Remote learning during Covid-19 lockdown: A study on anatomy and histology education for pharmacy students in Jordan

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed almost all aspects of education. The anatomy and histology courses for pharmacy students focus heavily on the face-to-face communication of theory and practical knowledge, and due to the pandemic, only theory content was delivered in an online format. This brought up many concerns about pharmacy student preparedness. This work explores the effectiveness and student perspective of remote teaching of the theoretical anatomy and histology course in Jordanian universities from the perspective of pharmacy students. The objectives are to determine the strengths, challenges, and the effectiveness of remote delivery on student learning. An online-based validated questionnaire was distributed to students majoring in Pharmacy and enrolled in the course during the second semester of 2019–2020 at 11 universities in Jordan. A total of 442 students participated in the study. Results showed that there were significant differences in perceptions of the social media platforms used in distance learning and remote delivery of the course. Most participants had positive perceptions of the educational process and studying via distance learning. There were many strengths noted including time flexibility and several challenges such as the lack of face-to-face interaction with instructors, inadequate internet connectivity, and technical issues. In conclusion, online-taught anatomy and histology course during the Covid-19 lockdown in Jordan was a success as perceived by students, but the course still possessed challenges need to be overcome in the future.     

Voice over distance: a case of podcasting for learning in online teacher education

This paper reports on a case study of an online pre-service teacher education course in a New Zealand university aimed at exploring the potential of student-generated podcasts as a form of interactive formative assessment at a distance. The study was part of a wider two-year funded project with the overall goal of documenting, developing, and disseminating effective and innovative e-learning practice. Findings from lecturer and tutor interviews, student focus group (FG) discussion, and course evaluations indicate that the podcasting task provided opportunities for the course lecturer, tutors, and students to learn and share ideas with one another. The experience empowered students to develop the skills and confidence to initiate more independent inquiry into technologies to support their pedagogical purposes. The study contributes to a better understanding of the skills, dispositions, and knowledge needed to prepare teacher candidates for teaching-learning contexts where information and communication technologies are increasingly pivotal.     

Student satisfaction with short learning programmes at a distance learning institution

Abstract

The relevance of short learning programmes as an alternative to full time tertiary degree courses at open and distance learning institutions forms the primary focus of this article. A new kind of student is on the increase in higher education: the mature student who prefers to study part-time in order to combine his or her studies with the advancement of his or her professional life. This kind of student is often interested in short duration, non-degree courses, such as short learning programmes, which have a high degree of specificity in order to update or expand the knowledge needed to enhance their occupational lives. Course applicability and effectiveness, evaluated as student satisfaction with these programmes, are vital in terms of the strategic planning of institutions. This article reports on an analysis of the dimensions that determine satisfaction with short learning programmes at a distance learning institution. Data was obtained by an electronic survey of students who had completed short learning programmes. Findings indicate that teaching staff, teaching methods and course administration are key elements to achieving satisfaction, and students’ loyalty to the institution is expressed in their intention to continue with their studies and to recommend the programmes to other prospective students.     

Preparing pre‐service secondary education majors for inclusive classrooms in the USA

This study serves as a pilot study for a longitudinal study that will be conducted a year later. The purpose of this research is to determine how a course in special education has impacted secondary general education pre‐service teachers’ attitudes towards individuals with disabilities, teaching students with mild disabilities and the degree of their preparedness (self‐reported) in working with students with disabilities. Forty‐two secondary pre‐service teachers’ reflection papers written at the beginning and end of a mandatory special education course (16 weeks) were analysed using qualitative methodology. The findings supported our research hypothesis that a course in special education with necessary components (i.e. introductory special education knowledge, activities designed to enhance students’ dispositions toward students with disabilities, and instructional strategies that will help general education teachers teach students with mild disabilities at the middle and secondary levels more effectively) can be effective in preparing secondary education pre‐service teachers to work in inclusive classrooms.     

谈基于工作过程的高职专业课程的开发——以高职机械制造工艺与装备课程为例

基于工作过程的高职机械制造工艺与装备课程的开发,其根据是机械制造行业对数控技术专业高技能人才能力的要求。高职院校在机械制造工艺与装备课程教学中,要开发出以真实工作项目为导向、以生产任务为驱动的教学模式,将理论知识对应地应用在解决生产实际问题之中,从而真正实现高职教学与就业岗位的零距离对接。     

The Progressive Educator as Radical or Conservative: George S. Counts and Race

The State should not, in our opinion, refuse financial support to institutions, colleges and classes, merely on the ground that they have a particular ‘atmosphere’ or appeal specially to students of this type or that. All that it ought to ask is that they be concerned with serious study. It is said in criticism of this view that the adult educational work of sectarian bodies ought not to be subsidised out of public funds. We do not agree; in our judgment, whether the State ought to help such education depends upon the quality of the work and not upon the institution which conducts it. The basis of discrimination between education and propaganda is not the particular opinions held by the teacher or the students, but the intellectual competence and quality of the former and the seriousness and continuity of study of the latter. Any other standard puts the State in a position of censorship which it ought not to be expected to take. It would inevitably give rise to a differentiation between the knowledge which in the opinion of the State it is desirable to disseminate and knowledge the diffusion of which should not be encouraged. The State could, indeed, hardly avoid the charge of ‘manufacturing public opinion’. In our view, the only sound principle is that the State should be willing to help all serious educational work, including the educational work of institutions and organisations which are recruited predominantly from students with, say, a particular religious or political philosophy.

     

New Zealand Māori-medium teacher education: an examination of students’ academic confidence and preparedness

Little research has been concerned with gauging Māori–medium teacher education students’ academic confidence in bilingual settings making the development of appropriate curricula and broad policy a difficult task. Drawing on a convenience sample of 84 primary teacher education students on a three-year B.Ed Māori-medium program, this study uses self-reported measures to assess students’ academic confidence and preparedness in English and Māori. Results suggest that the students are less academically confident in Māori than in English, and that this discrepancy is most pronounced in academic speaking and reading. Consequently, it is proposed that curriculum developers place emphasis on the development of both Māori academic speaking and reading throughout the course of Māori-medium teacher education programs. Finally, it is argued that standardised assessments that track both confidence and preparedness, and the productive and receptive abilities of Māori-medium teacher education students throughout university would bolster the regeneration of Māori-medium education in New Zealand.     

The Effectiveness of an Initial Teacher Training Partnership in Preparing Students to Teach Art in the Primary School

Recent government reform of initial teacher education has increased teachers’ responsibility for training students in schools, bringing about some fundamental changes in the professional relationship between the schools, higher education institutions (HEIs), teachers and students. This paper reports on primary undergraduate student teachers’ and their class teachers’ perceptions of school-based training to teach art. Class teachers were interviewed about their preparedness to train students and questionnaires and interviews were used to gauge students’ views of the effectiveness of university-based courses and the support given to them by teachers. The findings indicate that teachers were able to support students in matters of classroom management and resources but that they were mostly unable to assist them in developing subject knowledge and understanding of art teaching and learning. This raises concerns about teachers’ subject knowledge and their confidence in training students. Our findings suggest that there is significant room for improvement in the partnership arrangements between schools and HEIs in order to better support students’ teaching of art.     

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the Internet and online courses: the case of an American Pacific Island University

Offerings of online courses continue to increase in higher education settings, as institutions attempt to meet students’ (and faculty members’) increasing demands for online access. How do pre-service teachers perceive online education? This paper reports the results of a questionnaire-based survey addressing this issue. The questionnaire focused on the degree to which teacher candidates consider the Internet useful for coursework, and their level of preparedness for taking online courses. The participants were pre-service teachers (N = 237) enrolled in education foundation courses at the University of Guam. This paper discusses educational implications of the results, and makes recommendations for future research. The results from this study may guide teacher education and its efforts to optimise online courses and, at the same time, support the University’s commitment to ensure that teacher education prepares its pre-service teachers to apply and integrate technology in their own future teaching.     

Fostering Students’ Collaborative Learning Competencies and Professional Conduct in the Context of Two Gross Anatomy Courses in Veterinary Medicine

Collaborative learning has been used in anatomy courses to support students’ learning of challenging topics but the success of group work depends significantly on the students’ ability to communicate in a professional manner. Veterinary students’ experiences with tasks related to collaborative learning and professional conduct were studied by comparing learning collaborative competences and pedagogy, as well as perceived positive and challenging aspects, in two gross anatomy courses. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from students’ experiences of course assignments and collaboration, as well as from self-evaluated collaboration competence development. Trying things out oneself, practical application and professional conduct were positively highlighted particularly in the first-year course (myology and arthrology) group work and learning from others more in the second year (topographical anatomy). Various group work challenges, often relating to practical matters or communication, were the key concerns for students. The main difference between the two courses in learning of collaborative knowledge work competencies appeared to relate to the nature of the group work assignment. The topography course included the element of collaboration in preparing a presentation and teaching session for the rest of the class. Interestingly, students on the myology and arthrology course gave more positive comments on professional conduct than the students on the topography course despite the fact that the latter course included more practical elements relating to their future profession.     

Factors influencing practical training quality in Iranian agricultural higher education

This paper presents an analysis of the factors influencing the practical training quality of agricultural higher education programmes from the senior students’ perspective. The study was conducted in two public universities located in the north-west of Iran using a cross-sectional survey and structured interviews with a randomised sample of 254 agricultural senior students. The students reported that they received low-quality practical training throughout their agricultural courses. In order for there to be an improvement in the quality of practical training, three elements are essential: active participation of academic staff, effective inter-organisational communication with private and public institutions, and active participation of students in the curriculum. Establishing a strong linkage between universities and relevant institutions could provide the required facilities and an effective learning environment for the students through internship opportunities outside universities and would prepare them for the labour market.     

The readiness is all The degree level qualifications and preparedness of initial teacher trainees in English

This article is the first of two reporting research concerned with the profile of degree level qualifications of initial teacher trainees who start Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) Secondary English courses. In a context where there is no existing database of such information, the researchers sought to establish the patterns in this profile and collate a summary of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) tutors’ perceptions about the level of subject knowledge preparedness of students with different degree level qualifications. Following from this, the enquiry was also interested in the ways that PGCE institutions support students with different subject knowledge development needs. The article that follows below treats the issue of degree qualifications and the PGCE selection process in the context of recent changes to subject English. The evidence suggests patterned but divergent practices with an overall trend of preference for prior qualifications in English Literature despite significant alterations in the study of English since 1980. PGCE courses surveyed attract many more applicants than there were places and tutors exercise considerable discretion in admissions practices which are not always made transparent by published policies and rationales, including those made available to prospective applicants. The review of the literature showed little published discourse on this topic to date.     

Just add hours? An assessment of pre-service teachers’ perception of the value of professional experience in attaining teacher competencies

This study compared pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their professional competencies at two campuses of a large regional teacher education university, where one campus provided students 22% more hours of professional placement in schools and related educational settings. Students who had experienced more hours in schools and such settings were more positive about their, ability to apply their knowledge of students and how they learn, classroom management, professional knowledge and practice, and community engagement; however, when students felt well supported during professional experience, such differences diminished. Additional hours were not associated with pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their ability to apply subject content and teaching; plan, assess and report; and effective student communication. Researchers argued that this pointed to the crucial role of good classroom mentors in teacher professional experience but also the value of students’ tertiary teacher education in preparing them for classroom teaching.     

计算机基础核心课程“三位一体”教学模式研究——以离散数学为例

离散数学是计算机高级进阶算法及人工智能等新兴技术的基础课程。针对目前该课程在独立学院教学中存在的普遍问题,如知识点多而杂,理论性、抽象性、逻辑性强,理解难度大,学生缺乏学习兴趣等,结合实际教学经验,提出适用于独立学院的“三位一体”教学模式——知识框架+基础实验+交流平台。首先根据学生对知识的接受程度组织教学内容,搭建更适合独立学院学生的知识框架及相应实验,然后利用现有APP及学习软件构建教学平台,以提升学生学习兴趣,充分发挥学生的学习主动性。该模式也可推广应用到其它独立院校。     

Does entrepreneurship education matter? Business students’ perspectives

The paper presents the findings of a mixed-methods study investigating the perceptions of business students in the Czech Republic towards entrepreneurship education, and examining the factors influencing their level of intention to be entrepreneurs. The results indicate that family background significantly influences the student’s entrepreneurial intention, and that participation in entrepreneurship-oriented courses positively influences the student’s level of self-efficacy. The study revealed further that business education had some effect on the student’s ability to gain the necessary knowledge for entrepreneurship. Another key finding was that entrepreneurship education specifically for business students has to equip students with entrepreneurial skills, attributes and behaviours. The results also suggest that entrepreneurship education is a contextually determined concept which requires modification of content and methods to meet the specific needs of particular target groups. The study has important implications for higher education institutions in terms of designing and managing effective entrepreneurship education.     

Exploring teachers’ beliefs and feelings about race and police violence

ABSTRACT

In this article, the authors analyzed White teachers’ open-ended responses to three critical items on the Teachers’ Race Talk Survey (TRTS). The authors focused on: (1) teachers’ beliefs about the importance of discussing race in the classroom with their students; (2) teachers’ feelings of preparedness to have race conversations in the classroom with their students; and (3) teachers’ beliefs about discussing, in class, police violence against Black people. Findings showed that while most White teachers believed race was important to discuss in order to unlearn and disrupt their prior beliefs, the majority described fear as a primary factor for feeling unprepared to actually discuss race in the classroom. Despite their beliefs about the importance of race, teachers’ beliefs about police violence against Black bodies reflect a color-blind approach by either viewing police violence as a natural occurrence or minimizing the role that race plays. To continue developing teachers’ critical knowledge related to race, the authors discuss implications for examining the quality of race-centered curriculum in teacher education programs and they pose broader questions related to the evolving knowledge base for teaching.     

Student evaluations of teaching: the impact of faculty procedures on response rates

In the last 10–15 years, many institutions of higher education have switched from paper-and-pencil methods to online methods of administering student evaluations of teaching (SETs). One consequence has been a significant reduction in the response rates to such instruments. The current study was conducted to identify whether offering in-class time to students to complete online SETs would increase response rates. A quasi-experiment (nonequivalent group design) was conducted in which one group of tenured faculty instructed students to bring electronic devices with internet capabilities on a specified day and offered in-class time to students to complete online SETs. A communication protocol for faculty members’ use was developed and implemented. A comparison group of tenured faculty who did not offer in-class time for SET completion was identified and the difference-in-differences method was used to compare the previous year’s response rates for the same instructor teaching the same course across the two groups. Response rates were substantially higher when faculty provided in-class time to students to complete SETs. These results indicate that high response rates can be obtained for online SETs submitted by students in face-to-face classes if faculty communicate the importance of SETs in both their words and actions.     

大学生信息安全教育探讨

互联网络已成为大学生学习、交流和娱乐的重要平台,但大学生的信息安全意识普遍非常薄弱,大学生信息安全教育还存在不少问题.文章给出了大学生信息安全教育的具体内容,提出了如下建议:在计算机基础课程中加强信息安全知识教育;开设全校性的信息安全选修课程并采用无教材的教学模式;在思想政治课程中融入计算机法律法规、伦理道德的内容等.     

Environmental literacy components and their promotion by institutions of higher education: an Israeli case study

The recognition of the key role and moral responsibility of higher education institutions (HEIs) in cultivating the environmental literacy (EL) of their students is growing globally. The current research examined the contribution of HEIs to their students’ EL by focusing on an Israeli college as a case-study. A survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1147 students from all departments in four phases of their academic studies. A moderate level of EL was found. The college’s green agenda attracted more pre-environmentally literate students, but its contribution to the development of students’ EL throughout the learning years was minor. Variation in pro-environmental behavior was better explained by students’ environmental values and attitudes than by their environmental knowledge. It seems that a combination of knowledge, values, and attitudes is needed in order to instill EL among students in HEIs. Commitment to environmental education must be translated into effective contents (what) and ways of teaching and learning (how) EL, which should be adapted to the varied populations of HEIs’ students in the various faculties and departments. Some recommendations are detailed.