scholarly journals Crossing Boundaries: Steps Toward Measuring Undergraduates’ Interdisciplinary Science Understanding

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. ar8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brie Tripp ◽  
Sophia A. Voronoff ◽  
Erin E. Shortlidge
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Interdisciplinary Science ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
New Instrument ◽  
Science Understanding ◽  
Interdisciplinary Framework ◽  
Undergraduate Science

A desired outcome of education reform efforts is for undergraduates to effectively integrate knowledge across disciplines in order to evaluate and address real-world issues. Yet there are few assessments designed to measure if and how students think interdisciplinarily. Here, a sample of science faculty were surveyed to understand how they currently assess students’ interdisciplinary science understanding. Results indicate that individual writing-intensive activities are the most frequently used assessment type (69%). To understand how writing assignments can accurately assess students’ ability to think interdisciplinarily, we used a preexisting rubric, designed to measure social science students’ interdisciplinary understanding, to assess writing assignments from 71 undergraduate science students. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 25 of those students to explore similarities and differences between assignment scores and verbal understanding of interdisciplinary science. Results suggest that certain constructs of the instrument did not fully capture this competency for our population, but instead, an interdisciplinary framework may be a better model to guide assessment development of interdisciplinary science. These data suggest that a new instrument designed through the lens of this model could more accurately characterize interdisciplinary science understanding for undergraduate students.

scholarly journals From Theory to Practice: Gathering Evidence for the Validity of Data Collected with the Interdisciplinary Science Rubric (IDSR)

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. ar33
Author(s):  
Brie Tripp ◽  
Erin E. Shortlidge
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Interdisciplinary Science ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
New Instrument

This study developed a new instrument, the Interdisciplinary Science Rubric, or IDSR, to measure undergraduate students’ interdisciplinary science thinking. Evidence of reliability and validity was established on the constructs and criteria of the rubric, resulting in an instrument that accurately assesses this competency.

Content-Based EFL Teaching to Undergraduate Science Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 208-225
Author(s):  
Olga A. Obdalova
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Teaching Model ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Language Resources ◽  
Efl Teaching ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Undergraduate Science

This chapter explores the contextual and linguistic potential of the content-based approach in language teaching. The first part of the analysis focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of this approach. The analysis of the cognitive-discursive activity of a non-native learner of a foreign language reveals the complex multi-level organization of cognitive-discursive activity. The author anticipates that context plays a decisive role in the processes of perception and understanding of a foreign language message embedded in a context. The second part of this chapter synthesizes research on learning outcomes in content-based EFL teaching of undergraduate science students. It deals with classroom-based research and participants' use of English taking account discourse factors, students' language resources, and didactic potential of the content-based teaching model. The findings demonstrated that the designed theme-based teaching framework proved to be more effective for science undergraduate students' speech skills development and acquisition of topic-related vocabulary.

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

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil P. Morris ◽  
Luke Ramsay ◽  
Vikesh Chauhan
Keyword(s):  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Student Behavior ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Web 2.0 Technologies ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Tablet Device ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
The Impact

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.

scholarly journals Applying the Rasch model to analyze the effectiveness of education reform in order to decrease computer science students’ dropout

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Takács ◽  
Judit T. Kárász ◽  
Szabolcs Takács ◽  
Zoltán Horváth ◽  
Attila Oláh
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Rasch Model ◽  
Public University ◽  
First Year ◽  
Science Students ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
The Rasch Model ◽  
Analyze Data

AbstractAttrition is an important issue in higher education, especially in the field of computer science (CS). Here, we investigate to what extent an education reform affects the attrition of students by analyzing the pattern of grades of CS students’ academic achievement from 2010 to 2018 by IRT, based on Rasch-model analysis. We analyze data from 3673 undergraduate students of a large public university. In 2016 an education reform—as an intervention—was added to our BSc program: all theoretical lectures became compulsory to attend and we introduced a learning methodology course for all first-year students. According to our results, after the education reform most subjects became accomplishable, and students with lower levels of ability also tried to take exams. We succeeded in retaining 28% of our students. Analyzing students’ results could help administrators develop new programs in order to increase retention.

scholarly journals Investigating Undergraduate Science Students’ Conceptions and Misconceptions of Ocean Acidification

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. ar29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn I. Danielson ◽  
Kimberly D. Tanner
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Science Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Environmental Studies ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Undergraduate Science

Scientific research exploring ocean acidification has grown significantly in past decades. However, little science education research has investigated the extent to which undergraduate science students understand this topic. Of all undergraduate students, one might predict science students to be best able to understand ocean acidification. What conceptions and misconceptions of ocean acidification do these students hold? How does their awareness and knowledge compare across disciplines? Undergraduate biology, chemistry/biochemistry, and environmental studies students, and science faculty for comparison, were assessed on their awareness and understanding. Results revealed low awareness and understanding of ocean acidification among students compared with faculty. Compared with biology or chemistry/biochemistry students, more environmental studies students demonstrated awareness of ocean acidification and identified the key role of carbon dioxide. Novel misconceptions were also identified. These findings raise the question of whether undergraduate science students are prepared to navigate socioenvironmental issues such as ocean acidification.

Barriers to Female Condom Use among Undergraduate Health Science Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bongekile T. Dlamini ◽  
Mduduzi Colani Shongwe
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Female Condom ◽  
Sexual Pleasure ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Tertiary Institution ◽  
Health Science Students ◽  
Inadequate Knowledge ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Depth Interviews

The female condom (FC), also known as the femidom, has been on the market since 1993, however, its use remains limited in many parts of southern Africa, including in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). There is a dearth of literature on the reasons for the limited use of the FC, especially from the perspective of health science students who would otherwise be expected to be knowledgeable about and have favourable attitudes to it. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the barriers to FC use among undergraduate health science students at a selected tertiary institution in Eswatini. A qualitative, exploratory descriptive study was conducted among nine conveniently sampled, unmarried undergraduate students at a selected tertiary institution in the Hhohho region in Mbabane, Eswatini. Responses to an unstructured interview guide, using in-depth interviews were analysed thematically following Creswell’s steps of qualitative data analysis. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) inadequate knowledge about the FC, (2) the FC hinders sexual pleasure, (3) insertion of the FC is time-consuming and uncomfortable, (4) the FC is bigger than the vagina, and (5) fear of being labelled “promiscuous”. Generally, the participants stated that they did not use the FC because of societal myths. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen health education campaigns for the femidom to clear the myths and misconceptions that limit its use.

scholarly journals Establishing a baseline of science communication skills in an undergraduate environmental science course

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashmi Shivni ◽  
Christina Cline ◽  
Morgan Newport ◽  
Shupei Yuan ◽  
Heather E. Bergan-Roller
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Science Communication ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Early Step ◽  
Effective Science ◽  
Media Types ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background Seminal reports, based on recommendations by educators, scientists, and in collaboration with students, have called for undergraduate curricula to engage students in some of the same practices as scientists—one of which is communicating science with a general, non-scientific audience (SciComm). Unfortunately, very little research has focused on helping students develop these skills. An important early step in creating effective and efficient curricula is understanding what baseline skills students have prior to instruction. Here, we used the Essential Elements for Effective Science Communication (EEES) framework to survey the SciComm skills of students in an environmental science course in which they had little SciComm training. Results Our analyses revealed that, despite not being given the framework, students included several of the 13 elements, especially those which were explicitly asked for in the assignment instructions. Students commonly targeted broad audiences composed of interested adults, aimed to increase the knowledge and awareness of their audience, and planned and executed remote projects using print on social media. Additionally, students demonstrated flexibility in their skills by slightly differing their choices depending on the context of the assignment, such as creating more engaging content than they had planned for. Conclusions The students exhibited several key baseline skills, even though they had minimal training on the best practices of SciComm; however, more support is required to help students become better communicators, and more work in different contexts may be beneficial to acquire additional perspectives on SciComm skills among a variety of science students. The few elements that were not well highlighted in the students’ projects may not have been as intuitive to novice communicators. Thus, we provide recommendations for how educators can help their undergraduate science students develop valuable, prescribed SciComm skills. Some of these recommendations include helping students determine the right audience for their communication project, providing opportunities for students to try multiple media types, determining the type of language that is appropriate for the audience, and encouraging students to aim for a mix of communication objectives. With this guidance, educators can better prepare their students to become a more open and communicative generation of scientists and citizens.

Surely You Must Be Joking, Mr. Twain!: Reengaging Science Students through Visual Aesthetics

Leonardo ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-315
Author(s):  
Katherine Goodman ◽  
Jean Hertzberg ◽  
Noah Finkelstein
Keyword(s):  
Student Perception ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Personal Meaning ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Content Mastery ◽  
Visual Aesthetics ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Science ◽  
Improved Methods

Researchers have established improved methods for undergraduate science and engineering education, yet these efforts often overlook the personal meaning students find in their work. Institutions of higher learning should support the creation of personal meaning along with content mastery, aspects that are both included in arts education. The authors argue that STEM educators must work to overcome student perception that content mastery and personal meaning sit at odds. The authors provide an example of a technical course that achieves these goals as well as evidence that it is possible to foster connection while developing content mastery.

scholarly journals The dilemma of English as a medium of instruction policy in science college programs

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1045-1060
Author(s):  
Munassir Alhamami ◽  
Abdullah Almelhi
Keyword(s):  
Native Language ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Intensive English Program ◽  
Language Of Instruction ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
College Programs ◽  
Current Program ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Undergraduate Science

Achieving science undergraduate programs learning outcomes relies on the students’ proficiency in the language of instruction, a challenge that many policymakers ignore. This study is to understand the influence of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) policy in four undergraduate science programs, namely, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics, in Saudi Arabia. The data were collected from the following groups of participants: 1461 science alumni records, 769 current undergraduate science students’ surveys, and 111 science university instructors’ surveys. The results of alumni records indicated that grades of the intensive English program in the first year predict the alumni cumulative grade point average (GPA) once they finish their four-year program. The results demonstrated that the higher is the alumni’s English proficiency, the better is their cumulative GPA. The results of the current science students’ questionnaire showed their preferred language of instruction could be predicted by their attitudes and society’s attitudes. Most of these students preferred to learn sciences in their native language (Arabic), which contradicted the policy of the current program. The instructors’ questionnaire results showed that instructors held divergent perspectives on the usage of EMI and students’ native language in the undergraduate science programs. To conclude, educationists and programs policymakers need to locate more attention and interventions toward the language of instruction. It is also recommended that universities provide science students with more English courses. Science students should also have English for science purposes courses to familiarize them with the science terms and prepare them to read science materials.

scholarly journals Magnitude of Mental Distress and its Determinants Among Medical and Health Science Regular Undergraduate Students at Jimma University: Institutional Based Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liyew Agenagnew Gebeyaw ◽  
Desalew Tilahun ◽  
Yonas Tesfaye
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Self Reporting Questionnaire ◽  
Jimma University

Background: Mental distress is a group of mental problems manifested by symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, irritability, forgetfulness, difficulty in concentrating, and somatic complaints. University students have more severe mental health problems than the general population. Objectives: Therefore, this study attempted to assess the magnitude of mental distress and its determinants among medical and health science regular undergraduate students at Jimma University. Methods: A descriptive institutional-based with cross-sectional study design was conducted at Jimma University from March to April 2017 on regular undergraduate medical and health science students of the Faculty of Health Science. Study participants were selected from each batch using simple random sampling techniques and from the department by lottery method. Mental distress was assessed by using Self-Reporting questionnaire-20. Participants with score of eight and above on the Self-Reporting questionnaire-20 were considered as having mental distress. Chi-square and descriptive statistics were done using SPSS-20. Results: From a total of 369 study participants, about 354 gave the response rate of (95.9%). The magnitude of mental distress among medical and health science students was 35.03 %. Most of the respondents were males by sex and the mean age of the respondents was 23 years with SD ± 6. Age, sex, year of study, the practice of religion, presence of family history of mental illness, department choice, and ever use of substance (chat chewing and alcohol) were predictor variables and significantly associated with mental distress at P < 0.05. Conclusions: The magnitude of mental distress in our study was 35.03% and it needs intervention and addressing the mentioned factors significantly associated with mental distress.

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