Research Prescription for Undergraduate Students: Research Mentoring in a Small Liberal Arts University

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-173
Author(s):  
Amy Long ◽  
Whitney R. Bischoff ◽  
Kathie Aduddell
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Research Mentoring

Investigating different options in course delivery – traditional vs online: is there another option?

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Hass ◽  
Mathew Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Traditional Courses ◽  
Southwest Region ◽  
Southwest Usa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine students’ perceptions of online vs traditional (face-to-face) course offerings at the business school of a liberal arts university in southwest USA. The research compares perceptions of students who have been subjected to online education along with those who have not been exposed to online education and examines likelihood to take online courses. Design/methodology/approach Paper and pencil surveys were distributed in different classes in business classes at a university in southwest USA. The target group was undergraduate students. Findings The results indicate that overall, students have neutral perceptions about online courses, while favorable perceptions are strongly associated with likelihood to take online courses. Moreover, prior exposure with online courses is not a significant factor in forming favorable perceptions about online courses. Research limitations/implications The present research is limited in generalizability and the institution surveyed in the southwest region is new to online courses offering in their curriculum and not all the participants had prior experience with online courses. Originality/value Although this paper compares online education with traditional, another option for methods of education include hybrid models incorporating both. A possible third option not discussed through this research is a hybrid or blended learning course, a combination of both online and traditional courses. This opens the options for the student, as hybrid courses can be built with many different options. One includes using technology for “screencasts” or lectures online.

An Exploration of the Perceived Application Preparedness of Undergraduate Students Applying for Professional School

The Advisor ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley M. Prentice ◽  
Aarek W. Farmer ◽  
Wendy Gean
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Professional School ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Application Service ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
Seminar Series ◽  
Before And After

Abstract This research study investigated the perceived application preparedness of undergraduate students preparing to apply for professional school. Perceptions of preparedness were measured before and after attending a seminar series focusing on the Centralized Application Service (CAS) portal, writing a personal statement, identifying personal strengths and weaknesses, and interview skills. Data was collected from pre-and post-surveys from undergraduate students enrolled at a small, private liberal arts university in West Tennessee. Electronic surveys were distributed to undergraduate students in a pre-health arts professional program hosted by the university before and after attending the seminar series. Data from 44 students were analyzed to determine if there was a significant impact on perceived level of preparedness before and after attending the seminar series. The data revealed that students had higher perceived application preparedness after receiving formal instruction compared to having no instruction regarding the graduate application process.

Utilizing Contemplative Practices With Undergraduate Students in a Community-Engaged Course on Health Disparities

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ameena Batada
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Equity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Contemplative Practices ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Contemplative Pedagogy ◽  
Personal Skills

Public health courses that provide opportunities for applied learning to develop students’ understanding of health disparities and methods for achieving health equity are of critical importance. Contemplative pedagogy can cultivate among students personal skills such as open awareness, introspection, nonjudgment, and compassion as students engage with communities across class, race, and other lines of difference. This article describes how contemplative practices are introduced and aligned with learning objectives in an undergraduate community-engaged course on health parity at a public liberal arts university in North Carolina, with the intent of contributing to the growing literature on contemplative education and how it may be appropriate in public health education. Contemplative pedagogy in this course offers opportunities for students to learn with their minds, bodies, and hearts. This article presents course context and structure, introducing contemplative practices to students, and two specific examples of contemplative activities that may help students better understand diversity and their role in sustainable health equity. The article concludes with a discussion and resources for instructors interested in contemplative pedagogy. As contemplative pedagogy gains ground in college instruction, it may also provide critical skill-building for students of public health.

scholarly journals The Impact of Choice on Exercise Motivation and Physical Activity in College Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Julia Fera Tracy ◽  
Andrea Taliaferro ◽  
Alfgeir Kristjansson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Behavioral Regulation ◽  
Exercise Motivation ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Wellness Course ◽  
The Impact

Background:   While research suggests that college courses contribute to significant health benefits, there is limited research on the effectiveness of these courses in increasing motivation and lifetime PA habits of college students.Aim:  The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of choice in a conceptually-based college health and wellness course on exercise motivation and physical activity of undergraduate students.Method:  Participants included undergraduate students (N = 81) enrolled in a health and wellness course at a four-year liberal arts university located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Quantitative data from the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire and the Leisure Time in Exercise Questionnaire were collected over three time points from two groups (choice and non-choice). Qualitative data from semistructured interviews with course instructors (N = 4) and open-ended questions were also collected.Results: There was a significant increase in intrinsic regulation F(2, 158) = 10.13, p = .00, ηp2 =.114; identified regulation F(2, 158) = 7.35, p = .001, ηp2= .085; introjected regulation F(2, 158) = 6.61, p = .002, ηp2= .077; and PA F(2, 158) = 5.63, p = .004, ηp2 = .067 over time. No significant differences were found between groups.Conclusion:  While there was no significant difference between instruction type, instructors and participants suggested that choice was the preferred method for adult learners.

Why Don’t We Just Ask Them? A Qualitative Study Regarding College Student Perceptions on What Topics Should Be Included in an Introductory Health Course

2020 ◽  
pp. 237337992092619
Author(s):  
Kristen Brewer ◽  
Aaron Diehr ◽  
Kadi Bliss
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Sleep Time ◽  
Personal Health ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Health Course ◽  
Academic Year

Student perceptions and opinions regarding the relevance of course content can influence their desire and motivation to learn. Instructors can benefit from including content relevant to students’ lives, possibly leading them to take a greater interest in gaining knowledge and applying the material. This study aimed to investigate the health topics included in an introductory health course offered at a medium-sized, public liberal arts university in Tennessee and to explore perceptions of current undergraduate students regarding the relevance of those topics. Over the 2018–2019 academic year, four focus groups were conducted with 14 students who discussed their perceptions, opinions, and experiences of the course and offered suggestions regarding topics they thought should be incorporated in future iterations of the course. Participants wished that topics currently covered in the course, such as nutrition and fitness, would incorporate more experiential learning to provide greater applicability to their lives as college students. Students also expressed a desire for greater coverage of topics that they considered particularly relevant to their lifestyle and health, such as mental health, sleep, time management, and decision making. Information from this study can be used to help develop course content for undergraduate personal health courses so students can feel more connected to the material.

Ethnographic Service Learning: An Approach for Transformational Learning

Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie A. Medeiros ◽  
Jennifer Guzmán
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Transformational Learning ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
The United States ◽  
Field Methods ◽  
The Social ◽  
Service Learning Projects ◽  
Transformational Experiences ◽  
Learning Projects

Trends in higher education pedagogy increasingly point to the importance of transformational experiences as the capstone of liberal arts education. Practitioners of ethnography, the quintessential transformational experience of the social sciences, are well-positioned to take the lead in designing courses and term projects that afford undergraduate students opportunities to fundamentally reshape their understanding of the social world and their own involvement within it. Furthermore, in the United States, colleges and universities have become proponents of service learning as a critical component of a holistic educational experience. In this article, we describe how service learning can be incorporated into training students in ethnographic field methods as a means to transformational learning and to give them skills they can use beyond the classroom in a longer trajectory of civic participation. We discuss strategies, opportunities, and challenges associated with incorporating service learning into courses and programs training students in ethnographic field methods and propose five key components for successful ethnographic service learning projects. We share student insights about the transformational value of their experiences as well as introduce some ethical concerns that arise in ethnographic service-learning projects.

‘Teaching’ Practicing

2006 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-41
Author(s):  
Alice Wright
Keyword(s):  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Liberal Arts University

As an undergraduate at a relatively small liberal arts university, I admit that before reading this collection of articles, I had no idea what nanotechnology was. Furthermore, once I had read the issue, I had even more questions about nanotechnology than when I started!

scholarly journals Use of the Community Diffusion Model to Develop Community Partnerships and Overcome Barriers to an Urban College Internship Program

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Eric Weston ◽  
Catherine D. Stayton
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Model ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Community Partner ◽  
Implementation Barriers ◽  
Important Lesson ◽  
Community Institutions ◽  
Organizational Barriers ◽  
Predominantly Female ◽  
Internship Programs

The current scarcity of employment opportunities has increased the importance of the internship experience for graduating college students. However, the development of internship sites is fraught with both internal and external barriers. The goal of this article is to describe the development of an internship program in an urban-based liberal arts college. The article describes the: a) use of the Community Diffusion Model to develop partnerships with community sites, b) multilevel barriers to successful program development and maintenance, and c) strategies used to overcome the barriers. During a threeyear period, 110 students participated in the internship program, 59 undergraduates and 51 graduates. Both graduate and undergraduate students were predominantly female, aged 21 – 45. A total of 60 internship positions based in 31 community partner agencies have been developed. Student participation was highest in the direct service activities, and lowest in education activities. Organizational, individual, task-related, and relationship barriers affected the development and maintenance of partnerships. Organizational barriers proved to be the most difficult of these barriers to resolve satisfactorily, while task related barriers proved the most manageable. Establishing partnerships among stakeholders while anticipating multiple implementation barriers was the important lesson learned. Based upon our experiences, we offer recommendations for the development and maintenance of internship programs to colleges, community institutions/organizations, site and program directors, and policy makers.

scholarly journals The academic outcomes of first-in-family in an Australian university: An exploratory study.

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Rubin
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
First Generation ◽  
First Year ◽  
Family Status ◽  
The Usa ◽  
First In Family ◽  
University Services

Although the first-generation and first-in-family status (FIF) of university students has been of intense interest in the USA, it has received very little consideration in Australia. The present research redressed this imbalance by investigating the academic outcomes of FIF undergraduate students at a large, public, Australian university. Undergraduate students (N = 227) who were enrolled in education, nursing and liberal arts degrees completed an online survey. Data are representative of typical gender enrolment patterns for these degrees. In contrast to US research, there was no clear relationship between socioeconomic status and FIF status in this sample. Consistent with US research, FIF students had poorer academic outcomes than non-FIF students. However, this difference was only significant after the first-year of study when students were less likely to receive scaffolded learning support within courses. FIF students were more likely than non-FIF students to seek support from university services. The implications of these results for Australian universities are considered.

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