Application of a Group Decision Support System in the Reform of Study Programmes

This paper presents the process and impact of the application of a group decision support system (GDSS) in the reform of post-Bologna graduate and postgraduate study programmes in two higher education institutions in Slovenia. Four experiments with four groups including both students and staff were performed. We have used the GDSS tool TeamWorks to organize, moderate and document meetings intended to develop possible answers to the question "How can we improve the content and execution of the study programmes?" The obtained results are to be used in the design of new study courses. Analysis of the idea gathering process dynamics represents important information for researchers in the field of group decision-making process dynamics. In addition to the experimental work the structure of a group decision support process is described and guidelines for the further development of tools and methodologies are presented.

Using peer review in formative assessment to smooth the transition onto a postgraduate taught master’s course.

The transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study can be challenging and complex, with many students experiencing uncertainty and anxiety about the jump in academic requirements. Peer review has been shown to enhance students’ critical thinking and writing skills, and subsequent academic performance. This paper describes and evaluates the use of peer review in a formative assessment on a postgraduate taught master’s course. The associations between both given and received grades and feedback and subsequent academic performance were analysed. Peer feedback was shorter and contained fewer meaning-level comments than tutor feedback. Grades did not differ between peers and tutor and were positively associated with performance on similar assignments in first semester, but not over the academic year. Students reported that the peer review process enhanced their work by demonstrating how others approached a topic and encouraging them to ‘think like a marker’. The usefulness and feasibility of using peer review on taught master’s courses is discussed.

FAMILY-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS OF INDONESIAN FAMILIES ENGAGED IN POSTGRADUATE STUDY

Indonesian students who study in Australia sometimes bring their family members, such as their children. Therefore, they do not only play a role as a student but also as a parent. The role will be more complex as they need to build partnership with their children’s school. Building family-school partnerships with families from culturally and linguistically difference can be challenging. Therefore, the aim of this research project was to understand the perspectives of Indonesian families to the notion of partnerships with the school for their children’s education. This study specifically focused on Indonesian families who study postgraduate education in Australia and have a child or children studying in early childhood education settings. This research was based on an exploratory case study. It involved semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. The data was analyzed using an inductive strategy and thematic analysis. Findings showed that there was discrepancy between participants’ perspectives on authentic partnerships and the practice. Parents viewed partnerships as a collaboration only when they had concerns to children. Lack of open communication emerged as the challenge because participants’ role as a student. Parents felt hesitant also to ask about their children’s school program because of the lack of communication from the teacher and the cultural factor. Therefore, Indonesian families who have dual roles, as students and parents, and Australian teachers who have students that their parents also study could rethink what kind of partnerships that is effective for the benefit of children. Mahasiswa Indonesia yang belajar di Australia terkadang membawa serta anggota keluarga, salah satunya adalah anak. Oleh karena itu, mereka memiliki peran ganda, sebagai mahasiswa dan sebagai orang tua. Peran tersebut menjadi lebih rumit jika anak mereka juga sekolah di Australia karena mereka diharapkan juga membangun kemitraan dengan sekolah anaknya. Membangun kemitraan antara sekolah dan orang tua dari negara yang berbeda bahasa dan budaya memiliki tantanganan tersendiri. Oleh karena itu, tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah memahami perspektif keluarga Indonesia tentang konsep kemitraan antara keluarga dan sekolah. Penelitian ini berfokus pada keluarga Indonesia yang sedang melanjutkan studi S2 di Australia dan mempunyai anak yang bersekolah di pendidikan anak usia dini. Penelitian ini berbentuk studi kasus eksploratori. Pengambilan data melalui wawancara semi-struktural dengan menggunakan pertanyaan terbuka. Analisis data menggunakan strategi induktif dan analisis tematik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan orangtua memiliki kekhawatiran yang berbeda terkait anaknya di sekolah. Ada ketidaksesuaian antara perspektif partisipan terkait konsep kemitraan dengan praktek di lapangan. Orangtua menganggap kemitraan sebagai kolaborasi hanya jika ada permasalahan pada anak. Kurangnya komunikasi menjadi tantangan kemitraan akibat peran orang tua sebagai mahasiswa. Orangtua ragu untuk bertanya terkait program sekolah karena kurangnya komunikasi dari guru dan juga faktor kultural. Maka dari itu, keluarga Indonesia yang memiliki peran ganda, sebagai mahasiswa dan orangtua, serta guru PAUD di Australia yang memiliki siswa dengan orang tua yang juga pelajar di Australia dapat meninjau ulang kemitraan yang efektif untuk mendukung pembelajaran anak.

Strengthening Student Competency in Making Social Science Learning Media, Social Science Development Courses

The teaching and learning process is not only limited to providing material, but also utilizing media that is suitable with the material to be taught. Learning media has a very important role, therefore the media in learning has a function as a tool in the teaching and learning process to engage students to be active in learning. Social science learning process requires learning media to be used by teachers to stimulate students' minds. This study aims to describe and analyze the strengthening of student competencies in making social studies learning media in Social Development courses in the Postgraduate Study Program at IAIN Purwokerto. This type of research is a qualitative study. Data collection techniques used are through observation, interviews and documentation. Development of student competency in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Teacher Education Study Program IAIN Purwokerto develops learning media especially social science subjects at the Madrasah Ibtidaiyah education level. The results of competency development is learning media that can be used by teachers in delivering material in social science subjects. The development of media produced by students is in the form of Mini Zoo media, ASEAN Box media and Traditional and Modern Markets Miniature media.

‘We’re Meant to Be Crossing Over … but the Bridge Is broken’: 2020 University Graduates’ Experiences of the Pandemic in Ireland

We interviewed university graduates of 2020 in Ireland to understand how the coronavirus pandemic had affected them. Demonstrating a keen awareness of their mental health, participants had adopted self-care practices such as mindfulness. They recounted positive experiences of life in their ‘lockdown homes’ with supportive families. Some were embarking on normative adult pathways sooner than anticipated while others opted for postgraduate study to bide time. Participants reported heightened worry/anxiety and had limited their media use in response. Their plans did not extend beyond the immediate future, reflecting a degree of resignation. The participants accepted the strict constraints associated with pandemic management in Ireland. They did not view themselves as members of a group that was likely to experience the long-term costs of the pandemic but rather were attempting to negotiate their own pathway through labour market uncertainty while also demonstrating high levels of solidarity towards vulnerable groups in society.

Educational and Postgraduate Study Opportunities, For an Ophthalmology Resident in Pakistan

Ophthalmology postgraduate training in Pakistan has undergone a significant reforms and modifications in the last one decade. There are currently two categories of ophthalmology postgraduate courses in Pakistan i.e. two year courses ofMCPS or DOMS and four year courses of FCPS or MS. Among these membership/ fellowship programs are offered by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) while Diplomas and Master degree programs are offered by the Medical Universities. PM&DC the former medical licensing body of Pakistan categorized two year postgraduate programs as level- and four year postgraduate programs as level-qualifications, which differ in scale of appointment and promotion preference. Recently Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), the successor of PM&DC, has categorized postgraduate qualifications into additional, postgraduate and alternative qualifications.1 A resident ophthalmologist after starting postgraduate (PG) training in ophthalmology can also avail additional opportunities besides continuing with the course in which he/she is admitted.

Conceptual framework for teaching professional foreign language (Case of LSP for Law): for universities studying English

The monograph is intended for researchers and students of English for special purposes. The main goal of the monograph is to impart the theory of foreign language proficiency and the formation of language competence. The monograph provides a conceptual framework consisting of theoretical and methodological approaches aimed at the formation of the language and requirements for the methodology of teaching English for special purposes using the example of English for lawyers. The monograph consists of two parts, the first part critically examines the theory of learning, the second part analyzes the postgraduate study program and concludes with guidelines for teaching English for special purposes.

Inventive Higher Education: a Blending Passage

The massification of education has led to the perception in some disciplines that an undergraduate degree no longer provides sufficient competitive advantage in employment. While undergraduate degrees deliver sufficient professional and expertise substance for entry level positions, ultimately it is the postgraduate qualification which sets students apart and in turn assists with rapid career advancement. In ensuring that graduate students exceed the desired entry level of professional skills, the education institution needs to provide a linking passage between undergraduate and postgraduates studies. This blending passage offers a significant opportunity for students to further develop their overall expertise and skill set. Moreover, this blending passage needs to closely align with the specific professional requirements together with the potential for the graduate to seek possible career progression and advancements. Accordingly, postgraduate studies need to align with these specific professional requirements. The blending passage is an innovative approach which maximizes non-traditional learning and provides incentives to further augment the student’s career. This rapprochement will be aligned with the relevant professional bodies that will also carefully consider the students’ professional competencies. This paper will investigate three prominent Australian universities and their Engineering undergraduates’ belief in the importance of further education and their desire to further develop their specialist expertise through postgraduate study. Minitab will be utilized as a statistical tool to analyze survey data and the findings and their implications for the provision of a blended passage to postgraduate study will be discussed.

Students’ Perspectives of Postgraduate Supervision: Desirable and undesirable practices

The current global completion rate for postgraduates stands at 60 per cent, and one of the main problems cited is poor supervisory practices among postgraduate supervisors. Therefore, this qualitative study presents the views of nine PhD scholars on postgraduate supervisory practices from four universities in Malaysia. The thematic qualitative analysis categorized the supervisory practices into three main aspects, namely desirable, undesirable, and appalling practices. The findings of this study though not conclusive do shed some light on current supervisory practices. The findings imply that training and perhaps the call for accreditation of postgraduate supervisors is in order. Keywords: postgraduate study; supervisory practices; feedback; learning community; Supervisor-student interaction. eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI3.2555