Math Skills in Biology Education: A Principles Focused Evaluation (PF-E) of Community College Faculty Needs

PP RI no. 66 of 2010 article 53B (1) and Permendiknas no. 34 of 2010 article 3 (1) state that a higher education unit which is organized by the government is required to recruit new undergraduate students through a national admission of at least 60% of the number of new students who are accepted for each Study Program. The objective of this study was to analyze the differences in student learning outcomes according to the admission line of Biology Education Program students of FMIPA UNNES. This study used sequential explanatory design combination method. The population of this study was the students of Biology Education Study Program of FMIPA UNNES class of 2013 to 2016. The quantitative samples were chosen using total sampling method and the qualitative samples were chosen using purposive sampling method. In this study, the students learning outcomes were in the form of GPA. The data of this study were collected using document study method, questionnaire, and interview. The data were then analyzed using descriptive technique percentage, two way anova, regression, and qualitative analysis of Miles & Huberman (Sugiyono, 2011). The results showed that the average of students' GPA of SNMPTN was 3.32, the average of students’ GPA of SBMPTN was 3.29, and the average of students’ GPA of SM was 3.25. The sig value in the two way anova test to examine the difference of GPA according to the admission line is caused by the level of family, campus, society environment, and learning motivation were 0.834, 0.322, 0.810, and 0,246> 0.00 respectively which means there was no significant differences in GPA among students of the three admissions line. The result of R2 value on the regression analysis showed that the most contributing variable to the GPA were the campus environment (86.1%), the learning motivation (82.2%), the family environment (76.7%), and the least was the level of community environment (74.8%). It can be concluded that there is no significant difference of students learning outcomes according to student admission line in Biology Education Program of FMIPA UNNES caused by the level of family, campus, society, and student's motivation.

<p>J Spec Educ Rehab 2009; 10(3-4):89-101.</p>

This is a descriptive study using 6 years of secondary data to determine how a cohort of entering Filipino students at Rainbow Community College were performing on selected educational outcomes including Math and English placements (based on COMPASS test scores), remedial, developmental, and college level English and Math course attempts and completions, and finally, degree and certificate outcomes. Scant research exists on Filipino student performance in community colleges, especially since Filipinos are typically aggregated into a larger Asian category. Results found a majority of the cohort placing into at least one remedial or developmental course in English or Math and very few students transferring and completing a Baccalaureate degree. No significant differences were found when comparing English and Math completion rates by gender and no discernable patterns were found regarding English and Math course taking patterns in relation to degree completion. The results indicated that students’ best chance to successfully complete their remedial/developmental coursework is if it is attempted within the first year of enrollment in the college. Some policy implementations are suggested. The small size of the Filipino cohort was one of the major limitations of the study. Future research possibilities are also discussed.

Understanding HIV risk and addressing barriers to testing for men who have sex with men in Australia

A comprehensive statewide STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) reform initiative enters its fifth year in the U.S. state of Iowa. A significant proportion of the state’s pre K-12 students and teachers participate in one or more of the twenty programs offered, ranging from classroom curricular innovations to teacher professional development, and from community STEM festivals to career exploration events. An external, inter-university evaluation consortium measures annual progress of the initiative through the Iowa STEM Monitoring Project. Results show citizens to be increasingly aware of and supporting of STEM education; students to be increasingly interested in STEM as well as outperforming nonparticipating peers on state math and science tests; and teachers more confident and knowledgeable in teaching STEM. Iowa’s STEM initiative has garnered national acclaim though challenges remain with regard to expanding the participation of learners of diversity, as well as ensuring the long-term sustainability of the programs and structures that define Iowa’s statewide STEM initiative.

An overwhelming number of high school graduates are ill-equipped with the tools necessary for post-secondary school success. A‚Â Virginia high school students are surpassing the national average on college entrance exams, however, roughly 1/3 of the 22,263 fall below the benchmarks established in math and science. A‚Â George Mason University and the STEM Accelerator Program seek to improve retention of their STEM majors as many students enter college with dismal math skills and study skills in general.A‚Â If poor study skills are added into the picture all STEM majors enter their post-secondary education at a deficit.A‚Â To help bridge the STEM divide, the STEM Accelerator Program has developed a STEM Boot camp and more recently a Math Readiness Camp for our incoming STEM majors.A‚Â Our Math Readiness Camp is designed to help students who have not mastered essential math skills that are required for STEM majors. A‚Â Since 2013 GMU hosted a Biology Boot Camp and two STEM Boot Camps. A‚Â During our one week camp, students sat through the first course they will take in their major; these classes included Cell Structure and Function (BIOL 213); General Chemistry (CHEM 211); or Calculus (Math 113).A‚Â These gatekeeper classes can turn students away from STEM if specific deficiencies are not addressed. A‚Â We will describe the Math Readiness and STEM Boot Camps and present retention data from the three cohorts that have participated in our Camps. A‚Â Lessons learned that can be applied beyond the camp model will be discussed, in addition to how the camps can also be modified for non-STEM majors.

Effective teaching for quality science education can only be achieved through “learning by doing” (practical) in well-equipped laboratory. However, ill-equipped science laboratories have reached an alarming level thereby making learning by doing impossible. This paper takes a look at the concept and skills or techniques of improvising biology teaching equipment (instructional materials) in Agricultural science as a viable alternative and a panacea to ill-equipped laboratories in post-basic education in Nigeria. The paper concludes that ill-equipped laboratories is one of the myriad of problems currently facing the teaching and learning of Biology and Agricultural science in Nigerian Senior Secondary Schools that needs urgent attention from all stakeholders in science education as government alone cannot solve the problem.

Objective To study the status of professional ability of community nurses and its influencing factors. Methods From November 2013 to March 2014, the questionnaire of community nurses′ professional ability, general self-efficacy scale and the questionnaire of job satisfaction were used to investigate 240 community nurses in 12 community medical institutions in Beijing. Results The average score of community nurses′ professional ability was (3.92±0.51) with the highest score in the communication and coordination ability of (4.08±0.54) and the lowest score in the evaluation and analysis ability of (3.81±0.59). The ability of community nurses was positively related to self-efficacy and working satisfaction (r=0.520, 0.336; P<0.01). As the result of multiple linear regression, general self-efficacy, job satisfaction, age and the final degree were the influencing factors of the professional ability of community nurses (t=4.64, 4.47, 5.72, 5.01, 2.69, 7.15, 2.94; P<0.05). Multiple factors analysis showed that self-efficacy, working satisfaction, age, education were the influencing factors of the ability of community nurses (P<0.05), within which the self-efficacy was the strongest influencing factor (β=0.43). Conclusions It is necessary for the managers and educators to attach more importance to community nurses′ self-efficacy and job satisfaction, so as to improve the professional ability of the whole community nurse team. Key words: Community nurse; Professional ability; Self-efficacy; Job satisfaction

One of the implications of globalization for education is the introduction of teacher evaluation models worldwide based on managerial notions such as cost rationalizing, system efficiency and quality, accountability, professionalism and measurable educational outcomes. In the Greek context, a failed attempt was made to introduce a teacher evaluation policy in 2010-2014 based on international standards and requirements. The present qualitative study examines whether teacher evaluation models based on internationally set standards are seen by Greek teachers as promoting their resilience. It was investigated whether teachers considered that the attempted globalization-influenced reform took into account their identities and emotions, which are embedded in particular socio-cultural dynamics. Three focus groups and twelve individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with Greek primary school teachers. Results showed that, according to teachers’ views, evaluation models which are oriented towards cost-cutting and competitiveness among schools and teachers have negative implications for teachers’ resilience and school climate. Models based on school self-evaluation and in-service training is seen as promoting resilience. It is argued with the support of the empirical data that in a context where educational policies are heavily influenced by globalization tendencies, policy makers should take more into account the socio-cultural context of the educational community instead of opting for top-down educational policies, consider teacher resilience at the individual and organizational level when legislating and listen on teacher’s voices transforming this information into useful policy guidelines and education laws.

Objective To improve the comprehensive nursing abilities in the practice process in the practice base, to adapt to the needs of the development of community nursing. Methods Convenient sampling was adopted, 83 nurses were divided into the experimental group (43 nurses) and the control group (40 nurses),who interned in the practice base in the years 2008 and 2009, the control group received con-ventional teachings, and the experimental group was given the teaching method and modes which were targeted at and focusing on the training of ability. The practice result was compared between the two groups.- Results Based on the teachers, the assessment and mixed capability were higher in the experimental group, by the employers' evaluation, all of the indicators were higher than the control group, and it is statistically significant. Conclusions It can improve various nursing abilities of the community nurses by the teaching method and modes which are targeted and focusing on the training of capability. Key words: Community nurses; Practice ability; Community practice base

Teacher education program equips teachers with skills and competencies for teaching-learning process. An essential part of teacher education program is referred to as practicum. The context of Bangladesh is mostly speculative and theoretical, dealing with concepts of belief and practice of science teachers in classroom only. However, the aim of this is to explore whether the practicum experiences of pre-service teachers (PSTs) in biological science education contribute to shaping and developing self-efficacy beliefs. A qualitative approach with documentary research was adopted for this study. The portfolio of nine PSTs along with interview were used as the principal sources of data. The result reveals that during practicum, the biological science education program has contributed to all the four aspects of self-efficacy beliefs, naming, mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and physiological and affective states. This study highlights the need for biological science education to offer various circumstances to further self-efficacy beliefs. Vol. 48 (University of Dhaka Centennial Special Issue), June 2022 p.147-165

Falls prevention education between older adults and healthcare providers during transition from hospital to community-living

Creating a framework towards integrated health syndromic surveillance and response in Africa

Objective To develop the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) nursing skill training program for community nurses and to evaluate its effects based on Kirkpatrick Model. Methods Totally 83 community nurses from 2 districts of Hangzhou between April and August 2017 were selected using convenient sampling and divided into the control group (n=42) and the observation group (n=41) . Community nurses in the control group received conventional training, while community nurses received TCM nursing skill training, and its effects were evaluated in terms of reaction, learning, behavior and result layers based on Kirkpatrick Model. Results There was no statistically significant difference in general information and student analysis data between the two groups (P>0.05) . The attendance rates of both groups were above 85% after the training, and the total satisfaction, theoretical performance of TCM and skill examination of the observation group scored (95.05±5.32) , (79.90± 6.03) and (88.52±2.47) , respectively. The scores of self-evaluated behavior and others-evaluated behavior were (44.75±3.58) and (40.15±2.85) ; and patients' satisfaction score was (95.35±3.61) , higher than that of the control group (P 0.05) ]. Conclusions The TCM nursing skill training program can benefit community nurses in terms of reaction, learning, behavior and result layers, which is worth promoting in clinical practice. Key words: In-service training; Nursing education; Community nurses; Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) nursing skills; Kirkpatrick Model

Evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) have been shown to benefit students in undergraduate biology, but little is known about the degree to which community college (CC) biology instructors use EBIPs or the barriers they encounter. We surveyed CC biology instructors to characterize how they use EBIPs, their capacity to use EBIPs, and perceived barriers to their use, and to explore which factors are associated with EBIP use. CC biology instructors report using EBIPs to a similar degree as other populations of undergraduate biology faculty; they generally believe EBIPs to be effective and are motivated to use EBIPs. Consistent with the theory of planned behavior, instructor belief in EBIP effectiveness, collegial support, and perceived knowledge of and skill in using EBIPs positively influence their use. The main barriers to using EBIPs reported by CC instructors included the need to cover large amounts of course content, lack of time to prepare for using EBIPs, and student resistance. Our findings point to a number of approaches that may promote the use of EBIPs by CC biology instructors, including professional development to increase instructor knowledge and skill, addressing tensions between content volume and the use of EBIPs, and providing resources to make implementing EBIPs time efficient.