scholarly journals Using Peer Assisted Learning to improve academic engagement and progression of first year online law students

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-24
Author(s):  
Lynda Crowley-Cyr ◽  
◽  
James Hevers ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Law Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Peer Assisted Learning ◽  
Online Study ◽  
The University

The University of Southern Queensland’s online study environment continues to grow with over 16,000 students studying online. Pre-Covid-19, online enrolments typically represent around 67% of all students studying at USQ. This article usefully analyses quantitative data in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot of an online peer-assisted learning program for first-year Law students. The article asks whether a customised online Meet-Up program can objectively enhance student engagement and academic performance in a first-year law course. Results from the pilot were positive and are a productive contribution to the literature on online peer-assisted learning.

scholarly journals The Impact of Enquiry-Based Learning on Academic Performance and Student Engagement

1969 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alastair Summerlee ◽  
Jacqueline Murray
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Current Paper ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Access Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Year Seminar

Previously, we reported qualitative findings showing that students who experienced a problem- or enquiry-based course (EBL) in a first-year seminar program had greater confidence in their academic abilities, were more engaged, and were better prepared for upper-year courses. In the current paper, we provide quantitative data to substantiate the students’ qualitative conclusions. We present results to show that these students do perform at a significantly higher level compared with members of the control group who did not experience an EBL course. Using survey data, we show that the EBL students shift the way they access information compared with peers: they preferentially use more sophisticated resources for research. At the same time, students report greater engagement in the community, and student engagement is known to contribute to increased academic performance.  

Correlating entrance data and first year academic performance of students enrolled in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Porto

2021 ◽  
pp. 030641902110156
Author(s):  
TMGP Duarte ◽  
AM Lopes ◽  
LFM da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
First Year ◽  
Female Type ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Over Time

Understanding how the academic performance of first year undergraduate students is influenced by home, personal and institutional factors is fundamental to delineate policies able to mitigate failure. This paper investigates possible correlations between the academic performance of students at the end of high school with their achievements at the end of first year university. Data for students in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering (MIEM) program within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto are analysed for the period 2016/2017 to 2019/2020. The students’ performance is measured by two metrics and the students are structured as a whole and by groups, according to their gender (Male/Female), type of secondary school (Public/Private), living place (Away/Home) and the rank of MIEM in their application list of options (Option 1/Option 2–6). The information is organized statistically and possible correlations between the data are investigated. The analysis reveals limited correlation between the two metrics, meaning that all students may exhibit good or poor results at the end of first year in MIEM, independent of their status at entrance. An unanticipated pattern is exhibited for the group Option 2–6, since it shows that, despite entering into MIEM without top application marks, the students in this group can perform as well as the others. This behavior is consistent over time.

scholarly journals Evaluation of First-Year University Students’ Engagement to enhance Student Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
Hooi Sin Soo ◽  
Yenwan Chong
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
University Students ◽  
Student Development ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
University Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Online Engagement ◽  
New Students ◽  
First Year University

Abstract: The COVID-19 crisis has dramatically impacted university education as well as created new challenges for tertiary learning institutions. The pandemic has exacerbated graduate unemployment and increased student dropout rates. In response to these unprecedented challenges, universities are formulating more student development initiatives to support new students to transition into university and produce holistic graduates with essential soft skills. Student engagement evaluation can help inform and enhance the implementation of student development programs. In this study, seven domains of first year university students’ engagement were evaluated namely Academic Engagement (AE), Beyond-class Engagement (BE), Intellectual Engagement (IE), Online Engagement (OE), Peer Engagement (PE), Student-staff Engagement (SE) and Transition Engagement (TE). This study found that university freshmen’s Online Engagement (OE) was the strongest while their Academic Engagement (AE) was the weakest. This study also discovered that first year university students’ engagement were weakest with regard to reading of textbooks before attending class, asking questions in class and borrowing books from the university library. Future student development programs targeted at first year university students could be enhanced by increasing the use of ICT in teaching and learning as well as increasing efforts in assisting new students to transition from school to university learning environments by inculcating good reading habits and encouraging active class participation. Keywords: Academic engagement, First year undergraduates, Student development, Student engagement, Transition to university

scholarly journals A new measure for the assessment of the university engagement: The SInAPSi academic engagement scale (SAES)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Francesca Freda ◽  
De Luca Picione Raffaele ◽  
Giovanna Esposito ◽  
Giancarlo Ragozini ◽  
Italo Testa
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
Academic Motivation ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Convergent And Discriminant Validity ◽  
New Instrument ◽  
The University ◽  
Engagement Scale

AbstractDespite the growing interest on the notion of academic engagement (AE) and its relevance for students’ success, a few valid and reliable instruments on AE have been developed. Moreover, most of the available measures consider AE as a student’s trait rather than a relational and situated dynamic process. This study presents the development and validation of a new instrument, the SInAPSi Academic Engagement Scale (SAES), which was developed within a project coordinated by the SInAPSi center of the Authors’ University and it aims to measure AE. The main sample was constituted by 680 students and a convenience sample of 312 biology and biotechnologies students was also involved to perform the confirmatory factor analysis of the initial factor structure of the SAES. Construct validity was assessed using the University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI), while criterion-related validity was established with the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), the students’ confidence in one’s own preparation for academic studies and their academic performance. Results show that the SAES presents a robust factor structure, a good convergent and discriminant validity, and satisfactory psychometric properties. Furthermore, the SAES shows a positive correlation with the USEI and the AMS, the students’ confidence in their preparation for academic studies and their academic performance. The results indicate that the SAES can produce valid and reliable data on AE and it may have strong implications for assessing AE and implementing intervention programs for university students.

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.

A LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON THE USE OF PEER INSTRUCTION WITH CLICKERS TO TEACH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Mousaion ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-103
Author(s):  
Paul A. Laughton
Keyword(s):  
Information Management ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Peer Instruction ◽  
First Year ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The University

The objective of this research was to determine whether students would benefit from the incorporation of a teaching method known as peer instruction with clickers in first year information management classes at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Quantitative data was collected from selected classes over a period of two years. An attempt was made to confirm whether the benefits from using peer instruction with clickers recorded in previous studies were applicable to the subject of information management. Half of the selected classes used peer instruction as a teaching method, while the remaining half used a conventional face-to-face, one-to-many teaching method. Clickers were used to collect data from all classes, enabling a comparison of the two teaching methods. The different teaching methods applied revealed varying responses from the students, which also revealed different results in their class test scores. This quantitative data may potentially prove some benefits of using peer instruction with clickers to teach information management.Keywords: clickers, information management, peer instruction

The Use of Story-Telling as an Assessment Task in Optics: A Collaborative Learning Approach in Optometry Education

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faran Sabeti B.Optom ◽  
Myra Leung B. Optom ◽  
Nicola Anstice B. Optom
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Centered Learning ◽  
Assessment Task ◽  
Learning Group ◽  
Passive Learning

Abstract Background: Collaborative learning utilising storytelling is an active learning strategy that has not been investigated in optometry education. We examined the relationship between academic performance and this learning style to determine if this assessment type can improve student engagement and academic outcomes in ophthalmic optics.Methods: A student-centered learning assessment was applied to one cohort of students (n=37) enrolled in the first year ophthalmic optics course of the optometry program at the University of Canberra, Australia. Students were randomly paired and asked to utilise cooperative storytelling to create a visually engaging presentation about a randomly assigned optical principle for elementary school aged children. A comparative cohort of first year optics students received a passive learning written assignment (n=30). Results: Mean percentage change in academic performance following the assignment, was significantly greater in the cooperative storytelling versus the passive learning group (+13.0 ± 5.8%, p = 0.03; +3.0 ± 5.0%, p = 0.55). Students who performed lower academically, identified as the lowest quartile pre-assignment, showed a significantly greater increase in scores from baseline for the cooperative storytelling group (+18.6%, p < 0.01) relative to the passive learning group (-6.4%, p = 0.42). Most students judged that the cooperative storytelling activity increased peer interaction (65%) and that it assisted in their preparation for the follow-up written assessments (89%).Conclusion: Assessment strategies that encourage collaborative storytelling increased student engagement in the optometry course, which may deepen comprehension and lead to improvements in academic performance and student experience.

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.

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