Student attitudes and aspirations towards science

Research on student attitudes and aspirations towards science has been an increasing focus of concern in the past decade. Much of this is driven by a growing concern about students’ lack of interest in the further study of science in advanced societies. Because attitude to science is a multifaceted construct, the chapter first reviews research into attitudes in order to develop principles for its meaningful measurement. We then explore the main features of student responses to science and examine the common assertion that there is a negative downward trend as many have suggested. Recent research clearly shows a negative correlation between a country’s developmental index and student attitudes to science. The effects of gender, teacher quality and pre-adolescent experience on student attitudes and aspirations towards science are examined in some detail, as well as a number of other factors in attempting to understand the complex pathways and choices that students make throughout their schooling about the study of STEM subjects. The construct of identity is used to make sense of the variety of attitudes and aspirations of students towards science, with particular emphasis on gender and youth in post-industrial societies. Finally, the role of enrichment experiences in science is examined, as a real and potential influence on student engagement with science.

Student and staff perceptions of learning and teaching online, 2005 data

The dataset consists of data gathered from Deakin University staff and students.

Staff-derived data consists of qualitative data relating to advantages and disadvantages of teaching online; manifestation of cultural diversity in online learning environments; strategies to accommodate cultural diversity online; and using online environments to support cultural diversity

Student-derived data consists of quantitative and qualitative data relating to student perceptions of online learning; student demographics; student expectations of their university experience; students' approach to learning and online learning; perceptions of online learning and online team work; and perceptions of student and teacher roles at university.

The impact of a computerised consolidation accounting package (CCAP) on student performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between the use of a computerised learning tool (specifically designed to teach consolidation accounting) and student performance in the final examination of an undergraduate accounting unit on Corporate Accounting.

Design/methodology/approach – A regression model was developed to analyse 1,103 observations of assignment and examination scores, collected over three semesters, to test the central proposition that computer assisted learning enhances student learning outcomes and performance in the exam.

Findings – The results show a positive and significant relationship between the computerised accounting assignment on consolidated accounting (linked to usage of the computerised tool) and the consolidation question in the final examination. The findings suggest that the computerised consolidation accounting package (CCAP) assists students to understand the concepts underpinning consolidation accounting.

Research limitations/implications – The data were collected from a single institution, which may not represent the population of accounting students. Due to ethical obligations, the study lacked a control group that would have allowed meaningful comparison and assessment of student performance. Furthermore, whilst the findings in this study were able to demonstrate a positive association between the CCAP and exam performance, it is unable to determine the quality and depth of the learning experience from using the CCAP.

Practical implications – The present study found that a CCAP and its usage has the potential to positively impact student performance on assessment tasks on subject matter similar to concepts contained the computer package. Such findings may encourage instructors to seek ways of incorporating learning technologies in the pedagogical design.

Originality/value – This is believed to be one the few papers that has exclusively studied the impact of a specific CCAP and a specific segment in accounting education (consolidation accounting) using direct measures, CCAP assignment score and the final examination score for a question dedicated to consolidation accounting.

Getting it right in the mix : teaching social work practice skills inclusively to diverse student groups

Social work has traditionally attracted a diverse mix of students with varying levels of academic preparedness and practice skill experience. Current trends in higher education indicate the possibility of further challenges for academic staff in social work as universities seek to both widen participation from university graduates and, at the same time, prioritise practice and academic excellence among students. Drawing on reflective journal entries by the author, this paper examines the challenges that social work academics might face in teaching social work practice skills effectively to the increasingly diverse student cohorts enrolled across Bachelor and Masters of Social Work (Qualifying) degrees. The reflective process adopted in this study explores the gaps between the author’s intentions and the reality of the classroom experience. Key observations included language barriers impeding engagement with the material and cultural differences in relating to others and conceptualising practice. These problems were apparent in both the process of delivery (pedagogy) and content (curriculum). The reflective process highlighted the need for further research in order to optimally respond to the diversity in social work education.

Engagement and learning through social software in finance : a retrospective on the Trading Room experience

The introduction of a social software blog space called the Trading Room in an undergraduate finance unit generated a great deal of activity to support student learning. A subsequent evaluation of this innovation, viewed through the lens of Activity Theory, demonstrated that students perceived high value in the opportunity it provided for them to reaffirm theories, obtain individualised feedback and benchmark their work against others. While assessment is generally seen as the carrot and the stick of learning; students in the study reported that they would still participate in reading and posting to the Trading Room even if there was no assessment requirement. Students did not see any value in the environment as a purely social space, reporting that they saw it primarily as a professional educational community. It would appear that just as there are different communities in the real world social space, there are also different types of communities in the online space.

Interconnectedness, multiplexity and the global student : the role of blogging and micro blogging in opening students horizons

The authors explore the world of blogging and micro blogging (twitter) as a means of mediating engagement with students, lawyers, academics and other interested and interesting people around the world. Through the use of auto-ethnographic case studies of their own experiences with blogging and micro blogging tools, the authors propose that far from being a distraction from student learning, these tools have the potential to open up an international professional collaborative space beyond the physical classroom, for both academics and our students, from their first year experience through to practical legal training and continuing professional development.

Comparison of Technology Enabled Learning Practices (TELP) in engineering : a student's perspective

BACKGROUND : Recent years have seen a steady growth in the use of technology in learning and teaching. Deakin’s School of Engineering uses its own set of Technology Enabled Learning Practices (TELP). Student surveys are taken after the completion of every unit, but although valuable, they give only a generic student view. What is required is a holistic approach from the student’s perspective.

PURPOSE : What type of TELP best helps the student to learn engineering?

DESIGN/METHOD : A survey dedicated to TELPs from the students’ point of view has been designed and will be given to students at various year levels in engineering at Deakin. The survey is designed to obtain quantitative as well as qualitative results. An analysis of this survey will give a view of the students’ perspective of TELPs as they progress through their engineering degree.

RESULTS : The survey indicated that the students find that the full professional recording and screen capture TELPs as the most helpful as an aid to learning. It is also indicates that of all the TELPs the screen capture is greatly sought after by the students.

CONCLUSIONS : These results give the School of Engineering the information needed to tailor the TELPs used in unit delivery to further enrich the learning experience.

Concurrent undergraduate study and industry employment - the Australian experience

Undergraduate education in Quantity Surveying (QS) and Construction Management (CM) in Australia has traditionally incorporated concurrent industry experience as an important requisite prior to graduation. This has been primarily driven by accrediting professional associations but most universities have also recognized the value of this cooperative approach to education with industry. However, in recent years many universities have become concerned about the amount of time that students are spending in industry employment to the point where, for some students, their employment takes precedence over their academic studies. Past research has shown that working long hours has a negative effect on the study patterns of undergraduate students. This paper presents the results of research undertaken to examine the amount of time that Quantity Surveying and Construction Management students actually spend engaged in paid work during semester time and the impact on their studies. The methodology for the research was based on two separate questionnaire surveys distributed to undergraduate Quantity Surveying and Construction Management students at 7 universities across Australia. The questionnaires focused on the nature and extent of their paid work while enrolled in full-time study. The results indicate that students in the early stages of their program tend to undertake casual work that is not related to their degree but move to construction industry employment in the later stages of their program. The research found that students were spending an average of 18 hours per week in industry employment with this average increasing to over 23 hours in their final year. A number of students were spending well over 30 hours per week in industry employment. The implications of the extent of this concurrent industry employment are discussed.

Student perceptions of adverse health events during ambulance clinical placements

This pilot study intended to augment current literature in the clinical placement field by investigating the frequency and nature of adverse health events experiences by paramedic students undertaking ambulance clinical placements. Supports accessed post event were also reviewed. A purposive sample of fifty-six paramedic students completed the questionnaire. The results indicate that a number of students experience adverse health events while on clinical placement, with fourteen cases of verbal abuse, one case of physical abuse, nine cases of sexualised behavior and seven cases of psychological distress reported. While some case related incidents were flagged by ambulance services and followed up by peer support, students did not initiate any formal support processes themselves. Moreover, no student filed a formal report regarding any of the incidents raised. The results of this pilot study require further investigation. In the interim, the benefits of clinical placements must be weighed against their risks, and processes put in place to minimize the risk to students undertaking clinical placements.

Students' perceptions on using iPods in accounting education : a mobile-learning experience

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to assess the benefits derived from the application of mobile devices as part of the students’ online learning experience and the extent to which the perceived benefits are linked to student learning styles.

Design/methodology/approach – A small group of students enrolled in an exclusively online graduate accounting program were issued with iPods as part of their learning materials. Two data collection instruments were issued: a questionnaire to elicit students’ opinions on the usefulness of the iPod as a tool for learning; and a questionnaire to establish their learning styles (using a VARK© questionnaire).

Findings – The findings indicate that the primary advantage of iPods lies in its portability, which, in turn, facilitated efficient and effective use of time and study planning. The portability attached to iPods allowed students to take advantage of what otherwise have been down-time, such as commuting. Students with a preference for visual learning rated the iPod as being important to their learning.

Research limitations/implications – The generalizability of the findings is limited due to the low sample size (23) that constrains the robustness of the results.

Originality/value – The exploratory nature of this study provides preliminary evidence on the perceived usefulness of handheld devices as a learning tool.

The impact of performance skills on students’ attitudes towards the learning experience in higher education

One way to assist in transforming a lecture experience into an occasion that can attract and engage students is via the use of performance techniques. Investigating the impact of certain types of performance skills on students' attitudes towards the learning experience can help better understand the relevance of such techniques in face to face and online learning experiences. This paper outlines a project which: i) surveyed students about their attitudes towards face to face and online recorded lectures, ii) surveyed students about their attitudes towards performance techniques, in particular, spatial awareness, vocalisation, eye contact and passion, iii) interviewed lecturers about the potential benefits of performance techniques to student learning in the lecture theatre, and iv) investigated which factors most affected a teacher's decision to incorporate performance techniques in the lecture theatre. The results suggest that students and lecturers value face to face delivery of content, recognising the benefit of performance techniques in the lecture theatre. Recommendations are made regarding ways to encourage a wider use and evaluation of performance techniques in teaching and learning at the university level.

Embracing prior professional experience in meaning making: views from international students and academics

This paper explores the views of international students and academic staff on the use of prior professional experience in disciplinary academic writing in Australian higher education. The main finding of this case study indicates that disciplinary practice related to the issue of whether, and how, students should represent aspects of their prior professional experience in disciplinary writing seems to be differently reproduced from the lenses of international student and lecturers. Within the current higher education practices, the diverse dimensions of prior professional experiences that international students bring into the learning context appear to count more in oral class discussion than in academic writing and in formal assessment. Furthermore, despite the rhetoric of internationalization of the curriculum and “inclusivity”, the valid academic practices of international students seem to be marginalized and delegitimized due to the very subtlety and inconsistence of the lecturers’ expectations. The paper concludes with the implications for institutions to more effectively address the needs of international students in terms of knowledge construction in the process of implementing diversity principles within the internationalization agenda.

The old and the new : student perceived efficacy of electronics laboratory equipment

Background
Undergraduate engineering students require exposure to an appropriate level of practical activities to complement the theory delivered in their course. This not only serves the purpose of catering to students’ different learning styles but in contributing to developing practical skills important to achieving an adequate level of job-readiness. The mode by which practical activities are implemented can vary widely across different units of study and different institutions. Electronics practicals within the School of Engineering at Deakin University have traditionally involved the construction and analysis of bread board circuits. Recently however, the practicals have changed to utilise modern computer-integrated Lab Volt FACET board equipment.

An inquiry into the effectiveness of student generated MCQs as a method of assessment to improve teaching and learning

 In anticipation of helping students mature from passive to more active learners while engaging with the issues and concepts surrounding computer security, a student generated Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) learning strategy was designed and deployed as a replacement for an assessment task that was previously based on students providing solutions to a series of short-answer questions. To determine whether there was any educational value in students generating their own MCQs students were required to design MCQs. Prior to undertaking this assessment activity each participant completed a pre-test which consisted of 45 MCQs based on the topics of the assessment. Following the assessment activity the participants completed a post-test which consisted of the same MCQs as the pre-test. The pre and post test results as well as the post test and assessment activity results were tested for statistical significance. The results indicated that having students generate their own MCQs as a method of assessment did not have a negative effect on the learning experience. By providing a framework to the students based on the literature to support their engagement with the learning material, we believe the creation of well-structured MCQs resulted in a more advanced understanding of the relationships between the concepts of the learning material as compared with plainly answering a series of short-answer questions from a textbook. Further study is required to determine to what degree this learning strategy encouraged a deeper approach to learning.