduate Genomics Coursework: Field Study Findings and Guidelines

PubMed Central

Kumar, Anuj; Nong, Paige; Su, Gang; Meng, Fan

2016-01-01

Life scientists increasingly use visual analytics to explore large data sets and generate hypotheses. Undergraduate biology majors should be learning these same methods. Yet visual analytics is one of the most underdeveloped areas of undergraduate biology education. This study sought to determine the feasibility of undergraduate biology majors conducting exploratory analysis using the same interactive data visualizations as practicing scientists. We examined 22 upper level undergraduates in a genomics course as they engaged in a case-based inquiry with an interactive heat map. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed students’ visual analytic behaviors, reasoning and outcomes to identify student performance patterns, commonly shared efficiencies and task completion. We analyzed students’ successes and difficulties in applying knowledge and skills relevant to the visual analytics case and related gaps in knowledge and skill to associated tool designs. Findings show that undergraduate engagement in visual analytics is feasible and could be further strengthened through tool usability improvements. We identify these improvements. We speculate, as well, on instructional considerations that our findings suggested may also enhance visual analytics in case-based modules. PMID:26877625

Not Just for Big Dogs: the NSF Career Program from AN Undergraduate College Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harpp, K. S.

2011-12-01

Relatively few NSF CAREER grants are awarded to faculty at undergraduate colleges, leading to a perception that the program is geared for major research institutions. The goal of this presentation is to dispel this misconception by describing a CAREER grant at a small, liberal arts institution. Because high quality instruction is the primary mission of undergraduate colleges, the career development plan for this proposal was designed to use research as a teaching tool. Instead of distinct sets of objectives for the research and education components, the proposal's research and teaching plans were integrated across the curriculum to maximize opportunities for undergraduate engagement. The driving philosophy was that students learn science by doing it. The proposal plan therefore created opportunities for students to be involved in hands-on, research-driven projects from their first through senior years. The other guiding principle was that students become engaged in science when they experience its real life applications. Stage 1 of the project provided mechanisms to draw students into science in two ways. The first was development of an inquiry-based curriculum for introductory classes, emphasizing practical applications and hands-on learning. The goal was to energize, generate confidence, and provide momentum for early science students to pursue advanced courses. The second mechanism was the development of a science outreach program for area K-9 schools, designed and implemented by undergraduates, an alternative path for students to discover science. Stages 2 and 3 consisted of increasingly advanced project-based courses, with in-depth training in research skills. The courses were designed along chemical, geological, and environmental themes, to capture the most student interest. The students planned their projects within a set of constraints designed to lead them to fundamental concepts and centered on questions of importance to the local community, thereby reinforcing the accessibility and relevance of science. The final stage was independent research with the PI on a focused research question, the equivalent of the research plan in most CAREER proposals. The overarching research objectives had to satisfy 2 criteria: a) questions had to be accessible and compelling (e.g., investigating the origin of volcanic islands in the Galapagos); and b) the project had to be divisible into tractable units for students, yet substantive enough for presentation at national meetings. Together, the projects ultimately addressed the PI's major research questions. The impacts of this grant were far-reaching. First, it supported a multi-year research project for the PI, which ultimately led to publications and successful proposals. More than 25 undergraduates carried out research projects, most presenting at national conferences. The outreach component engaged over 60 undergraduates; at least 20 have pursued science-teaching careers and another 25 have gone on to science graduate studies. The undergraduates brought hands-on science to more than 15,000 school children. Less obviously, the grant provided leverage for the PI to expand projects beyond their initial scope, involving more students and establishing on-going collaboration with colleagues at research institutions that have continued beyond the life of the grant.

Community-based, Experiential Learning for Second Year Neuroscience Undergraduates

PubMed Central

Yu, Heather J.; Ramos-Goyette, Sharon; McCoy, John G.; Tirrell, Michael E.

2013-01-01

Service learning is becoming a keystone of the undergraduate learning experience. At Stonehill College, we implemented a service learning course, called a Learning Community, in Neuroscience. This course was created to complement the basic research available to Stonehill Neuroscience majors with experience in a more applied and “clinical” setting. The Neuroscience Learning Community is designed to promote a deep understanding of Neuroscience by combining traditional classroom instruction with clinical perspectives and real-life experiences. This Neuroscience Learning Community helps students translate abstract concepts within the context of neurodevelopment by providing students with contextual experience in a real-life, unscripted setting. The experiential learning outside of the classroom enabled students to participate in informed discussions in the classroom, especially with regard to neurodevelopmental disorders. We believe that all students taking this course gain an understanding of the importance of basic and applied Neuroscience as it relates to the individual and the community. Students also have used this concrete, learning-by-doing experience to make informed decisions about career paths and choice of major. PMID:24319392

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrim, Cristian

2011-03-01

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

Minority undergraduate programs intended to increase participation in biomedical careers.

PubMed

MacLachlan, Anne J

2012-01-01

This article reviews a selection of undergraduate programs intended to increase successful minority participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors, potentially leading to biomedical careers. The object is to examine their structure, consider how well they address the issues of the target population, and assess the extent to which they have met/meet their goals. As a means of conducting this review, the first step is to examine the concepts used as the building blocks for program design. These concepts are found in a shared, yet often undefined, vocabulary used in most undergraduate programs for minority students. The hypothesis is that a shared vocabulary obscures a broad range of meaning and interpretation that has serious ramifications affecting student success. How these building blocks are understood and implemented strongly reflects the institution where the program is housed. The discussion further considers the nature of a number of programs created by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health specifically for underrepresented minority students and examines one program in detail, the University of California Berkeley's National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Program in Molecular, Cell, and Evolutionary Biology. The characteristics of federally organized programs and the Research Experience for Undergraduates are contrasted with 2 very successful student-centered local programs based on a different conceptual model. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Teaching and learning in undergraduate anaesthesia: a quantitative and qualitative analysis of practice at the University of Auckland.

PubMed

Sidhu, N S; Weller, J M; Mitchell, S J

2015-11-01

Anaesthesia encompasses a broad range of knowledge and skills of relevance to graduating doctors. For the majority of new doctors, an undergraduate clinical rotation is their only exposure to anaesthesia practice. However, the content and approach to undergraduate anaesthesia education varies between institutions. We explored our students' views and experiences, and teaching approaches and expectations of consultant anaesthetists during a clinical attachment in anaesthesia. Our mixed-method design included student and staff surveys, logbook analysis and student focus groups. Logbook analysis of all 202 students showed mean numbers of attempts for bag-mask ventilation, laryngeal mask insertion, tracheal intubation and IV cannulation were 6.8, 3.9, 3.3 and 4.5, respectively. Focus group responses (11 students, three groups) suggested a mismatch between students' expectations of performing clinical skills and the available opportunities, particularly for IV cannulation. Students often felt reluctant to ask anaesthetists to teach them, and appreciated clinician-led engagement in all aspects of learning patient management. Among the 78 anaesthetists (29.3%) responding to the survey, the five tasks most frequently identified as suitable for teaching to students all related to airway management. Our study found much unanticipated variability in student exposure, teaching practice and attitudes to teaching various skills or procedures between anaesthetists, and student opinion of their clinical attachment. The findings resulted in a review of many aspects of the attachment. It is likely that other institutions will have similar variability and we recommend they undertake similar exercises to optimise teaching and learning opportunities for undergraduate anaesthesia.

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

PubMed

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

2004-04-24

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

Opening Pathways for Underrepresented High School Students to Biomedical Research Careers: The Emory University RISE Program

PubMed Central

Rohrbaugh, Margaret C.; Corces, Victor G.

2011-01-01

Increasing the college graduation rates of underrepresented minority students in science disciplines is essential to attain a diverse workforce for the 21st century. The Research Internship and Science Education (RISE) program attempts to motivate and prepare students from the Atlanta Public School system, where underrepresented minority (URM) students comprise a majority of the population, for biomedical science careers by offering the opportunity to participate in an original research project. Students work in a research laboratory from the summer of their sophomore year until graduation, mentored by undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs). In addition, they receive instruction in college-level biology, scholastic assessment test (SAT) preparation classes, and help with the college application process. During the last 4 yr, RISE students have succeeded in the identification and characterization of a series of proteins involved in the regulation of nuclear organization and transcription. All but 1 of 39 RISE students have continued on to 4-year college undergraduate studies and 61% of those students are currently enrolled in science-related majors. These results suggest that the use of research-based experiences at the high school level may contribute to the increased recruitment of underrepresented students into science-related careers. PMID:21926301

Opening pathways for underrepresented high school students to biomedical research careers: the Emory University RISE program.

PubMed

Rohrbaugh, Margaret C; Corces, Victor G

2011-12-01

Increasing the college graduation rates of underrepresented minority students in science disciplines is essential to attain a diverse workforce for the 21st century. The Research Internship and Science Education (RISE) program attempts to motivate and prepare students from the Atlanta Public School system, where underrepresented minority (URM) students comprise a majority of the population, for biomedical science careers by offering the opportunity to participate in an original research project. Students work in a research laboratory from the summer of their sophomore year until graduation, mentored by undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (postdocs). In addition, they receive instruction in college-level biology, scholastic assessment test (SAT) preparation classes, and help with the college application process. During the last 4 yr, RISE students have succeeded in the identification and characterization of a series of proteins involved in the regulation of nuclear organization and transcription. All but 1 of 39 RISE students have continued on to 4-year college undergraduate studies and 61% of those students are currently enrolled in science-related majors. These results suggest that the use of research-based experiences at the high school level may contribute to the increased recruitment of underrepresented students into science-related careers.

Sport Management Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lumpkin, Angela; Franco, Dan; Multon, Karen; Achen, Rebecca M.

2017-01-01

Grounded in a social cognitive theoretical perspective, this study explores the career decision-making self-efficacy (CDSE) and vocational identity development process for college students interested or majoring in sport management. While a popular undergraduate major, little research has investigated the specific factors that influence different…

The Demand for Economics Majors by Financial Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherer, Philip M.; McCarty, Daniel E.

1979-01-01

Studies the extent to which there is a strong market in the business world for students who have majored in economics in their undergraduate years. Employment trends are discussed with regard to business and with regard to teaching positions in the field of economics. (DB)

Formal appraisal of undergraduate medical students: is it worth the effort?

PubMed

Murdoch-Eaton, Deborah G; Levene, Malcolm I

2004-02-01

Medical student stress is most often related to difficulties of adjusting to university academic standards, and work-social life balance. Faculty systems identify academically failing students for counselling, whilst the majority of students do not have opportunities for individual discussion about progress. This study reports a pilot formal appraisal process for first-year undergraduates. Preparatory material required students to reflect on their academic performance, factors contributing to their university life and satisfaction with career choice. Individual appraisal sessions were held with trained, experienced senior faculty staff, with completion of an appraisal record to document agreed outcomes. Individualized study skills advice was the commonest documented outcome on appraisal records. Students were overwhelmingly positive about the experience, reporting both enhanced perceptions of faculty and reduced anxiety about academic performance. Medical schools have responsibilities to consider ways to optimize students' performance; attainment can be related more to personal and motivational factors than academic ability.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blockus, Linda Helen

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore some of the social and academic experiences of successful African American undergraduate science majors at predominately White universities with the expectation of conceptualizing emerging patterns for future study. The study surveyed 80 upperclass African Americans at 11 public research universities about their perceptions of the influences that affect their educational experiences and career interests in science. The mailed survey included the Persistence/ voluntary Dropout Decision Scale, the Cultural Congruity Scale and the University Environment Scale. A variety of potential influences were considered including family background, career goals, psychosocial development, academic and social connections with the university, faculty relationships, environmental fit, retention factors, validation, participation in mentored research projects and other experiences. The students' sources of influences, opportunities for connection, and cultural values were considered in the context of a research university environment and investigated for emerging themes and direction for future research. Results indicate that performance in coursework appears to be the most salient factor in African American students' experience as science majors. The mean college gpa was 3.01 for students in this study. Challenging content, time demands, study habits and concern with poor grades all serve to discourage students; however, for most of the students in this study, it has not dissuaded them from their educational and career plans. Positive course performance provided encouragement. Science faculty provide less influence than family members, and more students find faculty members discouraging than supportive. Measures of faculty relations were not associated with academic success. No evidence was provided to confirm the disadvantages of being female in a scientific discipline. Students were concerned with lack of minority role models and African American faculty, as well as peers dropping out of science majors. Although experiences with racism were frequently cited, encounters with racism alone are not cause for African American science majors to consider changing majors or career plans. Approximately one third of the students have participated in undergraduate research projects or internships with faculty mentors; however, these experiences do not have substantial impact for most students. College grade point average was associated with research project participation. Approximately one-fourth of the students are engaged in some kind of science-oriented activity (e.g., club) that provided them with a sense of belonging and connection. Theoretical and conceptual implications as well as suggestions for study replication are provided.

Psychological Distress and Help Seeking Amongst Higher Education Students: Findings from a Mixed Method Study of Undergraduate Nursing/Midwifery and Teacher Education Students in Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deasy, Christine; Coughlan, Barry; Pironom, Julie; Jourdan, Didier; Mannix-McNamara, Patricia

2016-01-01

Psychological distress as experienced by higher education students is of major concern because of its potential to adversely impact academic performance, retention, mental health and lifestyle. This paper reports a mixed method investigation of student self-reported psychological distress and help-seeking behaviour. The sample comprised all…

34 CFR 691.1 - Scope and purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... undergraduate students who are pursuing eligible majors in the physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACADEMIC COMPETITIVENESS GRANT (ACG) AND NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ACCESS TO...

Choosing engineering: Can I succeed and do I want to? A qualitative analysis framed in expectancy-value theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matusovich, Holly Marie

Recently published reports call for an increase in the number of engineering graduates and suggest appropriate characteristics that these graduates should embody. Accomplishing either objective requires first understanding why students choose to pursue engineering degrees. This research started addressing this knowledge gap using Eccles' expectancy-value model to qualitatively and longitudinally examine undergraduate student's choices to enroll and persist in engineering majors. Specifically, this study focused on identity within Eccles' model to answer the question: How do students' beliefs about being engineers in the future shape their choices to pursue engineering? Framed in Eccles' model, students' choices to pursue engineering majors are based on beliefs about their engineering-related competence and how much they value succeeding in an engineering major. Eccles posits that identity shapes both competence and value beliefs. This study defined identity as students' self-perceptions as future engineers then examined the roles these self-perceptions in shaping their choices to pursue engineering degrees. Gee's conception of four-interrelated aspects of identity (nature identity, institutional identity, affinity identity, and discourse identity) provided a lens to examine students' self-perceptions as future engineers. Multiple case study methods guided this research with each of ten students (five men and five women) representing a case. Results derive from the inductive analysis of longitudinal interviews triangulated with survey results---all data spanned the students' first through fourth undergraduate years. This study is part of a larger body of work, the Academic Pathways Study (APS), conducted by the Center for Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE). Results demonstrated that students' self-perceptions as future engineers are connected to both competence and value beliefs and to the choice to persist in engineering. Specifically, the results showed: (1) even in their fourth undergraduate year, three out of ten participants were uncertain about themselves as future engineers; (2) students choosing to pursue an engineering degree because they identify with the types of activities in which engineers engage experience the persistence choice process differently than students who choose engineering for other reasons; and (3) all students ultimately had positive competence beliefs, although two women participants continually renegotiated definitions of competence in engineering.

Strategies for involving undergraduates in mentored research (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marin-Spiotta, E.

2013-12-01

Early engagement in research can transform the undergraduate experience and has a positive effect on minority student recruitment to graduate school. Multiple strategies used to involve undergraduates in research at a large R1 university are presented. During my first four years as an assistant professor, my lab has hosted 14 undergraduates, 9 of them women and 4 of them Hispanic. Institutional support has been critical for undergraduate student involvement. UW supports a research program for incoming underrepresented students. An advantage of this program is very early research participation, with the opportunity for long-term training. One disadvantage is that many first year students have not yet identified their interests. The Biology major also requires students to complete an independent project, which culminates in a research symposium. Competitive research fellowships and grants are available for students to conduct work under faculty mentorship. We have been successful at keeping students on even when their majors are very different from our research discipline, mainly by providing flexibility and a welcoming lab environment. This mentoring culture is strongly fostered by graduate student interest and involvement with all undergraduates as well as active mentor training. By offering multiple pathways for involvement, we can accommodate students' changing schedules and priorities as well as changing lab needs. Students can volunteer, receive course credit, conduct an independent project or honors thesis, contribute to an existing project, do lab work or write a literature review, work with one mentor or on multiple projects. We often provide employment over the summer and subsequent semesters for continuing students. Some will increase their commitment over time and work more closely with me. Others reduce down to a few hours a week as they gain experience elsewhere. Most students stay multiple semesters and multiple years because they 'enjoy being in the lab.' All undergrads are encouraged to participate in weekly lab meetings, are added to our email list, portrayed on our website, and included in social and professional activities, including meetings with visiting researchers and other campus labs. Beyond receiving research skills training and professional development, students gain a social community beyond their dorms and classes as well as peer and senior mentors in the lab. In a campus with 30,000 students, building a personal relationship with senior researchers and faculty provides an invaluable benefit for students' careers. We have hosted three Puerto Rican students to participate in an intensive summer research program, which provides professional preparation for graduate school. Much of our research is based in Puerto Rico, so we meet our students there and take them to our sites, which provides them with training in field skills as well as a context for their summer lab work at UW. We have learned the importance of setting out clear expectations at the beginning of each project. While getting students excited about our own research field is personally satisfying, we are learning to be more flexible in our measures of student success. Students can enjoy doing research for research sake while others enjoy it as another job. It is important that they all receive mentoring and learn about opportunities appropriate to their own career choices.

Morehouse Physics & Dual Degree Engineering Program: We C . A . R . E . Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rockward, Willie S.

2015-03-01

Growing the physics major at any undergraduate institution, especially Morehouse College - a private, all-male, liberal arts HBCU, can be very challenging. To address this challenge at Morehouse, the faculty and staff in the Department of Physics and Dual Degree Engineering Program (Physics & DDEP) are applying a methodology and pedagogical approach called ``We C . A . R . E '' which stands for Curriculum,Advisement,Recruitment/Retention/Research, andExtras. This approach utilizes an integrated strategy of cultural (family-orientated), collaborative (shared-governance), and career (personalized-pathways) modalities to provide the momentum of growing the physics major at Morehouse from 10-12 students to over 100 students in less than 5 years. Physics & DDEP at Morehouse, creatively, altered faculty course assignments, curriculum offerings, and departmental policies while expanding research projects, student organizations, and external collaborations. This method supplies a variety of meaningful, academic and research experiences for undergraduates at Morehouse and thoroughly prepares students for graduate studies or professional careers in STEM disciplines. Thus, a detailed overview of the ``We C . A . R . E . '' approach will be presented along with the Physics & DDEP vision, alterations and expansions in growing the physics major at Morehouse College. Department of Physics and Dual Degree Engineering Program, Atlanta, Georgia 30314.

Framing Undergraduate Public Health Education as Liberal Education: Who Are We Training Our Students To Be and How Do We Do That?

PubMed

Kiviniemi, Marc T; Mackenzie, Sara L C

2017-01-01

The rapid development of the undergraduate major in public health over the past 15 years has led to a debate about the most appropriate framing for the degree. Should it be viewed as a liberal education degree (akin to academic disciplines such as psychology and political science) or as a professional training degree (akin to disciplines such as nursing and management)? This paper presents an overview of both the liberal education and the professional training degree approaches to the undergraduate public health degree. The reality of public health work in the modern era and the constraints on undergraduate-level training lead to our conclusion that the liberal education framing is a more optimal way to design the degree program. Such a framework optimizes career opportunities, especially long-term opportunities, for graduates, acknowledges the reality of the complex and diverse career paths that one can take under the general umbrella of public health, and accounts for the important role of critical thinking skills in undergraduate education. Ultimately, the distinction between liberal education and professional training may be fuzzier than the debate often highlights-an intentional, well-designed, and thoughtfully implemented undergraduate public health curriculum can address the range of student needs underlying both the liberal education and professional training approaches to the degree, thus optimizing both learning goals and career outcomes for undergraduate public health students.

Framing Undergraduate Public Health Education as Liberal Education: Who Are We Training Our Students To Be and How Do We Do That?

PubMed Central

Kiviniemi, Marc T.; Mackenzie, Sara L. C.

2017-01-01

The rapid development of the undergraduate major in public health over the past 15 years has led to a debate about the most appropriate framing for the degree. Should it be viewed as a liberal education degree (akin to academic disciplines such as psychology and political science) or as a professional training degree (akin to disciplines such as nursing and management)? This paper presents an overview of both the liberal education and the professional training degree approaches to the undergraduate public health degree. The reality of public health work in the modern era and the constraints on undergraduate-level training lead to our conclusion that the liberal education framing is a more optimal way to design the degree program. Such a framework optimizes career opportunities, especially long-term opportunities, for graduates, acknowledges the reality of the complex and diverse career paths that one can take under the general umbrella of public health, and accounts for the important role of critical thinking skills in undergraduate education. Ultimately, the distinction between liberal education and professional training may be fuzzier than the debate often highlights—an intentional, well-designed, and thoughtfully implemented undergraduate public health curriculum can address the range of student needs underlying both the liberal education and professional training approaches to the degree, thus optimizing both learning goals and career outcomes for undergraduate public health students. PMID:28239603