Validity and reliability of the Thai version of the Zoom Exhaustion and Fatigue Scale (ZEF-T)

Objective: Overuse of video conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to the new mental health problem called 'Zoom fatigue'. This study examined convergent validity, factor validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Thai version of the Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale (ZEF-T). Method(s): The participants were 386 medical students from Thammasat University. Convergent validity was based on comparing ZEF-T scores with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was done to examine factor validity. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 25 participants using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot. Result(s): The ZEF-T demonstrated a positive correlation with emotional exhaustion of MBI-SS. (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). The CFA showed a satisfactory fit and supported the five-factor model with acceptable fit statistics. All items had factor loading of more than 0.7. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the total ZEF-T scores was excellent with the alpha of 0.93 and ICC 0.94 (p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusion(s): The ZEF-T was shown to be a valid and reliable assessment for measuring zoom fatigue in Thai university students.Copyright © 2023 IACFS/ME.

Enhancing the organisation and the management of built environment higher education courses

PurposePersistent critical issues in built environment higher education (BEHE) curricula may need to be addressed by improving course organisation and management. In addition to the implications of the COVID pandemic, issues such as inadequate communication and lack of contemporary and innovative practices integrated with course delivery have resulted in a gap for Course organisation and management. The purpose of this study is to recommend a set of drivers that can assist academics and academic institutions in improving course development, organisation and management in the BEHE context. Thus, the study focused on three themes: course organisation and administration, timetabling and course communication.Design/methodology/approachA systematic approach was taken to obtain data, where a documental analysis and a close-ended questionnaire were adopted as data collection instruments. The documental analysis considered 334 mid module reviews (MMRs) generating data from architecture, construction management, civil engineering, surveying and real estate students. Content analysis was used to identify critical themes within the MMRs and develop a closed-ended questionnaire. Twenty academics from each discipline completed the questionnaire. Eight drivers were developed from the data obtained from both MMRs and questionnaires. Content analysis and interpretive structural modelling were applied to identify the relationship between the drivers. Finally, these drivers were categorised by their level of influence and reliance to highlight how they contributed to improving course organisation and management.FindingsThe study revealed eight drivers that can improve course organisation and management in the BEHE context. The study found that using virtual learning environments and communication are fundamental in course organisation and management.Practical implicationsThis research paper suggests drivers to improve how academics and academic institutions organise and manage courses. The study recommends eight drivers that could be used as a guideline and a best practice as per the level partitioning diagram developed to enhance the course organisation and management in BEHE.Originality/valueThe study proposes a set of drivers to improve course organisation and management in BEHE curricula. Furthermore, insight into how these drivers influence and rely on each driver and their relation with the national student survey theme are novel contributions to the current body of knowledge. The paper further clarifies how they should be implemented for successful course organisation and management, thus, improving the quality of courses in higher education curricula.

Student Learning experience in a New education environment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper presents results of a student survey carried out among Civil and Construction Engineering undergraduate students within the School of Engineering, Design, and Built Environment at Western Sydney University. The survey investigated the learning experience of students and the effectiveness of new educational processes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed to examine the perceptions of students on online teaching modes. The survey results indicated some positive features of online teaching such as flexibility, comfortable educational environments, and efficient time utilisation. However, students also found many challenges such as network instability, distractions, lack of engagement, and mental stress. The identified areas of improvement were closely related to these challenges. The survey results highlighted that most students were satisfied with the teaching strategies and assessment methods. Improved and effective teaching methodologies for students to achieve better learning outcomes are proposed and discussed. © 2022 IGI Global. All rights reserved.

Does It Matter Who You Provide Care for? Mental Health and Life Satisfaction in Young Adult Carers Associated with Type of Relationship and Illness Category-A National Student Survey.

There is limited knowledge on how caring contexts impact young adults providing informal care for persons with chronic conditions. This study examines associations between outcomes in young adult carers (YACs) and type of relationship (e.g., close or distant family member, partner, or someone outside the family) and type of illness in the care-receiver (e.g., mental, physical illness/disability, or substance abuse). A total of 37,731 students (age 18-25, mean 22.3 years, 68% females) in higher education in Norway completed a national survey on care responsibilities, hours of daily caring, relationship and type of illness, mental health problems (Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25) and life satisfaction (Satisfaction With Life Scale). More mental health problems and lower life satisfaction were found among YACs compared to students without care responsibilities. The poorest outcomes were reported by YACs caring for a partner, followed by YACs caring for a close relative. Hours spent on daily caring was highest when caring for a partner. Poorer outcomes were reported by YACs caring for someone affected by substance abuse, followed by mental health problems and physical illness/disability. At-risk groups among YACs should be acknowledged and offered support. Future studies are needed to investigate the potential mechanism for the associations between care context variables and YAC outcomes.

Enhancing the organisation and the management of built environment higher education courses

PurposePersistent critical issues in built environment higher education (BEHE) curricula may need to be addressed by improving course organisation and management. In addition to the implications of the COVID pandemic, issues such as inadequate communication and lack of contemporary and innovative practices integrated with course delivery have resulted in a gap for Course organisation and management. The purpose of this study is to recommend a set of drivers that can assist academics and academic institutions in improving course development, organisation and management in the BEHE context. Thus, the study focused on three themes: course organisation and administration, timetabling and course communication. Design/methodology/approachA systematic approach was taken to obtain data, where a documental analysis and a close-ended questionnaire were adopted as data collection instruments. The documental analysis considered 334 mid module reviews (MMRs) generating data from architecture, construction management, civil engineering, surveying and real estate students. Content analysis was used to identify critical themes within the MMRs and develop a closed-ended questionnaire. Twenty academics from each discipline completed the questionnaire. Eight drivers were developed from the data obtained from both MMRs and questionnaires. Content analysis and interpretive structural modelling were applied to identify the relationship between the drivers. Finally, these drivers were categorised by their level of influence and reliance to highlight how they contributed to improving course organisation and management. FindingsThe study revealed eight drivers that can improve course organisation and management in the BEHE context. The study found that using virtual learning environments and communication are fundamental in course organisation and management. Practical implicationsThis research paper suggests drivers to improve how academics and academic institutions organise and manage courses. The study recommends eight drivers that could be used as a guideline and a best practice as per the level partitioning diagram developed to enhance the course organisation and management in BEHE. Originality/valueThe study proposes a set of drivers to improve course organisation and management in BEHE curricula. Furthermore, insight into how these drivers influence and rely on each driver and their relation with the national student survey theme are novel contributions to the current body of knowledge. The paper further clarifies how they should be implemented for successful course organisation and management, thus, improving the quality of courses in higher education curricula.

Making the Abstract Concrete: A Project-Based Laboratory Activity on Concrete Manufacturing for Civil Engineering Students

We explored whether a project-based approach and experiential-learning activity would improve learning of complex concepts related to concrete manufacturing in the workplace. We designed a group-based laboratory activity, followed by student-peer teaching and marking and a final report writing task, based on the job of a concrete technician/engineer in a concrete production plant. An action research approach was used to assess student satisfaction (N = 269), their perception of the learning experience, and the impact on their grades. There were four data sources: Observations made by lecturers and TAs, standardised student evaluations, a targeted survey, and course grades. We correlated measures of student peer -teaching with academic output. Students were satisfied overall with the activity and their perceptions of experiential-learning were positive. The student peer-teaching activity needs improvements. Despite extra online-learning resources provided to compensate for Covid disruptions, students were more satisfied with the in-person activity than with the on-line counterpart. Our positive results suggest that student learning about concrete manufacturing improves when complex theory is integrated with practical learning activities using a project-based approach. We will further modify and integrate learning activities based on these results in our new multi-disciplinary learning spaces.

The Use of Virtual-Problem-Based Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency: Veterinary Students' Perception.

The COVID-19 global pandemic emergency forced us to replace the "traditional and in presence" clinical, pre-graduating, veterinary medical training with clinical virtual-problem-based learning (v-PBL). This prospective cross-sectional case-control study aimed to evaluate the students' perception of the v-PBLs compared to the traditional veterinary clinical training (t-VCT). The t-VCT consisted of supervised management of clinical cases admitted at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and in the field. The v-PBL consisted of genuine clinical cases shared by tutors throughout an online platform. A survey was delivered to all the fifth-year students who completed the t-VCT or the v-PBL. The survey was completed by 49% of the students. Overall student satisfaction regarding the training experiences was high in both groups, but it was less in the v-PBL than in the t-VCT group. The students of the v-PBL group perceived that they could not improve their practical clinical skills through online sessions, and they emphasized how it could be employed as support for traditional practical activities. All the students are satisfied with the supervision and considered the training correctly focused on relevant learning objectives and the task clearly explained. Stimulating the integration of knowledge and lifelong learning skills replicating life experiences the v-PBLs represented an attractive curricular alternative for veterinary education.

Enhancing quality of teaching in the built environment higher education, UK

Purpose>The issues in the current Built Environment Higher Education (BEHE) curricula recognise a critical need for enhancing the quality of teaching. This paper aims to identify the need for a best practice in teaching within BEHE curricula and recommend a set of drivers to enhance the current teaching practices in the Built Environment (BE) education. The study focused on Section 1 of the National Student Survey (NSS) – Teaching on my course, with a core focus on improving student satisfaction, making the subject interesting, creating an intellectually stimulating environment and challenging learners.Design/methodology/approach>The research method used in this study is the mixed method, a document analysis consisting of feedback from undergraduate students and a closed-ended questionnaire to the academics in the BEHE context. More than 375 student feedback were analysed to understand the teaching practices in BE and fed forward to developing the closed-ended questionnaire for 23 academics, including a Head of School, a Principal Lecturer, Subject Leads and Lecturers. The data was collected from Architecture, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying and Building surveying disciplines representing BE context. The data obtained from both instruments were analysed with content analysis to develop 24 drivers to enhance the quality of teaching. These drivers were then modelled using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) method to identify their correlation and criticality to NSS Section 1 themes.Findings>The study revealed 10 independent, 11 dependent and three autonomous drivers, facilitating the best teaching practices in BEHE. The study further recommends that the drivers be implemented as illustrated in the level partitioning diagrams under each NSS Section 1 to enhance the quality of teaching in BEHE.Practical implications>The recommended set of drivers and the level partitioning can be set as a guideline for academics and other academic institutions to enhance the quality of teaching. This could be further used to improve student satisfaction and overall NSS results to increase the rankings of academic institutions.Originality/value>New knowledge can be recognised with the ISM analysis and level partitioning diagrams of the recommended drivers to assist academics and academic institutions in developing the quality of teaching.

Student Learning Experience in a New Education Environment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper presents results of a student survey carried out among Civil and Construction Engineering undergraduate students within the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment at Western Sydney University. The survey investigated the learning experience of students and the effectiveness of new educational processes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed to examine the perceptions of students on online teaching modes. The survey results indicated some positive features of online teaching such as flexibility, comfortable educational environments and efficient time utilisation. However, students also found many challenges such as network instability, distractions, lack of engagement and mental stress. The identified areas of improvement were closely related to these challenges. The survey results highlighted that most students were satisfied with the teaching strategies and assessment methods. Improved and effective teaching methodologies for students to achieve better learning outcomes are proposed and discussed.

Effect of Distance Teaching on Student's Course Evaluations

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major changes in the learning and teaching process. One of the most common changes was migration to online lectures. This has changed how teaching practices are employed and demanded a rapid yet effective shift in traditional teaching methods. The unforeseen quick transition also presented a big challenge for students and teachers. Both needed to adapt to new tools, technologies, but also methods and partially a new mindset. The situation has a significant impact on the education process, particularly on students. At the University of Maribor, students fill out a survey each year to evaluate educators and their workload for all the courses they participated in that year. In this paper, we use this survey to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the study process. We investigated two aspects: the students' perceived effort required to finish their courses and their evaluation of educators. We used the student survey results from the study year 2017/2018 until the most recent one, for which data is available in 2020/2021. The results show no impact on the education process as the students' perceived effort and the educators' scores show a trend of improvement over the years. From the data analysis, we can conclude that in the year when COVID-19 started (2019/2020), the shift to distance learning slightly impacted the perception of students' effort, but later this trend returned to the pre-COVID-19 situation. © 2022 IEEE.

Academic burnout among trainee teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Effect of sociodemographic factors.

BACKGROUND: The trainee teacher seems to be more and more faced with frustration and stress during the training phase, caused by accumulation of requirements and duties, making them susceptible to the risk of burnout. The purpose of this work is to study the academic burnout of trainee teachers at the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region's Regional Center for Education and Training Professions during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven hundred thirty-nine trainee teachers responded to a self-questionnaire comprising the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey scale in its French validated version, as well as stress factors during the academic year 2020-2021. Both inferential and descriptive methods of data analysis were used to represent the effect of sociodemographic variables on burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: In agreement with the literature, most of trainee teachers show moderate and high levels of academic exhaustion; the main stressors presented are financial instability and training overload, and the level of study influences the scale of burnout among trainee teachers. CONCLUSION: The result of this study can serve as a predictor of academic burnout among Moroccan trainee teachers.

Enhancing quality of teaching in the built environment higher education, UK

Purpose The issues in the current Built Environment Higher Education (BEHE) curricula recognise a critical need for enhancing the quality of teaching. This paper aims to identify the need for a best practice in teaching within BEHE curricula and recommend a set of drivers to enhance the current teaching practices in the Built Environment (BE) education. The study focused on Section 1 of the National Student Survey (NSS) - Teaching on my course, with a core focus on improving student satisfaction, making the subject interesting, creating an intellectually stimulating environment and challenging learners. Design/methodology/approach The research method used in this study is the mixed method, a document analysis consisting of feedback from undergraduate students and a closed-ended questionnaire to the academics in the BEHE context. More than 375 student feedback were analysed to understand the teaching practices in BE and fed forward to developing the closed-ended questionnaire for 23 academics, including a Head of School, a Principal Lecturer, Subject Leads and Lecturers. The data was collected from Architecture, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying and Building surveying disciplines representing BE context. The data obtained from both instruments were analysed with content analysis to develop 24 drivers to enhance the quality of teaching. These drivers were then modelled using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) method to identify their correlation and criticality to NSS Section 1 themes. Findings The study revealed 10 independent, 11 dependent and three autonomous drivers, facilitating the best teaching practices in BEHE. The study further recommends that the drivers be implemented as illustrated in the level partitioning diagrams under each NSS Section 1 to enhance the quality of teaching in BEHE. Practical implications The recommended set of drivers and the level partitioning can be set as a guideline for academics and other academic institutions to enhance the quality of teaching. This could be further used to improve student satisfaction and overall NSS results to increase the rankings of academic institutions. Originality/value New knowledge can be recognised with the ISM analysis and level partitioning diagrams of the recommended drivers to assist academics and academic institutions in developing the quality of teaching.

Analysis of the university teaching influenced by the COVID-19 context: some lessons learned

The health crisis caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus produced a drastic change in teaching in March 2020, when face-to-face teaching was forced to become online teaching. It led to changes in teaching methodologies, teaching materials and evaluation methods. The objective of this study is to determine which of these changes in the on-site university have been positive and should be sustained over time. To this end, a survey has been carried out among the students of different courses of the degrees taught at the E.T.S.I. Minas y Energía (E.T.S.I.M.E) of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid that allows us to know how the pandemic has influenced the use of didactic materials, what type of teaching modalities students prefer, and what resources they use the most during the study. Although class notes and slides remain the preferred resources among students, they showed great interest in class recordings. Other traditional materials, such as bibliography or tutoring, are less used by students. As for teaching methodologies, opinion is polarized. Therefore, it is necessary to make an effort to efficiently combine tele-teaching methodologies and didactic resources to face-to-face teaching, generating asynchronous resources without detriment to traditional face-to-face activities. Copyright © 2021 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

An Exploratory Investigation of Comparisons of Student Evaluations of Learning Pre and Post COVID-19 at Private and Public Universities

Although universities attempted to provide as little disruption to student learning as possible, problems arose with their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current literature is rich with studies reporting experiences with the transition to the virtual learning of the pandemic era. In pursuit of the most effective learning and instructional modes to transition to in times of crisis, university administrators and faculty members need to know more regarding what worked and did not work in the initial response to the COVID-19 crisis. Questions remain. Given the pre-COVID-19 dominance of face-to-face instruction did student opinion of online learning change based on their experiences with the mandated transitions to virtual learning? Are the perceptions different for students at private versus public and small versus large institutions? This paper reports the results of an exploratory study of these bifurcations based on an online survey of student opinion conducted in Spring 2021. The findings provide some insight to student perceptions of the efficacy of the changed learning environment experienced by the subject populations. © 2022, North American Business Press. All rights reserved.

Mitigating the Challenges of Online Learning and Conduct of Examinations-From Faculty Perspective to Student Satisfaction

— This paper aims to explore the effects of imposition of online classes, teaching practices and conduct of examinations on students and faculty alike. The methodologies presented here are the actual practices followed by the faculties while delivering online classes, remote content preparation and distribution, exam guidelines and its implementation during the exams. This paper also explores the exam experience and overall satisfaction from student perspective. Survey was conducted among students in an anonymous way without collecting their identity to gauge their opinion on the way the online classes and exams were conducted. The sample of the study consisted of nearly 142 undergraduate students studying across three engineering colleges. This study finds interesting and mixed conclusions from students. We discuss in brief the challenges faced and how it was overcome by the faculty members and students alike, especially while conducting online examination. Some suggestions have also been made to improve upon not only the online teaching learning processes but also when the pandemic situation normalizes and physical classes would again become the norm. © 2022, Rajarambapu Institute Of Technology. All rights reserved.

Learning in Lockdown: Teaching Human Rights Practice During the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article explores the authors' university course on 'Human Rights and Digital Technology', designed to engage students in a holistic assessment of the application of international human rights law to the digital universe. In addition to the intellectual premises of our course, this article examines the notable shift in teaching practice during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the authors moved from classroom to online instruction. We argue that during the pandemic many students experienced the loss of equal access to higher education based on merit or capacity, a human right guaranteed by the Universal Declaration and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In fact, students recognized how online education, at least in this specific context, may have exacerbated social and economic differences. This article provides the analysis of a small survey of our students' perceptions of online learning in the middle of a global pandemic. Based on the authors' observations and survey results, our article points to three salient factors that affected the quality and fairness of online education during the lockdown period: the absence of in-person, experienced human feedback to hone critical thinking; access (or lack thereof) to functioning technology; and compromised student attention. We highlight several lessons learned from this experience, and how a human rights framework may help both professors and students identify the conditions under which online learning is more likely to be successful and to guarantee equal access to higher education.

Exploring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Lives of Engineering Students at San Jose ' State University, USA

In 2020, the College of Engineering at San Jose ' State University (SJSU) conducted a comprehensive analysis of the impact of COVID 19 on student learning and achievement. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of COVID 19 on engineering students at SJSU. This study was a combination of a quantitative survey and a qualitative study. In Part 1, we surveyed all engineering students about their experiences after the move to 100% online instruction in March 2020. In Part 2, we interviewed 40 students to get more insight into their experiences during the move to online in Spring 2020. Overall, 993 students participated in the survey, 64% male and 34.5% female. The students reported feeling worse or much worse in several areas including time management (58.6%), ability to socialize with fellow students (86.1%), ability to socialize with friends (77.7%), and their overall psychological well-being (65.3%). Also, 79% of students reported either a moderate or a great deal of stress related to the shelter in place. This finding of increased stress was also emphasized in our interviews with the students. It is troubling since it indicates a declining mental well-being of students. SJSU engineering students were pessimistic about the next few months, Fall 2020, and their long term plans. We were able to get valuable information regarding effective methods of online teaching and areas where the students struggle the most. We will use this information to improve online teaching and student support in the upcoming semesters.

Undergraduate Student Opinions on Emergency Remote Teaching during COVID-19 Pandemic. A Case Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken education around the globe due to the sudden closure of schools and universities. Undergraduate students have suffered the confinement while continuing their courses by Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) from home. The objective of this research is to determine the opinions on ERT versus face-to-face classes of students enrolled in the Bachelor's Degree of Industrial Technology Engineering at the Universitat Polite`cnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (Spain). An end-of-semester online survey was sent to all the students enrolled in the 19/20 spring Chemistry subject. The students' comments were analyzed using the constant comparison method. Six categories were created using an inductive method and student responses were classified according to these categories. In general, the results show that these students prefer face-to-face classes rather than the methodology used during the ERT. They also prefer classes via video-conference if remote teaching is required. There is a diminished perception of socialization with both instructors and peers. Some students positively value that their autonomous learning has improved, and would like to continue accessing the material online even if face-to-face classes were resumed. They also state that completing weekly exercises helped them stay connected to the subject and to sustain learning, and thank instructors for the efforts made to adapt the methodology to the exceptional situation. The information gathered will enable teaching staff to design a remote teaching methodology that meets students' needs better than ERT, should further confinement be required by the authorities due to health emergencies or other types of catastrophic events.

Pharmacy Student Perceptions of a Virtual Pharmacogenomics Activity.

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) utilizes a patient's genome to guide drug treatment and dosing. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) included PGx as a critical content area. Pharmacists are increasingly involved in providing this service, which necessitates training. Second-year pharmacy students at Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy have didactic training in the principles of PGx and managing drug therapy using PGx data. A clinical skills lab activity was developed to reinforce these principles and allow students to navigate resources to develop and communicate recommendations for drug therapy. The activity was initially planned as synchronous, but transitioned to asynchronous when students began remote learning in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigators sought students' perceptions of the PGx lab activity and the delivery of its content via a virtual format. This study gathered data from an anonymous, voluntary student survey through Samford University's course management system, Canvas, in the spring of 2020 soon after completion of the virtual PGx learning activity. The investigators' goal is to obtain the information and insights obtained from the students who participated in the PGx lab activity to provide guidance for the improvement of their PGx lab activity and for other schools of pharmacy to deliver a PGx lab activities using nontraditional teaching methodologies.

Burnout amongmedical students and correlation with academic performance, sleep quality during covid19 pandemic online class in erode district

Medical students have found distance learning to be a difficult challenge as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study investigated the correlation between academic performance, sleep quality, and burnout among Medical students who participated in distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 154 Medical students at Government Erode Medical College in Tamilnadu, data were collected in June 2021. The survey was conducted using a Google Forms containing informed consent along with Demographic Details, self-rated sleep quality, academic performance, and The Maslach Burnout Inventory –Student Survey burnout questionnaire. Correlation between academic performances, sleep quality, Emotional Exhaustion, Cynicism, and Academic Efficacy was analyzed using Karl Pearson correlation method. 18% of students experienced severe burnout during distance learning. 60% of students don’t like online classes. More than 60 % internal mark scored students (P=0.02) are having significantly high Academic Efficacy Scores. Cronbach’s Alpha is 0.7498. Distance learning was reported a significant negative impact on their academic performance. To develop a favourable learning environment for medical students, medical instructors should consider creative learning methodologies.