‘Watching People do Stuff’: An Analysis of Newly Recruited Students' Accounts of Doing a Psychology Degree

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-149
Author(s):  
Jodi Wallwork ◽  
Bere Mahoney ◽  
Sarah Mason
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Student Diversity ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Widening Access ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Teaching Psychology ◽  
Undergraduate Programme ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Individual Ability

Learning and teaching researchers have consistently identified a mismatch between student and tutor expectations and goals. With student diversity increasing along with widening access, student perceptions, misconceptions and attitudes may be just as important to learning and teaching psychology as individual ability and knowledge. We set out in this paper to explore the accounts given by newly recruited psychology students of their beliefs and understandings about the subject of psychology and how psychology students learn. Our findings suggest that, although some of these students' understandings are consistent with the psychology undergraduate programme, there are also beliefs that present challenges and opportunities to tutors and programme designers. At the very least, we suggest, that engagement in an exercise similar to that undertaken in this study may be valuable in enhancing understanding and reshaping the beliefs and expectations of both students and tutors.

scholarly journals Student assessment in higher education: embargo or empowerment?

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-169
Author(s):  
Iain McPhee ◽  
Maria Eugenia Witzler D’Esposito
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Traditional Students ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Student Diversity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Widening Access ◽  
Non Traditional Students

Purpose This study recruited students who struggled to meet institutional deadlines for summative assessments. Increasing the number of diverse and non-traditional students in higher education (HE) institutions presents challenges in learning and teaching in online, conventional and hybrid contexts, impacting on student academic success. The purpose of this paper is to expand our understanding of student perceptions of the factors involved in academic achievement. Design/methodology/approach Using qualitative methods and in-depth semi-structured interviews, 14 participants were interviewed. Using Freire’s concept of empowerment, and Bordieu’s concept of habitus, the authors explore student perceptions of assessment. Findings Results presented thematically indicate that student perceptions of the purpose of the assessment and academic qualification are at odds with institutional habitus. Several embargoes impacting on academic achievement were revealed. Research limitations/implications Shifting organisational patterns and modes of production within HE institutions have influenced the student experience of academic writing and assessment. Findings highlight the factors that impact on academic success in HE institutions for non-traditional students in particular. Social class and educational background (habitus) are not factors taken into account when students are assessed. This impacts on capacity to achieve academic success. Practical implications The paper includes implications for curriculum designers, and self-reflective practitioners on issues related to academic success for non-traditional students. Social implications The study uses two case studies from two countries, Scotland and Brazil, both countries have invested heavily to address the twenty-first century learning agenda. Issues of widening access have increased student diversity, however, embargoes on academic achievement remain powerful factors that require further discussion and study. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to study how issues of widening access can be mitigated, in particular for non-traditional students.

Using Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) materials in English as Second Language (ESL) classrooms: perspectives of teachers and students in United Arab Emirates

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramia DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Student Diversity ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Learning And Teaching

Integrating scaffolding-learning technologies has been recognized for its potential to create intellectual and engaging classroom interactions. In the United Arab Emirates, having language teachers employ computers as a medium of new pedagogical instrument for teaching second languages generated the idea of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a medium of an innovative pedagogical instrument for facilitating and scaffolding language learning, with an aspiration that it will lead to improved English language attainment and better assessment results. This study aims at investigating the perspectives of students and teachers on the advantageous and disadvantageous impacts of CALL on learning and teaching English as a second language in one public school in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The results show that CALL has a facilitating role in L2 classroom and that using CALL activities is advantageous in reducing English learning tension, boosting motivation, catering for student diversity, promoting self-directed language learning and scaffolding while learning English. The results additionally report that numerous aspects like time constraints, teachers’ unsatisfactory computer skills, insufficient computer facilities, and inflexible school courses undesirably affect the implementation of CALL in English classrooms. It is recommended that further studies should be undertaken to investigate the actual effect of CALL on students’ language proficiency. 

‘Yr Beast’: Gender Parrhesia and Punk Trans Womanhoods

2021 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-134
Author(s):  
Jay Szpilka
Keyword(s):  
Embodied Experience ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Trans Women ◽  
A Site ◽  
Significant Attention ◽  
The Way

While the subject of women’s activity in historical and contemporary punk scenes has attracted significant attention, the presence of trans women in punk has received comparatively little research, in spite of their increasing visibility and long history in punk. This article examines the conditions for trans women’s entrance in punk and the challenges and opportunities that it offers for their self-assertion. By linking Michel Foucault’s notion of parrhesia with the way trans women in punk do their gender, an attempt is made at showing how the embodied experience of a trans woman making herself heard from the punk stage can serve as a site of ‘gender pluralism’.

Student attitudes towards linear algebra: an attempt to roll back the fog

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry J Griffiths ◽  
Samantha Shionis
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Linear Algebra ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Linear Independence ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Roll Back

Abstract In this study, we look at student perceptions of a first course in linear algebra, focusing on two specific aspects. The first is the statement by Carlson that a fog rolls in once abstract notions such as subspaces, span and linear independence are introduced, while the second investigates statements made by several authors regarding the negative emotions that students can experience during the course. An attempt is made to mitigate this through mediation to include a significant number of applications, while continually dwelling on the key concepts of the subject throughout the semester. The results show that students agree with Carlson’s statement, with the concept of a subspace causing particular difficulty. However, the research does not reveal the negative emotions alluded to by other researchers. The students note the importance of grasping the key concepts and are strongly in favour of using practical applications to demonstrate the utility of the theory.

scholarly journals The Impact of Embedded iPad Use on Student Perceptions of Their Digital Capabilities

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Elphick
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Key Skills ◽  
The University ◽  
Teaching In Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

Digital capabilities are recognized as key skills that students must possess to learn and work in our increasingly digital world and have been the subject of a growing focus over recent years. Similarly, smartphones and, to a lesser degree, tablets are now ubiquitous within the student body, and many academics are beginning to leverage these devices for the purposes of learning and teaching in higher education. To further explore the possibilities of mobile technology, the iPilot project was created to explore the effects that embedded iPad use had on undergraduate students’ creativity, ability to collaborate with their peers and their perception of their digital capabilities. Focusing on the digital capabilities aspect of the project, this paper explores the results gathered. While the results are mixed, when combined with data taken from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Digital Experience Tracker, it does appear that using iPads in the university classroom can have a positive impact on certain digital behaviors and students’ perceptions of their digital skills.

Teaching and Learning activities that promote effective learning of Research Methodology among Psychology students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minu Mathews
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Psychology Courses ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
High Level

BackgroundCreating a conducive environment for learning cultivates engaged and independent learners, allowing for high-level learning (Warren, 2004). When assessing the diverse Psychology courses that exist, the evaluation of Research Methods (RM) teaching and its associated pedagogies is high on the agenda of college based Higher Education (Burton & Schonfield, 2011). ObjectiveThis study aimed at exploring what range of teaching and learning activities (TLA’s) promote effective learning of RM among Psychology students. Additionally, it aimed to understand, from a student perspective, what ‘effective learning’ meant in the context of RM. MethodA mixed methods approach comprising of both surveys as well as focus groups was conducted with undergraduate Psychology students. Thematic analysis and basic frequencies were used to analyse data. Results Results demonstrated that both student and teacher-led activities were beneficial and worked complementarily for students in their understanding of the subject whilst serving different purposes. Practical labs and class exercises were the top activities highlighted (student-led) followed by lectures and flow chart concept checks (teacher-led). Furthermore, ‘effective learning’ encapsulated not just a long-term knowledge acquisition of concepts but the ability to apply one’s knowledge to the wider context. Conclusion and teaching implication Findings are in line with the Conception of Learning which has a nested hierarchy consisting of both surface learning elements and deep learning (Marton,Dall’Alba & Beaty, 1993). RM has been identified as a difficult subject to teach as well for students to learn (Gray et al., 2015) and as a result this study teases apart some of the most beneficial techniques from a student perspective to be considered when designing the structure and delivery of RM courses.

scholarly journals Opportunities and Challenges in Realizing Universal Access to Obstetric Ultrasound in Sub-Saharan Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (02) ◽  
pp. E52-E59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sikolia Wanyonyi ◽  
Charles Mariara ◽  
Sudhir Vinayak ◽  
William Stones
Keyword(s):  
Universal Access ◽  
Perinatal Outcomes ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Obstetric Ultrasound ◽  
Integral Component ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sub Saharan

AbstractThe potential benefits of obstetric ultrasound have yet to be fully realized in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), despite the region bearing the greatest burden of poor perinatal outcomes. We reviewed the literature for challenges and opportunities of universal access to obstetric ultrasound and explored what is needed to make such access an integral component of maternity care in order to address the massive burden of perinatal morbidity and mortality in SSA. Original peer-reviewed literature was searched in various electronic databases using a ‘realist’ approach. While the available data were inconclusive, they identify many opportunities for potential future research on the subject within the region that can help build a strong case to justify the provision of universal access to ultrasound as an integral component of comprehensive antenatal care.

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