Undergraduate students’ knowledge outcomes and how these relate to their educational experiences: a longitudinal study of chemistry in two countries [Scholarly Article - Higher Education, 2022]

Title:

Undergraduate students’ knowledge outcomes and how these relate to their educational experiences: a longitudinal study of chemistry in two countries

 

Authors:

Paul Ashwin, Margaret Blackie, Nicole Pitterson & Reneé Smit 

 

Published:

Higher Education, 23 November 2022

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-022-00962-1

 

Abstract:

Are the ways of engaging with the world that students develop through higher education particular to bodies of knowledge they study? In this article, we examine how students’ accounts of the discipline of chemistry in England and South Africa changed over the three years of their undergraduate degrees. Based on a longitudinal phenomenographic analysis of 105 interviews with 33 chemistry students over the course of their undergraduate degrees in four institutions, we constituted five qualitatively different ways of describing chemistry. These ranged from chemistry as something that happens when things are mixed in a laboratory to a more inclusive account that described chemistry as being able to explain molecular interactions in unfamiliar environments. Most students expressed more inclusive accounts of chemistry by the end of their degrees and the level of change appeared to be related to their educational experiences. In contrast to approaches that emphasise the generic student outcomes from higher education, these findings highlight the importance of recognising the distinctive outcomes that students gain from their engagement with particular bodies of disciplinary knowledge. It further highlights the importance of students understanding their degrees as an educational experience that requires them to commit to engaging with these bodies of knowledge. 

 

Impact of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students in Ghana Communication Technology University (Scholarly Article - Library Philosophy and Practice, 2021)

Title:

Impact of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance of Undergraduate Students in Ghana Communication Technology University

 

Authors:

Akoto Bitherman Krampah Benedicta, Ghana Communication Technology University 

&

Afua Frempong-Kore, Ghana Communication Technology University

Published:

Library Philosophy and Practice, April 2021

Click here to read

 

Abstract:

The study was designed to identify the impact of social media usage on academic performance of undergraduate students of Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), Accra. The survey method was adopted for this study. The objectives of this study were to find out the purpose of visit to these social media platforms, to analyse the average time spent on these platforms, to discover the effects of these platforms on the academic performance of students and to examine related problems in the usage of the platforms. 800 students were selected as sample for the study. Random sampling technique was employed for sample selection. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) was used to analyze the data. From the findings, it was concluded that despite public views concerning the misuse of social media among the youth, most of the students were interested to use social media positively for their academic purposes. The study recommended that counselling programs must be designed for students to understand themselves and manage their study time to avoid social media misuse.

The George Washington University, USA - School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) Students Redesign Device to Assist Veteran Care

Title:

SEAS Students Redesign Device to Assist Veteran Care

 

Author:

Kristen Mitchell

 

Published:

GWToday, 2 June 2021

https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/seas-students-redesign-device-assist-veteran-care

 

From the article:

A team of GW seniors used interdisciplinary skills to design a chair used to study the effect of lower limb amputation on an individual’s postural control.

 

Communication Skills among Undergraduate Students at Al-Quds University [Scholarly Article - World Journal of Education, 2020]

Title:

Communication Skills among Undergraduate Students at Al-Quds University 

 

Authors:

Suheir Suliman Sabbah, Fadwa Hallabieh & Ola Hussein  

 

Published:

World Journal of Education, Volume 10, Number 6 (2020)

http://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/wje/article/view/17173

 

Abstract:

This study aimed to investigate the communication skills among undergraduate students at Al-Quds University. The researcher obtained responses from (193) undergraduate students enrolled in B.A. program. The researcher used the questionnaire of Hamidat (2007) which composed of (32) statements divided into four areas: listening skill, speaking skill, the skill of understanding others, and controlling emotions skill. The results revealed that university students have achieved a high level of communication skills in three dimensions (listening, speaking, and understanding others). It also showed a medium level in controlling emotions. Moreover, the results showed that there were no significant differences in the level of communication skills according to gender, faculty, or academic year.

 

Survey Report (2020) - Suddenly Online: A National Survey of Undergraduates during the COID-19 Pandemic

Title:

Suddenly Online: A National Survey of Undergraduates during the COID-19 Pandemic

Citation:

Means, B., and Neisler, J., with Langer Research Associates. (2020). Suddenly Online: A National Survey of Undergraduates During the COVID-19 Pandemic. San Mateo, CA: Digital Promise.

From the report:

College students’ satisfaction dropped sharply after schools shifted to all-online courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Undergraduate students struggled to stay motivated and missed receiving feedback from instructors and collaborating with fellow students. Significant numbers of students had problems with their internet connections, software, or computing devices—serious enough to impede their participation in their courses. Still, most students did not attribute their struggles to poor instructor preparation or limitations inherent in online learning. Moreover, online courses that used a larger array of recommended online teaching practices had much higher student satisfaction levels than the courses that used fewer of them. This report describes these and other results from Digital Promise’s national, random-sample survey of more than 1,000 college students whose coursework moved from in-person to completely online this spring.

 

Click here to read this report

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Team creates game-based virtual archaeology field school

Title:
Team creates game-based virtual archaeology field school

Author:
Diana Yates

Publised:
Phys.org, 29 January 2020

From the article:
"Before they can get started at their field site—a giant cave studded with stalactites, stalagmites and human artifacts—15 undergraduate students must figure out how to use their virtual hands and tools. They also must learn to teleport.  

This is ANTH 399, a course designed to bring the archaeological field school experience to undergraduate students who never leave campus. Designed by University of Illinois professors and computer science graduate students, the course satisfies the field school requirement for those pursuing an archaeology degree at Illinois."

To read this article & watch a short video:
https://phys.org/news/2020-01-team-game-based-virtual-archaeology-field.html