Pub Date : 2022-08-23DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.4084
Abhishek Ladwa, Dylan P. Williams, Richard A. R. Blackburn
Recent research has established that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a shift in University student expectations of their graduate prospects due to unavoidable changes in their learning experiences during the pandemic, as well as the decrease in number of available jobs because of the economic impact of measures put in place to reduce COVID-19 transmission. This study used a survey to investigate: (a) the impact of the pandemic on student destinations six months after graduation and (b) the variations in perceptions of personal level of career preparedness between pre-pandemic graduates and graduates at different stages of the pandemic (i.e. the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021). 40 University of Leicester chemistry graduates engaged with the survey and analysis of the data revealed a non-statistically significant negative impact on employment six-months after graduation that appears to only affect graduates in 2020. The data also suggests that increased experience of the blended learning approaches adopted at the University of Leicester during the pandemic studies may better prepare graduates for remote working practices (e.g. using remote video conferencing software).
最近的研究表明，COVID-19大流行导致大学生对其毕业前景的期望发生了变化，原因是大流行期间他们的学习经历发生了不可避免的变化，同时由于采取措施减少COVID-19传播的经济影响，可用工作数量减少。本研究通过一项调查来调查:(a)大流行对毕业六个月后学生目的地的影响;(b)大流行前毕业生和大流行不同阶段毕业生(即2020年和2021年毕业班)对个人职业准备水平的看法差异。40名莱斯特大学(University of Leicester)化学专业毕业生参与了这项调查，对数据进行了分析，结果显示，毕业后6个月对就业产生了非统计上显著的负面影响，而这种影响似乎只会影响2020年的毕业生。数据还表明，莱斯特大学在大流行研究期间采用的混合学习方法的经验增加，可能会使毕业生更好地为远程工作实践做好准备(例如使用远程视频会议软件)。
{"title":"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Career Preparedness of Chemistry Graduates","authors":"Abhishek Ladwa, Dylan P. Williams, Richard A. R. Blackburn","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.4084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.4084","url":null,"abstract":"Recent research has established that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a shift in University student expectations of their graduate prospects due to unavoidable changes in their learning experiences during the pandemic, as well as the decrease in number of available jobs because of the economic impact of measures put in place to reduce COVID-19 transmission. This study used a survey to investigate: (a) the impact of the pandemic on student destinations six months after graduation and (b) the variations in perceptions of personal level of career preparedness between pre-pandemic graduates and graduates at different stages of the pandemic (i.e. the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021). 40 University of Leicester chemistry graduates engaged with the survey and analysis of the data revealed a non-statistically significant negative impact on employment six-months after graduation that appears to only affect graduates in 2020. The data also suggests that increased experience of the blended learning approaches adopted at the University of Leicester during the pandemic studies may better prepare graduates for remote working practices (e.g. using remote video conferencing software).","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124561617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-06-01DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.4026
F. Babalola, Sina J. Fakoyede
Practical work is an integral part of teaching and learning in STEM. It can help to deliver many learning outcomes - manipulative skills, observation and description, motivation, creative thinking, problem-solving abilities, and critical attitudes, as well as conceptual understanding. In recent years the already weak provision of the STEM practical curriculum in Sub Saharan Africa SSA has been undermined further by pandemic constraints. Online practical work is expanding rapidly in both scale and sophistication worldwide and it offers a credible means of mitigating such problems and improving access in SSA. This study examines issues and prospects for online practical work in SSA. It includes a brief summary of the present position and presents the views of stakeholders gathered using semi structured interviews. These focused on their attitudes towards introducing new learning technologies and related approaches in the teaching and learning of practical work in science. The results showed that many of the educators interviewed are enthusiastic about the opportunities afforded by online practical work and see such innovation as a useful response to the pandemic. They also assert their readiness to embrace new technologies in STEM practical work but warn of the challenges, notably access to resources and the lack of the teaching skills required to engage learners in effective online practical work. The students have been disappointed by online versions of conventional face to face teaching and many are sceptical about online practical work. Resource and cost issues dominate their thinking. Science educators will require extensive training if online learning technologies are to be harnessed successfully to provide practical science activities in SSA.
{"title":"Challenges and Opportunities for Online Practical Work in Sub-Saharan Africa","authors":"F. Babalola, Sina J. Fakoyede","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.4026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.4026","url":null,"abstract":"Practical work is an integral part of teaching and learning in STEM. It can help to deliver many learning outcomes - manipulative skills, observation and description, motivation, creative thinking, problem-solving abilities, and critical attitudes, as well as conceptual understanding. In recent years the already weak provision of the STEM practical curriculum in Sub Saharan Africa SSA has been undermined further by pandemic constraints. Online practical work is expanding rapidly in both scale and sophistication worldwide and it offers a credible means of mitigating such problems and improving access in SSA. This study examines issues and prospects for online practical work in SSA. It includes a brief summary of the present position and presents the views of stakeholders gathered using semi structured interviews. These focused on their attitudes towards introducing new learning technologies and related approaches in the teaching and learning of practical work in science. The results showed that many of the educators interviewed are enthusiastic about the opportunities afforded by online practical work and see such innovation as a useful response to the pandemic. They also assert their readiness to embrace new technologies in STEM practical work but warn of the challenges, notably access to resources and the lack of the teaching skills required to engage learners in effective online practical work. The students have been disappointed by online versions of conventional face to face teaching and many are sceptical about online practical work. Resource and cost issues dominate their thinking. Science educators will require extensive training if online learning technologies are to be harnessed successfully to provide practical science activities in SSA.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114946243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-01DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3596
John Dixon, N. Gordon
The financial cost to individuals of higher education is now regularly exceeding £50k before maintenance in the UK; consequently, students are more concerned than ever that their degree should offer value for money when they enter the jobs marketplace. Overshadowed by long-term debt, lack of career options and job offerings with low salary, student numbers in the arts, languages, humanities and philosophy areas have suffered compared to most STEM disciplines (Universities UK, 2018). Computer science, I.T. and computing tend to buck this trend (HESA, 2020), and, with a drive toward reskilling the workforce for a more technology-focussed future, this suits Government strategy. However, graduate employers want to hire individuals who are well rounded and have experience; businesses identify that more general workplace experience is key. The subsequent sections describe a level 7 (Master’s) capstone project module, Commercial Development Practice, dedicated to fulfilling these employer requirements by focussing on project processes rather than project products. The practicalities of running this module and considerations that have been key for the successful application of this technique over the 14 years the module has been running are discussed. The curriculum, pedagogic approaches and assessment methods are presented. The evaluation of this approach, which analyses the impact and student experience and perception of the module using data gathered since 2015, has found that participants gain valuable skills, experience and confidence which leads to more employable graduates.
{"title":"Improving Graduate Futures and Employability Through Embedded Industrial Experience","authors":"John Dixon, N. Gordon","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3596","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3596","url":null,"abstract":"The financial cost to individuals of higher education is now regularly exceeding £50k before maintenance in the UK; consequently, students are more concerned than ever that their degree should offer value for money when they enter the jobs marketplace. Overshadowed by long-term debt, lack of career options and job offerings with low salary, student numbers in the arts, languages, humanities and philosophy areas have suffered compared to most STEM disciplines (Universities UK, 2018). Computer science, I.T. and computing tend to buck this trend (HESA, 2020), and, with a drive toward reskilling the workforce for a more technology-focussed future, this suits Government strategy. However, graduate employers want to hire individuals who are well rounded and have experience; businesses identify that more general workplace experience is key. The subsequent sections describe a level 7 (Master’s) capstone project module, Commercial Development Practice, dedicated to fulfilling these employer requirements by focussing on project processes rather than project products. The practicalities of running this module and considerations that have been key for the successful application of this technique over the 14 years the module has been running are discussed. The curriculum, pedagogic approaches and assessment methods are presented. The evaluation of this approach, which analyses the impact and student experience and perception of the module using data gathered since 2015, has found that participants gain valuable skills, experience and confidence which leads to more employable graduates.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"85 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132144709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-01DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3946
D. Read, Stephen M Barnes, Oliver Hughes, Iveta Ivanova, Annabelle Sessions, Paul J Wilson
Many instructors globally reported a lack of engagement in synchronous online sessions during the Covid-19 lockdowns. This article outlines the use of collaborative small group tasks mediated via breakout rooms in Teams during the 2020/21 academic year. The rationale for the activities, which are available for download, is described along with details of the evaluation of their impact. Key findings were that a majority of students reported enjoying the tasks and felt that they improved their learning during online sessions.
{"title":"Supporting student collaboration in online breakout rooms through interactive group activities","authors":"D. Read, Stephen M Barnes, Oliver Hughes, Iveta Ivanova, Annabelle Sessions, Paul J Wilson","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3946","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3946","url":null,"abstract":"Many instructors globally reported a lack of engagement in synchronous online sessions during the Covid-19 lockdowns. This article outlines the use of collaborative small group tasks mediated via breakout rooms in Teams during the 2020/21 academic year. The rationale for the activities, which are available for download, is described along with details of the evaluation of their impact. Key findings were that a majority of students reported enjoying the tasks and felt that they improved their learning during online sessions.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123698498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-01DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3950
D. Read, Stephen M Barnes, Paul J Wilson
This article outlines an exploratory study that investigated students’ perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of lecture recordings delivered as part of an introductory chemistry program in the UK during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spring 2020. Three features of these lecture recordings are considered: 1) the production of a series of mini-lectures rather than 50 minute recordings; 2) the inclusion of quiz questions in the video timeline; and 3) the inclusion of a picture-in-picture talking head showing the instructor alongside a captured screen. Analysis of survey data indicates that a majority of students felt that each of these features had a positive impact on their learning and/or experience, with a significant number expressing a preference for the retention of online lectures after the resumption of on-campus teaching. Qualitative data provides valuable insight regarding the specific aspects of the recorded lectures that were perceived to enhance the student experience, supporting the design of future provision both during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The generalizability of the recommendations is also discussed, along with the limitations of the study.
{"title":"Student perspectives on online lectures during the Covid-19 lockdown","authors":"D. Read, Stephen M Barnes, Paul J Wilson","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i17.3950","url":null,"abstract":"This article outlines an exploratory study that investigated students’ perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of lecture recordings delivered as part of an introductory chemistry program in the UK during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spring 2020. Three features of these lecture recordings are considered: 1) the production of a series of mini-lectures rather than 50 minute recordings; 2) the inclusion of quiz questions in the video timeline; and 3) the inclusion of a picture-in-picture talking head showing the instructor alongside a captured screen. Analysis of survey data indicates that a majority of students felt that each of these features had a positive impact on their learning and/or experience, with a significant number expressing a preference for the retention of online lectures after the resumption of on-campus teaching. Qualitative data provides valuable insight regarding the specific aspects of the recorded lectures that were perceived to enhance the student experience, supporting the design of future provision both during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The generalizability of the recommendations is also discussed, along with the limitations of the study.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123570767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-10-26DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i16.3847
D. Cottle
Covid‑19 restrictions affected most of the post‑16 learning experience of the students who will begin university courses in STEM in the UK in autumn 2021. Ongoing disruption to learning culminated in the cancellation of normal A-level examinations which were replaced with teacher assessments. Informal discussion with secondary school teaching colleagues reveals some possible consequences for the students’ transition to degree level study in STEM subjects. The main suggestion is that, despite the resilience that students have shown both academically and socially, there have been significant omissions from the normally studied curriculum that may affect their progress on degree courses in STEM including: lack of experimental practice and skills, lack of specific subject knowledge and lack of experience of assessment.
{"title":"The effects of Covid-19 on student transition from school to university in STEM subjects","authors":"D. Cottle","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i16.3847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i16.3847","url":null,"abstract":"Covid‑19 restrictions affected most of the post‑16 learning experience of the students who will begin university courses in STEM in the UK in autumn 2021. Ongoing disruption to learning culminated in the cancellation of normal A-level examinations which were replaced with teacher assessments. Informal discussion with secondary school teaching colleagues reveals some possible consequences for the students’ transition to degree level study in STEM subjects. The main suggestion is that, despite the resilience that students have shown both academically and socially, there have been significant omissions from the normally studied curriculum that may affect their progress on degree courses in STEM including: lack of experimental practice and skills, lack of specific subject knowledge and lack of experience of assessment.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"48 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132945380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-06-16DOI: 10.29311/ndtps.v0i16.3782
Anthea Rose, Lucy Mallinson
This short article summarises the evaluation findings from the end of Year 1 Phase 2 Uni Connect Raising Higher Education Aspirations project in Lincolnshire. This national initiative, funded by the Office for Students, delivers targeted Higher Education outreach activities to young people in Years 9 to 13 in areas where the Higher Education participation of young people is much lower than expected based on GCSE-level attainment. These areas often coincide with where universities focus their widening participation efforts to help them meet their Access and Participation Plans. In Lincolnshire the project is managed and delivered by LiNCHigher, one of 29 local learning partnerships involved in the project nationally. The data were collected between March and July 2020 during the Covid-19 national lockdown when all schools were closed and draws primarily on data collected from six case study schools. Evaluation activity comprised an online student activity survey, semi-structured interviews with School and College Leads, LiNCHigher Area Engagement Officers and two student focus groups, conducted just prior to lockdown in early March. The evaluation found that, prior to Covid-19, interventions were beginning to have a positive impact on the Higher Education aspirations of all students and that schools both welcomed and valued the initiative highly. The evaluation report made several recommendations, including ensuring workshops are more interactive.
{"title":"Interim findings from the Uni Connect Raising Higher Education Aspirations evaluation in Lincolnshire","authors":"Anthea Rose, Lucy Mallinson","doi":"10.29311/ndtps.v0i16.3782","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i16.3782","url":null,"abstract":"This short article summarises the evaluation findings from the end of Year 1 Phase 2 Uni Connect Raising Higher Education Aspirations project in Lincolnshire. This national initiative, funded by the Office for Students, delivers targeted Higher Education outreach activities to young people in Years 9 to 13 in areas where the Higher Education participation of young people is much lower than expected based on GCSE-level attainment. These areas often coincide with where universities focus their widening participation efforts to help them meet their Access and Participation Plans. In Lincolnshire the project is managed and delivered by LiNCHigher, one of 29 local learning partnerships involved in the project nationally. The data were collected between March and July 2020 during the Covid-19 national lockdown when all schools were closed and draws primarily on data collected from six case study schools. Evaluation activity comprised an online student activity survey, semi-structured interviews with School and College Leads, LiNCHigher Area Engagement Officers and two student focus groups, conducted just prior to lockdown in early March. The evaluation found that, prior to Covid-19, interventions were beginning to have a positive impact on the Higher Education aspirations of all students and that schools both welcomed and valued the initiative highly. The evaluation report made several recommendations, including ensuring workshops are more interactive.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123073231","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-25DOI: 10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3674
S. Pugh, Jessica R. Gates
Examination papers were analysed using a methodology based on Bloom’s Taxonomy to identify the cognitive skills required to complete questions and compare these to the cognition necessary for graduate skills. This research found that examinations access mainly mid to low-level cognition such as recall and apply, while competencies required by employers tend to need higher-level cognition such as synthesis and creation, which are not as commonly tested through examinations. This paper proposes that careful design of examination questions using different measurable verbs could be more effective at encouraging development of higher-level metacognitive skills in formal examinations.
{"title":"The Application of Bloom’s Taxonomy to Higher Education Examination Questions in Physics","authors":"S. Pugh, Jessica R. Gates","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3674","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3674","url":null,"abstract":"Examination papers were analysed using a methodology based on Bloom’s Taxonomy to identify the cognitive skills required to complete questions and compare these to the cognition necessary for graduate skills. This research found that examinations access mainly mid to low-level cognition such as recall and apply, while competencies required by employers tend to need higher-level cognition such as synthesis and creation, which are not as commonly tested through examinations. This paper proposes that careful design of examination questions using different measurable verbs could be more effective at encouraging development of higher-level metacognitive skills in formal examinations.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115520668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-10DOI: 10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3793
N. Page, Gary Forster-Wilkins, Mark Bonetzky
Widening participation has encouraged students from a diverse range of backgrounds into university with more students commuting (many being Black and Minority Ethnic, BME). Since timetabling forms a major way by which students identify and interact with their learning environment understanding its influence is important. This project aimed to identify the experiences of students with their timetables using questionnaires and focus groups to determine perceptions and relationship to travel to university by ethnicity, gender, age and level of study. Five hundred and fifty students participated across levels 4 to 6 at Kingston University. There was a strong negative correlation between travel time and ‘the timetable works efficiently for me’ (Question 16, National Student Survey). Students from ethnic backgrounds on average were found to travel double the distances of their White counterparts to get to university. In addition, timetable satisfaction was also reflected in the modes of transport used and in perceptions of expected timetabled hours (i.e., whether too many or too few hours scheduled) based on travel times. We identified a number of inclusive priorities to help improve the timetable for student groups including having later starts to days and one guaranteed day free per week. In addition, the COVID-19 world has temporarily reduced the need for most students to commute and can be regarded as a positive disruptor for future commuting students. Certainly, it will be important to find a new balance in applying the identified priorities and the realised alternative COVID-19 teaching practices for creating more inclusive, flexible and blended learning environments to achieve the ultimate student-centred timetable.
{"title":"The impact of student timetables and commuting on student satisfaction","authors":"N. Page, Gary Forster-Wilkins, Mark Bonetzky","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3793","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3793","url":null,"abstract":"Widening participation has encouraged students from a diverse range of backgrounds into university with more students commuting (many being Black and Minority Ethnic, BME). Since timetabling forms a major way by which students identify and interact with their learning environment understanding its influence is important. This project aimed to identify the experiences of students with their timetables using questionnaires and focus groups to determine perceptions and relationship to travel to university by ethnicity, gender, age and level of study. Five hundred and fifty students participated across levels 4 to 6 at Kingston University. There was a strong negative correlation between travel time and ‘the timetable works efficiently for me’ (Question 16, National Student Survey). Students from ethnic backgrounds on average were found to travel double the distances of their White counterparts to get to university. In addition, timetable satisfaction was also reflected in the modes of transport used and in perceptions of expected timetabled hours (i.e., whether too many or too few hours scheduled) based on travel times. We identified a number of inclusive priorities to help improve the timetable for student groups including having later starts to days and one guaranteed day free per week. In addition, the COVID-19 world has temporarily reduced the need for most students to commute and can be regarded as a positive disruptor for future commuting students. Certainly, it will be important to find a new balance in applying the identified priorities and the realised alternative COVID-19 teaching practices for creating more inclusive, flexible and blended learning environments to achieve the ultimate student-centred timetable.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"227 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116387978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-04DOI: 10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3607
Rebecca Barnes, A. Kelly, H. Mulrooney
Belonging at university is a complex and important issue which relates to student attainment but is more challenging for nontraditional students, including those with disability. This study, part of a larger project, explored differences in academic selfconfidence and engagement, belonging, peer belonging and institutional acceptance in those with and without disability in two academic institutions. Quantitative data, collected using a series of statements in online questionnaires, indicated that academic self-confidence was significantly lower in those with disability, as were aspects of peer belonging. By contrast, academic engagement and institutional acceptance did not differ for most statements by disability status. Possible reasons for this, and the implications of the findings, are discussed.
{"title":"Student belonging: the impact of disability status within and between academic institutions.","authors":"Rebecca Barnes, A. Kelly, H. Mulrooney","doi":"10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3607","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29311/NDTPS.V0I16.3607","url":null,"abstract":"Belonging at university is a complex and important issue which relates to student attainment but is more challenging for nontraditional students, including those with disability. This study, part of a larger project, explored differences in academic selfconfidence and engagement, belonging, peer belonging and institutional acceptance in those with and without disability in two academic institutions. Quantitative data, collected using a series of statements in online questionnaires, indicated that academic self-confidence was significantly lower in those with disability, as were aspects of peer belonging. By contrast, academic engagement and institutional acceptance did not differ for most statements by disability status. Possible reasons for this, and the implications of the findings, are discussed.","PeriodicalId":174795,"journal":{"name":"New directions in the teaching of physical sciences","volume":"71 5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132862817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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