Search Results for
"Higher education"

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has presented transformative opportunities for education, particularly in addressing the limitations of traditional lecture-based teaching methods commonly employed in large-class settings. While these methods efficiently deliver content, they often fail to foster active engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative learning. Grounded in Constructivism Learning Theory, this study explores the potential of AI to enhance student-centered learning and overcome the inherent challenges of large-class instruction in higher education. Conducted across three universities in China and Malaysia from 2023 to 2024, this quasi-experimental research introduces a novel AI-empowered, student-centered teaching strategy (Active Learning, Situational Discussion, Inductive Teaching, Feedback). Designed to foster engagement, adaptability, and deeper learning in large-class settings, ASIF teaching strategy integrates AI to create dynamic, personalized, and interactive educational environments. Results demonstrate that the AI-empowered ASIF teaching strategy significantly enhances learning outcomes compared to traditional methods. This research demonstrates the potential of the AI-empowered ASIF teaching strategy to address the limitations of traditional teaching methods in large-class contexts, offering a scalable, student-centered solution that enhances educational outcomes. Additionally, it advances Constructivism Learning Theory by expanding its practical applications in modern education, establishing new theoretical and pedagogical frontiers. © National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan 2025.

Background: As a critical force for the future development of hospice care, death education for nursing students plays an essential role in the provision of hospice care services. However, current research has overlooked the heterogeneity of death education needs among individuals, and few studies have explored the influencing factors of death education needs and its relationship with hospice attitude of nursing interns. Objective: A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify the unique characteristics of death education needs among nursing interns in China and to explore the influencing factors of death education needs and its relationship with hospice attitude of nursing interns. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Settings: A tertiary hospital in Shandong Province, China. Participants: The sample consisted of nursing interns (N = 225) from five medical universities. Methods: Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to establish a latent profile model for death education needs among nursing interns in China. Binary logistic regression analysis was then performed to examine the predictors of high death education needs based on the different latent profiles. Results: Nursing interns' death education needs could be categorized into two latent groups: a “Low-level needs-higher views of death” group (26.2 %) and a “High-level needs” group (73.8 %). Binary logistic regression analysis, with the Low-level needs-higher views of death as the reference, revealed that educational level, experience of bereavement, occasional opportunities to care for the dying, and attitudes toward hospice care were significant predictors of nursing interns' death education needs. Conclusions: Death education needs among nursing interns in China exhibit distinct profiling characteristics. Nursing interns with higher educational levels, experience of bereavement, opportunities to care for the dying, and positive attitudes toward hospice care are more likely to fall into the “High-level needs” group. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of future death education training models. © 2025

Understood as “a means by which society decides collectively what urban [and rural] change should be like and tries to achieve that vision by a mix of means.”, there is broad consensus that planning should fully incorporate the notion of sustainable development. Planners have a critical role in envisioning and driving local transitions to sustainable development. This requires transforming what planners learn and how they learn in higher education. This study is the first to identify a set of planning competencies for sustainable development. It proposes in three areas planning competencies for sustainable development, including (a) knowledge to understand human settlements, (b) skills to plan sustainable settlements, and (c) values to stand for sustainable communities. Following a conceptual analysis of transformative pedagogy as a superior theoretical approach to teaching for sustainable development, this study is also the first to identify types of transformative learning activities, including (1) unlearning- relearning activities, (2) learning through new experiences, and (3) ill-structured problem solving. The study therefore makes original contributions to both planning and education literature, in addition to its interdisciplinary methodological contribution through an original design of ‘framing and sensemaking + reframing’ applied for knowledge recombination between two fields – i.e., sustainability competencies, and planning competencies. The study presents case examples submitted by planning schools around the world to demonstrate transformative learning activities that enhance planning competencies for sustainable and resilient urban development. © 2025 The Authors

Background: Conventional reflective learning methodologies in programming education often lack structured guidance and individualised feedback, limiting their pedagogical effectiveness. Whilst computational thinking (CT) offers a systematic problem-solving framework with decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design, its potential application as a diagnostic instrument for reflection remains insufficiently explored within programming education. Objectives: This study aims to develop and evaluate a CT-based diagnostic reflective report system as a technological intervention to facilitate structured reflective learning in programming education. Furthermore, it investigates the impact of this system on knowledge construction, higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), and project performance within an introductory Python programming course. Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental design spanning two academic semesters, involving 82 undergraduate students randomly assigned to experimental (n = 42) and control (n = 40) groups. The experimental group utilised weekly CT-based diagnostic reflective reports, whilst the control group engaged in traditional reflective practises. The curriculum integrated Python programming with Raspberry Pi embedded systems. Assessment measures included pre- and post-tests for knowledge construction, a validated questionnaire for HOTS evaluation, and the Creative Product Analysis Matrix (CPAM) for project performance assessment. Results and Conclusions: Implementation of the CT-based diagnostic reflective report system demonstrated statistically significant improvements in knowledge construction, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills compared to traditional approaches. Project performance metrics, including valuable, logical, useful, understandable, and well-crafted, showed marked enhancement. However, no significant impact was observed regarding creativity. These findings substantiate the efficacy of integrating CT diagnostic mechanisms with reflective learning practises. © 2025 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Public interventions in the apprenticeship market often aim to increase demand or returns. We set up a double-sided experiment with youth and firms to analyse a subsidized dual apprenticeship program. This intervention seeks to relax financial constraints for youth by offering a wage subsidy and to make apprenticeship more attractive by providing vocational training in technical skills that complements on-the-job training. We document a large increase in youth participation in apprenticeship, yet the inflow of apprentices induces little crowding out of traditional apprentices in firms. The intervention leads to an increase in youth demand for apprenticeship, enabling firms to fill open apprenticeship positions. The subsidy compensates apprentices for low wages but does not alleviate financial constraints. Consistent with the dual training component contributing to an increase in youth demand for apprenticeship, youth perform more complex tasks and have higher earnings 4 years after the start of the experiment. © The World Bank 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Review of Economic Studies Limited.

Research is a key component of higher education, promoting deep learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The Academic Body of Engineering and Systems (InySis) organizes the colloquium of research initiation: proactive university students (CIIEUPA) each academic cycle (A and B) to foster research as a fundamental tool for students’ educational and professional development. This qualitative, descriptive study aimed to determine the skills acquired by students participating in CIIEUPA. The action-research methodology was employed, with participant observation used as the data collection technique. The sample consisted of second and third-semester students from the Software Engineering Competence Unit from the 2022A and 2022B cycles. The results revealed that participation in the colloquium enriched students with experiences that fostered teamwork, effective communication, critical thinking, and leadership. CIIEUPA, as an active collaborative learning methodology, allowed students to share their findings with the academic community, strengthening their commitment, and motivation toward research. Such initiatives contribute to learning and play a crucial role in the holistic development of students, promoting their growth in both academic and professional fields. This approach demonstrates the value of integrating research into the educational process, allowing students to engage meaningfully with their discipline while developing essential skills for their future careers. © 2025 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved.

This research investigates the impact of project-based learning (PjBL) on enhancing students’ creative thinking abilities through a comprehensive meta-analytic study. Creative thinking is recognized as an integral part of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) required for success. Employing the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), studies published between 2014 and 2024 were identified and synthesized from the Scopus database. Data analysis, conducted with R, assessed the impact of PjBL using effect size (ES) measurements. The findings demonstrate that PjBL significantly improves creative thinking skills compared to traditional teaching methods. Moderator analysis revealed that variables such as educational level, subject area, and learning model influence the outcomes, with the highest impact observed in high school and inquiry-driven subjects like physics. Variations of PjBL, including technology-enhanced models, such as Google Classroom-based approaches, further amplified its effectiveness, particularly in virtual learning environments. This study highlights PjBL’s adaptability and robust potential in fostering creativity and innovation across diverse educational contexts. The results provide practical implications for educators in designing tailored PjBL strategies to cultivate students’ creative thinking, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and technological integration in modern education. © 2025 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved.

The aim of the research is to identify the significant factors which influence employability skills. The research focused on the value of skills such as communication, interpersonal abilities, as well as teamwork. The research aimed to explore the mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between digital skills and employability skills within the context of trainee teachers in the agricultural field. Stratified random sampling was utilised in the process of conducting a cross-sectional survey to 200 Malaysian agricultural trainee teachers majoring in higher education. The important variables were assessed via modified questionnaires. The researchers utilised structural equation modelling to examine the suggested model, resulting in the measurement model to show a satisfactory fit to the data. The findings unveiled a positive detailed exploration of emotional intelligence sub-constructs reveals that the mediating effect is only partial for each specific sub-construct, thus adding new insight to current understanding of the factors involved in this relationship. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

Introduction: Scenario-based training (SBT) is a modern, innovative teaching approach that facilitates structured discussions among nurse interns. Well-crafted scenarios are vital for educators to effectively incorporate learning objectives into the training experiences of nurse interns. Objective: This study examined the impact of scenario-based training on nurse interns’ critical thinking dispositions. Methods: A true experimental design, including the study & control groups, was utilized. The study included 120 nurse interns who were selected randomly and classified into two groups: a study group (60 NIs) and a control group (60 NIs). Data were collected using three instruments: a scenario-based knowledge instrument, a critical thinking dispositions scale, and a satisfaction tool. Results: The study results showed that there was statistically significant improvement among the study group, as 13.3% of them had a satisfactory knowledge level at preprogram (χ² = 0.323, p = .389; Cramér's V = 0.052, negligible effect). However, a very strong and statistically significant association was found both immediately after the program at 100% (χ² = 101.538, p < .001; Cramér's V = 0.920) and at the follow-up program at 98.3% (χ² = 97.634, p < .001; Cramér's V = 0.902), reflecting a large intervention effect on knowledge level. There was significant improvement postprogram in enhancing critical thinking dispositions, ranging from medium to large (Cramér's V: 0.321–0.527), as well as higher satisfaction with a percentage of 93.3%, whereas the control group did not exhibit similar increases. These gains were evident immediately after the training and were sustained at follow up, highlighting the effectiveness of SBT. Conclusion: The study determined that there was a positive correlation between SBT and the development of critical thinking dispositions in the study group postprogram implementation. The study recommended continuous assessment of teaching strategies to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of nursing education. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

Experiential learning is used extensively in agriculturally related colleges and courses. There is a need to examine how to best structure meaningful learning experiences in order to best prepare the agriculture, food, and natural resources workforce. This study aimed to investigate how different modes of reflection and levels of transfer affect the development of students’ transfer skills over time in an undergraduate animal science course. A 2 × 3 factorial, quasi-experimental design, examined with linear mixed modeling, was used to examine how the two treatment variables (reflection mode and transfer level) impacted students’ transfer skills (the dependent variable) over time. Time (in weeks) had a positive, significant effect on participants’ (N = 123) transfer skill quiz scores. The fixed effect of near transfer had a negative, significant effect on participants’ transfer skills scores as compared to the fixed effect of far transfer. All remaining fixed effects had no significant effect on students’ transfer skills scores. As students spend more time practicing transfer skills, especially to distal contexts (i.e., far transfer), their ability to transfer abstract concepts increases. We recommend that educators who seek to teach for transfer implement intentional scaffolding in which learners progress across multiple levels of transfer context. © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).