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"Students"

For many Native American students, the thirty-seven existing tribal colleges improve their access to post-secondary education, especially for those living in reservation communities and surrounding rural areas. They also support tribal nations’ goals of offering accredited degree programs, as well honoring Indigenous knowledge. This is important for students enrolled in STEM courses since Native Americans are under-represented in these fields. In the early 2000s, Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC), the tribal college of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, was supported by National Science Foundation funding in developing a new math program to meet the unique cultural and instructional needs of its students. In this case study of a culturally responsive math program, we hypothesize that students participating in the new developmental math program attempt and earn more credits compared to cohorts participating in previous math programs and take less time on average to reach college-level math. We present information on the math outcomes of the participants in two variations of the math program reforms that have addressed the obstacles to student retention and achievement. The panel data available include students’ demographic characteristics, placement test scores, and math course grades and the credits for all students enrolled from 2006 to 2019. While the number of credits attempted or earned did not differ statistically across the cohorts, the qualitative data further show that the students appreciate the culturally responsive aspects of the program. Ultimately, we have found that these aspects resulted in increased confidence of the students in their academic skills, stronger Native identities and engagement as students, as well as an improved sense of belonging in this higher education environment, all of which were important goals of the developmental math program. © 2025 by the authors.

The need for scalable, immersive training systems is universal and recently has been included in fields that rely on complex, hands-on processes, such as surgery operations, assembly operations, construction processes training, etc. This paper examines the potential to support immersive training via digital tool manipulation in the domain of traditional handicrafts. The proposed methodology employs Finite Element Method simulations to compute material transformations and apply them to interactive virtual environments. The challenge is to accurately simulate human–tool interactions, which are critical to the acquisition of manual skills. Using Simulia Abaqus (v.2023HF2), crafting simulations are authored, executed, and exported as animation sequences. These are further refined in Blender (v3.6) and integrated into Unity to create reusable training components called Action Animators. Two software applications—Craft Studio (v1.0) and Apprentice Studio (v1.0)—are designed and implemented to enable instructors to create training lessons and students to practice and get evaluated in virtual environments. The methodology has wide-ranging applications beyond crafts, offering a solution for immersive training in skill-based activities. The validation and evaluation of the proposed approach suggest that it can significantly improve training effectiveness, scalability, and accessibility across various industries. © 2025 by the authors.

The Norwegian school system aims to include all students, but what exactly are students being included in? What is knowledge, and do we all learn in the same way? What if the ideal of treating everyone equally creates inequality? The article is based on fieldwork among lower secondary school students making scooters at an upper secondary school. The scooter production was part of a local initiative - the "Åssiden model" - established in Drammen to assist young people in the transition from lower secondary school to vocational education programs. The article analyses teaching practices through the lens of the anthropology of knowledge, and the significant recognition that concepts precede language. This affects how anthropologists explore expressions of knowledge. While the study of diversity and complexity has become central, the focus paradoxically reinforces an underlying assumption that, despite differences, we all acquire knowledge in the same way. The article builds on the premise that all knowledge is social practice, but questions how this perspective can explain breaks and differences between types of knowledge. To account for this, the article presents a transactional analysis based on Barth's contributions to the anthropology of knowledge, where knowledge transfer is understood as transactions between experts and novices. The analysis shows that, unlike conventional classroom teaching, the Åssiden model highlights a critical point: when students do not acquire the same knowledge, the framework within which they learn also differ. The Norwegian school system inadvertently produces inequality because it fails to recognise and accommodate these fundamental differences. © 2025 Scandinavian University Press. All rights reserved.

Integrated learning has emerged as an approach to developing critical thinking and creativity skills. This meta-analysis synthesizes the effects of integrated learning on critical thinking and creativity, drawing from experimental studies published over the past decade. This study addresses the research question: What are the impacts and factors influencing integrated learning on students' critical thinking skills and creativity compared to conventional learning over the past decade? In the database, 403 articles were obtained, which were then supplemented by seven articles from manual searches, so that there were a total of 410 articles. After a strict inclusion process, 8 articles were selected for analysis. The inter-rater reliability test using Cohen's Kappa coefficient produced a value of 0.78, which indicates a substantial level of agreement. The analysis includes data from 497 participants for critical thinking and 266 for creativity. Heterogeneity in critical thinking skill data was 96%, and in creative skills, it was 86%; then, a subgroup analysis of education level was carried out to find out where the high heterogeneity was. The results show a significant positive effect of integrated learning, with an SMD of 1.48 (p = .004) for critical thinking and 1.60 (p = .0001) for creativity. Funnel plots and Egger's regression tests indicate no risk of publication bias. In addition, this study also synthesized the causal factors of how integrated learning affects critical thinking skills and creativity. Further research is recommended to explore its long-term impact and implementation strategies in various educational settings. © 2025 The Author(s).

Objective This study explored the indirect effects of emotional exhaustion and academic ineffectiveness on the relationship between perceived stress and cynicism in university students, also examining the moderating role of preprofessional internship (PI). Methods A cross-sectional predictive study was conducted that explored the relationship of predictor variables with some criterion variable. Data were obtained through an anonymous survey to which 950 students from two private universities responded (Mage=23.2±2.2 years, 52.7% women). Structural equation modeling was used to test mediation and moderation. Results Emotional exhaustion and academic ineffectiveness mediated the relationship between perceived stress and cynicism. Like-wise, the implementation of PI moderated both the relationship between perceived stress and emotional exhaustion and the relationship between emotional exhaustion and cynicism. Conclusion These findings provide evidence that perceived stress is associated with increased cynicism through symptoms of emotional exhaustion and academic ineffectiveness. Furthermore, this relationship is moderated by the completion of PI. © 2025 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.

With the higher education reform putting forward the professionalization of doctoral students, doctoral education has been strongly focused on generic transferable skills to ensure employability. However, doctoral training should not forget core skills of research and especially the ability to formulate research questions, which are the key to original research and difficult to develop at the same time. Learning how to develop a research question is traditionally seen as a one-to-one learning process and an informal daily transmission between a novice and a senior researcher. The objective of this paper is to offer a framework to design doctoral programs aimed at supporting the process of development of research questions for doctoral candidates guided by their supervisors. We base our proposal on two doctoral training programs designed with a pedagogical strategy based on dialogs with peers, whether they be students, supervisors, or trainers from a diversity of scientific backgrounds. The resulting framework combines three learning challenges faced by doctoral students and their supervisors when developing their research question, as well as training objectives corresponding to what they should learn and that are illustrated by the scaffolds we have used in our training programs. Finally, we discuss the conditions and originality of our pedagogical strategy based on the acquisition of argumentation skills, taking both the subjective dimensions of PhD work and the added value of interactions with a diversity and heterogeneity of peers into account. © The Author(s) 2024.

Student skills test instruments, based on industry needs, help measure and ensure that students have the practical skills needed in the workplace. This study evaluated the performance criteria of students in concrete structure work, which was used as the basis for designing a work skills test instrument for vocational high school students based on construction service needs. This study involved vocational high school teachers, construction service providers, and vocational education experts as participants. The research data from the responses of the research participants were analyzed in terms of practicality and effectiveness index values, while the essence of the instrument was analyzed with the Lawshe index value. The instruments designed in this study were adjusted to types of concrete structure work. The results showed a practicality index of 4.83 and an effectiveness index of 4.93, while the Lawshe index value was 0.64. This study has found the vocational high school student skills test instrument very practical, effective, and essential as a tool for measuring the level of vocational student skills. This student skills test instrument can be integrated with a competency certification program for students before entering the workforce. The results of this study serve to recommend that related educational institutions implement the student work skills testing process. ©Authors.

This study investigated the development of soft skills through task-based language learning (TBLL) in higher education in the Malaysian context. With the growing emphasis on graduate employability and 21st century competencies, it has become increasingly important to integrate soft skills into language instruction. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study combined quantitative and qualitative data to ensure methodological triangulation and deeper understanding. Data collection involved a survey of 102 language lecturers, distributed via an online platform (Google Forms), followed by a focus group discussion with 4 experienced language educators. The survey aimed to identify key soft skills emphasized in current language instruction, while the focus group provided richer insights into their classroom implementation and pedagogical strategies. The survey results revealed communication, collaboration, and problem-solving as the most essential soft skills, which subsequently guided the qualitative phase of the study. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted using Miles and Huberman’s framework (1994). Findings underscore the effectiveness of TBLL in promoting these soft skills, particularly when tasks are authentic, learner-centred, and aligned with real-world contexts. However, the study also identified challenges, including limited teacher training, curriculum constraints, and lack of institutional support. The study concludes with practical recommendations for integrating soft skills into language curricula more systematically. These include professional development for educators, curriculum redesign, and institutional commitment to holistic education. Overall, this study contributes to ongoing discussions on enhancing language education through TBLL while supporting the development of soft skills crucial for students’ academic and professional success in the Malaysian higher education landscape. ©Authors.

This research aimed to develop science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education-based learning using an engineering design process with Training Packages for use in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in vocational Thailand. The purposive sample consisted of 134 participants who were vocational certificate students in Thailand, selected using a quasi-experiment framework with a one-group pretest and posttest design method. The research tool consists of 1) the training packages, 2) the achievement test, and 3) the student satisfaction assessment form. The statistical approaches involved the Mean (M), standard deviation (SD.), and t-test for the dependent samples. The research results found that 1) the evaluation result of the training packages is at a high level (M = 4.64, SD. = 0.13), 2) the evaluation result of the STEM education-based learning using the engineering design process is at a high level, 3) the learning achievement of students after studying is significantly higher than before studying at a statistically significant level of .05. (p<.05), and 4) the students are highly satisfied with STEM education-based learning using the engineering design process with training packages for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) (M = 4.50, SD. = 0.28). The practical implication of the developed STEM education-based learning is that it can effectively promote the knowledge and skills required for engineering skills. ©Authors.

This study evaluates digital literacy skills among students in tertiary institutions in the southern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The research focuses on two universities: the University of Calabar and the University of Port Harcourt, specifically within their Departments of Tourism and Hospitality Management. Data collection was conducted using an electronic questionnaire administered via an online survey platform. The findings indicate that major emerging trends in digital literacy skill requirements among tertiary institution students include improved information retrieval, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, data science and analytics, and cybersecurity. The study also revealed that these digital literacy skills significantly impact students' learning outcomes by enhancing information retrieval, expanding access to educational research, increasing collaboration and communication, and facilitating feedback and assessment. Additionally, inquiry-based learning, multimedia presentations, and flipped classroom approaches were identified as the most effective methods for integrating digital literacy skills in tertiary institutions. However, the study also highlighted significant challenges, such as the digital divide, the complexity of digital tools, and limited access to technology. To address these issues, it is essential to provide enhanced digital tools, adequate access to technology, and effective digital literacy training for students in tertiary institutions. Therefore, an effective mechanism is needed to overcome the challenges associated with mastering digital literacy skills among students in tertiary institutions. © 2025, Iquz Galaxy Publisher. All rights reserved.