scholarly journals Looking over our shoulders: critical thinking and ontological insecurity in higher education

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Christine Jones
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Academic Identity ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Academic Role ◽  
Five Disciplines ◽  
The Face ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Australian Universities

This paper examines the changing landscape of higher education from the perspective of teaching academics. Critical thinking has been seen as one of the central facets of the academic identity and so this paper uses the notion of critical thinking as a lens through which to explore this changing identity. It argues that the professional identity of the academic is in a state of flux, which has caused uncertainty regarding the academic role, its freedoms and responsibilities. The particular focus here is on teaching and the changes occurring in this arena. The paper reports the findings of a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with academic staff across five disciplines from two Australian universities. In the modern university, the pressures of accountability to a range of stakeholders, both internal and external, are changing the face of university teaching.

Blended Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 262-281
Author(s):  
Waldiane de Ávila Fialho ◽  
Ramon Silva Leite ◽  
Sofia Gaio
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Hybrid Education ◽  
Time Space ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Hybrid Teaching ◽  
The Face ◽  
Depth Interviews

Blending technology and education is considered a strategy to obtain various benefits, among which one of the most prominent has been enhancing students' engagement. The implementation of hybrid education at university is a clear example of this combination. Thus, considering the relevance of the theme, mainly in the modern world, the purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the contributions of hybrid teaching to the student's learning process in higher education. To this end, a qualitative research was conducted, through in-depth interviews at a private, community, confessional, and philanthropic university in Brazil. The data obtained was processed using the content analysis method, and the following contributions to the students' learning process were verified: flexibility of time, space and pace; greater retention of the content, which is available on the online platform; autonomy and constant updating in the face of changes in the modern world and better performance in terms of grades.

scholarly journals Inovasi Perguruan Tinggi Raharja Dalam Era Disruptif Menggunakan Metodologi iLearning

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Untung Rahardja ◽  
Ninda Lutfiani ◽  
Arini Dwi Lestari ◽  
Edward Boris P Manurung
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Learning Method ◽  
Human Relations ◽  
The Face

Rapidly technological advancements have led to the emergence of a disruptive era, namely the innovation theory that was initiated by newcumbent, the publication of which threatened incumbent. The effect of this disruptive is a fundamentally significant and widespread technological innovation that changes the way human relations in various heresies is no exception to higher education. When viewed from a quantitative perspective, the growth is quite severe. However, if it is related to its quality, its development is worrying. Therefore, higher education must compete to change the learning system by following disruptive patterns in order to improve the quality of learning that will improve the quality of human resources. In this study there are 2 (two) methods, The results of this study present the readiness of Raharja University in the face of the disruptive era through iLearning. Where in the learning process includes 3 (three) things, called Rinfo, iDu and iMe.With this learning method, students become more innovative and critical thinking.

scholarly journals Active learning in higher education as a restorative practice: a lecturer's reflections

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Transformational Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Relational Support ◽  
Current Context ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Applied Fields

The critique of the 'sage on the stage' approach to university teaching is particularly relevant for applied fields such as business management where a 'guide on the side' approach can instead encourage more active participation from students. A module on People Management for second year degree students was modified to involve a greater proportion of student-centred, active learning activities relative to lectures and supported by the participatory mechanisms offered by Restorative Practice. This paper offers a reflection on how developing higher education (HE) pedagogy towards reducing reliance on lecturer defined content shifts both students and lecturers out of their comfort zone. The process of students moving towards greater responsibility seems to require points of abandonment in which a hiatus occurs between student expectation of tutor support and the realisation that self-responsibility is required. In the current context of greater measurement of student satisfaction in HE, this poses a challenge for individual academics as well as universities. Disruptive and transformational learning experiences require relational support if they are to be successful and academic staff deserve appropriate development opportunities to become more aware and familiar with the new discomfort of the HE classroom.

Conceptualizing language, culture and intercultural communication in higher education languages programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-213
Author(s):  
Paul J. Moore ◽  
Adriana Díaz
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Approaches To Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Australian Universities

Abstract Languages curricula are an important, yet underutilized, site for students’ development of intercultural knowledge, awareness and skills in higher education, though there has been little related empirical research. Given the key role teachers play in student learning, in the context of two Australian universities, this study explores language teaching academics’ perspectives on language, culture and intercultural communication, and how these are reflected in their teaching approaches. As part of a larger needs analysis project into the teaching of languages and intercultural communication, this article reports on semi-structured interviews with ten academic staff engaged in teaching and/or researching languages, and one study abroad coordinator with a language teaching background. Interpretations of the key concepts varied, as did participants’ reported approaches to teaching, from critical to instrumental. Teachers’ interpretations and approaches were influenced by their teaching and learning histories, and while there were a range of approaches to the incorporation of the (inter)cultural in the teaching of languages, this was approached more critically than reported in previous studies. Contextual features which may limit such integration of language and culture are discussed, as is the contribution of languages teachers to students’ development of intercultural competence.

scholarly journals Faculty productivity in Zambian higher education in the face of internationalization: Unpacking research, publication and citation at the University of Zambia

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Gift Masaiti ◽  
Kennedy Mwila ◽  
Cecilia Kulyambanino ◽  
Tommie Njobvu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Citation Index ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Global South ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Faculty Productivity ◽  
Research Publication ◽  
H Index ◽  
The Face ◽  
The University

This paper is based on a study that aimed at examining and interrogating the extent of faculty productivity in Zambia in terms of research, publication and citation with specific reference to the University of Zambia (UNZA). The paper invokes the Network Theory of Internationalisation of Higher Education founded by Johanson & Mattsson (1988).The research design used in this article is a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The sample size total was 254, of which 244 were academic staff and 10 were key informants from management. Qualitative data was analysed according to emerging themes, while quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of this paper seem to suggest that faculties at UNZA were highly involved in research (applied and basic) at 75%, but with poor incidences of transforming research into publication and innovation. Only 38% of respondents published articles annually (increasing to 62% within two years) in local and international journals. While respondents who had published books in the last two years was as low as 19.5%. UNZA productivity output in terms of citation was relatively poor, below the expected standard of h-index and citation index of a flagship university which has a track record of more than 40 years of operation as a fully-fledged comprehensive university. Results primarily showed that the UNZA had an average h-index of 4.50 and a citation index of 156.87 which are significantly lower than the world averages of 17.50 and 971, respectively. The paper finally argues that, UNZA like most of the flagship and comprehensive universities in Africa, are quickly transforming from a teaching university into a research university based on the influence of the global North whose research agenda is central – at the expense of teaching. In order to improve on research productivity, this paper recommends that UNZA deliberately identify relevant industries, and global and regional partners to genuinely collaborate with as a way of leveraging resources and expertise. There is also a growing desire by universities in the global South to work closely together as way of improving their own productivity capacity in terms of research, publication, citation and redefine the concept of internationalization to fit the global South. Key words: Faculty, Productivity, Research, Publication, Citations, University of Zambia How to cite this article: Masaiti, G., Mwila, K., Kulyambanino, C. & Njobvu, T. 2021. Faculty productivity in Zambian higher education in the face of internationalization: unpacking research, publication and citation at the University of Zambia. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South. 5(1): 66-86. DOI: 10.36615/sotls.v5i1.153. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

scholarly journals Increasing access to professional learning for academic staff through open educational resources and authentic design

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-66
Author(s):  
Gail Wilson ◽  
◽  
Paula Myatt ◽  
Jonathan Purdy ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Limited Time ◽  
Personal Reflections

This research examines the design and delivery of a new Foundations of University Teaching Practice (FUTP) program delivered through asynchronous online modules. The freedom to choose defines the new momentum of openness in distance and open learning. University teaching staff expect quality resources to support their professional development within the reality of limited time for learning and a desire for increased accessibility. Openness and increased access bring both opportunities and challenges. This paper uses mixed methods to examine the FUTP from the perspectives of both the designers and the academic staff who participated in the program. Using personal reflections, focus groups, a survey, and interviews, we explore those opportunities and challenges within the context of the design and delivery of the program and report on the findings. Our research confirmed the value of openness and increased access to professional learning in higher education

scholarly journals ОЦІНЮВАННЯ КАДРОВОГО ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ СИСТЕМИ ОСВІТИ: РЕГІОНАЛЬНИЙ АСПЕКТ

2019 ◽  
Vol 137 (4) ◽  
pp. 8-21
Author(s):  
Тетяна Михайлівна Власюк
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Staffing Level

This article provides an assessment of the staffing level in Ukraine’s education system by the following criteria: number of academic and teaching staff dynamics for higher education institutions of Ukraine (III–IV accreditation levels) and their concentration by regions; the dynamics of postgraduate and doctoral programs performance indicators and research degree students concentration by regions; the structure (the ratio) of full-time employees in the area of education against the overall employment structure by types of business activity; employee movement indicators in Ukraine’s education system. A comprehensive integrated assessment of quantitative and qualitative dimensions of human resources is critical in terms of reflecting the current state and trends in the education system development. Based on the evaluation results, it is revealed that the number of academic and teaching staff in education institutions tends to decrease over the years, as well as the number of employees having research degrees and academic ranks. The negative downward trend has also been observed in the number of postgraduate students in the analyzed period. It is reported that the highest concentration of personnel engaged in higher education is observed in the city of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk and Odessa regions. The Analysis of employee movement in the education sector showed that in 2018, the intensity of education staff inflow exceeded the intensity of its outflow, which is a positive trend that contributes to reducing the load per vacancy. To retain and enhance the staffing capacity, it is recommended to reduce the academic workload for University teaching staff as an incentive to facilitate their further realization as researches; create sectoral clusters with the involvement of education entities that will contribute to increasing funding for research and technological development; to motivate more active participation of higher education institutions in a range of international research programs, grant and scholarship schemes and competitions which will help to boost academic staff mobility and exchange of best practice among international partners.

Demands and design principles of a “heterodox” didactics for promoting critical thinking in higher education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Ostendorf ◽  
Michael Thoma
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Educational Mission ◽  
Critical Thinking Ability ◽  
Thinking Ability ◽  
Education Interventions ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Alternative Designs ◽  
Further Development

AbstractFollowing on from the already wide-ranging academic discussion about fostering critical thinking in students as an important component of a university’s educational mission, this paper takes a particular look at didactic principles for fostering this critical thinking. We begin with a reception of Abrami et al.’s (2015) comprehensive meta-study of higher education interventions that are successful in promoting critical thinking. It becomes apparent that an understanding of criticism, which we refer to as “conventional” has been used throughout. However, there are alternative designs of an understanding of critique and critical thinking. We therefore subsequently explain an understanding of critique that is oriented toward poststructuralist thought and is referred to as “deconstructive”. Didactic principles that can be called “heterodox” are presented, which are suitable to promote a critical thinking ability in the light of the poststructuralist-inspired concept of critique. These principles are not only theoretically negotiated, but also vividly explained by means of a concrete intervention in university teaching. The article concludes with reflections on the connection of “conventional” and “heterodox” didactic principles for the promotion of critical thinking and gives impulses for the further development of university teaching-learning arrangements.

scholarly journals Factors essential for successful and sustainable e-learning

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayanda Pamella Deliwe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
South African ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Difference

E-Learning has been viewed as a positive initiative in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as it is said to improve opportunities for critical thinking, develops better problem solving abilities and assists in improvement of productivity and efficiency of employees. For HEIs to benefit from the advantages of e-learning there needs to be continuous research done on how best can HEIs ensure that there is successful and sustainable e-learning. Secondary data literature was reviewed and in collecting primary data six participants from one of the South African HEIs (UKZN) were interviewed. Information gathered through primary data collection was in line with the information obtained from literature. The difference was when the primary data revealed additional factors which are essential for successful and sustainable e-learning. These includes the importance of finances and regular discussions and engagements with champions/experts and research in the field of e-learning. Most of the literature highlights the importance of engagements with students, faculty and academic staff and not much emphases is placed on engagement with all stakeholders. This paper concluded by providing recommendations which needs to been considered by HEIs on how best they can achieve successful and sustainable e-learning.

scholarly journals Transformative Potential of Constructivist Blended Problem-Based Learning in Higher Education

2009 ◽  
pp. 182-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roisin Donnelly
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Face ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Difference

This chapter critically explores the design and implementation of a blended problem-based learning (PBL) module for academic professional development in higher education. A core aspect of the chapter is the overview of the design framework used for the application and specific use of learning technologies in the PBL module. As it would appear that E-Learning courses are often lauded on the basis of their constructivist approach to learning, but in reality sustained inter-student contact and discussion can be difficult, an underlying purpose of the chapter is to show how interactional analysis helps in understanding the potential of transformative pedagogy within blended PBL. This chapter aims to highlight how emerging constructivist theories of learning may be applied to the blend of PBL and E-Learning. It addresses the need for an analysis of the interactions taking place in blended PBL with a specific focus on academic staff who are engaged in professional development in higher education in Ireland. It applies the relevant constructivist theories to the face-to-face PBL tutorials, online discussions, focus group interview texts and reflective papers generated over two years in a professional development module involving 17 academic staff. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the difference that the blended delivery made to both tutors and participants and discusses the design implications of a blended PBL model for the practice of academic development.

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