scholarly journals Transition to First Year University Study: A Qualitative Descriptive Study on the Psychosocial and Emotional Impacts of a Science Workshop

10.28945/4297 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 197-210
Author(s):  
Jyothi Thalluri ◽  
Joy Penman
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Dropout Rate ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Health Programs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Laboratory Activities ◽  
The University

Aim/purpose The purpose of this article is to discuss the psychosocial and emotional outcomes of an introductory health science workshop designed to support and assist incoming health science students before starting their university study.   Background For the past two decades, a South Australian university offered an on-campus face to face workshop titled ‘Preparation for Health Sciences’ to incoming first-year students from eleven allied health programs such as Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medical Imaging. While many were locals, a good number came from regional and rural areas, and many were international students also. They consisted of both on-campus and off-campus students.   The workshop was created as a new learning environment that was available for students of diverse age groups, educational and cultural backgrounds to prepare them to study sciences. The content of the four-day workshop was developed in consultation with the program directors of the allied health programs. The objectives were to: introduce the assumed foundational science knowledge to undertake health sciences degree; gain confidence in approaching science subjects; experience lectures and laboratory activities; and become familiar with the University campus and its facilities. The workshop was delivered a week before the orientation week, before first-year formal teaching weeks. The topics covered were enhancing study skills, medical and anatomical terminology, body systems, basic chemistry and physics, laboratory activities, and assessment of learning.   Methodology In order to determine the outcomes of the workshop, a survey was used requiring participants to agree or disagree about statements concerning the preparatory course and answer open-ended questions relating to the most important information learned and the best aspects of the workshop. Several students piloted this questionnaire before use in order to ascertain the clarity of instructions, terminology and statements. The result of the 2015-2018 pre- and post-evaluation showed that the workshop raised confidence and enthusiasm in commencing university and that the majority considered the workshop useful overall. The findings of the survey are drawn upon to examine the psychosocial and emotional impacts of the workshop on participants. Using secondary qualitative analysis, the researchers identified the themes relating to the psychosocial and emotional issues conveyed by the participants.   Contribution The contributions of the article are in the areas of improving students’ confidence to complete their university degrees and increasing the likelihood of academic success. Findings Of the 285 students who participated in the workshops from 2015 to 2018, 166 completed the survey conducted at the conclusion of the initiative, representing a 58% response rate. The workshops achieved the objectives outlined at the outset. While there were many findings reported (Thalluri, 2016), the results highlighted in this paper relate to the psychosocial and emotional impacts of the workshop on students. Three themes emerged, and these were Increased preparedness and confidence; Networking and friendships that enhanced support, and Reduced anxiety to study sciences. Some drawbacks were also reported including the cost, time and travel involved. Recommendations for practitioners Students found the introductory workshop to be psychosocially and emotionally beneficial. It is recommended that the same approach be applied for teaching other challenging fields such as mathematics and physics within the university and in other contexts and institutions. Recommendations for researchers Improving and extending the workshop to provide greater accessibility and autonomy is recommended. A longitudinal study to follow up the durability of the workshop is also proposed. Impact on society The impacts in the broader community include: higher academic success for students; improved mental health due to social networking and friendship groups and reduced anxiety and fear; reduced dropout rate in their first year; greater potential to complete educational degrees; reduced wastage in human and financial resources; and increased human capital. Future research Addressing the limitations of cost, time and travel involved, and following-up with the participants’ academic and workplace performance are future directions for research.

scholarly journals Transition to First Year University Study: A Qualitative Descriptive Study on the Psychosocial and Emotional Impacts of a Science Workshop

10.28945/4188 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Dropout Rate ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Health Programs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Laboratory Activities ◽  
The University

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the 2019 issue of the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, Volume 16] Aim/purpose The purpose of this article is to discuss the psychosocial and emotional outcomes of an introductory health science workshop designed to support and assist incoming health science students before starting their university study. Background For the past two decades, a South Australian university offered an on-campus face to face workshop titled ‘Preparation for Health Sciences’ to incoming first-year students from eleven allied health programs such as Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medical Imaging. While many were locals, a good number came from regional and rural areas, and many were international students also. They consisted of both on-campus and off-campus students. The workshop was created as a new learning environment that was available for students of diverse age groups, educational and cultural backgrounds to prepare them to study sciences. The content of the four-day workshop was developed in consultation with the program directors of the allied health programs. The objectives were to: introduce the assumed foundational science knowledge to undertake health sciences degree; gain confidence in approaching science subjects; experience lectures and laboratory activities; and become familiar with the University campus and its facilities. The workshop was delivered a week before the orientation week, before first-year formal teaching weeks. The topics covered were enhancing study skills, medical and anatomical terminology, body systems, basic chemistry and physics, laboratory activities, and assessment of learning. Methodology In order to determine the outcomes of the workshop, a survey was used requiring participants to agree or disagree about statements concerning the preparatory course and answer open-ended questions relating to the most important information learned and the best aspects of the workshop. Several students piloted this questionnaire before use in order to ascertain the clarity of instructions, terminology and statements. The result of the 2015-2018 pre- and post-evaluation showed that the workshop raised confidence and enthusiasm in commencing university and that the majority considered the workshop useful overall. The findings of the survey are drawn upon to examine the psychosocial and emotional impacts of the workshop on participants. Using secondary qualitative analysis, the researchers identified the themes relating to the psychosocial and emotional issues conveyed by the participants. Contribution The contributions of the article are in the areas of improving students’ confidence to complete their university degrees and increasing the likelihood of academic success. Findings Of the 285 students who participated in the workshops from 2015 to 2018, 166 completed the survey conducted at the conclusion of the initiative, representing a 58% response rate. The workshops achieved the objectives outlined at the outset. While there were many findings reported (Thalluri, 2016), the results highlighted in this paper relate to the psychosocial and emotional impacts of the workshop on students. Three themes emerged, and these were Increased preparedness and confidence; Networking and friendships that enhanced support, and Reduced anxiety to study sciences. Some drawbacks were also reported including the cost, time and travel involved. Recommendations for practitioners Students found the introductory workshop to be psychosocially and emotionally beneficial. It is recommended that the same approach be applied for teaching other challenging fields such as mathematics and physics within the university and in other contexts and institutions. Recommendations for researchers Improving and extending the workshop to provide greater accessibility and autonomy is recommended. A longitudinal study to follow up the durability of the workshop is also proposed. Impact on society The impacts in the broader community include: higher academic success for students; improved mental health due to social networking and friendship groups and reduced anxiety and fear; reduced dropout rate in their first year; greater potential to complete educational degrees; reduced wastage in human and financial resources; and increased human capital. Future research Addressing the limitations of cost, time and travel involved, and following-up with the participants’ academic and workplace performance are future directions for research.

scholarly journals Bridging the gap to first year health science: Early engagement enhances student satisfaction and success

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyothi Thalluri
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Attrition Rate ◽  
First Year ◽  
Core Knowledge ◽  
Mass Higher Education ◽  
First Semester

Student academic success and positive satisfaction in first year health sciences programs is shaped by their transition experience. An introduction to core knowledge, study skills, and engagement with staff and students has historically been overlooked, but this has been newly recognised as a contributor to first year success, especially with mass higher education of students from diverse backgrounds. The University of South Australia ‘Preparing for Health Sciences’ workshop was designed to assist the student transition into health science programs. The workshop improved confidence and enthusiasm in starting university (56% pre- and 95% post-workshop), and 97% considered the workshop effective overall. Introduction to biological principles was widely considered to be beneficial (87%). The attrition rate after the first semester in 2014 was 7.6%, which is appreciably lower than the standard 12% in science-based courses. These findings demonstrate that an introductory workshop does greatly assist in the transition of students into their health science programs.

Library Impact Research Report: Understanding and Communicating Research Impact: The Needs of STEM and Health Sciences Faculty and Postdoctoral Researchers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Negeen Aghassibake ◽  
Lynly Beard ◽  
Jackie Belanger ◽  
Diana Louden ◽  
Robin Chin Roemer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Impact ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Library Impact ◽  
The University ◽  
Postdoctoral Researchers ◽  
Impact Framework ◽  
The Impact

As part of ARL’s Research Library Impact Framework initiative, the University of Washington (UW) Libraries explored UW faculty and postdoctoral researcher needs for understanding and communicating the impact of their work, with a focus on researchers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and health sciences fields. The project was designed to understand the challenges researchers face in this area, identify how participants in these fields define and measure impact, and explore their priorities for research-impact support. The project team conducted a survey and follow-up interviews to investigate these questions. This research report presents the project team’s methodology, findings, and recommendations for future research.

scholarly journals Self-efficacy in first-year university students: a descriptive study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Alvarez-Huerta ◽  
Iñaki Larrea ◽  
Alexander Muela ◽  
José Ramón Vitoria
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Motivation And Learning

The study and analysis of the self-efficacy beliefs of students has become an important line of educational research. The purpose of this study, conducted at the University of Mondragon (Spain), is to explore the different perceptions concerning the creative and entrepreneurial self-efficacy of students on their entrance to university. Results revealed clear patterns with regards to discipline and gender. Students commencing their degrees in social sciences show lower creative and entrepreneurial self-efficacy perceptions than their peers in other disciplines. Women show lower scores than men across different disciplines with the exception of women commencing engineering studies. Self-efficacy has been related to student motivation and learning and has been found influential in the choice of the professional career. The high significance of this construct in education makes the results of this study have clear implications for the development of learning environments that address the differences found between gender and disciplines. Directions for future research are also indicated.

scholarly journals Investigating health factors as predictor of early drop-out of first year accounting students at the University of the Free State, South Africa

Afrika Focus ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
Christa Beyers ◽  
Hanli Joubert
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Free State ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Health Factors ◽  
The University

Introduction: The future of the South African workforce looks bleak given the challenges posed, not only by health factors, including HIV and AIDS, but also the success and throughput rate of first year university students. Methodology: The research in this study was conducted in 2013 using a post-positivist approach and applying an interpretive stance using a mixed method approach, which included a quantitative non-experimental predictive multivariate design as well as focus group interviews to triangulate the findings. Results: We present findings that psychosocial background factors, physical health and emotional health influence success and non-completion rates among first year students at the University of the Free State, South Africa. Conclusion: We argue that early identification of poor psychosocial background, including health factors, can assist in empowering youths helping them to make healthy decisions and deal with stressful situations in a way that will not compromise their academic success.

scholarly journals Educating future practitioners through an Interdisciplinary Student Clinic

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Curran ◽  
Isobel Ryder ◽  
Caroline Strevens
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Law School ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Professional Students ◽  
Interdisciplinary Practice ◽  
The University

<p align="JUSTIFY">This article introduces a pilot clinic that has been designed and implemented at Portsmouth Law School in partnership with the School of Health Sciences. The benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary team working identified in the health science and legal education literature will be discussed. It looks at the rationale for this innovative development and speculates on the potential for a new professional curriculum that may emerge.</p><p align="JUSTIFY">The philosophy driving this pilot clinic is to contribute to breaking down silo thinking in professional students and build trust in the health and legal systems. This initiative will expose health professional and law students to holistic and therapeutic approaches to problem solving, teaching teamwork, collaboration and to breaking down the negative stereotypes of lawyers.</p><p align="JUSTIFY">The proposed pilot clinic at the University of Portsmouth will provide new opportunities for students studying law and adult nursing to explore how interdisciplinary practice might build bonds of trust between professionals. It will also enable those involved to see potential networks, signposts and links, in order to improve client outcomes.</p><p>This new development, taking lessons from educational practice in health sciences, provides professional and teaching staff operating the clinic to build a new collaborative and dynamic joint curriculum. This new form of clinic, it is argued, provides an alternative to traditional perceptions of clinical teaching across multidisciplinary paradigms.</p>

scholarly journals Investigating knowledge regarding antibiotics among pharmacy and allied health sciences students in a Sri Lankan university

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (09) ◽  
pp. 726-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed HF Sakeena ◽  
Alexandra A Bennett ◽  
Fahim Mohamed ◽  
Herath MDR Herath ◽  
Indika Gawarammane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Medical Laboratory ◽  
Undergraduate Teaching ◽  
Questionnaire Response ◽  
The University

Introduction: Education and adequate training regarding the appropriate use of antibiotics for health care professionals is essential in developing countries. Educational strategies can also influence appropriate antibiotic use in the community. The aim of this study was to assess and compare knowledge of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) between pharmacy and other allied health sciences (AHS) students at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, which offers undergraduate teaching in pharmacy and other AHS; nursing, radiography and medical laboratory sciences. All students in each program were invited to participate in this study. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive data analysis and Chi square tests were performed. Results: Pharmacy (n = 102) and other AHS students (n = 284) completed the questionnaire (response rate 69%). A majority of participants (76%) reported antibiotic use in the past year. A significantly higher proportion of pharmacy students reported antibiotic use was appropriate for the management of skin wound infection, urinary tract infection and sore throat compared to AHS students, p < 0.05. No significant differences were observed between pharmacy and AHS students regarding knowledge of AMR. Most students understood terms related to antibiotic resistance through their undergraduate studies. Conclusion: Pharmacy students demonstrated better knowledge and understanding regarding antibiotics utilization than AHS students. Both pharmacy and AHS students had good understanding regarding AMR. The undergraduate curricula of pharmacy and AHS have contributed significantly to understanding the terminology associated with antibiotics and AMR.

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