Abstract: We are witnessing the rapid development of technologies that change the world around us. However, curriculums and teaching processes are often slow to adapt to the change; it takes time, money and expertise to implement technology in the classroom. Therefore, the University of Split, Croatia, partnered with local school Marko Marulić High School and created the project "Modern competence in modern high schools" as part of which five different curriculums for STEM areas were developed. One of the curriculums involves combining information technology with physics. The main idea was to teach students how to use different circuits and microcomputers to explore nature and physical phenomena. As a result, using electrical circuits, students are able to recreate in the classroom the phenomena that they observe every day in their environment. So far, high school students had very little opportunity to perform experiments independently, and especially, those physics experiment did not involve ICT. Therefore, this project has a great importance, because the students will finally get a chance to develop themselves in accordance to modern technologies. This paper presents some new methods of teaching physics that will help students to develop experimental skills through the study of deterministic nature of physical laws. Students will learn how to formulate hypotheses, model physical problems using the electronic circuits and evaluate their results. While doing that, they will also acquire useful problem solving skills.
Abstract: Objectives: In recent years, the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Hong Kong have extended the implementation of 3D electronic models (e-models) into problem-based learning (PBL) of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) curriculum, aiming at mutual enhancement of PBL teaching quality and the students’ skills in using e-models. This study focuses on the effectiveness of e-models serving as a tool to enhance the students’ skills and competences in PBL. Methods: The questionnaire surveys are conducted to measure 50 fourth-year BDS students’ attitude change between beginning and end of blended PBL tutorials. The response rate of this survey is 100%. Results: The results of this study show the students’ agreement on enhancement of their learning experience after e-model implementation and their expectation to have more blended PBL courses in the future. The potential of e-models in cultivating students’ self-learning skills reduces their dependence on others, while improving their communication skills to argue about pros and cons of different treatment options. The students’ independent thinking ability and problem solving skills are promoted by e-model implementation, resulting in better decision making in treatment planning. Conclusion: It is important for future dental education curriculum planning to cope with the students’ needs, and offer support in the form of software, hardware and facilitators’ assistance for better e-model implementation.
Abstract: This study has been conducted as a supplementary and relationship seeking study with the purpose of measuring the tendency and success of support among peers amid nursing students studying at university in solving interpersonal problems. The population of the study (N:279) is comprised of nursing students who are studying at one state and one private university in the province of Konya, while its sample is comprised of 231 nursing students who agreed to take part in the study voluntarily. As a result of this study, it has been determined that the peer support and interpersonal problem solving characteristics among students were at medium levels and that the interpersonal problem solving skills of students studying in the third year were higher than those of first and second year students. While the interpersonal problem solving characteristics of students who are aged 20 and over were found to be higher, no difference could be determined in terms of the interpersonal problem solving skills and tendencies among students, based on their gender and where they reside. A positive – to a medium degree – and significant relationship was determined between peer support and interpersonal problem solving skills, and it is possible to say that as peer support increases, so do the skills and tendencies to solve problems.
Abstract: In this study, students’ learning has been investigated
and satisfaction in one of the course offered at Qatar University
Foundation Program. Innovative teaching has been implied
methodology that emphasizes on enhancing students’ thinking skills,
decision making, and problem solving skills. Some interesting results
were found which could be used to further improvement of the
teaching methodology. In Fall 2012 in Foundation Program Math
department at Qatar University has started implementing new ways
of teaching Math by introducing MyMathLab (MML) as an
innovative interactive tool in addition of the use Blackboard to
support standard teaching such as Discussion board in Virtual class to
engage students outside of classroom and to enhance independent,
active learning that promote students’ critical thinking skills, decision
making, and problem solving skills through the learning process.
Abstract: The aim of this research is to determine how preservice Turkish teachers perceive themselves in terms of problem solving skills. Students attending Department of Turkish Language Teaching of Gazi University Education Faculty in 2005-2006 academic year constitute the study group (n= 270) of this research in which survey model was utilized. Data were obtained by Problem Solving Inventory developed by Heppner & Peterson and Personal Information Form. Within the settings of this research, Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the scale was found as .87. Besides, reliability coefficient obtained by split-half technique which splits odd and even numbered items of the scale was found as r=.81 (Split- Half Reliability). The findings of the research revealed that preservice Turkish teachers were sufficiently qualified on the subject of problem solving skills and statistical significance was found in favor of male candidates in terms of “gender" variable. According to the “grade" variable, statistical significance was found in favor of 4th graders.
Abstract: Students often adopt routine practicing as learning
strategy for mathematics. The reason is they are often bound and
trained to solving conventional-typed questions in Mathematics in
high school. This will be problematic if students further consolidate
this practice in university. Therefore, the Department of Mathematics
emphasized and integrated the Discovery-enriched approach in the
undergraduate curriculum. This paper presents the details of
implementing the Discovery-enriched Curriculum by providing
adequate platform for project-learning, expertise for guidance and
internship opportunities for students majoring in Mathematics. The
Department also provided project-learning opportunities to
mathematics courses targeted for students majoring in other science or
engineering disciplines. The outcome is promising: the research
ability and problem solving skills of students are enhanced.
Abstract: Graduate attributes have received increasing attention
over recent years as universities incorporate these attributes into the
curriculum. Graduates who have adequate technical knowledge only
are not sufficiently equipped to compete effectively in the work
place; they also need non disciplinary skills ie, graduate attributes.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of an eportfolio
in a technical communication course to enhance engineering
students- graduate attributes: namely, learning of communication,
critical thinking and problem solving and teamwork skills. Two
questionnaires were used to elicit information from the students: one
on their preferred and the other on the actual learning process. In
addition, student perceptions of the use of eportfolio as a learning
tool were investigated. Preliminary findings showed that most of the
students- expectations have been met with their actual learning. This
indicated that eportfolio has the potential as a tool to enhance
students- graduate attributes.
Abstract: The complexity of teaching English in higher
institutions by non-native speakers within a second/foreign language
setting has created continuous discussions and research about
teaching approaches and teaching practises, professional identities
and challenges. In addition, there is a growing awareness that
teaching English within discipline-specific contexts adds up to the
existing complexity. This awareness leads to reassessments,
discussions and suggestions on course design and content and
teaching approaches and techniques. In meeting expectations
teaching at a university specified in a particular discipline such as
engineering, English language educators are not only required to
teach students to be able to communicate in English effectively but
also to teach soft skills such as problem solving skills. This paper is
part of a research conducted to investigate how English language
educators negotiate with the complexities of teaching problem
solving skills through English language teaching at a technical
university. This paper reports the way an English language educator
identified himself and the way he approached his teaching in this
institutional context.