scholarly journals Implementation and Student Assessment of a Two-stage Midterm Exam in a First-year Physical Chemistry Course for International Engineering Students

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roza Vaez Ghaemi ◽  
Gabriel Potvin
Keyword(s):  
Physical Chemistry ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
English Language ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Language Communication ◽  
Survey Responses

Group exams have been shown to improve student performance, retention of material, and teamwork and communication skills. This paper assesses the opinion of students regarding group exams, and their perception of potential benefits and impacts on their learning, before and after having participated in one. Both a traditional and two-stage exam were performed in first-year physical chemistry courses in the engineering stream of Vantage College at UBC, which means the participating cohort is entirely composed of international students with a range of English-language communication skills.The overall experience of students with group exams, based on survey responses, was positive, and the large majority of students indicated they would like to continue using this format of exam in the future. The perception of group exams improved before and after having written one, with the students initially overestimating the difficulty, stress, and level of conflict associated with this process. Some students indicated less confidence that peer learning helped them improve their performance after having written the exam, but further study to elucidate the significance and the causes of this result.

E-learning and Language and Style in Lancaster

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mick Short
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Introductory Course ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Web

This article reports on research conducted in the department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University from 2002 to 2005 on first-year undergraduate student performance in, and reaction to, a web-based introductory course in stylistic analysis. The main focus of this report is a comparison of student responses to the varying ways in which the web-based course was used from year to year. The description of student responses is based on an analysis of end-of-course questionnaires and a comparison of exit grades. In 2002–3, students accessed the first two-thirds of the course in web-based form and the last third through more traditional teaching. In 2003–4 the entire course was accessed in web-based form, and in 2004–5 web-based course workshops were used as part of a combined package which also involved weekly lectures and seminars. Some comparison is also made with student performance in, and responses to, the traditional lecture + seminar form of the course, as typified in the 2001–2 version of the course.

scholarly journals A case study: Do discipline-based programmes improve student learning outcomes?

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kennelly ◽  
Anna Maldoni ◽  
Doug Davies
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Models Of Teaching ◽  
First Year University

This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge that supports a disciplinebased approach to academic and language development. To address the academic literacy needs of both international English as an Additional Language (EAL) and domestic students, universities are moving from generic to embedded models of teaching. This project was motivated by the realisation that students had unmet needs in terms of the academic competence required for successful tertiary study. This demonstrates a lack of educational integrity on behalf of the universities to ensure that students gain sufficient academic and language skills for success in firstyear university study. This paper reports on the use of a teaching and learning model which demonstrates the effectiveness of embedding the development of academic and language skills within a particular discipline for EAL students and others. The unique contribution of this paper is that it uses a team-taught approach across two disciplines. It shows that discipline management specialists working in conjunction with English language specialists provide a reconsideration of teaching and learning strategies and modes of assessment that lead to better outcomes for both students and staff. Success of the programme was indicated by student assessment, attendance data, student evaluations, and reflection of peer teaching practices. Finally, the paper makes recommendations for the inclusion of embedded programmes in first-year university study using a diagnostic tool to determine specific student needs. Longitudinal studies need to be undertaken to ascertain specifically whether the benefits of discipline-based programmes are sustained in the longer term and additionally why many “at risk” students do not participate in the programme.

scholarly journals Outcomes of Remote Pathology Instruction in Student Performance and Course Evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 237428952110618
Author(s):  
Tahyna Hernandez ◽  
Robert Fallar ◽  
Alexandros D. Polydorides
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
Course Satisfaction ◽  
First Year ◽  
Item Discrimination ◽  
Course Quality ◽  
Practical Examination ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Practical Exam

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted undergraduate medical education, including preclinical class-based courses, by requiring social distancing and essentially eliminating in-person teaching. The aim of this study was to compare student performance and satisfaction before and after implementation of remote instruction in a first-year introductory pathology course. Assessments (3 quizzes, 1 practical exam, and 1 final) were compared between courses given before (January 2020) and during (January 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of mean scores, degree of difficulty, and item discrimination, both overall and across different question types. Students’ evaluations of the course (Likert scale-based) were also compared between the 2 years. Significantly higher mean scores were observed during remote instruction (compared to the prior, in-person year) on verbatim-repeated questions (94.9 ± 8.8 vs 89.4 ± 12.2; P = .002) and on questions incorporating a gross specimen image (88.4 ± 7.5 vs 84.4 ± 10.3; P = .007). The percentage of questions that were determined to be moderate/hard in degree of difficulty and good/very good in item discrimination remained similar between the 2 time periods. In the practical examination, students performed significantly better during remote instruction on questions without specimen images (96.5 ± 7.0 vs 91.2 ± 15.2; P = .004). Finally, course evaluation metrics improved, with students giving a higher mean rating value in each measured end point of course quality during the year of remote instruction. In conclusion, student performance and course satisfaction generally improved with remote instruction, suggesting that the changes implemented, and their consequences, should perhaps inform future curriculum improvements.

scholarly journals A DESIGN-CENTERED LABORATORY CURRICULUM FOR FIRST-YEAR BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Lam
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Laboratory Course ◽  
Structured Design ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Design Projects

A new first-year biomedical engineering laboratory course was created using a problem-based learning approach. Centered on four semi-structured design projects and experiments, the laboratory course was designed to facilitate meaningful experiential learning. Preliminary analyses of survey results suggest that the semi-structured nature of lab activities is viewed both positively and negatively by students, depending on their perception of preparedness for the project. Its correlation with student performance will be better understood with thorough study of other components of survey results.

A Regional University Perspective on Engineering Education of Multi-Cultural Freshman Students From South Pacific Countries

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishnil R. Ram ◽  
Roneel V. Sharan ◽  
Mohammed Rafiuddin Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
South Pacific ◽  
Quality Teaching ◽  
First Year ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Ethics And Economics ◽  
Regional University ◽  
The University

Of late, there is a growing need for quality engineers who have the ability to solve complex engineering problems with reasonable knowledge of ethics and economics. This has led many universities to pursue accreditation by professional engineering bodies. While the accreditation process installs a standardized system of quality teaching, it is important that the engineering entrants have a degree of understanding that allows implementation of quality teaching methods. This study looks at the performance of first year engineering students in a bid to identify major issues that students face in a Bachelor of Engineering program. The learning of students in the School of Engineering and Physics at the University of the South Pacific is influenced by interactions of at least 12 different cultures from the 12 member countries of the university. The study looks at how students perform across cultures in the first year mechanical engineering courses, mainly engineering mechanics and engineering graphics & design. The general trend over the last five years shows that while the student numbers in the program have been increasing, student performance in one course seems to be improving but declining in the other; the two courses differ considerable in contents, required skill sets, and assessment methodologies. The study also presents possible reasons for the varied performance by considering issues such as cultural and academic backgrounds, use of teaching tools and resources, and revisions to the course and program and looks at how multi-cultural engineering education can be improved. The number of female students taking up engineering as their major is also looked at and positive trends are seen with female participation increasing from 7.6% in 2008 to 13.9% in 2013.

Assessing the enterprising tendencies of Arab female undergraduate engineering students in the Sultanate of Oman

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 429-439
Author(s):  
Naveed Yasin ◽  
Zeinab Khansari ◽  
Taimur Sharif
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Boot Camp ◽  
First Year ◽  
Need For Achievement ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Extended Duration ◽  
The Impact

This study assesses the enterprising characteristics of first-year undergraduate Omani female chemical engineering students in Muscat, Oman. Pre and post surveys were conducted with 27 respondents from an entrepreneurship boot camp module mandated by the Oman Ministry of Higher Education. The variables, measured on a 10-point Likert scale, included need for achievement, need for autonomy, creativity, risk-taking, and locus of control. Statistical analysis was performed on the integrated data to measure the impact of student learning using a t-test approach and comparing mean averages. This was followed by qualitative semi-structured interviews that were examined using thematic analysis. The comparison of students’ enterprise tendencies before and after the module indicates minor to moderate improvements in their entrepreneurial abilities and their understanding of entrepreneurial behavior. The most noticeable impact was on students’ risk-taking abilities, followed by their creativity, need for achievement, need for control, and, lastly, their need for autonomy. The findings illustrate that students perceived entrepreneurship positively but were concerned about the scheduling of the module and its integration into their core program of study. Students may have benefited further from a module of extended duration as opposed to the block delivery “boot camp” mode of learning. Due to the limited number of participants and the focus on female students only, the results of the study cannot be generalized. However, the article presents an initial exploration of and offers insights into enterprising characteristics among an empirically underexplored demographic and nonbusiness group.

scholarly journals INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PERCEPTION OF COLLABORATIVE GROUP EXAMS IN A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY COURSE

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roza Vaez Ghaemi ◽  
Agnes Peragovics ◽  
Gabriel Potvin
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Collaborative Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Collaborative Skills ◽  
The Impact

Two-stage collaborative exams have previously been shown to improve students’ understanding and long-term retention of material, while helping to develop collaborative skills. Very little work has been done, however, on the impact of this practice on international students, who may be faced with particular challenges or contexts.. Building on previous work, the perception of first-year international students in an engineering chemistry course offered as part of the Vantage College Applied Science program at UBC regarding the practice of two-stage exams was assessed before and after participating in one for the first time. Although the experience was overall very positive, and the anticipated difficulties of the midterm seemed to be overestimated, several key challenges must be addressed before deciding whether to continue with this practice as part of this program, namely communication barriers preventing the effective participation of all group members, and a structural competitiveness that may discourage collaboration, both of which are inherent to the Vantage APSC program, as well as frustration associated with mixed technical proficiencies of group members, which is a more typical concern associated with this type of assessment.

scholarly journals A Program to Develop the Students’ Awareness of E-learning and its Applications in English in the Foundation Program of Dhofar University

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Sobhy Ahmed Soliman ◽  
Ashry Abdallah Mahmoud Waziry
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
English Language ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Awareness Program ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Foundation Program ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The University

This study aims to identify the degree to which English language students in the Foundation Program at Dhofar University, Oman are aware of e-learning and its applications in their field of specialization. It further attempts to identify the effectiveness of certain patterns and tools of e-learning in student performance, using both descriptive and experimental approaches. To achieve these goals, researchers use a scale to measure the awareness of e-learning that includes twenty-five multiple choice questions and an evaluation card on e-learning applications in English. The study sample consists of sixty male and female students at the university. There are two primary outcomes. First, the degree of student awareness of English language e-learning is found to be relatively weak, with statistically significant differences in awareness among male and female students in favor of females. There are further statistically significant differences between students’ average scores before and after the development of an e-learning awareness program in favor of post application. The study makes a number of recommendations, including adopting the pilot awareness program in all majors and holding e-learning training seminars for both faculty and students, which, it is hoped, will bolster the effectiveness of e-learning at the university.

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