scholarly journals Quality of Academic Life during COVID-19 Pandemic as Perceived by Taibah University Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 120-149
Author(s):  
Areej Yousef Ahmed Hakim
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
University Students ◽  
Academic Support ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Academic Life ◽  
Quality Level ◽  
Academic Satisfaction ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Academic Practices

The current study aimed to identify the quality level of academic life during COVID-19 pandemic from students' perception of Taibah University, Yanbu branch. To this end, a descriptive approach was used to answer the following main research question: What is the quality level of academic life during COVID-19 pandemic from students' perception of Taibah University? The study tool consisted of a questionnaire to measure the quality level of the students’ academic life. The tool was ensured for reliability and validity and composed of three sections that contained indicators to measure the quality of academic life; academic practices, academic satisfaction, and academic support. The sample of the study consisted of 187 male and female students. Results showed high perceptions for the respondents in the quality of academic practices section (M=4.15, SD=1.03). The statement No.9 entitles “Rate the precautionary actions provided to you to activate the online education as an alternative to face-to-face education during COVID-19 pandemic” obtained the highest rank (M=4.63). The second section that measured the level of academic satisfaction recorded (M=1.76, SD=1.10), obtaining 58.71%. The statement 6 entitles “I felt my love to home increased during COVID-19 pandemic” obtained the highest rank (M=4.63, SD=.81, 98.93%). The academic support dimension recorded (M=4.33, SD=.93), Indicating that the level of academic support for students during COVID-19 pandemic was excellent (86.65%) as perceived by the study sample. The statement 5 which entitles “Rate the extent to benefit from academic counseling during COVID-19 pandemic” got the highest rank (M=4.67, SD=.72, 93.485). The most challenges encountered the students gradually categorized from the highest to the lowest were the poor Internet network, non-availability of laptop computers, low experience in working with blackboard, and poor technical experience. The study recommended the significance of academic support and suggested doing further studies on and the reality of quality of academic life from faculty members perspectives and the role of precautionary health during COID-19 pandemic to enhance the national loyalty for the university students.

scholarly journals University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2538
Author(s):  
Angel M. Dzhambov ◽  
Peter Lercher ◽  
Drozdstoy Stoyanov ◽  
Nadezhda Petrova ◽  
Stoyan Novakov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
University Students ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Single Item ◽  
Acoustic Environment ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Human And Nature

Background: Online education became mandatory for many students during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and blurred the distinction between settings where processes of stress and restoration used to take place. The lockdown also likely changed perceptions of the indoor acoustic environment (i.e., soundscape) and raised its importance. In the present study, we seek to understand how indoor soundscape related to university students’ self-rated health in Bulgaria around the time that the country was under a state of emergency declaration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between 17 May and 10 June 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 323 students (median age 21 years; 31% male) from two universities in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Self-rated health (SRH) was measured with a single-item. Participants were asked how frequently they heard different types of sounds while at home and how pleasant they considered each of those sounds to be. Restorative quality of the home (the “being away” dimension of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale) was measured with a single-item. A priori confounders and effect modifiers included sociodemographics, house-related characteristics, general sensitivity to environmental influences, and mental health. Our analysis strategy involved sequential exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multivariate linear and ordinal regressions, effect modification tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: EFA supported grouping perceived sounds into three distinct factors—mechanical, human, and nature sounds. Regression analyses revealed that greater exposure to mechanical sounds was consistently associated with worse SRH, whereas no significant associations were found for human and nature sounds. In SEM, exposure to mechanical sounds related to lower restorative quality of the home, and then to poorer SRH, whereas nature sounds correlated with higher restorative quality, and in turn with better SRH. Conclusions: These findings suggest a role of positive indoor soundscape and restorative quality for promoting self-rated health in times of social distancing.

scholarly journals COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TRANSLATIONS PREPARED BY STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT LEGAL QUALIFICATIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 85-115
Author(s):  
Márta LESZNYÁK ◽  
Dorka BALOGH
Keyword(s):  
Information Transfer ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Legal Professionals ◽  
Political Sciences ◽  
Catholic University ◽  
The University ◽  
Made In

In our paper, we present the results of the second phase of a study conducted in collaboration between two higher education institutions in Hungary with different types of translator training: a postgraduate (MA) course at the University of Szeged (SZTE), Faculty of Arts, and a postgraduate specialist training course at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest (PPKE JÁK), Faculty of Law and Political Sciences. At SZTE, students do not have any legal qualifications, while at PPKE JÁK, students are all qualified legal professionals. Our main research question was whether there are significant differences in the quality of legal translations carried out by students with and without legal qualifications. We analyzed and evaluated the global (holistic) quality of the translations using a five-point scale as suggested by Kiraly (1995: 83), and compared types of errors made by the two groups of students with the help of a special error typology. Our results show that students with legal qualifications perform better in terms of both global and analytic indicators, with significantly less errors made in information transfer and in legal register. 

scholarly journals Spelling Problems and Causes among Saudi English Language Undergraduates

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dheifallah Altamimi ◽  
Radzuwan Ab Rashid
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Education System ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Spelling Errors ◽  
Main Research

Arab students who learn English as a foreign language, especially Saudi students, face different challenges during the process of learning of the four English language skills, especially writing and its component (spelling). This paper aims to investigate the preceded causes of students’ spelling errors. The main research question sought to be answered is: What are the causes of spelling errors made by the Saudi university students? The research participants were 15 students in the English Language Department at Tabuk University and 15 English language lecturers from the same department. Group structured interviews were designed for the lecturers and students. The findings reveal that there are different causes of students’ spelling errors such as the education system and university syllabus, students’ learning attitude, and the interference between English and Arabic language. This paper concludes that the spelling errors which Saudi university students commit were caused by the negative impacts of their education system and syllabus, where the syllabus ignores the importance of spelling rules and techniques, and the interference between English and Arabic language when the learners refer to their mother tongue while writing in the English language. It is hoped that the findings revealed in this study will help the policymakers in taking necessary actions in improving the learning experience of Arab learners of English. This paper calls for a reform in the English language teaching in Saudi education system so that spelling is given the required emphasis as it is the foundation of English proficiency.

scholarly journals Entrepreneurial Characteristics of Students in Different Fields of Study: a View from Entrepreneurship Education Perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1879-1889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Holienka ◽  
Jana Holienková ◽  
Peter Gál
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Internal Locus Of Control ◽  
Entrepreneurial Characteristics ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Applied Informatics ◽  
Calculated Risk

The aim of our article is to examine the entrepreneurial characteristics of university students in different disciplines, and to develop implications and recommendations for entrepreneurship education programing according to the observed differences. The main research question is to identify whether students from different selected disciplines exhibit different rates of enterprising potential (i.e. tendency to start up and manage projects), and if so, which are the differentiating attributes. To answer this question we conducted a study using the General Enterprising Tendency v2 Test (GET2 test) and analysed the enterprising potential of 370 university students in four different majors (business administration, applied informatics, psychology and pedagogy). The findings of our analysis suggest that there are significant differences in the general enterprising tendency levels, as well as in levels of three out of five its components (namely need for achievement, calculated risk taking and internal locus of control) between the students in analysed majors. In other words, students in different disciplines exhibit different rates of entrepreneurial predispositions. In our article we present and further discuss these findings, especially from the entrepreneurship education perspective in its broadest sense.

Extensive Quality Model of Semantic Standards

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-41
Author(s):  
Erwin Folmer
Keyword(s):  
Product Quality ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Quality Measurement ◽  
Standard Setting ◽  
Process Quality ◽  
Quality Model ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Quality Aspects ◽  
Hierarchical Trees

A problem survey, including 34 semantic standard setting organizations (SSOs), gives the evidence that quality of standards can be improved, but for the improvement of a quality measurement an instrument is needed. The main research question in this work is: What are the characteristics of an instrument to measure the quality of semantic standards that will aid standard developers in improving their standards? The presented quality model consists of in total 100 quality aspects structured within three hierarchical trees; product quality (intrinsic), process quality (the organization of the standard), and quality in practice (application of the standard).

scholarly journals Does project focus influence challenges and opportunities of open online education? A sub-group analysis of group-concept mapping data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine Schophuizen ◽  
Karel Kreijns ◽  
Slavi Stoyanov ◽  
Scott Rosas ◽  
Marco Kalz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Organizational Challenges ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Group Concept

Abstract Openness in education is not a consistent term or value since “open” is used to describe various things and often means different things to different individuals. In a research context, it is important to identify the many interpretation(s) and perspectives of openness being investigated, especially since the underlying ideas behind these different interpretations and contexts can yield different results. Not much empirical research on the implementation aspects of open education exists, especially comparing open educational resources (OER) and open online education (OOE). This empirical study addresses this gap, exploring identification and prioritization of organizational challenges and opportunities of two subgroups of projects (i.e. OER focused or OOE focused) within various higher education institutions in The Netherlands. The main research question in this study is: Does the project character (OER focus vs. OOE focus) of innovation projects lead to perceived differences by actors involved in their implementation? Findings indicate that there are differences in conceptual as well as practical representation between the two groups. These findings imply that higher education institutions need to internally adapt to the needs of various manifestations of “openness” to be able to fully benefit from opportunities and overcome challenges.

scholarly journals A Systematic Literature Review on the Quality of MOOCs

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5817
Author(s):  
Christian M. Stracke ◽  
Giada Trisolini
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Massive Open Online Courses ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Quality Framework

This paper presents the findings from a systematic literature review on the quality of massive open online courses (MOOCs). The main research question was “How can the quality criteria for MOOCs identified in the analysed studies from the systematic literature review be best organised in a categorisation scheme?” The systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA procedures. After conducting the screening and eligibility analysis according the pre-defined criteria, 103 studies were finally selected. The analysis was done in iterative cycles for continuous improvements of the assignments and clustering of the quality criteria. The final version was validated in consensus through the categorisation and assignment of all 103 studies in a consistent way to four dimensions (pedagogical, organisational, technological, and social) and their sub-categories. This quality framework can be re-used in future MOOC research and the discussion of the analysed studies provides a current literature overview on the quality of MOOCs.

scholarly journals What went wrong? Fracking in Eastern Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreea Maierean
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Research Question ◽  
The United States ◽  
Democratic Governance ◽  
Shale Formations ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Strategic Incentives ◽  
The Impact

AbstractA few years ago, optimistic estimates claimed that Eastern Europe possessed large shale formations that seemed likely to produce great quantities of natural gas. In addition, the countries in the region had strategic incentives to develop a transparent domestic shale industry in order to reduce its reliance on gas from Russia. Nevertheless, political and social factors as well as differences in physical characteristics, prevented the U.S. experience from being replicable in Eastern Europe. In the end, most multinational energy corporations announced that they had abandoned efforts to find and produce natural gas from shale rock in Eastern Europe. The paper discusses the impact of shale gas exploration on the quality of democratic governance by comparing and contrasting fracking regulations adopted in the United States with those of Eastern Europe. The main research question attempts to ask and identify: “what are the factors that influence a democratic and fair governance of public natural resources”.

scholarly journals From village to city through maps: historical cartographic materials as an information source on 20th century environmental changes due to urbanisation in Poland

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (31) ◽  
pp. 73-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamil Nieścioruk
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Topographic Maps ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Post War ◽  
Early Maps

Abstract The article presents the use of historical Polish post-war topographic maps and their usefulness in the detection and assessment of environmental changes caused by 20th century urbanisation. The case study area is the Polish city of Lublin. Two main research questions are defined and answered. The first is what kinds of maps can be used to trace environmental changes as well as to find the present-day remains of past environments and what is the reliability of these maps? Several series of topographic maps are used here together with aerial photography. The second research question is what changes can be found by comparing spatial sources and what features can be found today with the help of early maps. The main features investigated in this section are linear (road networks) and areal (orchards) supplemented with point features of various kinds (trees, wells, shrines). The quality of cartographic information is assessed and remnants of the past environment are discovered.

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