scholarly journals SUPPORTED LEARNING GROUPS (SLGS) IN A FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY COURSE

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Jobidon ◽  
William Owen ◽  
Mary Robinson ◽  
Andrea Prier
Keyword(s):  
Supplemental Instruction ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Groups ◽  
The Past ◽  
Academic Standing ◽  
Final Grades ◽  
The University

The Engineering Undergraduate Office at the University of Waterloo first started using Supplemental Instruction (SI) in a common first-year chemistry course, ChE102, in September 2013 and continued in September2014 and 2015. This paper shares the mechanics of how SI was implemented for 11 cohorts totaling approximately 3900 students over the past 3 fall terms. Findings suggest that students who attend SI after midterms have higher final grades in their CHE 102 course as well as a higher overall term average. As well, the academic standing of students (based on their midterm grades) can help to accurately predict which students will attend SI sessions.Similarly, attending SI after midterms can also help a certain type of student improve their marks in ChE 102 and also their term average.

Assessing the Impact of Supplemental Instruction on the Retention of Undergraduate Students after Controlling for Motivation

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenepher Lennox Terrion ◽  
Jean-Luc Daoust
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Supplemental Instruction ◽  
First Year ◽  
Group Program ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Personal Motivation ◽  
Final Grades ◽  
The University ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The Impact

The University of Ottawa (UofO) in Ottawa, Canada offers a formal supplemental instruction program, called the residence study group program (RSGP), to residence students registered in first year courses that are associated with a high degree of failure or attrition. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of this program by comparing a sample of first year residence students who participated in the RSGP with a sample who did not participate. The study compared final grades of students in these courses after controlling for personal motivation and found that while those who participated in the RSGP did not receive higher final grades than non-participants, they were more likely to persist in their studies. It appears that the RSGP contributes in many important ways to the academic and social integration of first year students and these are critical to persistence beyond the first year.

scholarly journals Using a VLE to enhance a Foundation Chemistry laboratory module

2006 ◽  
pp. 35-40
Author(s):  
Gareth J Price ◽  
June Chalmers ◽  
Clare Goodfellow
Keyword(s):  
Chemistry Laboratory ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Video Clips ◽  
The Past ◽  
Short Video ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The University

For the past few years, we have been experimenting with an e-learning approach to our introductory laboratory classes for first year students. Our overall objective was to maximise students’ useful time in the laboratory. We considered that time spent with students gathered around a desk watching a demonstration is not an efficient use of staff or students’ time.It is well recognised that students’ performance in the laboratory can be enhanced if they are familiar with the background of the experiments which will be conducted, hence the use of ‘pre-labs’. We have been delivering our ‘pre-labs’ electronically by requiring students to work through a package before coming to the laboratory. As well as covering the theory and background to the experiment, short video clips have been included so that students will also have seen the experiment being performed. They should at least recognise the apparatus! The package concludes with a short assessment quiz which must be completed.The packages were mounted on the University network using WebCT and meant that students could undertake the exercises at a time (and place) of their choosing rather than being confined to set laboratory hours.This communication will describe the packages and our experiences as well as an initial evaluation of our approach. Although largely anecdotal, staff felt that they spent less time on more mundane aspects of laboratory work and more time discussing chemistry.Students also felt that they were better prepared for the experiments before they came to the laboratory. Some of the pitfalls and technical problems that had to be overcome willalso be described.

scholarly journals The development and implementation of a Peer Assisted Learning programme at the University of Liverpool

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gita Sedghi ◽  
Trish Lunt
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Peer Assisted Learning ◽  
The Past ◽  
Programme Design ◽  
Evaluation Feedback ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Student Input ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year

A Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) programme was designed and implemented in the Department of Chemistry in the University of Liverpool during the 2012-13 academic year. The PAL programme was initially set up to support first year chemistry undergraduate students with one particular maths module but was extended to offer support to all Year 1 modules. The PAL programme was also designed to meet the needs of a second cohort of students, year 2 direct entry international students, but this paper focuses on the first year student programme.   A key element to the development of the Liverpool PAL programme was the contribution of student input throughout the initial programme design stages and, importantly, the ongoing involvement of students during the operation of the programme over the last three years. They provided evaluation and feedback on the programme’s organisation and effectiveness, and were involved in subsequent discussions to analyse the data from these processes in order to improve and develop the programme. The concept of working with students as partners is not new, but it has risen in profile in recent years as highlighted by Healey et al. (2014) and many others. We believe that the PAL programme would not be as effective as it is without the ongoing involvement of students in all elements of the programme.   The paper will discuss the development and implementation of the PAL programme over the past three years, and highlight the value and importance of the role and contribution of the students in making the programme what it is today, as evidenced by the evaluation feedback from the students.

scholarly journals Interdisciplinary Learning for Pre-service Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1Sup1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Laurian Fitzgerald ◽  
Carmen Popa ◽  
Carlton Fitzgerald ◽  
Adina Vesa
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Physical Therapy Students ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Learning Groups ◽  
Young Students ◽  
The University

In this action research study, the researchers worked collaboratively to integrate curriculum in four ways: 1. Professors engaged students in an interdisciplinary project, 2. Students performed a real-world task, 3. Students worked in small cooperative learning groups, and 4. Students engaged in helping young students experience a positive holiday season. The purpose of this study was to review how these integrative principles effected the preservice teachers academically, socially, and emotionally. Two cohorts of preservice teachers were enrolled in the same three courses during this study. One cohort of physical therapy (PT) majors were enrolled in a course developed to assist PT professionals with their communication skills, understanding of basic psychology, and special needs principles. The preservice teachers were learning how to teach: (a) penmanship, (b) letter writing, and, (c) promotive small group social skills for their future students. Seventy-nine students (54 pre-ervice teachers and 25 physical therapy students) participated in this action research project by engaging in a Santa writing experience. Young students in four schools wrote letters to Santa, and the university student participants responded to the letters of young students. Four professors collaborated in this project. The teachers included: a language and didactics professor, a curriculum professor, a writing (penmanship) professor, and an adjunct professor working with first year physical therapy students. Results of the study indicated that students: 1. found the process to be more difficult than they first thought; 2. appreciated the opportunity to help young students celebrate their holiday dreams; 3. felt they learned more deeply the goals of their classes; and 4. were proud to help young people enjoy their holidays. This process was fairly complex and, in spite of that complexity, the majority of students found the experience worthwhile from a teaching and learning perspective and from an existential perspective.

scholarly journals Strengthening Students Mechanics Knowledge through Instructional Videos of Hands-on Activities

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Reflective Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Instructional Videos ◽  
The Past ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Improving Student Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Time Limitations ◽  
Teaching Pedagogies

The use of hands-on activities has been proven in the past to be effective in teaching pedagogies. Recognizing this need, a first year Mechanics course at the University of Waterloo has already implemented the use of seven hands-on activities. Instructors of the course have found certain time limitations which results in students only participating in two of the seven activities. To continue improving student learning, instructional videos were developed to solve this problem. The techniques used for video development incorporate learning pedagogies to foster deeper learning throughout the viewing experience. These techniques include simulating experiential learning and reflective learning. In each video, a breakdown of the activity building and experimenting process is demonstrated. This is done through people physically interacting with the models as students would in the classroom. Accompanying the demonstration is an illustration of various mistakes students often make during the activities. Errors are discussed, and their outcomes are shown using course concepts to reinforce the appropriate processes. In addition, questions are posed to the viewers throughout each of the videos.

scholarly journals Mathematical Skills and the Academic Performance of Junior and Senior Electrical Engineering Students of the University of Eastern Philippines

2021 ◽  
pp. 20-31
Author(s):  
Kenneth Bryan F. Abaigar ◽  
Benjamin D. Varela
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Electrical Engineering ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mathematical Skills ◽  
The Third ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Final Grades ◽  
The University

The study was conducted to determine the mathematical skills and the academic performance of the junior and senior electrical engineering students of the University of Eastern Philippines. Descriptive-correlational method of research was used with a total enumeration of the regular students from third year to fifth year electrical engineering students.     The findings revealed that male students dominated all the three year levels of the electrical engineering course. It was also found out that there were more regular fifth year engineering students than the third year and fourth year students. Meanwhile, the third year students got the highest average rating in the final grades of first year and second year mathematics and the lowest average rating belonged to the fifth year students. The learning style of the three-year levels was found to be visual while in terms of study habits, the third year students have very good study habit. It was also found out that the level of mathematical skills of the three-year levels were low, but the level of academic performance of the three-year levels were found out to be good. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship of the student profile and their mathematical skills. The results showed that the average of final grades in all first-year mathematics, and the students’ year level have significant relationship with the mathematical skills of the students. Meanwhile, the profile variables found to be significantly related to academic performance were the average of final grades in first year mathematics, average of final grades in second year mathematics and study habits of the students’ respondents. Lastly, the mathematical skills had no significant relationship to the academic performance of the student-respondents.

scholarly journals Mandating Obesity Testing Across the Curriculum: Lessons Learned

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
James L. DeBoy ◽  
Sally B. Monsilovich
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Faculty ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
The Past ◽  
Placement Policy ◽  
The University ◽  
Radical Approach

In response to the obesity problem that has dramatically increased over the past 30 years, Lincoln University’s HPER faculty petitioned the University faculty to accept a somewhat radical approach: test all entering first year students using Body Mass Indices (BMI) data for placing students in a Fitness for Life class. This class would constitute the intervention for students with BMI scores of 30 or higher (obese rating). This paper describes the chronology of events that unfolded once the placement policy became known beyond the campus green. Arguments both for and against the controversial course are presented. While the placement policy has been modified, the aim of the intervention has not wavered: identify those students who are most at risk for hypokinetic disease and provide them with the appropriate resources to effectively address those amenable lifestyle factors that will rob them of quality and quantity of life. 

scholarly journals EXAMINING FOURTH YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE COMPETENCIES: YEAR TWO

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian Seniuk Cicek ◽  
Paul Labossiere ◽  
Sandra Ingram
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Fall Semester ◽  
Engineering Faculty ◽  
The Past ◽  
Exit Survey ◽  
Application Analysis ◽  
The University ◽  
Graduating Students

As the Engineering Faculty at the Universityof Manitoba shifts its curriculum from an input-based toan outcomes-based pedagogy, data from diverse sourcesare being collected. Among them, indirect data are beinggathered from students using a student exit survey. Thesurvey has been developed over the past three years toexplore graduating students’ perceptions of theiraptitudes and their engineering program’s strengths andweaknesses in regards to the 12 CEAB graduateattributes. It is comprised of the 12 attributes, with eachattribute further defined by six indicators. Theseindicators reflect the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy ofEducational Objectives in the Cognitive Domain:knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,synthesis and evaluation. The student exit survey was firstadministered to graduating mechanical engineeringstudents at the end of Fall semester 2012 and then at theend of Fall semester 2013. This paper describes thesecond year of the study, and discusses the datacomparatively with the findings from the first year. Thisstudy offers the Engineering Faculty an understanding oftheir Mechanical Engineering students’ experiences withand perceptions of the CEAB graduate attributes. It willbe used to provide feedback at instructor, program andfaculty levels as the University of Manitoba’s Faculty ofEngineering continues to implement its cycle of programdevelopment and improvement.

scholarly journals Recipe for Successful Meteorology Majors: Are Incoming Test Scores Indicative?

2020 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. E401-E408
Author(s):  
Craig A. Clark
Keyword(s):  
High School Students ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
First Year ◽  
Act Scores ◽  
School Students ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Academic Challenges ◽  
Academic Standing ◽  
Retention And Graduation Rates ◽  
The University

Abstract Many high school students with a passion for meteorology visit college campuses each year, inquiring about program details and learning of the rigorous math requirements and somewhat daunting attrition risk. The natural question for many is, “Can I do it?” To address this question, the study herein has investigated the sensitivity of meteorology major outcomes at Valparaiso University to incoming test scores (based on 2008–14 first-year cohorts). These former students are classified as meteorology alumni (MET Degree), graduates of other programs (Other VU Degree), and those who left the University (Left VU). There is an additional performance classification, which indicates students who completed the program in good standing (On Track), students that completed the program with greater difficulty (Below Track), those who left the program in good academic standing (Left On Track), and those who left the program after not doing well (Left Below Track). Results indicate that incoming test scores are indeed indicative of student outcomes, with a substantially greater likelihood of being On Track and graduating with the MET Degree among students with higher incoming ACT scores. Among students who Left Below Track, signs of academic challenges typically appear within first semester calculus and/or the introductory meteorology course. Higher admission standards would increase retention and graduation rates, but at a cost of barring admission for some students who have been successful in the program.

Novae in the Magellanic Clouds

1979 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 96-101
Author(s):  
J.A. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Large Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Magellanic Clouds ◽  
University Of Michigan ◽  
The Past ◽  
Spectroscopic Information ◽  
Objective Prism ◽  
The University ◽  
Small Cloud ◽  
Low Dispersion

During the past several years, a systematic search for novae in the Magellanic Clouds has been carried out at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. The Curtis Schmidt telescope, on loan to CTIO from the University of Michigan is used to obtain plates every two weeks during the observing season. An objective prism is used on the telescope. This provides additional low-dispersion spectroscopic information when a nova is discovered. The plates cover an area of 5°x5°. One plate is sufficient to cover the Small Magellanic Cloud and four are taken of the Large Magellanic Cloud with an overlap so that the central bar is included on each plate. The methods used in the search have been described by Graham and Araya (1971). In the CTIO survey, 8 novae have been discovered in the Large Cloud but none in the Small Cloud. The survey was not carried out in 1974 or 1976. During 1974, one nova was discovered in the Small Cloud by MacConnell and Sanduleak (1974).

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