Academic expectations profiles of spanish and portuguese higher education students

Las expectativas académicas de los estudiantes son hoy reconocidas como una variable importante en la explicación de su adaptación y éxito académico. Esa importancia es mayor en los alumnos del primer año, ya que, frecuentemente presentan expectativas iniciales muy elevadas que no siempre llegan a concretarse. Con la pretensión de conocer cuáles son esas expectativas iniciales, el trabajo que se presenta analiza el perfil de las mismas en estudiantes de Enseñanza Superior (ES) de primer año. La muestra está compuesta por 719 estudiantes de diversas titulaciones académicas de las Universidades de Vigo-Campus de Ourense y Minho. A los participantes se les aplicó el Cuestionario de Percepciones Académicas (CPA). Los resultados han sido analizados tomando la nacionalidad y el ámbito de estudio (cientifico, juridico-social, tecnológico). Los resultados muestran que los estudiantes portugueses tienden a presentar expectativas más elevadas en general, traduciéndose en una valoración superior de su entrada en la Universidad. A su vez, considerando las siete dimensiones de expectativas evaluadas, se comprueba un perfil similar para ambos países en relación a las expectativas más o menos valoradas. Se destacan las expectativas de obtener una formación que permita acceder a un buen empleo o carrera, en primer lugar, y las expectativas de tener en la Universidad oportunidades de desarrollo personal y social, en segundo lugar, como las más valoradas por los estudiantes.Academic expectations are recognized as an important variable for students’ adjustment and academic success. This importance is higher for first year students, because they often present initial expectations that may not be met. Aiming at identifying these initial expectations, this study presents and analyses the profile of first year students' academic expectations. The sample included 719 students attending different undergraduate programs at University of Vigo - Campus of Ourense, and at University of Minho. Participants completed the Academic Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ). Analyses were based on students’ nationality and study domain (scientific, juridical-social, technological). Results show that Portuguese students present higher expectations, in general, which shows they attribute a higher value to their access to University. On the other hand, and regarding the seven dimensions of assessed expectations, we can see that this difference in average scores is not structural, because there is a similar pattern of higher and lower expectations, for both countries. The most valued expectations are, in first place, expectations of having an education that will lead to a good job or career, and in second place, expectations of having opportunities of personal and social development in University

Enhancing the early student experience

This paper is concerned with identifying how the early student experience can be enhanced in order to improve levels of student retention and achievement. The early student experience is the focus of this project as the literature has consistently declared the first year to be the most critical in shaping persistence decisions. Programme managers of courses with high and low retention rates have been interviewed to identify activities that appear to be associated with good retention rates. The results show that there are similarities in the way programmes with high retention are run, with these features not being prevalent on programmes with low retention. Recommendations of activities that appear likely to enhance the early student experience are provided

Resources and tools for rare disease variant interpretation

Collectively, rare genetic disorders affect a substantial portion of the world’s population. In most cases, those affected face difficulties in receiving a clinical diagnosis and genetic characterization. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these diseases and the development of therapeutic treatments for patients are also challenging. However, the application of recent advancements in genome sequencing/analysis technologies and computer-aided tools for predicting phenotype-genotype associations can bring significant benefits to this field. In this review, we highlight the most relevant online resources and computational tools for genome interpretation that can enhance the diagnosis, clinical management, and development of treatments for rare disorders. Our focus is on resources for interpreting single nucleotide variants. Additionally, we present use cases for interpreting genetic variants in clinical settings and review the limitations of these results and prediction tools. Finally, we have compiled a curated set of core resources and tools for analyzing rare disease genomes. Such resources and tools can be utilized to develop standardized protocols that will enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of rare disease diagnosis

'I like being a lab rat': Student experiences of research participation

Undergraduate students are often expected to be participants in academic research. However, decisions relating to student participation in research are typically based on speculation or educator assumptions rather than a solid research base. We conducted three studies to investigate student experiences of research participation. These included online surveys (Study 1), semi-structured interviews (Study 2), and analysis of reflective essays (Study 3). A range of pedagogic and ethical issues were considered including motivation to participate, distress, and the educational value of participation. Findings suggest that the experience provides students with important opportunities to learn about research methodology and ethical issues which inform their own research practice. Further, students cite additional non-academic benefits of research participation such as self-discovery and networking opportunities. Negative experiences typically consisted of nervousness prior to the first laboratory study or boredom, though for some students (e.g. those uncomfortable in social situations) engagement in research may lead to anxiety. We conclude that participation in research has pedagogic value to students, and educators should promote those elements of the research experience (e.g. critiquing studies, networking with researchers) that are most beneficial. However, researchers and educators should also actively work to reduce apprehension and minimise potential distress

Pollination and Predation Limit Fruit Set in a Shrub, Bourreria succulents (Boraginaceae), after Hurricanes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas 1

Hurricanes have been assumed to reduce the reproduction of plants, either directly by leaf stripping and stress or indirectly by reducing pollinators. I examined the pollination and fruit set of a common shrub, Bourreria succulenta , after hurricanes on San Salvador island, Bahamas. Contrary to the assumption of resource limitation, B. succulenta showed unusually prolific flowering after Hurricane Lili stripped leaves from most of the plants in October 1996. I predicted that the abundant flowering would saturate pollinators and that fruit set would be pollination-limited. Fruit set was strongly pollination-limited by 71 percent. Butterflies are probably the major pollinators and were present at the site, but they rarely visited B. succulenta flowers even though flowers were brimming with nectar. Nectarivorous birds (Bananaquits and Bahama Wbodstars) visit B. succulenta flowers, but their populations were decimated by Hurricane Lili and they rarely visited flowers during this time. Fruit set was also severely predation-limited; a moth caterpillar (Gelechiidae) was extremely abundant and ate buds, flowers, and fruits, causing a further 68 percent reduction in fruit set. Together, pollination limitation and predation limitation reduced fruit set to only 7 percent or less. Predation was also intense in 1999 after Hurricane Floyd and resulted in 11 percent fruit set or less. Whether or not hurricanes were the cause of limited pollinators or abundant predators, the resulting low fruit set could have population effects because hurricanes can provide opportunities for the recruitment of new plants. These results emphasize that understanding plant–animal interactions may be necessary for predicting the effects of hurricanes on plant reproductive success, which may affect subsequent recruitment. Species on small islands like San Salvador (150 km 2 ) with relatively few species may be especially vulnerable to environmental disturbances such as hurricanes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75721/1/j.1744-7429.2001.tb00184.x.pd

Patterns of Loss and Regeneration of Tropical Dry Forest in Madagascar: The Social Institutional Context

Loss of tropical forests and changes in land-use/land-cover are of growing concern worldwide. Although knowledge exists about the institutional context in which tropical forest loss is embedded, little is known about the role of social institutions in influencing regeneration of tropical forests. In the present study we used Landsat images from southern Madagascar from three different years (1984, 1993 and 2000) and covering 5500 km(2), and made a time-series analysis of three distinct large-scale patterns: 1) loss of forest cover, 2) increased forest cover, and 3) stable forest cover. Institutional characteristics underlying these three patterns were analyzed, testing the hypothesis that forest cover change is a function of strength and enforcement of local social institutions. The results showed a minor decrease of 7% total forest cover in the study area during the whole period 1984–2000, but an overall net increase of 4% during the period 1993–2000. The highest loss of forest cover occurred in a low human population density area with long distances to markets, while a stable forest cover occurred in the area with highest population density and good market access. Analyses of institutions revealed that loss of forest cover occurred mainly in areas characterized by insecure property rights, while areas with well-defined property rights showed either regenerating or stable forest cover. The results thus corroborate our hypothesis. The large-scale spontaneous regeneration dominated by native endemic species appears to be a result of a combination of changes in precipitation, migration and decreased human population and livestock grazing pressure, but under conditions of maintained and well-defined property rights. Our study emphasizes the large capacity of a semi-arid system to spontaneously regenerate, triggered by decreased pressures, but where existing social institutions mitigate other drivers of deforestation and alternative land-use

Individual characteristics and student's engagement in scientific research : a cross-sectional study

Background: In light of the increasing recognition of the importance of physician scientists, and given the association between undergraduate research experiences with future scientific activity, it is important to identify and understand variables related to undergraduate student’s decision to engage in scientific research activities. The present study assessed the influence of individual characteristics, including personality traits and socio-demographic characteristics, on voluntary engagement in scientific research of undergraduate medical students. Methods: For this study, all undergraduate students and alumni of the School of Health Sciences in Minho, Portugal were invited to participate in a survey about voluntary engagement in scientific research activities. Data were available on socio-demographic, personality and university admission variables, as part of an ongoing longitudinal study. A regression model was used to compare (1) engaged with (2) not engaged students. A classification and regression tree model was used to compare students engaged in (3) elective curricular research (4) and extra-curricular research. Results: A total of 466 students (88%) answered the survey. A complete set of data was available for 435 students (83%).Higher scores in admission grade point average and the personality dimensions of “openness to experience” and “conscientiousness” increased chances of engagement. Higher “extraversion” scores had the opposite effect. Male undergraduate students were two times more likely than females to engage in curricular elective scientific research and were also more likely to engage in extra-curricular research activities. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that student’s grade point average and individual characteristics, like gender, openness and consciousness have a unique and statistically significant contribution to student’s involvement in undergraduate scientific research activities.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PTDC/ESC/65116/200

Patterns of student interaction in Clark-Trow subgroups

Previous research on the Clark-Trow model has failed to provide evidence on whether students classified into the same Clark-Trow subgroup interact with one another or are even aware of their common orientation. Yet, this is a basic tenet of claims that these subgroups operate as campus subcultures. This study investigated whether students who self-select into the same Clark-Trow subgroup interact significantly more often with each other than they do with members of the other three subgroups. The results tend to disconfirm expectations based on the Clark-Trow model and suggest these subgroups do not operate as student subcultures.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43584/1/11162_2004_Article_BF00975127.pd