Levering Critical Collaboration

2017 ◽  
pp. 169-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Lara Crosby ◽  
Adam C. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Collaborative Processes ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
The University

This chapter presents an intervention in Design Thinking, a first year interdisciplinary design subject at the University of Technology Sydney. Over two iterations of this subject, researchers reframed the ‘group work' component as critical collaboration, drawing from the momentum in the design professions for more participatory and collaborative processes and the increasing acknowledgement of design as being critical to sustainable human futures. The online self and peer assessment tool SPARKPlus was used to change the way students approached collaboration and then reflected on it following their experiences. In this model, self and peer assessment is used as a leaver to encourage critical thinking about collaboration, rather than as a hammer to enforce participation.

scholarly journals HIV/AIDS awareness among first year pharmacy students and the role of the university

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Selente Bezuidenhout ◽  
Rob Summers
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Inadequate Knowledge ◽  
Aids Awareness ◽  
The University ◽  
Hiv Aids

As HIV/AIDS continues to spread and affect the lives of millions of people, a sense of urgency has developed about the imperative need to stop the epidemic. Education is the key to change knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. There is currently a gap in educationprogrammes targeting youths of ages 18-24 years, for example, those enrolled in tertiary institutions. The aim of the study was therefore to establish the level of HIV/AIDS awareness among undergraduate pharmacy students at the University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus)/ Tshwane University of Technology Schools of Pharmacy. A structured questionnaire was administered to pharmacy students on entry to the programme. Although the students of 2003, 2004 and 2005 obtained mean percentage HIV/AIDS awareness scores in the range of 70%-80%, they had inadequate knowledge of some transmission routes, events that occur when HIV invades the body, the “window period” and some symptoms. These knowledge gaps should be addressed by universities by integrating HIV/AIDS policies and education fully into all aspects of their planning, operations andteaching.

Language Problems of First Year Science Students

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Felicia Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
International Student ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
The University

The chapter discusses the background of a project which aimed at addressing the language needs of a diverse student body (both domestic and international student body) by embedding strategic approaches to learning and teaching in first year sciences in tertiary education. These strategies consisted of active learning skills which are widely used in language learning. The disciplines covered by the project were Biology, Chemistry and Physics and involved the University of Canberra, University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, University of Technology, Sydney, and University of Newcastle in Australia. This project was funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC).

scholarly journals Member Perceptions as a Parsimonious Representation of Collaboration Viability

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Heslop ◽  
Kylie Bailey ◽  
Jonathan Paul ◽  
Liz Stojanovski
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Students ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
First Year ◽  
Rater Bias ◽  
Assessment Data ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Systems Perspective

The PILAR model provides a dynamical systems perspective on collaboration. Two studies are performed using peer assessment data, both testing empirical support for the five Pillars (prospects, involved, liked, agency, respect) that constitute member’s perceptions of collaboration viability. The first study analyses peer-assessment data collected online from 458 first-year engineering students (404 males; 54 females). A nine-item instrument was inherited from past year’s usage in the course, expanded with four additional items to elaborate upon the agency and liked Pillars. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on student responses to test whether they thematically aligned to constructs consistent with the five Pillars. As anticipated, twelve of the thirteen items grouped into five components, each aligned with a Pillar, providing empirical evidence that the five Pillars represent perceptions of collaboration. The second study replicated the first study using a retrospective analysis of 87 items included in the Comprehensive Assessment of Team Member Effectiveness (CATME) peer-assessment tool. The associated factor analyses resulted in five components and conceptual alignment of these components with Pillars was evident for three of five CATME components. We recommend a peer-assessment instrument based upon PILAR as potentially more parsimonious and reliable than an extensive list of behaviours, such as employed by CATME. We also recommend including items that target inter-rater bias, which is aligned with the liked Pillar, that instruments such as CATME exclude.

scholarly journals Graduate Student Professional Development: A Case Study

2004 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector Eduardo Pérez ◽  
Kent D. Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
First Year ◽  
Tropical Plant ◽  
Seminar Series ◽  
Research Leadership ◽  
Strongly Agree ◽  
The University

Graduate students within the Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences Department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa developed a program that addressed their concerns regarding career enhancement and planned a Professional Development Seminar Series. Students identified topics related to enhancing their overall graduate experience and professional development, such as ethics in research, leadership in graduate school and beyond, interviewing skills, and writing critically for publications. Experts from the University of Hawaii and business communities presented 35- to 40-minute seminars on the various topics. Expectations of the students included participation in discussion sessions and completion of a critical thinking exercise after each presentation. Course evaluations revealed that the new seminar series was considered to be as effective as established courses within the department. On a scale from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree, students learned to value new viewpoints [4.2 ± 0.8 (mean ± SD)], related what they learned in class to their own experiences (4.5 ± 0.8), and felt the course was a valuable contribution to their education (4.4 ± 0.9). Students suggested offering the course during fall semesters to incoming students, reinforcing of the critical thinking exercise, and making the course mandatory for first-year graduate students.

scholarly journals Impact of mother tongue on construction of notes and first-year academic performance

2016 ◽  
Vol Volume 112 (Number 11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Dukhan ◽  
Ann Cameron ◽  
Elisabeth Brenner ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
First Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
Language Students ◽  
The University

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify whether there are any differences in the quality of the notes constructed in English between students for whom English is a first language and those for whom it is a second language. Subsequently we assessed whether this difference, if any, affected their grades. Unsurprisingly, the first-language students produced better structured and more detailed notes; they also performed better academically than their second-language peers. However, when students were provided with training that focused on using writing as a means to promote critical thinking, there was an improvement in the personalisation of their notes. The improvement in grades was significant for second-language students. Thus the university has a pivotal role to play in preparing students for academic success by providing them with supportive measures to aid their transition into first year.

scholarly journals Using group work to harness students’ multilinguistic competencies for a better understanding of assignment questions

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manduth Ramchander ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Group Work ◽  
First Language ◽  
Business Communication ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Language Usage ◽  
Multilingual Students ◽  
University Of Technology

In South Africa, it is readily acknowledged that there is an absence of pedagogy to inform multi-language usage for students for whom English is not a first language. Equally noteworthy, is that while group work has been used extensively as an active learning methodology, which has not been explored to the same extent is the manifestation of translanguaging when working in groups. This study explored how best to harness students’ multilingual competencies for a better understanding of assignment questions. The population comprised of first year Business Communication students at a university of technology. A mixed method research design revealed that when multilingual students engaged in group work, there was a tendency of gravitation towards translanguaging which resulted in students having a better understanding of assignment questions. It was concluded that group work can serve as an enabler for translanguaging, harnessing students’ multilingual competencies for a better understanding of their work.

scholarly journals Supporting Mature Aged Students to Develop Group Work Skills: A Review of a 2-Year Study of Students’ Experience of Group Work within their Pre-Nursing Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2 (October)) ◽  
pp. 67-79
Author(s):  
Deanna McCall ◽  
Bronwyn Relf
Keyword(s):  
Group Work ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Nursing Program ◽  
Social Connection ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Work Skills ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Student Role ◽  
The University ◽  
Gain Access

The University of Newcastle offers a tertiary preparation program that enables mature aged students to gain access to higher education. One of the largest intakes is into the pre-nursing program. This paper will share the findings of a 2-year study of tertiary preparation students undertaking group work within their pre-nursing program. For many mature-aged students returning to study, it requires the development and transition of their identity from that of an adult role to that of a student role. The aim of this study was to examine how group work can help support mature aged students in their transition to a student identity. The premise was to enable students to develop skills for success in their undergraduatenursing studies, whilst fostering social connection and a sense of belonging in the university. We identified an essential aspect of nursing as being able to work collaboratively with other nurses and within allied health teams. Keeping this in mind, we developed and delivered an approach that introduced group work in Week 3 of the students' program to enable them to effectively integrate curricula and co-curricular learning experiences. Using an online assessment tool called SPARK, students were each asked to self-reflect upon their individual role and their role within the group according to specific criteria that promoted positive group work behaviours and fostered social connection. It was hoped that by providing students with resources and evaluation tools they would develop group work and self-reflection skills to succeed in their studies and future profession.

RETHINKING THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-274
Author(s):  
Dennis Pieprz ◽  
Romil Sheth ◽  
Tao Zhang
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Dartmouth College ◽  
University Campus ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Master Plans ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
National University ◽  
To Come ◽  
The University

ABSTRACT In a post-COVID world, how can higher education embrace unforeseen changes and enable self-starting, entrepreneurial students to thrive? The interdisciplinary design firm Sasaki, has learned from its experience in the planning and implementation of university campuses around the world that a nimble, multi-faceted 21st century living-learning education positions universities to be adaptable for years to come. We argue that flexibility must be integrated at the planning level to break down silos and support interdisciplinary pedagogies inside and out of the classroom. Campus master plans need to embrace the idea of the plan as a “living document” or framework that can adapt to future needs. Designers and educators must also work together to harness the next generation of technology to create transparent, accessible and impactful learning environments. Flexible plans, buildings, and landscapes can connect different disciplines, integrate the latest technology, stitch together the campus, and encourage a lifelong learning mentality. The following case studies drawn from Sasaki’s practice in the United States, Asia, and Latin America will be used to support our argument: Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Anant National University, The Lawrenceville School, Xinyang University, Syracuse University, and Dartmouth College.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document