International Students in the UK : how can we give them a better experience?

This paper focuses on practical actions that can be taken to improve the learning experience of international students in the UK. Informed by personal experience in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, supplemented by an extensive literature search, a series of actions are recommended to improve the learning experience of international students from culturally diverse backgrounds. The suggested actions cover issues for individual lecturers, Departments, Higher Education Institutions and national level bodies. The approach taken is to incorporate personal reflection and personal views and the ideas of writers in the field. The paper is written in the first person and sets out the author’s wish list of ideas, hopes and aspirations for the future, from the perspective of a teaching fellow working in a research focussed University in the UK

Determinants and outcomes of motivation in health professions education: a systematic review based on self-determination theory

Purpose: This study aimed at conducting a systematic review in health professions education of determinants, mediators and outcomes of students’ motivation to engage in academic activities based on the self-determination theory’s perspective. Methods: A search was conducted across databases (MEDLINE, CINHAL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases), hand-search of relevant journals, grey literature, and published research profile of key authors. Quantitative and qualitative studies were included if they reported research in health professions education focused on determinants, mediators, and/or outcomes of motivation from the self-determination and if meeting the quality criteria. Results: A total of 17 studies met the inclusion and quality criteria. Articles retrieved came from diverse locations and mainly from medical education and to a lesser extent from psychology and dental education. Intrapersonal (gender and personality traits) and interpersonal determinants (academic conditions and lifestyle, qualitative method of selection, feedback, and an autonomy supportive learning climate) have been reported to have a positive influence on students’ motivation to engage in academic activities. No studies were found that tested mediation effects between determinants and students’ motivation. In turn, students’ self-determined motivation has been found to be positively associated with different cognitive, affective, and behavioural outcomes. Conclusion: This study has found that generally, motivation could be enhanced by changes in the educational environment and by an early detection of students’ characteristics. Doing so may support future health practitioners’ self-determined motivation and positively influence how they process information and their emotions and how they approach their learning activities

Diverse Galaxies Lithograph

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the diversity of galaxies in the universe. A huge elliptical galaxy, designated ESO 325-G004, dominates the image. In addition to many elliptical and spiral galaxies, the image contains a few small irregular galaxies, and red, yellow, and blue foreground stars. The accompanying classroom activity is a current support tool designed for use as an introductory inquiry activity. It can be incorporated into a unit that has a scientific inquiry and/or a galaxy classification theme. During the classroom activity, In Search of ...Galaxy Types, students use the lithograph images and text to generate questions about the diverse collection of galaxies on the front of the lithograph. They conduct research to answer their questions, identify patterns, and/or compare and contrast galaxy characteristics, depending on the teacher’s objectives. Students will organize their material and present a report, providing supporting evidence from their research. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Student information-seeking behavior in meeting Islamic information needs

The large number of Islamic tertiary institutions with a specific religious curriculum between one Islamic university and another. This curriculum is should be able to increase students’ knowledge of Islamic information for academic and non-academic needs. So, this study aimed to describe the behavior of Islamic students in Malang City using the Wilson model, including patterns of information-seeking behavior, sources used in seeking information, and evaluation of Islamic information. Method research was a qualitative study. Research subject involving nine informants consisting of students from UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, the Islamic University of Malang, and the University of Muhammadiyah Malang. This study described Islamic information-seeking behavior based on cognitive, affective, and physiological information needs. In addition, this study described information search patterns such as passive search, active search, and continuous search. This study concludes that students in seek Islamic information used diverse pattern. Information for academic purposes, primarily via books, scientific journal databases, and Google Scholar, and Islamic information to meet non-academic needs comes from YouTube, Instagram, and websites. Students can notice the information creator's background in examining online sources of information. Students evaluate Islamic information sources by comparing various sources obtained, asking friends who are considered qualified in religious knowledge, and directly asking the ustadz

An exploration of learning styles used by social work students: a systematic review

Social work educators are faced with the challenge of ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds are fully equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills. However, to be effective social work educators, the educator is required to understand the learning style of the student. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the learning styles of social work students for the purpose of understanding how to adapt and refine teaching strategies in social work. To this end, a search for descriptive studies in databases, which included Ebscohost (Academic Premier, CINAHL, SOcIndex, Psycharticles, Medline), DOAJ and Pubmed, was conducted. Eight articles met the criteria for inclusion in this systematic review. The target population included both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The studies were mainly conducted in developed countries. The results suggest that the most common approach for social workers is the diverging learning style, which entails having an interest in people, being aware of emotion, and a tendency to be imaginative. This review recommends that if there is an improved understanding of students’ learning needs then educators could adapt their teaching strategies to accommodate and support students from diverse backgrounds, with diverse learning needs.DHE

The Recruitment of Sexual Minority Students in Higher Education

In a time when universities actively recruit diverse groups of applicants, some universities are seeing the need for a diverse student population and advancing their recruitment initiatives to recruit specific groups of students. The LGBTQ+ community has been perceived as an invisible community (Cegler, 2012) by some universities, but other higher education institutions are seeing the value of specifically recruiting students who identify as a part of this community. This study was designed to focus on the initiatives universities are implementing to effectively recruit students who identify as LGBTQ+. Using a qualitative approach, the researcher interviewed six participants who identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community—and who varied in sexual orientation and experiences during the college search—and analyzed the data for common themes and trends. The participants were three women and three men who identified as cisgender sexual minorities in their first year at a mid-sized, Midwestern university. Their experiences varied as they went through the college search process. Participants shared specific factors that attracted them to the university in this study, including LGBTQ+ student support, an inclusive campus climate, and alumni recommendations

Assess Compassion in Higher Education? Why and How would we do that?

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in LINK, following peer review. http://www.herts.ac.uk/link/volume-2,-issue-1/assess-compassion-in-higher-education-how-and-why-would-we-do-thatAbstract: This article reports the effects (on students' social and learning experiences) of supporting students in the use of explicitly compassionate interactional strategies during their weekly seminar interactions. Also reported is the impact of this practice on individual performances in critical thinking in seminars. Methods: Findings of a cross disciplinary search on compassion were used to design a compassion focussed pedagogy (a CfP) for the university seminar. This pedagogy was then trialled, through action research, in two departments in a UK HEI. N=97 Humanities under and post graduate students and n=60 Business undergraduates participated in subject seminars that were run using the CfP. Template analysis was used to identify themes in the qualitative data sets: field notes of observed behaviours in seminars run with and without the CfP, films of assessed CfP seminars (n=48 students), and interviews and focus groups (n=33 students). In a final participating business module of ethnically diverse students, statistical analysis explored the effects of the CfP on individual critical thinking performances (n=38). Findings: Overall, students were attitudinally inclined to increase efforts over time to enhance their own and others' social and learning experiences in seminars through compassionate behavioural interventions during discussions; they achieved, or failed to achieve this, in observable ways that were seen and agreed to be appropriate to assess as credit bearing towards their under and post graduate degrees by five out of five external examiners. Students found eye contact – inclusive, excluding or avoidant – was critical to mediating the spread of participation in their seminars. Findings also suggested, tentatively, the potential of the CfP to substantially change the national attainment gap in terms of critical thinking in seminars.Final Published versio

“What are you looking for in a candidate?” The career search process for international students in higher education student affairs

This study examined lived experiences of two international student affairs professionals in the United States. Through a series of interviews, the dialogues unfold rich narratives that explore the multifaceted journey from academic preparation to career placement in the field of higher education student affairs (HESA). It also underscores the unique challenges encountered by international students compared to their domestic counterparts during the job search process. Given the limited research pertaining to the experiences and support for international graduate students during the job search process in the field of HESA, this study provides valuable insights and implications for educators, institutions, and career support services to better address the needs of the diverse and growing demographic of the candidates

Introducing the concept of biocatalysis in the classroom: The conversion of cholesterol to provitamin D 3

Biocatalysis is a fundamental concept in biotechnology. The topic integrates knowledge of several disciplines; therefore, it was included in the course “design and optimization of biological systems” which is offered in the biochemistry curricula. We selected the ciliate tetrahymena as an example of a eukaryotic system with potential for the biotransformation of sterol metabolites of industrial interest; in particular, we focused on the conversion of cholesterol to provitamin D3. The students work with wild type and recombinant strains and learn how sterol pathways could be modified to obtain diverse sterol moieties. During the course the students identify and measure the concentration of sterols. They also search for related genes by bioinformatic analysis. Additionally, the students compare biotransformation rates, growing the ciliate in plate and in a bioreactor. Finally, they use fluorescence microscopy to localize an enzyme involved in biotransformation. The last day each team makes an oral presentation, explaining the results obtained and responds to a series of key questions posed by the teachers, which determine the final mark. In our experience, this course enables undergraduate students to become acquainted with the principles of biocatalysis as well as with standard and modern techniques, through a simple and robust laboratory exercise, using a biological system for the conversion of valuable pharmaceutical moieties.Fil: De Luca, Belén M.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Nudel, Berta Clara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Rodrigo Horacio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Nusblat, Alejandro David. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentin