Exploring Students’ Expectations of the University Course

Abstract

Internalization of higher education leads to greater choice of universities for prospective university students. Higher education institutions in Ukraine are developing ways and designing tools for evaluating expectations of their students in order to keep enrollment rates high and assist students" retention. This paper focuses on the analysis of the first-year students" expectations of a course "History of Great Britain" with the aim of incorporating these expectations into the course syllabus, introducing possible changes in teaching and learning on the course, enhancing study programs and quality of service for preservice English teachers. A comparative case study utilizes mixed methods approach, combining a critical analysis of the literature and data collection through student essays, which were triangulated with data from a focus group discussion to explore student perceptions of the course on its completion and offer suggestions to the university and the lecturer. The results show that undergraduate students" expectations of the course are similar to the teachers" assumptions and the aims and learning outcomes of the course as expressed in the syllabus. However, exploring students" expectations and tailoring the course syllabus and content to these expectations is a crucial step in ensuring their satisfaction. A conclusion is made that identifying and meeting realistic students" expectations of each course in the study program will allow the faculty to improve the quality of education.

Bilingual education as a means of improving future natural sciences teachers quality of education

“…Since students are enrolled for the second (master's) level of higher education with different levels of knowledge and skills in the foreign language, thus to form a foreign language competence, the teacher has to use different methods and approaches in the process of foreign language teaching. Taking into consideration the results of research of Amelina et al [1], Kotlovskiy et al [10], Kuts and Lavrentieva [11], Malykhin and Bondarevska [12], Morska [13], Nikolaeva, Zadorozhna and Datskiv [14], Volkova et al [24], Zadorozhna, Datskiv and Shon [25], Zadorozhna, Klymenko and Quam [26] and the experience of conducting classes we came to the conclusion hat teaching methods which include the use of different doses of assistance (according to Babansky [2]) during the performance of cognitive tasks are effective. Their use allows to provide each student with conditions for the maximum satisfaction of his cognitive needs and interests in the process of mastering educational material, formation of communicative skills.…”