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The interplay between positive lifestyle habits and academic excellence in higher education
Systematically examining the correlation between the lifestyle habits of undergraduate students and their academic performance holds significant practical implications in advancing higher education. This study adopts an integrated perspective and analyzes a substantial dataset (3,123,840 data points) of 3499 undergraduates at a Chinese university. This study employs a Long short-term memory neural network to identify eating behavior indicators and develops a comprehensive model to evaluate the relationship between students’ lifestyle habits and academic performance; the lifestyle habits cover eating, hygiene, and studying habits. The findings challenge conventional wisdom by revealing that stringent eating schedules do not consistently correlate with superior academic performance. Instead, a higher degree of inertia in eating behavior (e.g., waking up early) correlates with better academic outcomes. Positive correlations also exist between students’ hygiene and studying habits and their academic performance. These results provide valuable insights into the relationship between students’ behavior and academic performance. This work carries implications for promoting the digitalization of higher education and enhancing education management for undergraduate students.
Investigating the role of psychological elements in advancing IT skills among accounting students: insights from Saudi Arabia
Psychological factors are among the multiple influences on people’s daily behavior. The outcomes of various daily activities, ranging from success to failure, are often determined by these psychological aspects. The purpose of this research is to determine how psychological factors influence the skill of accounting students in Saudi Arabia with regard to information technology (IT). In order to achieve the research objectives, a descriptive and explanatory research design incorporating a quantitative approach is utilized. The study’s target population comprises accounting students from government universities in Saudi Arabia. Data collection employed a combination of convenient and snowball sampling strategies, ensuring broader applicability of the findings. A total of 306 accounting students from these universities participated in an online survey. Data analysis is conducted using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the significance of path coefficients is assessed through bootstrapping tests. Results indicated that motor skills, visual processing, fatigue, and stress positively influence IT skill development in these students. Conversely, ergonomics and cognitive abilities appeared to have no significant effect. The model accounted for approximately 65% of the variance in IT skill development among university students. These insights can guide educational institutions in formulating strategic plans for IT skill development, ensuring students acquire the necessary competencies on campus. Additionally, the findings offer valuable information for government bodies developing standards to foster IT skill growth.
The dual role of motivation on goals and well-being in higher vocational education students: a self-determination theory perspective
Students’ well-being has received increasing international attention. However, research on well-being among higher vocational education (HVE) students, particularly in non-WEIRD contexts, remains limited. This study addresses this gap by investigating the relationships between goals, motivation, and well-being for HVE students in China through the lens of self-determination theory. A survey was administered to 1106 HVE students at a vocational college in China to collect data on their goal content, motivation, and well-being. Quantitative analyses revealed that motivation plays a dual role, acting as both a mediator and a moderator in the relationship between goals and well-being. This dual role is crucial for understanding not only how goals influence well-being but also under what conditions different types of goals promote or hinder well-being. Specifically, intrinsic goals, when paired with autonomous motivation, were found to significantly predict increased well-being. While extrinsic goals combined with controlled motivation also reliably predicted well-being, this relationship should be interpreted cautiously within the specific cultural context of the study. Furthermore, positive relationships between extrinsic goals and well-being, as well as between amotivation and well-being, were observed, contrasting findings from ‘WEIRD’ contexts. This study provides novel insights into how motivation functions as both a moderator and mediator in the goal-well-being relationship within a ‘non-WEIRD,’ specifically Chinese, HVE context. These findings underscore the importance of supporting students in pursuing goals to enhance their well-being. Further research is needed to explore these relationships in diverse cultural settings.
Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
This study investigates the effectiveness of a newly developed smartphone-based application for teaching population oral health needs assessment to undergraduate dental students.
Student confidence in clinical competence during dental education
Dental education blends theoretical and practical training to prepare students for independent patient care. This study examines the confidence levels of dental students at Umeå University, Sweden regarding independent performance of general dentistry tasks, and whether this confidence changes after clinical training.
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