Investigation of 8th Grade Students’ Mathematics Anxiety

The aim of this research study is to determine how students define their anxiety about learning mathematics, to determine the symptoms of anxiety and to define how anxiety occurs. The phenomenology research design was used in the study. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool in the research. The data were analyzed through the content analysis. The study group of the research consists of four male and four female 8th graders in two public secondary schools in Uluborlu district of Isparta. According to the results, students predominantly defined mathematics anxiety as frightening/scary. Also, students identified the symptoms of mathematics anxiety mostly as the theme of physical/physical symptoms. Students stated that sociological, psychological and philosophical dimensions were effective in the emergence of mathematical anxiety. Some students expressed common views on the sociological dimension-psychological and psychological-philosophical dimension. The effects of mathematics anxiety have been examined under two titles as the effects related to the psychological and sociological dimensions. While the effects related to the psychological dimension are discussed in terms of course achievement and effects on themselves, the effects related to the sociological dimension are discussed in terms of their effects on their relationship with their family and friends.

Need of BYOD in Mobile Learning Usage Among Enforcement Officer at MDTCA Malaysia

M-Learning using BYOD is an effective learning medium that will be developed to support enforcement officers at the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) Malaysia. Nevertheless, the problem statement study identified workload and constraints, limited training, and limited reference sources, which will be discussed in this article. Therefore, this study will face problem statements and examine the effect of mobile learning BYOD with different job positions view. To evaluate the level of acceptance and use of the application POT@MDTCA, the researchers applied the UTAUT2 constructs in the study. This study is qualitative in a nature case study. Methodology interviews were conducted with six respondents from different job positions at MDTCA Penang. This study showed that mobile learning with the "BYOD" concept is needed to achieve individual competencies in enforcement. The researchers have identified the rationale of the mobile learning BYOD concept is needed by enforcement officers to increase skills in learning opportunities development. The implications of this study will be significant to improve competency course achievement in knowledge and skills of enforcement to all MDTCA Malaysia.

Tailoring Stroke Counseling for Risk Reduction Intervention to African American Men

Early life course achievement and maintenance of ideal cardiovascular health is associated with reduced risk of developing stroke later in life. The Stroke Counseling for Risk Reduction (SCORRE) intervention is an age-and-culturally relevant intervention originally designed to correct inaccurate stroke risk perceptions and improve lifestyle behaviors to reduce stroke risk in AAs age 20-35. In a study testing SCORRE, fewer men participated, but most were not at a stage of readiness for behavior change; many did not think they were at risk despite averaging three modifiable risk factors, and while improvements in outcomes were observed in women they were not in men. These differences led to tailoring SCORRE to young AA men. The methods for tailoring SCORRE and resulting strategies for attracting, engaging, and empowering them towards stroke risk reduction, including hypotheses concerning food supply, housing, economic and social relationships, education, and mental health care will be raised for discussion.

Decision Making of Curriculum Attainment Degree for Engineering Geology Based on Fuzzy Set Theory

The study of engineering geology emphasizes the combination of theory and practice, and it highlights the comprehensive cultivation of curricular theory, curricular practice, and comprehensive skills. It is necessary to establish a set of effective methods to evaluate the achievement of training objectives to track, test, and improve the quality of curricular learning. In this paper, the principle of the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process based on entropy is used to construct an evaluation index system for the goal achievement degree of engineering geology courses, and the primary indicators mainly include knowledge, ability, and quality. Based on the actual situation, five curricular achievement levels are determined, that is, the comment set V = {very low, low, medium, high, very high}. Relying on the engineering geology course resource database of Xuchang University, the course goal achievement degree is evaluated, and the results show that the engineering geology course achievement degree is high. This method is suitable not only for the evaluation of the achievement of curricular objectives but also for the evaluation of the achievement of engineering education graduation requirements. This method can also help us find different courses and teaching weak links supporting the index points, indicate the direction and provide support for teachers to continuously improve their teaching and management methods, and effectively promote a continuous improvement in teachers’ teaching level and teaching quality.

Dynamic early warning system of college students’ target course performance based on improved Apriori algorithm

The early warning system of College Students’ target course achievement is an important part of the educational administration system in Colleges and universities. This paper proposes to use some techniques of association principle to mine a large amount of data in the performance system to a certain extent, and obtain available rules from the data. Based on the characteristics and shortcomings of Apriori algorithm, an improved Apriori is proposed. The algorithm can process and mine the data in the early warning system of College Students’ scores, and finally obtain the management principles, thus forming an effective early warning for the course learning. In order to promote the improvement of students’ academic performance and achieve the ultimate goal of cultivating excellent talents in Colleges and universities.

STEM ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS AS PREDICTOR OF SECONDARY SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN COURSE ACHIEVEMENT

Achievement in a course mostly depends on the students' characteristics and how teachers make their courses effective for their students' learning. Although different characteristics of teachers and students can affect learning outcomes, new approaches like STEM may cause new characteristics which affect students’ achievement as STEM attitudes. This study examines the correlation between secondary school students' STEM attitudes and their achievement in the Technology and Design Course (T & DC). A correlational survey model was applied in the study. A total of 400 students studying in the seventh and eighth grades constitute the sample of the study. A personal data form and STEM attitude test were utilized to collect data. Pearson Correlation Analysis and Regression Analysis techniques were used in the data analysis process. As a result of the analysis, it was found a positive and significant correlation between students' Technology and Design Course achievement and STEM attitudes. Students' attitudes to STEM predict their achievement in the Technology and Design Course by 5.1%. Students developing positive STEM attitudes can further enhance achievement in the (T&DC), which enables students to acquire the necessary design skills to produce technology in the future. Keywords: academic achievement, correlational survey, secondary school, STEM attitude, technology, and design course

Does prior healthcare experience predict success on clinical courses and add value to admissions processes?

Objectives: This work sought to assess whether prior clinical experience provided any guide to likely course achievement from three completed cohorts of Physician Associates at the University of Sheffield. Methods: Sixty students who entered the PA course at TUoS since it began in 2016 were included in the study. Each students' original course application was reviewed for healthcare experience and mapped against first sit examination scores. Statistical analysis was undertaken with a two-tailed t-test. Results: No correlation was found between previous healthcare experience and performance in examinations. Students with previous healthcare experience performed slightly worse than those without in the OSCE examination but not at a level of statistical significance. Conclusions: The use of clinical experience as part of the criteria of entry does not predict success on a Physician Associate course. We support the position of the 2010 Ottawa conference that quality assured methodologies along with objective cut offs for previous academic attainment are the most appropriate way to select students for clinical courses.