This text is a summary of an article written by Chan Yuen Fook and Gurnam Kaur Sidhu in 2015. This research investigating different challenges faced by students in a specific high education institute during their studies.
The mission statement of universities and colleges promises to provide outstanding teaching and high-quality learning environments. Although, it is unclear whether the organization is clear about the meaning of these goals or actually achieves them strategically. As D’Andrea & Gosling (cited in Fook & Sidhu 2015) stated, many goals considered as the ultimate goal that leads to improvement in teaching and learning, however it only means to achieve higher goals. Boud (cited in Fook & Sidhu 2015) pointed that such efforts in education require not only formative and sustainable assessments but also effective learning to meet the learning challenges in higher education. According to Boud & Falchikov (cited in Fook & Sidhu 2015) most of the critique has focused on the effects of learning within the curriculum, not on learning after graduation. They noted reaching a balance between theoretical and practical-based assessment procedures is essential to overcome the limitations of traditional intangible summative and normative reference standard tests.
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This research conducted by open-ended questionnaires, interview questions and document analysis to collect needed data. Using these three methods to gather data assisted the researcher to increase information’s consistency. Interviewees named eight common facing challenges during their studies, which are cognitive challenge, becoming an active learner, coping with reading materials, instructional problem, language barrier, time management, burden of assignments, and culture differences.
Cognitive task is an important task confronted by most of the scholars in higher training. Some of the challenges are as follows: specialized vocabulary and studying, unfamiliar concepts and several study sources written at a very scholarly level. Students in higher education believe they are facing a vital challenge by becoming an active learner. Based on an instructor the term active learner needs clarification. The meaning of this term varies according to different learners with different backgrounds. For instance, five students out of thirty-two stated they prefer passive learning. The reason is learning from the lecturer and listening to the instructor is more purposeful than only discussing general issues. Managing reading material is problematic in higher education as stated by seventeen students out of one hundred and nine. The reason being numerous sources of reading materials and limited period. One of the other obstacles faced for scholars in higher education is language barriers. International students found it difficult to catch up with the lessons since the lecturers use specific vocabulary. Thirteen students from two different courses voiced their concern of instructional problems in their classes. Given answers to the questionnaire leads to disorganized lecturing, unclear expectations of the lecturer and presenting the materials in an obscure way. By their opinion, achieving a better learning motivation among students is possible with a good classroom management. Ten students stated time management is tough to handle while struggling to find time after their work and fulfilling their family commitments. Seven interviewed students stated having assignment burden as a challenge. For example an undergraduate student with six courses per semester, has 30 small assignments to complete in the semester. Furthermore, another challenging experience for international students is cultural differences. International scholars may not participate as American students in class as their cultures forbid it.
Significant results shown in findings indicate the challenges faced by students as mentioned above in higher education years. On the other hand, some students stated it is not an easy task to become an active learner for the time to prepare for each course materials is not enough. Only a significant amount of students that are international scholars considered cultural difference as a difficult factor to catch up with the lessons.
In conclusion, students' concern regarding instructional problems. Institutions effectively employed collective methods for instance taking responsibility for learning conditions, encouraging lecturers to improve teaching strategies, paying more attention to student’s' comfort and creating new ideas based on Hall & Ramsay (cited in Fook and Sidhu 2015).
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