Search Results for
"Higher education"

This study aimed to investigate the role of higher education Institutions (HEIs) in sustainable environmental conservation. Universities conduct extensive research on regional and global biodiversity, assessing the health, threats, and populations of various species. Universities worldwide are expected to provide practical learning opportunities, such as fieldwork, internships, and community projects, that emphasize sustainability and environmental conservation. The researchers tested two hypotheses on how scientific research and habitat restoration campaigns contribute to environmental conservation. The quantitative study collected data using a survey questionnaire. The participants were 92 higher education academic staff purposively selected from 5 universities in Mogadishu, Somalia. The correlation coefficients for studies on climate change and habitat restoration initiatives in relation to sustainable environmental conservation were 0.597 and 0.601, respectively. The study found that climate change research (CCR) and habitat restoration campaigns (HRC) had a significant effect on sustainable environmental conservation (SEC), as indicated by p-values of 0.02 and 0.01, respectively. The study also highlighted the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and industrial activities. ©: © 2025 The authors.

This study examines the content complexity of Technical Sciences through the Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK) Level Scheme to provide a nuanced understanding of how cognitive demands influence student learning and instructional strategies. Using a quantitative research design and a systematic content analysis approach, the study evaluates the DOK levels embedded in Technical Sciences curricula, instructional resources, and assessment tools. The research focuses on categorizing Technical Sciences topics across the four DOK levels: recall and reproduction, skills and concepts, strategic thinking, and extended thinking. Data were collected from educational materials across various contexts and analysed to identify patterns in content complexity. The findings reveal a heterogeneous distribution of DOK levels, with some topics requiring higher-order thinking skills while others emphasize foundational knowledge. Significant discrepancies in the application of DOK levels across educational contexts were observed, underscoring the need for a consistent framework in curriculum design. The study highlights the implications for educators and curriculum developers, emphasizing the importance of integrating higher DOK levels into instructional practices to foster learners’ critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and deeper conceptual understanding. Recommendations include adopting DOK-aligned teaching strategies in Technical Sciences and conducting further research to explore the relationship between content complexity and student achievement. By addressing these gaps, the study contributes to ongoing efforts to enhance educational outcomes and promote a more rigorous and relevant Technical Sciences curriculum. ©Authors.

There is a widespread agenda of improving teaching and learning in higher education by engaging students with educational technology. Based on a large-scale literature review, the article presents 61 specific, research-based recommendations for realising the engagement potential of eight types of educational technologies in higher education. These recommendations can be used, for example, by educators to incorporate specific, available educational technologies into their teaching or as an educational development method to enhance particular forms of student engagement. Based on the evidence, the article points out that some educational technologies have a more documented and sometimes also broader potential to engage the students behaviourally, affectively, and/or cognitively than others and that this likely is related to the extent the technology supports structure, active learning, communication, interaction, and activities on the higher levels on the learning taxonomies. © The Author(s) 2024.

Background: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Asian universities struggles to integrate Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes (KSA) due to large classes and student reluctance. While ChatGPT offers solutions, its conventional use may hinder independent critical thinking. Objectives: This study introduces PA-GPT, using ChatGPT as a “virtual peer” in peer assessments to promote active learning and enhance knowledge, higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), and attitudes—the core of KSA in STEM. Methods: A randomised controlled trial involved 61 first-year engineering students (43 males, 18 females) from a university in Southern Taiwan enrolled in “Network Embedded Systems and Applications.” Participants, all with prior ChatGPT experience but no programming background, were purposively sampled. They were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 31) using PA-GPT or the control group (n = 30) using traditional ChatGPT. Over 8 weeks, data were collected using pre- and post-tests: a knowledge construction test (20 items, α = 0.85); a HOTS scale (α = 0.78–0.83) measuring critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity; and the S-STEM questionnaire (α >0.80) assessing attitudes towards STEM subjects and 21st-century learning. ANCOVA analysed the data, controlling for pre-test scores, and Levene's test checked homogeneity of variances. Results and Conclusions: ANCOVA results showed that PA-GPT significantly outperformed traditional ChatGPT in enhancing knowledge construction (F = 9.89, p = 0.002), critical thinking (F = 37.00, p < 0.001), problem-solving (F = 9.40, p = 0.003), creativity (F = 7.22, p = 0.009), and attitudes towards mathematics (F = 25.52, p < 0.001), engineering/technology (F = 16.06, p < 0.001), and 21st-century learning (F = 26.38, p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that PA-GPT effectively addresses challenges in student engagement and HOTS development in STEM education by simulating peer interactions. Peer Assessment with ChatGPT (PA-GPT) promotes active learning and self-reflection, potentially revolutionising AI-assisted education in large class settings. This study provides pioneering evidence for the effectiveness of AI-driven peer assessment in enhancing comprehensive STEM competencies, offering a promising direction for future educational technology integration. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

This study aims to investigate the extent to which perceived personal and school-related factors influence the quality of technology integration in teaching at the upper secondary level and how this differs between general and vocational education. The quality of technology integration was operationalised through the different activities supported by technology according to the ICAP model. We used data from a survey of 1660 teachers from 106 upper secondary schools in Switzerland to construct structural equation models of the interplay between school-related factors, teacher-related factors, and technology integration. Apart from confirming that technology integration is generally high across all school types, the study shows that among school-related factors, goal clarity is a significant predictor of constructive learning activities and of all the three personal factors considered in the study: teachers’ positive beliefs, technological knowledge, and technological pedagogical content knowledge. Moreover, these personal factors, in turn, constitute significant predictors of all the four types of learning activities. Both full-time and dual vocational schools integrate constructive and interactive activities more than general schools, and vocational teachers report significantly higher beliefs and lower technological pedagogical content knowledge than general school teachers. These findings confirm the importance of considering the interplay between personal and school-related factors when training teachers in technology integration, with interesting differences across school types that seem to depend more on the contextual culture than on the curriculum organisation. © 2024 The Authors

Aim: To determine the effects of a developed interactive e-book featuring various clinical scenarios based on the ARCS (attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction) model of motivation on the learning motivation, self-efficacy and FHR interpretation skills of nursing students. Background: This study fills the digital gap in teaching foetal heart rate interpretation and will help expand obstetric nursing education for on-site and distance education. Design: A randomised controlled trial was conducted of nursing students assigned to the experimental group (n = 41) and control group (n = 39). Methods: The experimental group used the developed e-book to learn about FHR interpretation, while those in the control group watched an instructional video and their learning outcomes were measured at baseline, immediately after the intervention and two weeks after the intervention. Results: Generalised estimating equations were applied to conduct the analyses revealing that the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in the immediate and two-week post-intervention tests on average regarding learning motivation and self-efficacy (p < .01). The experimental group also scored significantly higher in the immediate post-test for FHR interpretation skills (p < .001) and the significance lasted for two weeks after the intervention (p < .01). Conclusions: The developed interactive e-book can effectively improve the learning motivation, self-efficacy and FHR interpretation skills of nursing students, confirming the potential of multimedia and interactive elements in digital learning, particularly regarding complex obstetric nursing concepts. This study provided empirical support for the use of interactive e-books in nursing education. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd

Background: This study examines the effects of physical education on the social capital of university students, focusing on improving family, neighborhood, and academic relationships through group exercise. Methods: In Zagreb, Croatia, 976 participants aged 19–20 years participated in a randomized controlled trial. The intervention group (n = 472) engaged in teamwork exercises, and the control group (n = 504) completed individual exercises. The social capital measured in 6 areas was analyzed using linear regression and variance modeling. Results: Significant improvements in trust and collaboration within the university environment were found in the intervention group. Adjusted analyses showed positive correlations between the physical education intervention and increased trust between teachers and students (β = 0.118, P = .01), among students (β = 0.246, P = .01), and in total social capital (β = 0.617, P = .01). Residence in the parental home was associated with higher social capital. Notably, male and older students reported lower levels of trust and cooperation. Conclusions: Physical activity significantly improves the social capital of university students, suggesting the inclusion of group-based physical activities in higher education curricula to promote social inclusion and well-being. This underscores the importance of such interventions for educational policy and program development. © 2025 Human Kinetics, Inc.

This study aims to develop a Digital Assessment-based Industrial Internship Evaluation Model for Freedom to Learn (Merdeka Belajar dan Kampus Merdeka; MBKM) in government institutions. In implementing Industrial Internships to assess student performance in government institutions, there currently needs to be an evaluation model to assess student work competencies following Standard Operating Procedures because MBKM is a new program implemented in higher education. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method with a limited trial location in the Bandung City Government Agency. Data collection involved industrial work practice practitioners, external supervisors, and a team of experts from government institutions. The results showed that the MBKM Evaluation Model is recommended for implementing Industrial Work Practices in Government Agencies. Applying the MBKM Digital Assessment Model makes assessing practitioner performance objectively and accurately easy, practical, efficient, and satisfying for industry practitioners as assessors. This research contributes to developing a digital assessment-based MBKM Evaluation Model that can be used in implementing Industrial Work Practices in Government Institutions, increasing objectivity, accuracy, and efficiency in assessing student performance and providing benefits to all parties involved in implementing Industrial Work Practices. © School of Engineering, Taylor’s University.

Competency-based education is an educational paradigm with the primary goal of combining theoretical knowledge and practical skills, giving students the opportunity to effectively apply learning outcomes in real-life situations. This approach focuses on preparing students for life’s challenges by nurturing them as independent, critical, and creative thinkers who can adapt to an ever-changing environment. This article examines the process of competency-based assessment and progress monitoring in primary grades. The study conducted a qualitative content analysis of observed lessons and teacher interviews to reveal how assessment and continuous progress monitoring can contribute to comprehensive student development. Ten primary school teachers participated in the study, responding to researchers’ questions about competency-based education and their practices in assessment and progress monitoring. The article presents the results of a qualitative study aimed at evaluating the process of competence-based assessment and progress monitoring in primary school classrooms. The study results revealed that, in assessing student progress, teachers find it important for students to not only demonstrate knowledge in different situations but also gain a clearer understanding of their learning goals and have opportunities for growth. Such an assessment system not only helps students develop self-reflection but also encourages them to take responsibility for their learning process, continually improve, and strive for higher competency achievement. © 2025 by the authors.

This study investigates the implementation of dual training at the University of Extremadura (2023–2024), aiming to bridge theoretical academic knowledge with practical industry insights. This research utilizes SmartPLS 4.1.0.9 SEM-PLS software to explore the relationship between corporate engagement, academic outcomes, and sustainability challenges, validating hypotheses and refining dual training models in sustainability education. Key variables include Information Collection (IG), Sustainable Business Challenges (SCh), and Knowledge Developed by Business Strategies (KBS). The findings reveal that while the dual training model successfully integrates academic curricula with corporate engagement, it struggles to connect business strategies with actionable recommendations and has limited impact on improving teaching methods. This study identifies structural and practical barriers in the Spanish education system that hinder the full realization of dual training’s potential. To address these challenges, this research recommends incorporating continuous feedback mechanisms throughout the learning process and enhancing mentorship opportunities. Continuous feedback would allow students to refine their conclusions, leading to more practical and sustainable solutions. Additionally, the use of authentic case studies and greater industry involvement would help students bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications, enabling them to generate actionable recommendations and better understand sustainability challenges and business strategies. These recommendations aim to improve student learning outcomes and strengthen the integration of academic and corporate practices, fostering more effective sustainability education. © 2025 by the authors.