Search Results for
"learning"

This study aims to develop an innovative project-based learning (PBL) that fits the purpose of fostering critical and creative thinking skills (CCTS). The innovations were made to the PBL’s syntax and referred to as RAHMA which stood for (1) Recognize the problem. (2) Analyze the problem. (3) Handle a project. (4) Monitor the progress. (5) Assess the result. Attempts were made to make the model valid and practical, capable of improving pre-service biology teachers’ (PSBTs’) CCTS and fitting the purpose of a pedagogical course. This study used Plomp’s research and development model which consisted of three stages: preliminary research, prototyping phase, and assessment phase. The results indicated that the PBL with RAHMA syntax was highly valid and practical. Furthermore, the instruments used to measure the CCTS were also highly valid. In conclusion, PBL with RAHMA syntax and its supporting tools are valid to enhance PSBTs’ CCTS. The implication highlights the necessity of using this learning model in the pedagogical courses that focus on designing products in teamwork. © 2025 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved.

This study aimed to investigate the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in sustainable environmental conservation. Universities conduct extensive research on regional and global biodiversity, assessing the health, threats, and populations of various species. Universities worldwide are expected to provide practical learning opportunities, such as fieldwork, internships, and community projects, that emphasize sustainability and environmental conservation. The researchers tested two hypotheses on how scientific research and habitat restoration campaigns contribute to environmental conservation. The quantitative study collected data using a survey questionnaire. The participants were 92 higher education academic staff purposively selected from 5 universities in Mogadishu, Somalia. The correlation coefficients for studies on climate change and habitat restoration initiatives in relation to sustainable environmental conservation were 0.597 and 0.601, respectively. The study found that climate change research (CCR) and habitat restoration campaigns (HRC) had a significant effect on sustainable environmental conservation (SEC), as indicated by p-values of 0.02 and 0.01, respectively. The study also highlighted the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and industrial activities. ©: © 2025 The authors.

This study examines the content complexity of Technical Sciences through the Depth-of-Knowledge (DOK) Level Scheme to provide a nuanced understanding of how cognitive demands influence student learning and instructional strategies. Using a quantitative research design and a systematic content analysis approach, the study evaluates the DOK levels embedded in Technical Sciences curricula, instructional resources, and assessment tools. The research focuses on categorizing Technical Sciences topics across the four DOK levels: recall and reproduction, skills and concepts, strategic thinking, and extended thinking. Data were collected from educational materials across various contexts and analysed to identify patterns in content complexity. The findings reveal a heterogeneous distribution of DOK levels, with some topics requiring higher-order thinking skills while others emphasize foundational knowledge. Significant discrepancies in the application of DOK levels across educational contexts were observed, underscoring the need for a consistent framework in curriculum design. The study highlights the implications for educators and curriculum developers, emphasizing the importance of integrating higher DOK levels into instructional practices to foster learners’ critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and deeper conceptual understanding. Recommendations include adopting DOK-aligned teaching strategies in Technical Sciences and conducting further research to explore the relationship between content complexity and student achievement. By addressing these gaps, the study contributes to ongoing efforts to enhance educational outcomes and promote a more rigorous and relevant Technical Sciences curriculum. ©Authors.

Health professional education stands to gain substantially from collective efforts toward building video databases of skill performances in both real and simulated settings. An accessible resource of videos that demonstrate an array of performances – both good and bad—provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary research collaborations that can advance our understanding of movement that reflects technical expertise, support educational tool development, and facilitate assessment practices. In this paper we raise important ethical and legal considerations when building and sharing health professions education data. Collective data sharing may produce new knowledge and tools to support healthcare professional education. We demonstrate the utility of a data-sharing culture by providing and leveraging a database of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performances that vary in quality. The CPR skills performance database (collected for the purpose of this research, hosted at UK Data Service’s ReShare Repository) contains videos from 40 participants recorded from 6 different angles, allowing for 3D reconstruction for movement analysis. The video footage is accompanied by quality ratings from 2 experts, participants’ self-reported confidence and frequency of performing CPR, and the demographics of the participants. From this data, we present an Automatic Clinical Assessment tool for Basic Life Support that uses pose estimation to determine the spatial location of the participant’s movements during CPR and a deep learning network that assesses the performance quality. © Crown 2024.

An increasing number of studies has observed that immersive virtual reality (iVR) technology using head-mounted displays (HMDs) can facilitate learning outcomes. However, most studies have been exploratory and were executed in laboratory settings instead of being implemented and orchestrated in authentic teaching settings. Furthermore, iVR design approaches based on learning theories in which learning objectives are in line with relevant curricula are still scarce. Thus, we conducted a study to provide insights from a perspective of instruction in authentic settings. We present the design of an iVR learning application that was aligned with curricula and that includes specific design features to foster relevant learning objectives. Orchestrated with additional learning material and learning activities, the iVR learning application was implemented and evaluated in an authentic teaching setting in the field of electrical engineering at a German vocational school. In order to investigate the effects of a lesson orchestrated around the iVR application, we conducted a study (n = 29) in a pre-post between-subject design in which we compared learning orchestrated around an iVR experience (iVR group n = 14) with learning in a more traditional setting consisting of a typical group task (control group n = 15). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups; in both conditions, the same content was addressed. We compared group differences regarding four dependent variables: motivation, factual knowledge, comprehension and transfer. In both groups, we observed an increase in knowledge and comprehension. The gain in the iVR group was significantly stronger compared to the control group, but we observed no differences in motivation and transfer. We discuss our findings from a perspective of instruction in authentic settings, along with implications for instructional iVR technology design. Despite the high organizational effort still required to embed iVR technology into a classroom setting, we stress that instructional settings that entail complex cognitive and motor tasks can benefit in particular from agency as one of the main affordances provided by iVR technology. More research should be conducted in these settings, and additional research should focus on which design features make these iVR experiences effective, and how it can be assured that transfer of knowledge is also increased. © The Author(s) 2024.

The aim of the study is to examine the effects of entrepreneurs’ cognitive style on firm performance mediated through experiential learning. A conceptual model was developed showing the responsibility as a moderator between cognitive style and experiential learning, and risk taking as a moderator between experiential learning and firm performance. Using a survey instrument, data were collected from 378 entrepreneurs in the Southern part of India. Hayes’s PROCESS macros were used to test the hypothesised relationships. The results reveal that all dimensions of cognitive style: Knowing style, planning style and creating style, are significantly and positively related to firm performance. The results also suggest that experiential learning mediates the relationship between three dimensions of cognitive style and firm performance. Further, the findings indicate that entrepreneurs’ responsibility moderates the relationship between all three dimensions of cognitive style (knowing style, planning style and creating style) and experiential learning. The results also showed risk-taking as a moderator between experiential learning and firm performance. This study offers practical insights to both entrepreneurs and educators by highlighting the role of cognitive styles in achieving success. Further, educational institutions can conduct workshops and training programs to bring awareness about the antecedents to entrepreneurial success. The conceptual model developed, to the best of our knowledge, is first of its kind especially in the context of a developing country—India. This study emphasises the significance of three dimensions of cognitive style as precursors to firm performance, mediated through experiential learning. This study extends the current knowledge on the effect of cognitive styles on entrepreneurship intentions by exploring the responsibility and risk-taking as moderators. © 2025 Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India.