Investigating Potential Gender Differences in First-Year Engineering Students’ Academic Motivation and Homework Submission Behavior

Previous studies have shown that there exists a difference in undergraduate students’ academic motivation based on gender. Specifically, females have been shown to be more extrinsically motivated than their male peers in a university setting (D’Lima, et. al, 2014). However, little research has been done to examine the effects of gender relevant to academic motivation in gamified systems. The study of gamification systems is important due to the increase in their use within educational activities. This study leverages the Jones MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation and gamification profiles to answer the research question: How does gender influence student behavior and motivation towards an online gamified homework platform? Academic motivation was determined through student responses to the MUSIC Model survey. Behavior was measured through submission behavior including the number of attempts needed to complete a problem and the frequency of submission. The mastery-based homework portal that was employed in a first-year engineering design course provided data on the number of attempts needed for each student to successfully complete an assignment. In addition, the rate at which students submitted homework assignments within the self-pacing environment was also recorded. This information was utilized to extract gamification profiles to describe the behavior of students over time. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine if any meaningful differences existed. Overall, it was shown that females have consistently higher overall academic motivation scores than males. It was also shown that males have a wider distribution of gamification profiles, ranging from disheartened behavior to overachieving behavior. Females, on the other hand, were more likely to have a consistent homework submission behavior

A Computational and Experimental Compressor Design Project for Japanese and British High-School Students

This paper describes an innovative, three-day, turbomachinery research project for Japanese and British high-school students. The project is structured using modern teaching theories which encourage student curiosity and creativity. The experience develops team-work and communication, and helps to break-down cultural and linguistic barriers between students from different countries and backgrounds. The approach provides a framework for other hands-on research projects which aim to inspire young students to undertake a career in engineering. The project is part of the Clifton Scientific Trust's annual UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop Programme. The work focuses on compressor design for jet engines and gas turbines. It includes lectures introducing students to turbomachinery concepts, a computational design study of a compressor blade section, experimental tests with a low-speed cascade and tutorials in data analysis and aerodynamic theory. The project also makes use of 3D printing technology, so that students go through the full engineering design process, from theory, through design, to practical experimental testing. Alongside the academic aims, students learn what it is like to study engineering at university, discover how to work effectively in a multinational team, and experience a real engineering problem. Despite a lack of background in fluid dynamics and the limited time available, the lab work and end of project presentation show how far young students can be stretched when they are motivated by an interesting problem

Innovative learning in action (ILIA) issue one: Internationalising the curriculum

Welcome to the first edition of the University of Salford’s ‘Innovative Learning in Action’ (ILIA). The journal will be published bi-annually and is intended to provide recognition for and to celebrate the good practice of staff who - across campus - strive to innovate in pursuit of the quality learning experience. The dissemination of good practice will provide positive encouragement to those considering new approaches to student learning and support and act as a springboard for collaboration, shared experience, mutual support and reflection within and across schools and faculties. The journal aims to be inclusive, therefore the Editorial Board welcomes a varied range of contributions from those who are seasoned and experienced researchers in the field, to those who are embarking upon their first engagement with publishing in the domain; from tried and tested innovations which may be transferable to other disciplines to work in progress and embryonic developments; from academic and related staff to those performing roles in support of student learning. The tone of the journal is quite informal, providing an illustrative rather than exhaustive overview of innovations and authors are encouraged to describe and reflect upon their experiences in their own individual styles. The theme of this first edition is ‘Internationalising the Curriculum’ a concept that is at the very heart of the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy: ‘…preparing students for careers that will be in the global economy and to enrich the wider student experience by integrating the knowledge and experience of our international students.’ (University of Salford, Strategic Framework 2003-2004) Contributions that explore innovative programmes and collaborations underway at the University provide a range of perspectives on curriculum development and design, signifying ways in which other colleagues might pursue an international agenda in their teaching and learning practice

Changing skills required by the industries: perceptions of what makes business graduates employable

This study relates to the employers assessment of graduates skills as deem required by the industries. The business need for accelerated performance levels induces a responding desire for rapid changes in the skills required by universities graduates. A changing environment with resultant organizational restructuring means graduates now find jobs are more demanding as the needs of business to be more competitive. Whereas in the past, managerial competence went hand in hand with the possession of specific skills and abilities, it now seems to involve more. Empirical evidence from the research suggests that respondents share a basic commitment to the development of common skills within the context of a business and management studies programme. Clearly the employers participating in this study placed greater emphasis on major subjects of management and business (53.5%) and less on elective subjects (18.4%). Interestingly, the Quality Assurance Unit in Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia also made a guideline of 50-60% of major subjects in Management and Business programme for undergraduate programme. On the other hand, this study confirmed that the industry also have the same views on programme composition in Management and Business programme in Malaysia.In-term of key skills in management and business programme, verbal and written communication skill were ranked higher and less on innumeracy skill. This finding also supported findings in the programme structure, where is the communication subject must play an important role in designing management and business syllabus. In academic and intellectual skills, be independence and ability to solve business problem placed most important skills by the employers. In line with that result, the employers also expected that the graduates will be able to carry out responsibilities assigned and always on time or can keep appointments. From this finding, it is imperative that higher learning institutions gave greater emphasis in developing soft skills of the students as well as preparing them with good attitude for employment

Motivating Russian Workers: Analysis of Age and Gender Differences

What motivates Russians to work? This paper utilizes survey data collected in May/June 2000 from 1200 employees in three regions of Russia to analyze the gender and generational differences in factors influencing motivation to work. Five main results emerge. First, Russians are not significantly different from their counterparts in the United States in terms of what is important to them at their place of work. Organizational commitment, however, emerges as only weakly positive among Russian workers; among managers the signal is much stronger. Second, there is little confusion on the part of managers regarding what is important to their workers. Managers' only mistake was to think workers valued their praise. Third, Russian workers have very low expectations of receiving any reward which they desire. This result, similar to results generated by American workers in the mid-1980s, is especially strong among the women and the older generation of workers participating in this survey. Fourth, gender differences involve the relative importance of particular motivators rather than differences in the ranking of motivators from most important to least important. That is, the Russian women participating in this project tended to express stronger feelings toward each of the motivators than the men, but the women did not rank order the motivators any differently than the men. Fifth, in many instances, generational differences disappeared when work experience was held constant. Age was only significant when expectation of receiving a particular reward was involved.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39850/3/wp466.pd

Cross-Cultural Redesign Based on the Cultural Differences Between Finland and China

With the rapid development of world economic and technology, more and more multinational companies, international business, cross-cultural designs have appeared in people’s lives. However, the cultural differences among different cultures affect numerous aspects of economic cooperation and design direction. In this thesis, based on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Finnish and Chinese were chose as 2 culture groups which were used to analyze how cultural differences influence on human mindsets and the design-related work, especially website user interface design. A Finnish company’s website (including its design style and the related website content) were redesigned to meet Chinese users’ needs and preferences. 8 Chinese website design implications were summarized at last. At the beginning of this thesis, the theoretical background and related work of crosscultural design and website design were provided. Website design principles and current design trends were presented. Then, the Geert Hofstede’s culture dimensions were introduced. According to the results of the Hofstede’s model, the cultural differences between Finland and China were summarized. By comparing the cultural differences and design differences, totally 24 UI design differences were concluded to support the following design work. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews and online questionnaire investigation were conducted to study on how Chinese users feel about using Finnish websites and participating in Finnish projects, as well as local Chinese users’ preferences and website using habits. Combining the results of cultural model analysis and user research work, as well as the design principles and trends summarized in the related work, the Finnish company - Demola’s website and project concept was redesigned. After redesigning work, user evaluation (including 3 focus groups, totally 6 participants) was conducted to examine whether the redesigned website conforms to the usage habits of Chinese local users. After completing the redesign work and user evaluation, design implications for Chinese web service design are summarized in order to help designers from other cultures to create the website for Chinese users

From Instructionism to Constructionism: the role of tinkering in educational technology

https://www.ester.ee/record=b5258038*es

Lighting, well-being and work performance: A review of the literature

Commissioned White Paper Report for Philips International