The Growth Mindset in Nursing Education

Introduction: The growth mindset model has been linked with academic success in disciplines outside of nursing. Growth mindset learners are more likely to believe that intelligence is malleable, remain engaged in learning, persist through challenges, remediate, and have greater academic success. This study examined whether growth mindset nursing students were more engaged in their curriculum, were more persistent (gritty), and their perceptions of belonging in nursing school as opposed to fixed mindset peers. Methods: 102 students from a national database responded to a web-based survey. Results suggested that growth mindset learners were grittier and expressed higher levels of belonging than their fixed mindset colleagues. Implications include a need to consider the integration of the growth mindset model into nursing education

Students make a plan: understanding student agency in constraining conditions

Drawing on Archer’s perspectives on the agency / structure relationship, this paper explains situations where students in varied, challenging circumstances find ways to negotiate difficult conditions. The paper firstly reports specific findings of a study on student access and use of technology in three universities in South Africa; and then uses Archer’s concept of agency to explain the findings. The context of the study is a South African higher education system clearly committed to preparing university students for participation in the knowledge society as is evident in numerous policy documents. However, the response to this rapid worldwide social and economic transformation has occurred simultaneously with the substantial restructuring of a fragmented, divided and unequal sector, the legacy of racially demarcated and differentially resourced apartheid institutions (Department of Education, 2001, Gillard, 2004). Additionally, social demands on South African higher education institutions have intensified in recent years. Increased participation by a diverse range of students has resulted in massification of the sector within a context of limited or even reduced funding (Maasen and Cloete, 2002). As is the case internationally, there are both more and different students entering the sector

Case study: Custom-designed virtual experiment in fracture mechanics in Mechanical Engineering

This case study describes the development and use of a custom-designed virtual experiment in Mechanical Engineering which partially simulates the concept of metal fatigue to help student engage with a complex practical application. It then explores some of the enabling or constraining structures, policies and practices at a national, institutional and personal level that appear to have an impact on making such a simulation available as an open educational resource

First-generation community college students and their sense of place: An opportunity to succeed; an opportunity to belong

Over the past decades, community college attendance has continued to be the first stop and school of choice for over half of the college student population, particularly for first-generation students. However, despite their enrollment, degree attainment remains low for first-generation students. It is not enough to get them in the door—it is critical that they belong. A college experience that provides a sense of belonging and sense of place for first-generation students is crucial. Sense of belonging has been shown to contribute to a positive student identity and experience that leads to higher retention and graduation rates. Student belonging has been an important topic of research for many student populations, while sense of place has not. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of community college students concerning their perceptions of the community college as a place. Specifically, this study explored the perceptions and preferences of students at a Midwest community college to gain a deeper understanding of how they like to experience sense of place from their perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted to obtain deeper understanding of students’ sense of place. Participants were asked questions related to the sense of place that involved historical, cultural, social, and physical aspects of their community college experience. Research oftentimes finds perceptions of the first-generation community college student experience as lonely or even debilitating. Results of this study found first-generation community college students’ experiences as thriving. This study can contribute to literature related to sense of belonging and the college experience from the perspective of sense of place. Sense of place allows a view into what sense of belonging looks like for first-generation students by a) introducing a sense of place model applicable to first-generation community college students; b) emphasizing the importance of a critical mass of FGS; c) providing a holistic view of sense of belonging and how sense of place is a more appropriate lens to view FGS; and d) focusing on how cultural forces influence sense of place and how to capitalize on them to best benefit FGS. The sense of place theoretical construct can be applied to future studies on various student populations to enhance sense of belonging. These findings can be collectively significant for all higher education professionals that can influence success for FGS

Decentralized Sewer Unit Packages as an Alternative for Bulloch County to Manage Fast Growth

Throughout the state of Georgia, rural areas rely on septic tanks to dispose of bodily waste for small commercial, industrial, and residential construction. Septic tanks act as the most conventional system when properties fall outside the service areas of municipal and private wastewater treatment facilities. Bulloch County has a vast number of rural dwellings within its boundaries. Moreover, the County experienced a steady 3 to 5% annual growth over the last several years. Therefore, an examination of alternatives to the traditional septic systems is warranted if the County wishes to maintain continued sustainable growth. This study focuses on the factors driving growth in Bulloch county including: population, housing, commercial and industrial development, subdivision development, assessed property values, and future development projections. Next, we compare two waste disposal systems that could substitute for traditional septic systems: a Small Diameter Gravity System (SDGS) and the Bioclere Onsite Wastewater Treatment System. Working Paper Number 2005-001

Case study: Interactive spreadsheets

This paper describes how the Department of Statistics at the University of Cape Town (UCT) currently uses interactive spreadsheets to assist students in analysing and preparing summaries of data. It explores some of the potential benefits of making such resources more freely available to others as Open Educational Resources (OER), and outlines the key issues which would need to be resolved in order to do so. To this end, this paper discusses the pedagogical needs that led to the lecturers using the spreadsheet program MSExcel to encourage students to engage actively with statistical processes. It describes how the lecturers and students use these interactive spreadsheets and examines how well these interactive spreadsheets seemed to have worked, so that others who may have similar pedagogical needs can be alerted to the advantages and disadvantages of using this type of technology. In addition, this paper explores the possibility of these interactive spreadsheets being offered as OER first to other departments at UCT and then to a broader community

Case study: Simulations for visualisation of complex processes and principles in chemical engineering and in physics

This paper describes two case studies where open source software (OSS) has been used to create simulations to assist students in visualising complex processes in university courses. The first case reviews the use of Python to help students visualise the motion of particles or molecules in physical processes used in chemical engineering. The second case reviews the use of VPython to allow students to create their own simulations of abstract concepts in physics

A critical and participatory approach to gender equity among youth in Kibera, Kenya

Achieving gender equity is an international priority. This research, guided by a critical social theory approach, explores and seeks to challenge dominant gender norms amongst young men and women living in the slum of Kibera, Kenya. To achieve this goal, 49 participants, recruited through convenience sampling techniques, engaged in a participatory diagramming technique of data collection and reflexive analysis. Findings from this research suggest that youth participants experienced numerous forms of social discrimination and exclusion that threatened health and development. Socio-economic status appeared to be the primary source of inequities, including gender inequity. Process and outcome changes were noted among participants throughout the course of this research. Participants created plans to minimize the impact of discrimination that was externally imposed on them as individuals, but challenged between members of the group. The findings underscore the significance of addressing the social, cultural, political, and economic context of health. They further suggest that groups and communities have the capacity to create integrated plans that address complex challenges