The transition students face moving from Further Education (FE) to Higher Education (HE) can be a daunting experience. This transition to HE may require a substantial adjustment to a student mindset recognising that they would be responsible for their own learning and their eventual success compared to a FE environment where student learning is…

The current study assesses the effect of using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) with the specific goal of providing remedial education. The data refer to an Italian flagship university, Politecnico di Milano, where a MOOC platform was launched following the strategy 'MOOCs to bridge the gaps'. Hence, the study aims at assessing the effect of…

In many higher education institutions in countries where English is the second or foreign language; English for Academic Purposes (EAP), English-medium instruction (EMI), Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and first language-English bilingual modules are attracting interest because of their potential to contribute to the…

The introductory phase of studying physics poses a wide range of challenging problems to new students. One of them is learning physics on a new, more abstract and highly mathematised level, at high speed, in a lowly regulated learning environment. While several German universities have taken action to mitigate these problems, much knowledge about…

One way to bring about change in higher education is to introduce professional development programs for higher education, however these programs have been found to be ineffective at promoting positive change for individuals and departments. To address the need for better programs, I worked on two projects: one project attempts to identify a way to…

In Flanders, open admission into higher education has led to heterogeneity in academic preparedness of incoming STEM students. Higher education institutions offer low stakes positioning tests to these students in order to help them assess their level of starting competences. Due to the unique nature of these tests, little can be inferred about…

During the COVID pandemic, universities around the globe had to move not only their content delivery online, but also their assessments. Due to COVID causing significant upheaval in Higher Education (HE), this enforced experiment also afforded an opportunity to reflect on traditional, invigilated, closed book exams (ICBE) resulting in research and…

The use of spaced repetition within a physics higher education thermodynamics module has been analysed for: its pattern of use by students; its effect on memory and performance in the end of module exam; and performance in a delayed test after the summer vacation. A custom-built web app with the facility to generate a personalised repetition…

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies, their pervasive use in every field, and the growing understanding of the benefits they bring have led actors in the education sector to pursue research in this field. In particular, the use of artificial intelligence tools has become more prevalent in the education sector due to the…

Evidence shows that factors contributing to success in physiology education for allied health students at universities include not only their high school achievement and background but also factors such as confidence with their teachers and quality of their learning experience, justifying intensive and continued survey of students' perceptions of…

Assessment and evaluation have always been an integral part of educational process. Quality and purposeful assessment can assist in students' learning and their achievement. While there has been a rapid growth in international, standardized student assessments in the past few decades, a large number of education systems participating in these…

Adolescent girls more often than boys expect higher education in nearly all 50 education systems in TIMSS 2011, before and after controls for effects of educational achievement, education-conducive family resources, and "liking school." At a macrolevel, this gender disparity is moderately correlated with the gender disparity in…

We present an innovative course-based undergraduate research experience curriculum focused on the characterization of single point mutations in p53, a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in more than 50% of human cancers. This course is required of all introductory biology students, so all biology majors engage in a research project as part of…

Passive, lecture-based forms of instruction are often ineffective in helping students develop deep conceptual understanding of scientific concepts. Student-centered forms of instruction based in a constructivist framework, where students are guided toward actively constructing their understanding, have been met with greater success. However,…

Using all available waves of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) from 1995 to 2011, this study examines the factors influencing educational expectations of students in five Eastern European countries (Hungary, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, Romania, and Slovenia). We consistently find across countries and waves…