Effective integration of teaching and research in a first year food and nutrition course

Previous research has indicated that undergraduate student learning can be enhanced through active involvement in research. Furthermore, creating an academic environment where teaching and research are intimately linked can facilitate the induction of students into a community of learners where new knowledge is created, explored and critiqued. Scaffolding and supporting student learning via engagement in authentic research experiences can work to ensure graduating students have the capacity to generate and investigate important questions that contributes to the development of new knowledge. This paper presents a case study that outlines curriculum design and pedagogical strategies aimed at integrating teaching and research within the first year of an undergraduate course. First year Food and Nutrition students were asked to partake in a research project where they were asked to complete a series of diet and food related questionnaires, analyse, interpret and critique the resulting data. Students were supported through this learning activity via small group tutorial support and question and answer sessions within the learning management system. Anonymous evaluation of the teaching and learning experience was conducted at the end of the teaching period and the results indicate that the students welcomed the opportunity to engage in an authentic, research based learning activity. Students&rsquo; found the assessment tasks were clearly explained to them (88% agreeing), and felt well supported in approaching this research based assessment task. Furthermore, the qualitative comments indicated that the students&rsquo; found the learning environment to be meaningful and relevant. This case study indicates that it is possible to effectively incorporate authentic research experiences within the curriculum of a first year course. The experiential, inquiry based learning approach used supported the students&rsquo; participation in a systematic, rigorous data collection process required in a structured research environment and blended these requirements with authentic learning of discipline specific skills and knowledge.<br /

Inclusive pedagogy in Australian universities: a review of current policies and professional development activities

This article reports on activities undertaken by Australian universities to support academic staff to provide inclusive teaching. The findings of two lines of inquiry are reported - a desktop audit of the presence of inclusive teaching or universal design for learning (UDL) in publically available policies and procedures documents, and a survey of the methods adopted to build staff capacity to provide inclusive teaching and learning. Just over a third (34.21%) of Australian universities referred to inclusive teaching or UDL in their policies and procedures. A wide range of current practices in professional development for inclusive teaching was reported, with the most frequent being one-off workshops focussing on accommodating specific groups of students. Improved institutional support through policies, procedures and professional development would enable Australian higher education teachers to provide quality inclusive teaching to all students

Promoting appreciation of cultural diversity and inclusion with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen garden program

Purpose &ndash; The purpose of this paper is to present emergent findings from an evaluation of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden (SAKG) Program showing that the program promoted appreciation of cultural diversity and inclusion of culturally diverse groups. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; The findings reported here are from the qualitative component of a mixed-method, nonrandomized, pre- and post-comparison evaluation study. Focus groups and interviews were held with school principals, teachers, program specialist staff, parents, volunteers and children at the program schools. Findings &ndash; In a culturally diverse school, the program enhanced the school&rsquo;s capacity to engage and include children and families from migrant backgrounds. In less diverse settings, the program provided opportunities for schools to teach children about cultural diversity. Research limitations/implications &ndash; Assessing the program&rsquo;s impact on multicultural education was not a specific objective of this study, rather these findings emerged as an unanticipated outcome during interviews and focus groups that explored participants&rsquo; views on important changes to schools associated with the program. Thus, the quantitative component of the evaluation did not assess the extent of this program impact and further research is recommended. Practical implications &ndash; The program may have particular value in culturally diverse schools, providing benefits in terms of engagement of children and families and potentially, in the longer term, associated improvements in learning outcomes. Social implications &ndash; These findings suggest that the program can help to promote social equity and inclusion for culturally diverse groups. Originality/value &ndash; This paper highlights critical equity implications associated with school-based programs&rsquo; capacity to include culturally and linguistically diverse groups

Creative Education

Previous research has indicated that undergraduate student learning can be enhanced through active involvement in research. Furthermore, creating an academic environment where teaching and research are intimately linked can facilitate the induction of students into a community of learners where new knowledge is created, explored and critiqued. Scaffolding and supporting student learning via engagement in authentic research experiences can work to ensure graduating students have the capacity to generate and investigate important questions that contributes to the development of new knowledge. This paper presents a case study that outlines curriculum design and pedagogical strategies aimed at integrating teaching and research within the first year of an undergraduate course. First year Food and Nutrition students were asked to partake in a research project where they were asked to complete a series of diet and food related questionnaires, analyse, interpret and critique the resulting data. Students were supported through this learning activity via small group tutorial support and question and answer sessions within the learning management system. Anonymous evaluation of the teaching and learning experience was conducted at the end of the teaching period and the results indicate that the students welcomed the opportunity to engage in an authentic, research based learning activity. Students&apos; found the assessment tasks were clearly explained to them (88% agreeing), and felt well supported in approaching this research based assessment task. Furthermore, the qualitative comments indicated that the students&apos; found the learning environment to be meaningful and relevant. This case study indicates that it is possible to effectively incorporate authentic research experiences within the curriculum of a first year course. The experiential, inquiry based learning approach used supported the students&apos; participation in a systematic, rigorous data collection process required in a structured research environment and blended these requirements with authentic learning of discipline specific skills and knowledge

A pre-post evaluation of an online career planning module on university students’ career adaptability

Indecisiveness and negative thinking regarding career pathways can hinder university students’ career planning, motivation, and mental health. Students intending to enter the workforce after graduation therefore need to develop skills related to career adaptability (i.e. career planning, decision-making, problem solving/confidence and exploration), particularly since career planning and construction is linked to gaining employment. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of an online career planning module on students’ career adaptability.&nbsp; The career-focussed online module, based on the constructs of Savickas’ (2005) theory of career construction, and tailored to students’ skills and interests, was developed and embedded into the University curriculum of a second-year exercise and public health-related unit. In 2018, 80 students completed the online module, along with pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessing career adaptability elements including career planning, decision making, problem solving/confidence, and exploration. Dependent t-tests were conducted to assess differences in these measures pre- and post-intervention. Post-intervention, significant increases in career-planning strategies used (t(69)=5.45, p&lt;0.001), career planning concern (t(69)=3.73, p&lt;0.001), decision making (i.e. career path identification) (t(70)=3.86, p&lt;0.001), decision making confidence (t(65)=2.69, p&lt;0.01), and problem solving/confidence (t(65) = 2.16, p=0.03) were observed. Further, 80% of participants identified jobs at post-intervention not previously identified pre-intervention (exploration) and 71% of participants perceived improvements in confidence regarding job ideas/making career choices. &nbsp;Findings from this research indicated that completing a brief online career education module, tailored to an individual’s skills and interests, improved all dimensions of the participating students’ career adaptability. Further research utilising longer-term follow-up and randomised controlled trial designs are required to confirm the reliability and transferability of the findings

Academic skills and beyond : a resource based approach to support student success in higher education

An increasingly diverse range of students are entering higher education, bringing with them a vast range of experiences, skills and pre-existing knowledge. However, approaches to increasing student participation (and therefore success) to date have focused on strategies aimed at supporting non-traditional students to &ldquo;fit in&rdquo;, rather than changing existing structures to accommodate their needs. This paper will outline a resource-based approach to student success, which capitalises on the resources and capacities existing within the student, within their performance of the student role and within the environment that surrounds their learning. This paper will report on a study and propose a resource based approach to student success. Three main sites or domains are identified as a focus of this approach &ndash; intrapersonal resources, skills resources and environmental resources. These domains interact with each other to support student success, and three potential methods for implementing a resource based approach are highlighted in the spaces where they intersect. Pedagogical design, mapping and matching, and learning support all have a role in enabling both students and universities to make the most of their existing resources and develop new ones.<br /

"The university didn\u27t actually tell us this is what you have to do": Social inclusion through embedding of academic skills in first year professional courses

This paper presents findings from a mixed methods project investigating first year social work students\u27 perceived role in academic skills and thier development.&nbsp; Students expressed the perception that academic skill requirements and how they would be assessed should be made explicit, and idenfied a stigma associated with accessing study support services.&nbsp; The aper concluses that an intentional design strategy, such as embedding academic skills into the curriculum, helps bridge the different expectations between academics and students and hence constitutes a socially inclusive strategy to teaching professional courses sucha s social work, within higher education.&nbsp; Recommendations to enhance the succes and sustainability of such an initiative in the current higher educacion environment are offered

A multidimensional framework for embedded academic skill development : transition pedagogy in social work

As a consequence of the widening participation agenda, student cohorts in Australian higher education are becoming increasingly diverse. While diversity is often characterised by a focus on culture or ethnicity, this variability also independently exists in regard to competence in academic skills (Dillon, 2007). Successfully developing discipline-specific academic skills is crucial to a student&rsquo;s learning, progress and attainment in higher education. The growing recognition that students are entering Australian universities with varying levels of academic preparedness as a result of the widening participation agenda has made effective academic skill support even more important, since &lsquo;access without a reasonable chance of success is an empty promise&rsquo; (International Associations of Universities, 2008, p. 1)

The development of a tailored, career-focused interactive online learning tool for physical activity and health students: a pilot study

Students enrolled in university courses often lack knowledge of potential jobs and career paths they can take, which can inhibit their ability to plan, job seek and make decisions about their careers, and negatively impact on their ability to gain employment. &nbsp;To address this problem we developed and piloted a tailored, career-focused interactive online learning tool for public health and exercise science students, based on constructs of Savickas’ (2005) theory of career construction. This paper reports a mixed-methods study to understand student experiences of using that tool, and their perception of how well it prepared them for career planning. Twenty-two second-year students completed an online survey using both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the perceived feasibility and acceptability of the interactive online learning tool. Descriptive (for quantitative data) and inductive content analyses (for qualitative data) were performed. Most students (86%) indicated that they would use the tool again. All students reported that the tool was user-friendly, engaging and informative and provided them with jobs that matched their personal and work-related skills and strengths. Qualitative data reflected these findings and identified seven key themes, including: value, career exploration, design, and tailoring, with themes partly reflecting components of Savicka’s theory. The tailored, career-focused interactive online learning tool was perceived to be a feasible and effective strategy to support university students in their career planning and job seeking behaviours prior to graduation. These findings can be used to inform and refine the development of career-focussed tools for students undertaking other University courses