This study aims to identify an adequate approach for revealing conceptual understanding in higher professional education. Revealing students’ conceptual understanding is an important step towards developing effective curricula, assessment and aligned teaching strategies to enhance conceptual understanding in higher education. Essays and concept maps were used to determine how students’ conceptual understanding of international business can be revealed adequately.
DOCUMENT
Conceptual understanding is important for professionals because a broad and deep synthesis of knowledge enables flexible and original thinking in complex problem solving. However, little is known about the appearance of conceptual understanding at the student level. This article therefore investigates the appearance of conceptual understanding in writing, since writing skills are a highly rated competency in both education and professional domains like international business. 44 students in their final year studying international business wrote literature reviews to illustrate how different levels (negligible, weak, moderate, strong and extraordinary) appeared for six components of conceptual understanding (global context, local context, business practices, practice instances, business concepts and business mechanisms). Two results are suggested. The first is that conceptual understanding in students’ writing is broad rather than deep, suggesting fragmented rather than integrated knowledge needed for conceptual understanding. The second is that different patterns of conceptual understanding emerge between and within students’ writing, both in the varying depths of conceptual understanding per component and in the different ways conceptual understanding manifests. Methodological issues and further research are discussed. Implications for education include suggestions for teachers to stimulate knowledge integration for conceptual understanding through the use of rubrics and iterative cycles.
DOCUMENT
Higher professional education aims to prepare students for professional practice, for which students will need to develop conceptual understanding. Conceptual understanding requires a synthesis of relevant facts, theories and practices. This research explores what types of change take place in students’ conceptual understanding during a bachelor course. Forty-four senior international business majors in the Netherlands wrote expository essays at the beginning and end of a 14-week course. A rubric was used to grade the essays on six components of conceptual understanding using a 5-point scale. Results indicated five types of change: regressive, minor, modest, substantial and major. The most significant increases in conceptual understanding appeared to relate to context-specific or conceptual knowledge. Results also indicated that individual students’ conceptual understanding changed in different ways, with improvements in some components and deterioration in others, particularly global context. Discussion includes suggestions to account for the different types of change, and curricular implications.
DOCUMENT
Lymphedema is one of the most poorly understood, relatively underestimated and least researched complications of cancer, or its treatment. Lymphedema is a chronic condition that causes abnormal build up of fluid under the skin resulting in painful swelling, commonly in the arms and legs. Limpressive Compression Garments have designed and conceptualised an active and smart compression sleeve that integrates pioneering smart materials and sensor technology to be used to treat and evaluate lymphedema. The Limpressive garments can be used as a research tool while replacing existing compression sleeves and pneumatic compression apparatus. There is currently no product on the market that is integrating both the actuator and sensor technology to treat, let alone quantify lymphedema. It is thus imperative that the Limpressive Compression Garments team are allowed the opportunity through funding to investigate the feasibility of the technology and its integration into healthcare, the business structures and processes needed to enter and be successful in the marketplace and the value to both the consumer and to the organisations dedicated to developing a greater understanding of the disease. Limpressive will complete an extensive and detailed business plan and a complete product design by the end of the Take-off Phase. The business plan and complete product design will be complemented by a proof of function prototype.
Onderzoekende vaardigheden (OZV) van mbo-studenten in gezondheidszorg- opleidingen zijn essentieel voor het omgaan met problemen, veranderingen en innovaties in het (toekomstige) beroep. Maar hoe kunnen we hun OZV precies opvatten?Doel Met dit PhD-onderzoek willen we: OZV van mbo-studenten conceptualiseren vanuit de onderzoeksliteratuur en de beroepspraktijk. Interventies (het denken en doen) van mbo-school- en praktijkopleiders beschrijven als zij tijdens interacties met studenten OZV van studenten willen bevorderen. Resultaten Verwachte resultaten: Wetenschappelijk: vier artikelen, presentaties op conferenties en een proefschrift Praktijkgericht: publicaties, workshops en presentaties voor betrokkenen uit het mbo Gerealiseerde resultaten: Onderzoeksplan ‘Understanding vocational healthcare students’ skills of research and inquiry‘ Posterpresentatie ‘Understanding vocational healthcare students’ skills of research and inquiry’ tijdens Onderwijs Research Dagen (online) in Utrecht, juli 2021 Round Table presentatie ‘Understanding vocational healthcare students’ skills of research and inquiry’ tijdens EAPRIL (European Association for Practitioner Research on Improving Learning) Conference (online), november 2021 Looptijd 15 november 2021 - 14 november 2026 Aanpak We beginnen met een scoping review naar OZV, gevolgd door een interviewstudie onder mbo-professionals en -opleiders. Met een multiple case study en een vignette studie brengen we interventies van mbo-opleiders om OZV bij studenten te stimuleren in beeld. De promovenda is Erica Wijnands-Pot (mboRijnland). De promotor vanuit de OU is prof. dr. Elly de Bruijn (ook lector Beroepsonderwijs), en de co-promotor vanuit het lectoraat Beroepsonderwijs is dr. Annoesjka Boersma. Cofinanciering Erica heeft voor haar onderzoeksvoorstel de NWO Promotiebeurs voor leraren ontvangen.
Onderzoekende vaardigheden (OZV) van mbo-studenten in gezondheidszorg- opleidingen zijn essentieel voor het omgaan met problemen, veranderingen en innovaties in het (toekomstige) beroep. Maar hoe kunnen we hun OZV precies opvatten?
