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Following its outbreak, the COVID‐19 pandemic had strong negative effects on university students' stress and mental health worldwide. Using two longitudinal datasets from Germany (N = 504) and the U.S. (N = 893), we investigated how students' stress developed over the first two academic years during the pandemic. In both studies, we found elevated levels of students' stress at the beginning of the pandemic. In Germany, we found a significant intraindividual decrease in students' general stress experiences even before universities had returned to in‐person classes. When examining specific stress facets in the U.S., we found that students' academic stress increased during the first pandemic year with remote teaching and decreased significantly after the university resumed normal operations, that is, in‐person classes and on‐campus residence. Students' practical stress decreased towards all later time points compared to the onset of the pandemic, whereas health stress continuously increased until the university resumed normal operations. We report differences by students' demographic backgrounds (gender, college generation status, childcare status, ethnicity, academic year) and discuss our findings against the background of the course of the pandemic in the particular context in which both studies were conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Student version (JSE-S) and its association with potential predictors among Greek-speaking undergraduate medical students. This study adopted a cross-sectional, comparative–descriptive research design. The study was conducted during October and November 2023. Cronbach's α values for the JSE-S and the factors "perspective taking", "compassionate care", and "standing in the patient's shoes" showed internal consistency. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the JSE-S score in the test–retest study indicated a high level of reliability. The participants showed moderate empathy levels. Females scored higher than males in the Greek version of the JSE-S. Moreover, students enrolled in the fourth academic year showed higher empathy mean scores than those enrolled in the first year. Statistically significant empathy differences by specialty preferences or faith in God/supreme power were not found. The present study provided satisfactory evidence that the Greek JSE-S is a psychometrically sound measurement instrument. Empathy differences by gender were found in line with prior literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the challenges and opportunities of online learning preferences, and the constraints undergraduate students face, emphasizing the need for comprehensive research tailored to the Sri Lankan institutional context of higher education. Employing a dual methodology, this study meticulously examines socio-economic factors underscoring their influence on online learning experiences at the University of Jaffna. The binary outcome analysis exposes significant influences of various explanatory variables. These findings underscore the importance of considering these factors, specifically the academic year and stream, when integrating online learning into alignment with the Sri Lankan higher education framework. The study proposes recommendations for a blended learning approach with varying proportions of online components tailored to academic years, streams, and socio-economic contexts. In conclusion, this research offers a sustainable solution to the challenges posed by resource scarcity and increasing demand in the unique context of the Sri Lankan higher education landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editor’s note reflects on the academic year, thanks the contributors and educators for the work they do, and invites feedback on the journal.

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between stress events and stress symptoms and their gender and academic year characteristics in Chinese secondary school students.Methods4,995 secondary school students were investigated by the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC) and the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C-SOSI).ResultsFirst, there were significant differences in all dimensions and total scores of stress events and stress symptoms between boys and girls in secondary school and between junior high school students and senior high school students. Second, the dimensions and total scores of stress events in secondary school students are positively correlated with the dimensions and total scores of stress symptoms. Third, the influence of punishment on the stress symptoms of secondary school boys is the most obvious, and the influence of punishment, adaption, relationship stress, and learning stress on the stress symptoms of secondary school girls is the most obvious. The influence of punishment on the stress symptoms of junior high school students is the most obvious, and the influence of punishment and relationship on the stress symptoms of senior high school students is the most obvious.ConclusionStress events and stress symptoms of Chinese secondary school students have significant differences in gender and academic year. The same stress event has different influence mechanisms on the stress symptoms of Chinese secondary school students of different genders and different academic years.

Introduction: Nursing students are valuable human resources in the health profession. During their student life, they face a great deal of stress, which can negatively affect their mental and physical health, as well as their academic performance. However, there is limited evidence regarding stress, anxiety, and depression among nursing students in Karnataka, India. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among nursing students and determine the factors associated with these conditions amongst them. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysuru from March 2022 to August 2022, involving 200 undergraduate nursing students. The study included nursing students from the 1st year to the 4th year. Data was obtained using a predesigned and pretested questionnaire consisting of two parts: the first part collected details on sociodemographic and academic parameters, and the second part assessed psychological parameters using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS) 21 Scale. Data were entered into an excel spreadsheet and presented as frequencies and percentages using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 24.0. Factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression were analysed using the Chi-square test, with a p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 200 nursing students participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 20.22 years, with a standard deviation of 1.42. A total of 39 students (19.5%) reported moderate stress, while 26 (13%) reported severe to extremely severe stress. Approximately 35 (25%) participants experienced moderate to severe depression. Among the participants, 63 (31.5%) reported moderate anxiety, while 78 (39%) reported severe to extremely severe levels of anxiety. Factors such as academic year, lack of time for leisure activities, financial crisis in the family, and addiction to internet use were significantly associated with stress (p<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was high among nursing students in the study. These statistics can help nursing educators understand the challenges faced by nursing students and assist in promoting the quality of clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) is a set of knowledge domains that can help maximize teachers' successful technology use in education. Recent directions in educational technology research have moved towards investigating teachers' TPACK in content-specific applications. This study initially intended to compare and contrast English as a foreign language (EFL) preservice teachers' (PSTs') TPACK perceptions in the contexts of Iran and Oman. It also sought to examine if there was a gender gap in EFL PSTs' TPACK perceptions in these contexts. A quantitative comparative research design was used to collect the data via online questionnaires from EFL PSTs in Iran and Oman. Results showed that EFL PSTs generally had high perceptions of their TPACK; however, the Iranian EFL PSTs' TPACK perceptions were significantly higher than those of the Omani EFL PSTs in all subdomains of TPACK. The study also reported that there were no significant differences between genders in Oman, Iran, and collectively all the participants regardless of their nationality. Findings provide practical pedagogical implications for future EFL PSTs, EFL PST educators, EFL curriculum reformers, and policymakers in considering context-sensitive decisions such as needscustomized courses and activities with preevaluation of tools and abilities entailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nursing students are valuable human resources in the health profession. During their student life, they face a great deal of stress, which can negatively affect their mental and physical health, as well as their academic performance. However, there is limited evidence regarding stress, anxiety, and depression among nursing students in Karnataka, India. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression among nursing students and determine the factors associated with these conditions amongst them. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Community Medicine, Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, Mysuru from March 2022 to August 2022, involving 200 undergraduate nursing students. The study included nursing students from the 1st year to the 4th year. Data was obtained using a predesigned and pretested questionnaire consisting of two parts: the first part collected details on sociodemographic and academic parameters, and the second part assessed psychological parameters using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS) 21 Scale. Data were entered into an excel spreadsheet and presented as frequencies and percentages using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 24.0. Factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression were analysed using the Chi-square test, with a p-value

The present research aimed to analyze the differences between the different bullying categories by gender and academic year in primary and secondary education children, as well as their relationship with academic performance. Our sample consisted of 46 children from 4th grade (n=18) and 5th grade (n=28). They were males (56.52 %) and females (43, 48%) ranging in ages from 9 to 11 years old (mean = 10.67, standard deviation = 0,47). Our findings suggested significant differences in gender and academic year, indicating a greater number of boys in the role of the bully and girls in that of non-bully. The most aggressive pupils were in the 5nd grade (11 years old). Regarding academic performance, statistically significant differences were obtained that confirm the hypothesis that performance or average grade varies according to the category of bullying in which pupils find themselves. We discuss the implications of our findings, taking into account their relevance for remediation and mitigation interventions aimed at promoting psychological well-being when faced with bullying.

The present research aimed to analyze the differences between the different bullying categories by gender and academic year in primary and secondary education children, as well as their relationship with academic performance. Our sample consisted of 46 children from 4th grade (n=18) and 5th grade (n=28). They were males (56.52 %) and females (43, 48%) ranging in ages from 9 to 11 years old (mean = 10.67, standard deviation = 0,47). Our findings suggested significant differences in gender and academic year, indicating a greater number of boys in the role of the bully and girls in that of non-bully. The most aggressive pupils were in the 5nd grade (11 years old). Regarding academic performance, statistically significant differences were obtained that confirm the hypothesis that performance or average grade varies according to the category of bullying in which pupils find themselves. We discuss the implications of our findings, taking into account their relevance for remediation and mitigation interventions aimed at promoting psychological well-being when faced with bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized Martin's (1999-2022) Motivation and Engagement Wheel (MEW) framework and its associated Motivation and Engagement Scale for University/College (MES-UC) students to identify four typologies based on positive and negative academic engagement and motivation. It also investigated the latent factors comprising positive and negative motivation and engagement that greatly impact second language (L2) learner academic achievement and the relationship between L2 learner engagement and motivation level, on one hand, and academic year level and grade point average (GPA) on the other. Data collected from 456 female undergraduates majoring in English at a public university in Saudi Arabia were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. The results largely supported the hypothesized effects of positive engagement, positive motivation, and negative motivation and six of their latent factors on L2 learner academic achievement. It also showed that the participants' positive engagement and motivation levels decreased as they progressed in the academic years of their program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Student version (JSE-S) and its association with potential predictors among Greek-speaking undergraduate medical students. This study adopted a cross-sectional, comparative–descriptive research design. The study was conducted during October and November 2023. Cronbach’s α values for the JSE-S and the factors “perspective taking”, “compassionate care”, and “standing in the patient’s shoes” showed internal consistency. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the JSE-S score in the test–retest study indicated a high level of reliability. The participants showed moderate empathy levels. Females scored higher than males in the Greek version of the JSE-S. Moreover, students enrolled in the fourth academic year showed higher empathy mean scores than those enrolled in the first year. Statistically significant empathy differences by specialty preferences or faith in God/supreme power were not found. The present study provided satisfactory evidence that the Greek JSE-S is a psychometrically sound measurement instrument. Empathy differences by gender were found in line with prior literature.

Abstract Teamwork skills are considered essential for personal, academic and professional achievement, so universities are increasingly integrating them into their syllabuses. However, little is known about how some specific features of students and their educational development can affect their acquisition. Accordingly, this study aims to fill this gap and describe higher education students’ mastery of teamwork skills and its relation to certain socio-academic variables (gender, academic year and grade point average—GPA). With the aim of determining the level of teamwork skills among university students, an observational, transversal descriptive study was designed with an intentional sample of Spanish university students. The sample is made up of 615 social science degree students. The results suggest significant gender differences, highlighting that female students outdid their male counterparts in most teamwork skills, except leadership. Likewise, students’ skills improved as they progressed in their studies, particularly those skills related to adaptability and decision-making. Finally, a positive relationship was observed between teamwork skills and GPA, except for interpersonal development. A regression analysis confirmed the influence of both academic year and GPA for women whilst no effect was detected in the case of men. Based on these results, it is suggested to make changes in university education programmes to compensate for the influence of socio-academic factors and benefit from the most positive features of each gender regarding teamwork to achieve an equal and fair higher education.

Myths in Psychology are beliefs that are widely spread and inconsistent with the empirical evidence available within this field of knowledge. They are characterized by being relatively stable, resistant to change, and prevalent both among the nonacademic population and among students and professionals within this discipline. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of these myths among Spanish psychology students and the influence of three variables: the type of university, face-toface (UAM) and online (UNED), the academic year in which participants were enrolled and familiarity with scientific dissemination. Results show that participants from the face-to-face university, enrolled in higher academic years and that reports familiarity with scientific dissemination believe less in myths than those from the online university, enrolled in lower years and that report no familiarity with scientific dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myths in Psychology are beliefs that are widely spread and inconsistent with the empirical evidence available within this field of knowledge. They are characterized by being relatively stable, resistant to change, and prevalent both among the non-academic population and among students and professionals within this discipline. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of these myths among Spanish psychology students and the influence of three variables: the type of university, face-to-face (UAM) and online (UNED), the academic year in which participants were enrolled and familiarity with scientific dissemination. Results show that participants from the face-to-face university, enrolled in higher academic years and that reports familiarity with scientific dissemination believe less in myths than those from the online university, enrolled in lower years and that report no familiarity with scientific dissemination.

Abstract: This study examined the differences in the students’ academic resilience based on gender and cohort. Participants were students of Department of Educational Psychology and Guidance, Faculty of Education, Universitas Negeri Makassar in the academic years of 2013, 2014, and 2015. They were comprised of 103 students, 77 females and 26 males. The instrument in this study was Academic Resilience Scale (ARS) adopted and modified from Martin and Marsh. Data were analyzed through Mann-Whitney statistical of non-parametric tests in order to measure the academic resilience level of gender difference and Kruskal Wallis to measure academic resilience of cohort difference. Results revealed that there was no difference in academic resilience between female and male students. It was also found that there is a significant difference in academic resilience among the students in the academic years of 2013, 2014 and 2015. Discussion, limitation, and recommendation were also provided in this study. Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat resiliensi akademik mahasiswa berdasarkan jenis kelamin dan tahun angkatan. Partisipan merupakan mahasiswa angkatan 2013, 2014 dan 2015 Jurusan Psikologi Pendidikan dan Bimbingan Fakultas Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Negeri Makassar. Jumlah partisipan sebanyak 103 mahasiswa yang terdiri dari 77 perempuan dan 26 laki-laki. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah Skala Resiliensi Akademik yang diadopsi dan dimodifikasi dari ARS yang dikembangkan oleh Martin & Marsh. Analisis data yang digunakan adalah statistik nonparametrik Mann-Whitney untuk uji beda resiliensi akademik berdasarkan jenis kelamin dan Kruskal Wallis sebagai uji beda pada tingkatan kelas (angkatan). Hasil studi menunjukkan bahwa berdasarkan lima prediktor resiliensi akademik, diketahui tidak terdapat perbedaan antara mahasiswa perempuan dan mahasiswa laki-laki. Hasil penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa secara signifikan terdapat perbedaan resiliensi akademik antara mahasiswa angkatan 2013, 2014 dan 2015. Diskusi, keterbatasan dan rekomendasi dibahas dalam studi ini.

Teamwork skills are considered essential for personal, academic and professional achievement, so universities are increasingly integrating them into their syllabuses. However, little is known about how some specific features of students and their educational development can affect their acquisition. Accordingly, this study aims to fill this gap and describe higher education students' mastery of teamwork skills and its relation to certain socio-academic variables (gender, academic year and grade point average—GPA). With the aim of determining the level of teamwork skills among university students, an observational, transversal descriptive study was designed with an intentional sample of Spanish university students. The sample is made up of 615 social science degree students. The results suggest significant gender differences, highlighting that female students outdid their male counterparts in most teamwork skills, except leadership. Likewise, students' skills improved as they progressed in their studies, particularly those skills related to adaptability and decision-making. Finally, a positive relationship was observed between teamwork skills and GPA, except for interpersonal development. A regression analysis confirmed the influence of both academic year and GPA for women whilst no effect was detected in the case of men. Based on these results, it is suggested to make changes in university education programmes to compensate for the influence of socio-academic factors and benefit from the most positive features of each gender regarding teamwork to achieve an equal and fair higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to identify lifestyle and psychosocial factors associated with maintenance of normal body mass index (BMI, 18.5–24.9 kg/m2). Undergraduate students (n = 2781; 7.1% response rate) at a Big Ten university responded to a survey in 2018. BMI was calculated from the reported weight and height at the time of the survey and upon entering the university. Logistic regression analyses examined lifestyle and psychosocial health factors associated with maintenance of normal BMI by academic year. Results Current BMI was within normal range for 68.8% of freshmen and 60.6% of seniors. Never consuming fast food was a significant predictor for maintaining normal BMI in sophomores (OR 3.78; 95% CI 1.61, 8.88; p

Context: The quality of life (QoL) of medical students can be impacted by multifarious sociodemographic factors, but it remains an important element that powerfully affects medical training and research, as well as the practice of medicine. Aims: To obtain an in-depth understanding of the quality of life of medical students in southern Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at nine universities and schools in Southern Vietnam. The effect of various sociodemographic factors were examined on the domains of QoL using The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Biomedical Research and Education Facility (WHOQOL-BREF) scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Results: Factors affecting the QoL of Vietnamese medical students included gender, academic year, ethnicity, having relatives working in the health care sector, frequency of physical activity, financial expenditures, extent of internet usage, sleep duration, use of sleep medication, frequency of social activities, and use of stimulants. Conclusions: Factors affecting the QoL have been explained to build projects that will support medical students. This will improve communication and health care services for patients in the future.

Copyright of Revista Complutense de Educación is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the implementation of the European Higher Education Area, universities have been obliged to implement continuous assessment systems that require a high degree of attendance by students. Using recorded data, from year 1 to year 5, of 694 students of a European university, where attendance is mandatory, the main objective of this research is to analyse to what extent absenteeism affects performance across the years of degree study. The investigation found a decreasing effect. In addition, a cluster analysis was done to find out if the compulsory attendance policy impacts all students equally. Three different behavioural styles were found: those who attend regularly, students who manage their number of absences to comply with attendance rules, who are the real targets the policy, and a third group with a high number of absences not affected by the policy. These findings identify the groups of students who benefit most from adequate attendance.

In line with the targets set by the Europe 2020 strategy (EC, 2010), by giving the student a central role, the research focus shifts to self-monitoring and self-assessment, two related components in a cyclical process (McMillan & Hearn, 2008). The research primarily aims to verify how students self-monitor and self-assess their learning process. Once outlined in their modalities, the research wants to dwell and reflect on the personal traits of students about two variables: area of ​knowledge and academic year. The subjects who took part in the questionnaire were 180 attending students, enrolled in the three-year degree courses in Education and Philosophy of the University of Padua, Verona, and Venice. The research aims to answer three research questions: 1) How is the self-monitoring process complementary to the self-assessment one? 2) Is there a correlation in the area of ​​knowledge of the students? 3) Is there a correlation in the academic year of students? Transizione da monitoraggio e valutazione ad auto-monitoraggio e auto-valutazione In linea con gli obiettivi previsti dalla strategia Europa 2020 (EC, 2010), dando un ruolo maggiormente centrale allo studente, il focus della ricerca si sposta all’auto-monitoraggio e all’auto-valutazione, due componenti correlati in un processo ciclico (McMillan & Hearn, 2008). La ricerca vuole in primis verificare in che modo gli studenti auto-monitorano e auto-valutano il loro processo di apprendimento. Una volta delineate le loro modalità, la ricerca vuole soffermarsi e riflettere sui tratti personali degli studenti in relazione a due variabili: area di conoscenza e anno accademico. I soggetti che hanno preso parte al questionario sono stati 180 studenti frequentanti, iscritti ai corsi di laurea triennale in Scienze dell’Educazione e Filosofia delle Università di Padova, Verona e Venezia. La ricerca si prefigge di rispondere a tre domande di ricerca: 1) In che modo il processo di self-monitoring è complementare a quello auto-valutativo? 2) Vi è correlazione nell’area di conoscenza degli studenti? 3) Vi è correlazione nell’anno accademico degli studenti?

Copyright of Form@re is the property of Firenze University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article is devoted to the problem of educational trajectories formation in the development of multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs by specialty “Land management and cadastres” in Saint Petersburg State University. The authors express their viewpoint on the problem of developing a systemic approach for forming the structure of interdisciplinary programs, suggesting cooperation between different areas of knowledge. It gives the possibility to create an integrated picture about the complex multi-level objects of studying. In their article, the authors point out that in the framework of the specialty “Land management and cadastres” they have used a multidisciplinary approach while forming the educational trajectory with a significant component in the field of Earth Sciences. In this article, the authors stated the problems facing developers of the basic educational programs of higher education in the conditions of increasing influence of the needs of the labor market and engagement of employers in the formation of the content of vocational training. The authors investigate the problem of interaction with employers in the development and implementation of the basic educational programs of higher education with the increasing role of interdisciplinary and modular approach in the formation of the educational process at the University. The authors expound the basic principles of development of education programs within the framework of their own educational standard of St. Petersburg State University, which is a distinctive feature of the professional training of specialists in the field of “Land management and cadastres” at the Institute of Earth Sciences of Saint Petersburg State University.

Objective: To explore the relationship between stress events and stress symptoms and their gender and academic year characteristics in Chinese secondary school students., Methods: 4,995 secondary school students were investigated by the Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC) and the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C-SOSI)., Results: First, there were significant differences in all dimensions and total scores of stress events and stress symptoms between boys and girls in secondary school and between junior high school students and senior high school students. Second, the dimensions and total scores of stress events in secondary school students are positively correlated with the dimensions and total scores of stress symptoms. Third, the influence of punishment on the stress symptoms of secondary school boys is the most obvious, and the influence of punishment, adaption, relationship stress, and learning stress on the stress symptoms of secondary school girls is the most obvious. The influence of punishment on the stress symptoms of junior high school students is the most obvious, and the influence of punishment and relationship on the stress symptoms of senior high school students is the most obvious., Conclusion: Stress events and stress symptoms of Chinese secondary school students have significant differences in gender and academic year. The same stress event has different influence mechanisms on the stress symptoms of Chinese secondary school students of different genders and different academic years., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ma, Tan, Chen and Lou.)

An academic year represents the period of activity within higher education establishments. The structure of the academic year is based on a curriculum elaborated according to the type of higher education institution, the specialty, and the form of education. For the full-time type, the academic year is traditionally structured on semesters, training periods, exam sessions, practice periods, and holidays. Within curricula for alternative forms of education (distance learning and part-time learning), it is necessary to adapt this structure by the particularities of didactic process, by the particularities of students, and by those of the specialty (“physical education and sport”, in our case). Following thorough personal research, an academic year structure was established, adapted to this type of curriculum. This structure comprises two semesters, each with two phases: phase I (divided into three training modules, each ending with a mid-term exam session) and phase II (that includes the exam session and, toward the end of the academic year, two re-examination sessions). This structure has been implemented for 13 years for the bachelor studies curriculum (specialty “physical education and sport”) at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Iași, for both distance and part-time learning. The purpose of my research was to increase the efficiency of the training process, to make the time of students and of the establishment more productive, and to encourage better performance by students (for both mid-term and final exams). The academic year structure adapted as such within the bachelor studies curriculum (specialty “physical education and sport”) for alternative forms of education was meant to encourage more students to attend face to face activities, in order to improve their academic performances. Hence, students also have the time to accomplish other tasks in their life (considering that most of them are already adults with responsibilities). In our scientific approach we conducted in 2009-2010, an experiment on two groups of students: a control group, consisting of 75 students full-time, and experiment group, composed of 65 students distance learning. I also applied two questionnaires on a number of 93 students from distance learning. In my scientific endeavour, I used a series of methods: bibliographic study, observation, survey, experiment, statistical processing, analysis, and interpretation of data. Following my survey and experiment, I found that this academic year structure is 83.7% suitable for students’ possibilities, while good results obtained at final examinations are similar to those of full-time students (7.75 for the full-time group and 7.45 at the experimental group; hence, the difference is insignificant: t=0.77, P