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This document presents the proceedings of the 28th Annual Research Forum held June 27, 2024, at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Included are the following eight action research papers: (1) College Athletics and the High School Athlete: Perspectives of High School Coaches (Michael Goehrig); (2) The Influence of Blogging on Self-Efficacy in Students' Writing (Jayna Palumbo); (3) Impacts of Environmental Justice Topics on Student Perception of their Identity in STEM (Samantha G. Reese); (4) Historical Thinking in Small Group Cooperative Learning (Sam Schectman); (5) The Effect of Adaptation on Student Engagement with Shakespeare (Savannah Smith); (6) Story Maps and Reading Comprehension in Second Grade Students (Emma Stein); (7) Poetic Composition's Influence on Student Attitudes Toward Poetry (Rachel Thomas); and (8) Student Engagement with Graphic Novels (Taylor Whitman). Individual papers contain references, tables, and figures.

The rational for this research paper is to examine the challenges faced by international students with focus on Nigerian students embracing the British education system and impact on their motivation and academic performance. The paper presents a critical overview in relation to the barriers faced by Nigerian students in terms of obtaining and maintaining their visas, seeking employment, cultural integration, and access to education and how these challenges impact on their motivation and academic performance. The study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative research methods to provide a comprehensive analysis of the challenges faced by Nigerian students in regard to studying in the UK and keeping up to visa requirements with limited working hours given to study. To ascertain the degree of impact, a primary data was carried out to hear from few of the students. Findings of research shows that majority of the Nigerian students that came to study in the UK had high expectations with the hope that coming to study and work in the UK was the best option to escape from the problem of high unemployment and hardship faced back in their home countries. Some expressed the disappointments on how they struggled to find accommodation with family and not sure if coming to the UK was worth the money, they paid to facilitate their study visa. The most disappointed expectations were the cost of living and not being able to get the twenty hours jobs allowed to work while studying to help them with excessive cost of living. Some felt that more support is needed to help international students in their studies in the UK considering the high fees paid to gain British education. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

This research aimed to investigate the experiences of students with learning disabilities (LD) at two universities in Sub-Sahara Africa. While universities are increasingly addressing the needs of students with sensory and physical disabilities, there is less emphasis on LD which does not present physically, thus often referred to as invisible or hidden disabilities. The research was, conducted as qualitative case studies, guided by Vygotsky's social cultural theory (SCT). A basic qualitative research methodology, embedded in an interpretive paradigm was used. Data was collected through an online background survey and semi-structured interviews. Thematic qualitative content analysis was used to analyse collected data systematically. From a social justice perspective, the major findings suggest that there are several factors that impede on equal education for students with LD at university. The research outcomes revealed that the hidden nature of LD becomes apparent as participants must self-declare their needs. They further experienced a lack of acknowledgement and support from lecturers. Most participants revert to valuing the support of family and friends more than that of lecturers. While both universities have policies and structures of support for students with LD, it is concluded that university lecturers need to adopt an inclusive pedagogical stance by acknowledging the factors that affect the learning of students with LD. Recommendations from the findings include the need for professional development for lecturers and increased awareness of learning support services on campus. It is further concluded that university lecturers need to be reflective of their pedagogical practices to transform higher education learning spaces in pursuit of authentic inclusion. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

Education is a significant institution given the shift to a knowledge economy. Today students have numerous expectations that range from choosing what to learn, how to learn and how much to learn based on their individual academic needs. Student satisfaction is an important facet for higher education institutions and specifically, it is highly related to service quality. Thus, the main goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between student perceived service quality and the global satisfaction level among university students. The ServQual instrument was administered to a sample of 250 university students. The results indicated that the higher gap of the service quality is related to the responsiveness dimension, followed by the reliability, assurance, empathy and tangibles dimensions. At the same time, there was a significant positive relationship between student satisfaction and responsiveness, reliability, assurance and empathy, but negative correlation between student satisfaction and tangibles. The findings generally indicate that a majority of students are satisfied with the facilities provided by the university. Such findings should help the university make a better strategic plan as to enhance student satisfaction in particular and its overall performance in general. So, the service quality in higher education has a significant influence on student satisfaction and in view of this, higher education institutions need to be aware of the service quality dimensions that influence the satisfaction of their students and therefore that it is important to note that these dimensions should be determined by the students, because the students are the primary recipients of the services provided by the institution. [For the complete Volume 22 proceedings, see ED656158.]

Prisms VR, a secondary math learning application, allows for users to see, manipulate, and engage with mathematical concepts in an embodied way in Virtual Reality (VR) environment. We examine cases in which mathematics teachers and middle school students worked through Prisms and reflected upon their experiences. Findings indicate that VR environments can help teachers find alternative ways of presenting algebraic concepts in a hands-on, interactive, and embodied manner; and these findings were confirmed based on the student experience. VR allows teachers to make connections through scaffolding and personalized experiences, while also aiding students in the exploration and meaning-making. [This paper was published in: "Proceedings of the 18th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2024," edited by R. Lindgren et al., International Society of the Learning Sciences, 2024, pp. 1610-13.]

Prior studies identified effective, but mainly non-digital, homework aids. This research involved 18 middle school students in a lo-fi prototyping study to integrate traditional homework support tools with intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), leveraging rich log data for personalized learning. Feature investigations in standardized diaries, goal setting, homework graphing, and reminders revealed a preference for goal-setting, informing a refined prototype exploring students' attitudes towards self-set versus system-generated goals. Results indicate students prefer system-recommended goals, express goals by problem count and time, and value goal difficulty feedback to foster autonomy. Providing data-driven feedback and fading system-set goals in ITS could improve self-regulation during homework practices and equity.

This paper addresses challenges in pediatric urotherapy, focusing on low patient compliance and motivation. Informed by creative sessions with children aged 9-13y, a novel urotherapy ecosystem concept is designed. It includes a smart drinking bottle, context-aware reminder watch, home uroflowmeter, smartphone app, and clinician portal. Interconnected products, embodied interaction, stigma-free design, and a digital training buddy aim to enhance engagement, motivation, and patient experience. This concept showcases the potential of integrating diverse design methodologies in healthcare design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (henceforth AI) is one of the latest innovations in education, which provides new ways of improving learning in different educational settings. In particular, owning to their ability, the adoption of AI technologies at the preschool level can enhance and transform the teaching-learning process in as far as young students are concerned. The present paper introduces a conceptual framework of integrating AI into early childhood education. It is based on analyzing recent studies and literature that have discussed various components and considerations that should be taken into account when AI tools are used in education. The framework encompasses a wide range of practical applications such as AI-based adaptive learning systems, real-time assessment tools, tutoring systems, interactive activities, language learning applications, assessment and progress monitoring tools, assistive technologies, professional development resources, recommendation systems, and communication platforms. The suggested framework herein seeks to help instructional designers and teachers create inclusive and personalized learning experiences for young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the efficacy of gateway modules in higher education, particularly focusing on their role in providing students with a second chance to excel academically. Gateway modules offer students who failed a pre-requisite module the opportunity to revisit and improve their understanding of foundational concepts, thereby enhancing their overall academic performance and ensuring that students can complete their degrees in minimum time. What sets these gateway modules apart is their provision during the extended university holidays, allowing students to engage in fully online modes of learning. By embracing this flexible approach, students can retake the module and demonstrate their proficiency from any location, facilitating a seamless continuation of their academic journey. Notably, successful completion of the module during the holiday period enables students to progress immediately to subsequent modules that require the failed module as a prerequisite. This alternative pathway not only mitigates the need to repeat an entire semester but also empowers students to stay on track towards timely degree completion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper explores the extent of awareness among management students of the requirements of employability in emerging innovative business models of the current century. To match this, employees are required to have skills that are helpful for customer engagement and for succeeding in the global business world. This study paper gives content about competency mapping; dealing with components of competency. The purpose of this study is to identify awareness about employability skills expected by industry and those management students aware about it. The main objective of this study is to learn about the skills required for employability. Every student has his or her own abilities, which may include both strong points and weak points, and they may not know where they have to improve. Here, the competency mapping process helps them build skills with various methods. They might be aware but practically not able to implement it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global elderly population rises, increasing dementia cases. Built environment impact on dementia health outcomes is known, forming the basis for evidence-based design studies. There's a need for a comprehensive assessment framework due to the complexity of interactions among Architectural Variables (AVs) and Health and Care Outcomes (HCOs). This paper proposes using Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to create such a framework. It collects data from 105 studies on 40 AVs, 36 HCOs, and 396 interactions. MBSE offers a holistic understanding, aiding healthcare facility design decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students are often found delayed in graduating from university due to the length of the thesis preparation. This paper describes the results of research on the attitudes of Islamic Education students on the research methodology course, which has taught before the preparation of the thesis, this subject is required to pass with a minimum score of 70. This study uses a qualitative descriptive research method that seeks to explain how students 'attitudes towards research methodology courses, so that in conjunction with the smoothness of thesis completion it can be seen that students' readiness in writing theses completion. The finding of the research is from 82 students showed that finding 50% are in the high positive attitude category and 42.68% are in the very high positive attitude category and the rest, which are 7.32% in the moderate positive attitude category. This finding shows the majority of 92.68% of students have positive attitudes toward research method courses, meaning that the over-scheduled in the preparation of the baccalaureate thesis is not caused by students' attitudes or incapability in undergoing research methodology courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korean Culture disseminates rapidly across the globe. The young generation is highly engaged in Korean trends, such as Korean pop music, dramas or movies, fashion, food, and beauty standards. With the use of media, the effects of Korean trends may have resulted in the effects of media on people and society such as addiction, perceptual influence, psychological effect, time consumption, and impulsive spending. The study aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between variable factors affecting the student's academic performance. The proponents used a quantitative approach in the 388 participants at the Technological Institute of the Philippines. This study shows that the Korean Trends and the Effect of Media on People and Society correlated to its variable factors. Moreover, this study may help future research in colleges and universities in the Philippines about how the students in higher education who engage in Korean Trends affect their behavior and academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of financial literacy on economic and social well-being. It emphasizes the importance of understanding how financial literacy, or the lack of it, affects the quality of life of individuals in society and subsequently impacts economies at a macro level. Methodology: The study utilized a mixed-method approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was distributed via Microsoft Forms. Responses from 258 individuals in mainland Portugal were collected using Likert scale ratings to evaluate knowledge and attitudes toward financial literacy. Results: The questionnaire results indicate a good level of financial literacy among the population evaluated. Therefore, while the respondents appear well-informed, this may not reflect the general population, as factors like family environment and course structures also significantly influence financial literacy. Originality: The article is part of a joint work between portugal and brazil and is constantly evolving as a result of data that is being incorporated from each country and which will result in work with joint results. Furthermore, our proposal includes a qualitative analysis of the data, a methodology still little used that could bring new. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the fields in which internationalization plays a pivotal role in today's world is education, with internationally developed study programs enrolled by students from various countries. While such kinds of collaborations allow for fostering unity especially when digital learning accompanies them, we also have to take into account how some entities may be more interested in spreading dissension than supporting collaboration. Actions such as these often fall under the category of "hybrid warfare", which includes all the efforts aimed at behaving with hostility, without relying uniquely on military strength; a significant portion of these makes use of digital instruments. In this research, we examine an event part of a project specifically devoted to educating in hybrid warfare. In particular, we focused on how it was able to internationally improve collaboration and mutual understanding, with the aim of providing general guidance to different teaching and learning initiatives where e-learning plays a role. We conducted a survey among military and civilian students participating in the event, detecting appreciable effects on interaction, respect, observation, and understanding. Participants deemed these aspects as important both for setting the stage for sector-specific collaboration and their personal experience. This research is part of the activities undertaken in the European project HYBRID, whose goal is promoting awareness of all the practices related to hybrid warfare and their interpretation, also by using digital didactics and tools, including the not less important purpose of being able to defend from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly changed the field of education and is revolutionizing the ways trainees learn. AI has the capability to completely transform the way we teach and learn, improving accessibility, individualization, and effectiveness in the classroom. Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) development is one of the primary areas where AI is having an impact. These systems analyze student data using algorithms and offer tailored feedback and direction depending on each student's unique needs and learning preferences. Another illustration of how technology is changing education is Chatbots that run on AI. These Chatbots give students immediate feedback, assist trainers in tracking students' development, and evaluate and pinpoint areas where students might be having challenges. Overall, the application of AI in education is changing how we teach and learn and improving access to, personalization of, and effectiveness of education. This research at Elmergib University focuses on methodologies to incorporate AI Chatbots in chemical engineering challenging disciplines ensuring that the technologies support student learning rather than replacing the role of critical thinking or human interaction. The incorporation of AI technology tools as instructing topics of process optimization, data analysis, safety, and communication. There are remarkable possibilities for AI technologies to expand significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]