Online Lightning Talks
Level of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Among Nursing Students in Chile
Virtual Lightning Talk Lisette Paola Irarrázabal Vargas, Carla Föster, Paola Carrasco, Silvia Barrios, Ximena Gonzales, Ivonne Vargas, Paola Acevedo
In 2016, 330 nursing students between their 1st-5th years at a Chilean nursing school self-assessed their RIPL using the interprofessional learning scale (RIPLS). RIPLS measures patient centeredness, teamwork and collaboration, and sense of professional identity. Additional items asked students’ interprofessional learning outside the classroom and asked professors how they promoted these skills in the classroom. There was no difference was found between student’s years in nursing school. The teamwork dimension, despite no significant difference, showed a trend of greater disposition for RIPL among fifth year students. Overall, only one RIPLS item was significant: "Shared learning before graduation will help health professionals to build better teams”. The interprofessional activities reported by professors were not entirely formal or intentional. Students reported an increase of shared learning with other health students, however no significant difference was found. This is the first Chilean study assessing the RIPL among nursing students. Despite the high level of RIPL, there was still a desire to increase RIPL. Therefore, continued assessment and intentional interprofessional activities need to be part of the nursing curriculum to ensure increased RIPL i competency levels.
The "Informed" Trip: The Successes, and Failures, of a New Study Tour Model
Virtual Lightning Talk Andrew Howe
The Honors Program at La Sierra University (Riverside, California) offers a study tour to Southeast Asia that, entering its fifth year, has just yielded a full cycle of assessment results. The trip is based on the theoretical concept that such transformative cultural experiences are best built upon a solid backdrop of information: prior to the summer three-week trip, students take a full quarter of coursework (40 contact hours spread over ten weeks) studying the politics, religion, art, music, and ecology of Singapore and Malaysia. Each student is made responsible for becoming an "expert" on several aspects of this region. Students are also in charge of researching passports, vaccines, and other logistical aspects of the trip. As many of these students are first-time college attendees, many have never been outside the United States before. During the three week trip, students are expected to lead out in their areas of expertise when the occasion arises. In addition to exploring some of the key pedagogical features of this study tour model, this paper will share the results of a four-year assessment cycle, including quantitative and qualitative data in the following areas: the ability to think critically and consistently about other cultures; the ability to understand cultural diversity and its importance in regional and global contexts; and, the ability to link civic engagement to personal transformation (specifically, during the section of the tour spent volunteering at schools and hospitals in Sarawak). Specific instruments of assessment, and results, will be shared.
Creativity in Higher Education Skills for the Future
Virtual Lightning Talk Siu Challons-Lipton
The need for increased creativity in education is currently being proposed in much innovative thinking on higher education as universities are forced to recreate themselves. Today’s students are the most technologically connected in history. Technology is shaping modern relationships with others, with ourselves, with it. Conversation is being sacrificed for connection, compromising our capacity for self-reflection. People are increasingly connected, yet increasingly lonely. There is an aggressive almost fearful avoidance of the capacity for solitude, and technology is a willing accomplice. We are collectively being lulled to sleep. The antidote is to build greater self-awareness with it, with others, and with ourselves. The need for an education through the arts has never been greater. The teaching example of the experimental Black Mountain College (BMC) of North Carolina (USA) from the 1930s to the 1950s is once again relevant with its dedication to educational and artistic experimentation, including cross-disciplinary collaboration and the fostering of individuality. A liberal arts education is again the example for the future as a directive to action, the development of character, and an education for life as an active citizen.
Exploring Factors That Shape Students’ Understanding of Their Career Choices
Virtual Lightning Talk Nceba Nyembezi
The study aimed to investigate factors that shape the Technical Vocational Education and Training engineering students’ understanding of their future career choices, given the promising and ambitious vision for growth both in Technical Vocational Education and Training, (TVET). Qualitative self-administered questionnaires which are open-ended in nature were used as data collection tool to assemble facts about students’ beliefs, feelings and experiences regarding certain engineering programs and services offered at TVET colleges. Non-probability sampling was used to select 113 participants who voluntarily completed the questionnaires which were organized to stimulate the required information. The findings are rather interesting, as they point to divergent views shared by students. There are those who feel very strongly that TVET qualification especially engineering leads to full employment because of its demand. Whilst the other group contends that the high rate of youth unemployment in South Africa does not guarantee even a graduate with either TVET or Higher Education qualification. They argue that no qualification guarantees anyone an employment as advanced by human capital theory. Vocational Education and Training must be repositioned to articulate a political response to poor schooling in relation to labor market and ease school leavers into jobs or self-employment under conditions of wide spread youth unemployment.
University Student Perceptions of Learning English as an International Language
Virtual Lightning Talk Hsuan-Yau Tony Lai
This study aims to investigate the perceptions of Japanese university students of the ownership of English, varieties of Englishes, native English speakers’ norms in the English classroom, ideal learning goal and preferred Englishes. A survey was conducted at a medium-sized university in Fukuoka, Japan. A total of 322 students (201 non-English majors and 121 English majors) participated in this study. The results show some contradictory findings. The majority of the students agree with the native ownership of English; however, they also agree that it is a language shared by anyone speaking it. In terms of varieties of Englishes, most students in the study agree that standard English means American or British English; however, they also agree that there should be varieties of Englishes. In regard to students’ ideal learning goal, the students believe that having smooth communication is more important than memorising grammar rules. When asked for their preferred English varieties, most students chose American English (50.3%), followed by British English (17.1%) and no preference (10.9%). A t-test was further used to examine whether students’ gender and majors impacted their perceptions. The uniqueness of this study also lies in the comparison and contrast between university students in Japan and Taiwan by drawing on the results of a study conducted by one of the authors (Lai, 2011). This paper will consider the possible implications for English language professionals.
Enhancing Undergraduate Students’ Inquiry Skills through Transition Inquiry-based Experiment in Qualitative Organic Analysis
Virtual Lightning Talk Udomdeja Polyium
This research aims to compare the effects of transition inquiry-based experiment with different inquiry levels in qualitative organic analysis on students' inquiry skills. For this purpose, A mixed methods approach was used in research. Purposive sampling chose the participants of the study. There were composed of 16 first year undergraduate students in food science and technology program.They were 4 males and 12 females. These students enrolled in the organic chemistry laboratory course in the second semester of the 2017 academic year. The practical work consists of four experiments: Qualitative elemental analysis of organic compounds, Classification of organic compounds by solubility tests, Identification of organic compounds by functional groups tests and, Identification of unknown organic compounds. Each experiment took 2 hours per week. The participants have carried out the inquiry experiment for four weeks. A lab report collected inquiry skills during the students' learning in the class. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference in the practical work between structured inquiry and guided inquiry in posing questions, analyzing and interpreting data, and constructing explanations and communicating results. Paired t-test analysis of inquiry skills scores showed that there was a significant difference in the practical work on guided inquiry and open inquiry. Besides, inquiry skill on open inquiry is grated score than other inquiry levels. The practical instructional work could promote student's inquiry skills. It had the sense of crucial feather of scientific inquiry that could lead them to enhance the scientific learning knowledge.
