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Research Article
Empowering and Reshaping Vocational Education:
A Theoretical Framework and Pathways for AI-Driven Transformation
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
131-141
Received:
28 July 2026
Accepted:
24 August 2026
Published:
4 September 2026
Abstract: Against the backdrop that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the ecosystem of Vocational Education (VE), the fast iteration of industrial skill demands has exposed deep-rooted bottlenecks in traditional VE models: outdated curricula, disjointed practical training, and structural mismatch between talent cultivation outputs and market needs. While governments across China and globally have rolled out intensive policy initiatives to advance VE digital transformation, existing studies mostly focus on scattered cases of ad-hoc technology application, lacking systematic analytical frameworks, with notable research gaps in inquiries into ethical risks and long-term collaborative governance mechanisms. This study aims to clarify the core operational logic of AI-empowered VE transformation, identify risk boundaries during the transition, develop actionable systematic solutions, and address the longstanding talent supply-demand mismatch. Adopting sociotechnical systems theory as its meta-framework, the study integrates mediation theory from educational technology and work process theory in vocational education to construct the Vocational Augmentation Education (VAE) model and the "technology-education-industry" double-helix analytical framework. Drawing on cross-sector empirical cases, it unpacks the internal mechanisms and practical barriers of VE transformation. The study finds that AI can systematically enhance VE efficacy through three core mechanisms—cognitive augmentation, contextual expansion, and step-change efficiency improvement—yet the transformation faces deep-seated risks including the polarizing effect of the digital divide. Accordingly, it proposes targeted transformation pathways across four dimensions: top-level policy design, deep industry-education collaboration, stakeholder capacity building, and embedded ethical governance, to provide theoretical references and evidence-based decision support for building a new human-AI collaborative VE paradigm.
Abstract: Against the backdrop that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the ecosystem of Vocational Education (VE), the fast iteration of industrial skill demands has exposed deep-rooted bottlenecks in traditional VE models: outdated curricula, disjointed practical training, and structural mismatch between talent cultivation outputs and market ...
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Research Article
Perception of Early Clinical Exposure Among Medical Students After Phase I of the MBBS Programme at Defence Services Medical Academy
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
142-149
Received:
13 August 2026
Accepted:
24 August 2026
Published:
15 September 2026
Abstract: Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) introduces medical students to patients and clinical environments during the preclinical phase, facilitating integration of basic sciences with clinical practice. Evaluating students' perceptions is important for determining the educational value of ECE and identifying areas for curricular improvement. This study aimed to assess perceptions of ECE among medical students after Phase I of the MBBS programme at the Defence Services Medical Academy (DSMA). A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical cadets who had completed Phase I of the MBBS programme at DSMA. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire containing five-point Likert-scale items. The questionnaire assessed perceived usefulness, satisfaction with programme structure, confidence and skill development, challenges, and overall perception of ECE. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics. Students demonstrated predominantly positive perceptions of ECE. Most respondents agreed or strongly agreed that ECE helped them understand the relevance of basic sciences to clinical practice (91.8%), improved their understanding of diseases and patient care (89.0%), and enhanced early clinical reasoning skills (93.2%). ECE was also perceived to improve communication skills (91.8%), confidence in talking with patients (89.1%), observation of clinical signs (90.4%), and empathy and patient-centred attitudes (91.7%). Overall, 90.4% considered ECE a valuable component of their education, and 93.1% believed it should remain in the curriculum. Nevertheless, 89.0% agreed or strongly agreed that improvements to the ECE programme were needed. Medical students had favourable perceptions of ECE, particularly regarding integration of basic sciences with clinical practice and development of early clinical and professional skills. Continued implementation with systematic refinement of programme organisation and delivery may further enhance the educational value of ECE at DSMA.
Abstract: Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) introduces medical students to patients and clinical environments during the preclinical phase, facilitating integration of basic sciences with clinical practice. Evaluating students' perceptions is important for determining the educational value of ECE and identifying areas for curricular improvement. This study aimed...
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Research Article
Examining Student Access in Online Courses:
Two Courses Over the Years
Tariq Khraishi*
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
150-163
Received:
5 August 2026
Accepted:
17 August 2026
Published:
20 September 2026
Abstract: Studies on how college/university students approach online education and courses have been conducted. The purposes of such studies, including the current paper, is to assess the students’ use of online resources to identify patterns and any room for improvement of their online experience. The author has used the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver asynchronous instruction in an undergraduate course and to facilitate communication and course organization in a face-to-face graduate course. This paper analyzes student access and usage data from both courses to identify meaningful patterns and insights. The collected data are examined in relation to course enrollment and major course milestones. Information obtained directly from Canvas is supplemented with basic statistical analyses, including descriptive measures such as averages. The findings are then discussed to provide insights into the advantages and limitations of online teaching and learning. Findings include reduced student engagement with online content over time. Graduate students are more likely to stay engaged online versus undergraduate students. Lastly, online group work shows the free-rider effect where some students rely on other group members to finish assigned tasks.
Abstract: Studies on how college/university students approach online education and courses have been conducted. The purposes of such studies, including the current paper, is to assess the students’ use of online resources to identify patterns and any room for improvement of their online experience. The author has used the Canvas Learning Management System (L...
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Research Article
Educational Environment in Outcome-Based Medical Education: A Mixed-Methods Study of 25th Intake Interns at the Defence Services Medical Academy, Myanmar
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
164-174
Received:
26 August 2026
Accepted:
8 September 2026
Published:
20 September 2026
Abstract: The educational environment is an important determinant of students’ learning experiences, engagement, satisfaction, and professional development, particularly during major curriculum reform. The Defence Services Medical Academy (DSMA), Myanmar, has implemented Outcome-Based Medical Education (OBME) to promote competency-oriented, student-centred learning and closer alignment between educational outcomes, teaching, and assessment. Continued evaluation among successive student cohorts is necessary to determine how the curriculum is experienced in practice. This study evaluated the educational environment and experiences of 25th Intake internship students undertaking the OBME programme at DSMA. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were obtained from 34 internship students using the 50-item Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) and analysed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative component used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to explore students’ experiences, challenges, expectations, faculty support, and peer interaction; qualitative data were analysed thematically using MAXQDA. The overall mean DREEM score was 130/200, indicating an educational environment perceived as more positive than negative. Domain scores were 31.2 ± 6.5 for Students’ Perceptions of Learning, 28.7 ± 5.8 for Students’ Perceptions of Teachers, 24.5 ± 4.7 for Students’ Academic Self-Perception, 27.3 ± 5.2 for Students’ Perceptions of Atmosphere, and 18.3 ± 4.0 for Students’ Social Self-Perception. Five qualitative themes were identified: adaptation to OBME, faculty support, peer interaction, expectations versus experience, and positive aspects of the learning environment. Students valued collaborative learning, educational resources, faculty guidance, and greater responsibility for their learning. However, challenges were identified in self-directed learning, assessment, workload, consistency of faculty accessibility, and social interaction. The findings indicate that the educational environment for 25th Intake interns was generally positive, while highlighting specific opportunities for curriculum improvement. Strengthened orientation, faculty development, clearer assessment communication, structured peer support, and regular cohort-based evaluation are recommended to support continued development of OBME at DSMA.
Abstract: The educational environment is an important determinant of students’ learning experiences, engagement, satisfaction, and professional development, particularly during major curriculum reform. The Defence Services Medical Academy (DSMA), Myanmar, has implemented Outcome-Based Medical Education (OBME) to promote competency-oriented, student-centred l...
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Research Article
From Learned Helplessness to Collective Efficacy:
A Three-Year Action Research Study of Peer-Supported Intervention in an Independent College
Xiaohua Xu*
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
175-188
Received:
31 August 2026
Accepted:
14 September 2026
Published:
27 September 2026
Abstract: Students in independent colleges (privately funded undergraduate institutions affiliated with public universities) in China face a dual structural disadvantage: weak academic foundations in foundational engineering courses and inadequate informational support for postgraduate admission decision-making. While existing research has examined admission mechanisms primarily in elite universities, micro-level intervention studies targeting independent college engineering students remain scarce. This study reports a three-year action research project involving 141 vehicle engineering students (2019 cohort) at an independent college in Jiangsu Province, with a matched cohort of 130 students (2017 cohort) serving as the comparison group. A peer-supported “Dual-Axis Transmission” model—comprising an academic exemplar serving as the “axis center,” course-specific peer tutors as the “axis spokes,” and a counselor coordinator as the “network hub”—was implemented alongside a structured “School-Selection Database” designed to support evidence-based postgraduate decision-making. Results showed a 59.1% reduction in total course failures (chi-square [χ2] = 48.44, *p* <.001, Cramér's V =.423) and a 90.6% reduction in College Physics failures specifically (64 vs. 6 students; χ2 = 71.42, *p* <.001, Cramér's V =.513). The overall postgraduate admission rate increased from 11.5% to 32.0% (χ2 = 16.29, *p* <.001, Cramér's V =.245). Qualitative evidence from 87 individual counseling records revealed shifts from learned helplessness toward proactive academic engagement, with three distinct mechanisms identified: goal anchoring, meaning reconstruction, and strengths-based institutional matching. The findings suggest that structured peer transmission networks, combined with data-driven decision support, can transform individual admission anxiety into collective efficacy, offering a replicable pathway for student development support in applied universities.
Abstract: Students in independent colleges (privately funded undergraduate institutions affiliated with public universities) in China face a dual structural disadvantage: weak academic foundations in foundational engineering courses and inadequate informational support for postgraduate admission decision-making. While existing research has examined admission...
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Research Article
Research Ethics Governance and Responsible Conduct of Research at the Defence Services Medical Academy, Myanmar: A Documentary Analysis
Issue:
Volume 11, Issue 5, October 2026
Pages:
189-196
Received:
9 September 2026
Accepted:
20 September 2026
Published:
29 September 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.her.20261105.16
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Abstract: Ethical Review Committees (ERCs) require both formal governance mechanisms and continuing capacity building to support consistent ethical review and responsible research conduct. The Defence Services Medical Academy (DSMA), Myanmar, has maintained institutional standard operating procedures (SOPs) for its Ethical Review Committee and has conducted recurring workshops on responsible conduct of research (RCR). To describe the longitudinal evolution of research ethics governance and RCR capacity building at DSMA using available institutional documentary sources. A retrospective descriptive documentary analysis was undertaken using available DSMA ERC SOPs dated 2017 and 2022, a separate 2022 SOP for principal investigators, the 2024 third-edition SOP, and RCR/research-ethics workshop programmes from 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2026. Documents were reviewed using predefined domains: governance and committee structure; review procedures; participant protection; informed consent; post-approval oversight; investigator guidance; data and material governance; documentation; and research-ethics capacity building. Changes were interpreted as documentary evidence of formalization, differentiation or expansion; no causal inference regarding research quality or participant outcomes was made. The documentary series demonstrated progressive formalization of ERC governance and expansion of operational guidance. The 2017 SOP already addressed committee functions and composition, vulnerable participants, review procedures, informed consent, expedited review, decision-making, monitoring and archiving. By 2022, the institutional SOP incorporated specific guidance for medical education and genetic research and additional operational forms, while a separate PI-oriented SOP provided investigator-facing guidance and multiple consent templates. The 2024 third edition reorganized the SOP into thematic chapters and expanded guidance for survey, records, qualitative and genetic research; waiver of consent; material transfer; data ownership/transfer/use; conflict-of-interest declaration; annual reporting; and final reporting. In parallel, RCR workshops documented from 2018 through 2026 repeatedly addressed research integrity, informed consent, data ethics, research misconduct and investigator responsibility, frequently using group work and discussion. Available documents indicate an evolution at DSMA from a broad institutional ethics-review framework toward a more differentiated governance system combining committee procedures, investigator guidance, research-specific ethical considerations, post-approval documentation and recurring RCR education. Future evaluation should assess implementation, review performance, investigator competence, protocol quality and outcomes of post-approval oversight.
Abstract: Ethical Review Committees (ERCs) require both formal governance mechanisms and continuing capacity building to support consistent ethical review and responsible research conduct. The Defence Services Medical Academy (DSMA), Myanmar, has maintained institutional standard operating procedures (SOPs) for its Ethical Review Committee and has conducted ...
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