Identifying learning strategies among first-year engineering students

The Williamson’s self-rating scale for self-directed learning (SRSSL) questionnaire is applied to determine which learning strategies first-year African engineering students have adopted at the start of a problem-based learning module that is designed to promote self-directed learning (SDL). This approach can help academics to better identify “who” their students are, thereby helping them to leverage and improve on current learning strategies to try and enhance student engagement. A requirement for becoming a great teacher in one’s field of study is to come to know your students cognitively, affectively, and culturally. Many different cultures have strongly embedded identities that would form and shape student learning strategies. Intended outcomes: The purpose of this article is to identify what self-perceived learning strategies engineering students have adopted from their school education, by using a standardized questionnaire. Student perceptions regarding their own levels of SDL, as well as their expectations and actual achievements of academic success, are also presented. The purpose of the problem-based learning module that is used in this study is to give engineering students the opportunity to develop managerial skills as the module involves much teamwork, where imaginary companies are formed with the goal of designing and constructing specific projects for real industry-based clients. A time-lag study is used where quantitative data are collected using a standardized questionnaire. Results indicate that 77% of females report high levels of SDL, while only 66% of males do so. No significant correlation exists between the self-reported scores of the students and their final grades. However, the three most reported learning strategies include interactive teaching and learning sessions, simulations, and educational interactive technologies. It is recommended that academics encourage SDL among first-year engineering students by helping them to identify appropriate learning strategies that can help them to enhance their engagement with the course and subsequent academic success

The effect of an interprofessional clinical simulation on medical students

BACKGROUND. Teamwork as an outcome for graduates implies the understanding and appreciation of the roles, responsibilities and skills of other professions. An interprofessional education (IPE) event was initiated as a simulated management of a multiply traumatised patient in the acute phases of his injury, relevant to both medical and nursing students. The objective was to explore medical students’ reflections on the value of this clinical simulation. METHOD. A mixed-methods study was done, using a convenience sample of 5th-year medical students (N=96). Participants wrote a multiple-choice question (MCQ) test and either actively participated in the simulation or observed the actions through a one-way mirror. The simulations were facilitated by experienced skills trainers. On completion, the participants repeated the MCQ test and took part in a facilitator-led debriefing. The latter was audiotaped and students could submit written reflections. Written comments and transcripts of the audiotapes were analysed thematically. RESULTS. Participants’ average test scores improved significantly (p<0.001) from 63.5% before the simulation to 68.6% thereafter. Five themes emerged from the reflections: (i) difficulties with implementing knowledge and skills; (ii) importance of teamwork; (iii) skills necessary for teamwork; (iv) effect of being observed by peers; and (v) IPE in the curriculum. CONCLUSIONS. Medical students gained clinical knowledge during the simulation and became aware of their lack of skills, knowledge, and opportunities to acquire and practise skills required for effective teamwork.http://www.ajhpe.org.zahb201

Self-Directed Learning in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted teaching and learning at higher education institutions (HEIs), and this book disseminates research findings on a series of cross-campus online initiatives of the North-West University (NWU) to ensure high-quality self-directed learning, whilst simultaneously attending to the need for inclusion and diversity in this challenging context. The golden thread running through the 13 chapters is how this HEI responded to the pandemic in a creative way through its investment in online virtual student excursions, based on problem-based, cooperative learning and gamification principles to support self-directed learning. Whereas virtual excursions usually refer to learning opportunities where ‘a museum, author, park or monument is brought to the student’ (Hehr 2014:1), the virtual excursion in our context is an activity system (Engeström 1987) where students’ learning is scaffolded across the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky 1978) and where their ‘social and pedagogical boundaries are stretched or expanded’ (De Beer & Henning 2011:204). Students engage as Homo ludens, the playing human (Huizinga 1955), in learning activities embedded in an ill-structured problem, and through reflective activities, they are encouraged to reflect on their own naïve understandings or biases. This ‘tension’, or in Veresov (2007) parlance, ‘dramatical collisions’, provides a fertile learning space for self-directed learning

Self-Directed Learning in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted teaching and learning at higher education institutions (HEIs), and this book disseminates research findings on a series of cross-campus online initiatives of the North-West University (NWU) to ensure high-quality self-directed learning, whilst simultaneously attending to the need for inclusion and diversity in this challenging context. The golden thread running through the 13 chapters is how this HEI responded to the pandemic in a creative way through its investment in online virtual student excursions, based on problem-based, cooperative learning and gamification principles to support self-directed learning. Whereas virtual excursions usually refer to learning opportunities where ‘a museum, author, park or monument is brought to the student’ (Hehr 2014:1), the virtual excursion in our context is an activity system (Engeström 1987) where students’ learning is scaffolded across the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky 1978) and where their ‘social and pedagogical boundaries are stretched or expanded’ (De Beer & Henning 2011:204). Students engage as Homo ludens, the playing human (Huizinga 1955), in learning activities embedded in an ill-structured problem, and through reflective activities, they are encouraged to reflect on their own naïve understandings or biases. This ‘tension’, or in Veresov (2007) parlance, ‘dramatical collisions’, provides a fertile learning space for self-directed learning

The role of metacognitive skills in solving object-oriented programming problems: a case study

This article reports on the role of metacognitive skills when solving object-oriented programming problems as part of a case study. The research was constructivist-based within an interpretivist approach to explore how four students constructed their own thinking when solving programming problems. A qualitative methodology was employed. Both concept-driven coding and data-driven coding were applied. Two main issues emerged from the findings. Participating students had fragmented knowledge of the object-oriented approach and shortcomings regarding the implementation thereof, and they experienced problems with metacognitive control during all the steps of program development. Based on the findings the use of metacognitive critical control points (MCCPs) is proposed to be used as a mechanism to facilitate students in their programming efforts and to prevent loss of control during program development

Thinking processes used by high-performing students in a computer programming task

Computer programmers must be able to understand programming source code and write programs that execute complex tasks to solve real-world problems. This article is a trans- disciplinary study at the intersection of computer programming, education and psychology. It outlines the role of mental processes in the process of programming and indicates how successful thinking processes can support computer science students in writing correct and well-defined programs. A mixed methods approach was used to better understand the thinking activities and programming processes of participating students. Data collection involved both computer programs and students’ reflective thinking processes recorded in their journals. This enabled analysis of psychological dimensions of participants’ thinking processes and their problem-solving activities as they considered a programming problem. Findings indicate that the cognitive, reflective and psychological processes used by high-performing programmers contributed to their success in solving a complex programming problem. Based on the thinking processes of high performers, we propose a model of integrated thinking processes, which can support computer programming students. Keywords: Computer programming, education, mixed methods research, thinking processes.  Disciplines: Computer programming, education, psycholog

Supporting information technology teachers through programming professional development: a South African case study

Currently, there are many challenges of preparing and supporting secondary school Information Technology (IT) teachers. In addition to increasing the number of IT teachers, there is a need of supporting those teachers to grow and to retain them as committed, quality teachers. This paper focuses on ways of supporting IT teachers through an intervention programme that supports and enriches teachers specifically in an area that poses most difficulties – programming. A case study of six teachers was used to explore the programme of intervention and determine the viability for future expansion to include more teachers in this form of professional development. Results indicate that teachers gained confidence in teaching programming and were willing to continue with the strategies in the future.http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JC/JC-00-0-000-000-2010-Web/JC-00-0-000-000-2010-1-Cover.ht