Search Results for
"learning"

Background: As population aging accelerates, the demand for professionals in older adult care continues to rise. Traditional teaching methods often fail to improve students’ willingness to serve older adults or foster teamwork. This study evaluated the effects of integrating a flipped classroom with project-based learning (PBL) and a hands-on clinical practicum into a health internship course. Methods: A mixed-methods design was adopted. Participants included 88 interdisciplinary university students enrolled in an 18-week, two-credit geriatric health internship course offered at a university in central Taiwan from August 2023 to July 2024. The course combined flipped classroom and PBL approaches, as well as clinical practicum activities. Data on willingness to serve older adults, teamwork skills, and learning outcomes were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed with paired t-tests. Results: Significant improvements were found in willingness (from 68.93 to 73.15), teamwork (67.33 to 71.45), and learning outcomes (89.84 to 102.14) (p = 0.001). Qualitative findings further revealed increased empathy, improved teamwork, and enhanced ability to apply knowledge in real-world contexts. Conclusions: A teaching approach that integrates a flipped classroom, PBL, and a clinical practicum can effectively enhance students’ competencies in older adult care. Future research should explore long-term and cross-cultural impacts. © 2025 by the authors.

This study examines the implementation of problem-based learning in the teaching of physics within the context of technical–professional higher education in Chile. The research aimed to evaluate meaningful learning, competency development, and student satisfaction. The study involved 122 first-year students enrolled in technical programmes related to the field of mechanics. The findings revealed significant improvements in both conceptual and propositional learning, as well as in the development of technical competencies such as problem-solving, information selection, and teamwork. Additionally, high levels of student satisfaction were observed, indicating that problem-based learning not only enhances learning but also fosters greater engagement and motivation among students. These results highlight the potential of problem-based learning to transform the teaching of physics in technical–professional higher education settings, aligning academic content with practical applications and providing students with relevant and high-quality education. © 2025 by the authors.

Active learning strategies and methodologies place the students at the core of the learning process. The objective is to engage students in their own learning through significant activities that involve active participation. These activities are designed to promote collaboration, reflection, and practical application of the knowledge acquired to develop cognitive, social, and emotional competences. These methodologies are of particular interest in STEM disciplines and vocational education, where practice is a key element in the assimilation of theoretical concepts. In this line, a case study is presented where active methodologies have been applied to two groups of Vocational Education and Training in the area of Computer Science to improve interest and commitment. The present study focuses on two groups of first-year students enrolled in the Web Application Design course, one in the Programming subject and the other in the Markup Language subject. Both groups are heterogeneous, composed of young adults with significantly different backgrounds, skills, and motivation. The teaching–learning process is based on active methodologies, such as Project-Based learning, Design Thinking, Flipped Classroom, or gamification, which are adapted for different subjects in the field of Computer Science. These methodologies facilitate the experimental design and testing of diverse solutions for programming problems, thereby enhancing students’ motivation and interest, while promoting creativity and reflection. The results show an improvement in the interest and commitment of the students in both groups. Despite the fact that less than 50% of students successfully passed in the initial examination, more than 75% students passed after the second-chance examination. The findings have consistently suggested that the implementation of active methodologies leads to significant enhancements in the proficiency, development, motivation, and self-learning capabilities of students, and that these methodologies make students more aware of their learning process. © 2025 by the authors.

This study develops and validates an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted internship learning platform for automotive electronics based on the Llama 3 large language model, aiming to enhance pedagogical effectiveness within vocational training contexts. Addressing critical issues such as the persistent theory–practice gap and limited innovation capability prevalent in existing curricula, we leverage the natural language processing (NLP) capabilities of Llama 3 through fine-tuning based on transfer learning to establish a specialized knowledge base encompassing fundamental circuit principles and fault diagnosis protocols. The implementation employs the Hugging Face Transformers library with optimized hyperparameters, including a learning rate of 5 × 10−5 across five training epochs. Post-training evaluations revealed an accuracy of 89.7% on validation tasks (representing a 12.4% improvement over the baseline model), a semantic comprehension precision of 92.3% in technical question-and-answer assessments, a mathematical computation accuracy of 78.4% (highlighting this as a current limitation), and a latency of 6.3 s under peak operational workloads (indicating a system bottleneck). Although direct trials involving students were deliberately avoided, the platform’s technical feasibility was validated through multidimensional benchmarking against established models (BERT-base and GPT-2), confirming superior domain adaptability (F1 = 0.87) and enhanced error tolerance (σ2 = 1.2). Notable limitations emerged in numerical reasoning tasks (Cohen’s d = 1.15 compared to human experts) and in real-time responsiveness deterioration when exceeding 50 concurrent users. The study concludes that Llama 3 demonstrates considerable promise for automotive electronics skills development. Proposed future enhancements include integrating symbolic AI modules to improve computational reliability, implementing Kubernetes-based load balancing to ensure latency below 2 s at scale, and conducting longitudinal pedagogical validation studies with trainees. This research provides a robust technical foundation for AI-driven vocational education, especially suited to mechatronics fields that require close integration between theoretical knowledge and practical troubleshooting skills. © 2025 by the authors.

This study analyses the effectiveness of a contextualized teaching and learning sequence (TLS) based on forensic entomology (FE) to disprove the idea of spontaneous generation (SG) among students enrolled in the Higher Vocational Education and Training (VET) Cycle in Pathological Anatomy and Cytodiagnosis. Through an inquiry- and project-based learning approach, students replicate a version of Francesco Redi’s historical experiments, enabling them to engage with core scientific concepts such as the metamorphic cycle of insects and the role of entomology in forensic science. The research adopts a semiquantitative and exploratory design. It investigates: (1) whether students’ prior knowledge about FE and related biological processes is sufficient to refute SG; (2) to what extent this knowledge is influenced by their previous academic background and gender; and (3) whether a contextualized TLS can significantly enhance their conceptual understanding. The results reveal that most students begin with limited initial knowledge of FE and multiple misconceptions related to SG, irrespective of their previous study. Gender differences were observed at baseline, with women showing lower prior knowledge, but these differences disappeared after the intervention. The post-intervention data demonstrate a significant improvement in student’s ability to reject SG and explain biological processes coherently. The study highlights the importance of integrating entomology into health-related VET programs, both as a means to promote scientific literacy and correct misconceptions and as a pedagogical tool to foster critical thinking. It also highlights the potential and historically grounded methodologies to equalize learning outcomes and strengthen the scientific preparation of future healthcare professionals. © 2025 by the authors.

This study explores the potential of immersive virtual reality (IVR) to enhance knowledge transfer in vocational education, particularly in bridging the gap between academic learning and practical workplace application. The focus lies on relevant predictors for actual learning transfer, namely knowledge acquisition and the transfer-related self-efficacy. Additionally, the Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive learning (CAMIL) is used to investigate potential predictors in IVR learning. This approach allows for empirical testing of the CAMIL and validation of its assumptions using empirical data. To address the research questions, a quasi-experimental field study was conducted with 141 retail trainees at a German vocational school. Participants were assigned to either an IVR group or a control group receiving traditional instruction. The intervention spanned four teaching sessions of 90 min each, focusing on the design of a retail sales area based on sales-promoting principles. To assess subject-related learning outcomes, a domain-specific knowledge test was developed. In addition, transfer-related self-efficacy and other relevant constructs were measured using Likert-scale questionnaires. The results show that IVR-based instruction significantly improves knowledge acquisition and transfer-related self-efficacy compared to traditional teaching methods. In terms of the CAMIL-based mechanisms, significant correlations were found between transfer-related self-efficacy and factors such as interest, motivation, academic self-efficacy, embodiment, and self-regulation. Additionally, correlations were found between knowledge acquisition and relevant predictors such as interest, motivation, and self-regulation. These findings underscore IVR’s potential to facilitate knowledge transfer in vocational school, highlighting the need for further research on its long-term effects and the actual application of learned skills in real-world settings. © 2025 by the author.

Project-Based learning (PjBL) is a constructivist learning model that emphasizes active student engagement through real-world projects. Implementation in vocational education often faces challenges such as limited time, high material costs, and procedural errors. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating vlogs into Project-Based learning, or Project-Based learning with Vlog (PjBLV), in improving learning readiness, reducing procedural errors, and enhancing students’ culinary practicum outcomes. Employing a quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent control group, the research involved 26 third-semester students of the Hospitality Management Program at Universitas Negeri Padang, divided equally into an experimental group (PjBLV) and a control group (PjBL). The instruments consisted of a pre-test, essay-based post-test, and practicum assessment, all validated and tested for reliability. At the same time, data were analyzed using N-Gain and independent t-tests at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that the experimental group achieved a higher post-test mean score (88.67) than the control group (84.42), with an N-Gain of 80.46% categorized as high, indicating significant improvement in learning outcomes. The consistent distribution of scores demonstrated that PjBLV benefitted students across different ability levels, thereby reducing performance gaps. PjBLV proved more effective than conventional PjBL by promoting time efficiency, minimizing errors, and optimizing resources. The implications suggest that PjBLV is a promising pedagogical model for broader application in vocational education. Future studies are recommended to examine its impact on long-term skill retention and to explore the integration of interactive, technology-enhanced vlog-based learning for more personalized instruction. © 2025 by the author(s).

Islamic Religious Education (Pendidikan Agama Islam, PAI) at the madrasah level in Indonesia currently faces significant challenges in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) era, particularly in integrating digital technology while preserving core Islamic values. Therefore, the digital transformation of PAI learning is essential as a concrete step toward establishing a responsive and sustainable modern education model. This study explores the digital transformation model of PAI at three Madrasah Aliyah in East Java (MAJB, MANR, MAJE) in the AI era. Employing a qualitative aapproach through a multi-site case study design, data were collected through non-participant observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Data analysis followed Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the interactive model proposed by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The results reveal that the digital transformation model in MAJB, MANR, and MAJE is manifested in two key aspects. First is the institutional strategy, which encompasses the development of digital infrastructure and stakeholder collaboration. Second is the pedagogical and instructional system, which involves integrating learning Management Systems (LMS) and implementing the flipped classroom model. This study highlights how madrasahs balance digital transformation with Islamic values by implementing ethical content filtering, teacher training grounded in Islamic principles, and value-based learning design. These strategies integrate technology in madrasahs while preserving core Islamic values, enhancing educational quality. This research contributes by: 1) Expanding Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory in Islamic education; 2) Offering practical models for digital transformation; 3) Developing contextually relevant digital education models. © Authors.

The intensifying integration of engineering, science, and education, along with the growing requirements for graduates’ professional competencies, underscores the need for innovative and systematically structured approaches to engineering education. One such approach is the corporate model, which involves coordinated actions of all educational stakeholders and the integration of students into real industrial environments. This study proposes an adapted model of work-integrated learning based on a corporate approach, implemented in the engineering programs of a university in Kazakhstan. Unlike many models described in the literature, the emphasis is placed not only on industrial practice but also on comprehensive resource and organizational coordination between universities and companies. The model incorporates principles of institutional partnership, joint program design and assessment, and is supported by empirical analysis of company attractiveness factors, interaction formats, and the evaluation of four workplace dimensions. The pilot implementation of the model demonstrated an improvement in students’ skills ranging from 5.46% to 16.74%. A total of 91.67% of students positively assessed the organization of workplace learning, and 83.33% highlighted the overall attractiveness of the model. The effectiveness of the model was confirmed using t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings suggest that this model can be recommended for implementation in engineering programs of universities in developing countries. © Authors.

Generation Z students, born and raised amidst technological advancements, require a distinct set of approaches to learning. This study examines the hurdles that senior lecturers at Hindu religious universities have had to face in adapting instructional designs to Generation Z learners. A qualitative case study approach is undertaken to study the integration of information technology and the upgradation of contextual materials by lecturers to facilitate learning. Major findings stress the need for lecturers to be equipped in digital tool integration, updating course content, and instructional design developments catering specifically to the learning characteristics of Generation Z. The study further points to some major phases of instructional design, including the analysis of learning objectives, designing and developing teaching materials, and evaluating the outcomes of learning. This research, therefore, aims to assist instructors in designing technology-based learning environments that are better suited to Generation Z by making instructional design more compatible with this generation. Such insights contribute to the development of instructional design and provide valuable directions for future research. © 2025, Society for Research and Knowledge Management. All rights reserved.