Among many perspectives in discussions of design, this study re-asserts the relation between "intuition" and "reasoning." The aim is to comprehend the role of intuition and reasoning in the design process. In order to do this, retrospective self-reports of the first year, rule-based architectural design studio students were…

This study investigated first-year undergraduate statistics students' statistical problem-solving skills on the probability of the union of two events, conditional probability, binomial probability distribution, probabilities for x-limits using the z-distribution, x-limit associated with a given probability for a normal distribution, estimating…

Short, preparatory 'foundation year' courses have exploded in popularity in recent years, but they have drawn criticism from policymakers. Like Access diplomas, they serve to support people from all backgrounds to enter higher education. This HEPI Report asks whether foundation years are effective tools for widening access -- or whether, when it…

The authors explored the influence of family background and students' perceived socioeconomic status with minoritized students' acculturation and transition experiences during their first-year, first-time enrollment at a predominantly White institution in the southeastern United States. Narrative interviews and "a priori" codes from the…

Adjusting to academic life and managing to perform well at university is challenging for any first-year student. One of the keys to study success is motivation. In line with the social cognitive approach, two motivational constructs are considered: self-efficacy and attribution. Previous studies predominantly took a 'snapshot' of first year…

This paper discusses several linear algebra activities designed to help enhance students' skills in collaborating, exploring mathematics, and linking together abstract and visual ways of approaching mathematics. Most of these activities are short, accessible, engaging, and easy to incorporate into any classroom. In addition, we discuss some…

Nearly half of all students in the United States are placed into at least one developmental course in college. Many of these students fail to complete developmental course sequences and persist to degree completion. First-Year Seminars are one of several high-impact practices associated with increased persistence, retention, and graduation rates…

This study explores the implications of critical affective literacy through digital storytelling projects produced by first-year college writing students. The goal was to examine college students' affective and emotional responses to social justice issues, such as racial profiling, educational inequality, and animal protection, through the lens of…

Engaging with interdisciplinary learning during higher education (HE) study can provide students with skills and modes of thinking informed by multiple worldviews. Opportunities for interdisciplinary learning in the English HE system are limited; associated primarily with postgraduate study or later undergraduate stages. This paper reports on an…

Science education is a key area of research, largely due to its inherent complexity and challenges. Various teaching methods have been developed to address these difficulties, which include the consensus classroom climate. However, no standardized tool has been created to evaluate the consensus within a classroom. This study aimed to develop and…

Guided by the 5E framework (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), a buffer solution courseware was designed using "Articulate Rise," a content authoring tool. It was deployed in a freshman general chemistry course in the April semesters of 2022 and 2023. The courseware was a supplementary resource to support instructor-created…

In this exploratory mixed-methods analysis of students' perceptions of inclusion in introductory STEM courses for STEM majors, we asked students to rate inclusion in their class and to provide an open-text explanation of their rating. Analyzing 1930 qualitative responses resulted in a codebook containing academic, identity, and nonspecific…

This dissertation, "Old Constraints, New Possibilities: Genre Theory, Student Reflections, and ePortfolios in the First Year Writing Classroom," explores the findings of an IRB-approved study on the reflective practices employed in FYW multimodal ePortfolios. The University of Alabama (UA) FYW conducted an ePortfolio Initiative in 2019…

Computational thinking (CT), as one of the key skills in the twenty-first century, has been integrated into educational programming as an important learning goal. This study aims to explore CT processes involved in pair programming with the support of visual flow design. Thirty freshmen participated, working in pairs to solve two programming…

The paper investigates the level of development of a creative mindset in the training of music education professionals. The research is based on the experimental method which examines the level of creativity of students before and upon completion of the developed training program focusing on development of the creative thinking using cutting-edge…