Exploring education-related use of social media: business students perspectives in a changing India

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jehangir Bharucha
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Education System ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Purpose Within a connectivist learning model, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the adoption of social media for educational purposes in India, a hitherto unexplored area of research. The basic research thrust is on students’ experiences when social media is incorporated into higher education. This research tries to gather evidence on the effectiveness of this role and its potential future role as a facilitator and enhancer of learning in the Indian system. Design/methodology/approach The current research draws on the perspectives of the students regarding the adoption of social media for educational purposes. The data collection was done in two separate stages. Stratified random sampling was applied and a structured questionnaire was sent via e-mail. Usable responses were received from 568 respondents. The second stage consisted of an exploratory qualitative study using in-depth interviews and reflections of 250 students from the original sample. Findings Four clear themes emerged from the responses collected via the structured questionnaire and particularly from the in-depth interviews. These include: widespread usage of social media, definite usage in business education, strengths of social media in business education and the flip side of learning with social media. One thing is certain: social media will continue to play an important role in the Indian education sector. A number of colleges and universities in India are including social media in their pedagogy, but the challenge lies in effectively aligning it with curriculum. Practical implications Despite the widespread use of online social media for communication and entertainment, the use in the educational sphere seems to be less. This year-long study tries to gather evidence on all these issues. No doubt social media’s contribution in the classroom depicts a rising interest in technology as a tool to assist learning but it also reinforces a paradigm shift in the way students learn. Social implications With nearly a billion people on mobile phones, the online system certainly has vast potential to create the right kind of learning. As this study has shown at a micro-level, technology-led reach and easy access is bringing about a socio-economic difference in the lives of Indian learners. While this study certainly supports digital learning in India it points out that higher educational institutions are yet to exploit its full advantage for better student engagement. Originality/value One key characteristic of this generation is that they are very education oriented. Due to the relative freshness of the approach in India and fairly restricted use in the Indian higher education system, empirical studies are limited and the impact of social media on student engagement in the higher education system in India is not known.

Accreditation and ranking of higher education institutions (HEIs): review, observations and recommendations for the Indian higher education system

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerald Ozee Fernandes ◽  
Balgopal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Academic Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Ranking ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
The World ◽  
Indian Higher Education

PurposeThe higher education system has been entrusted globally to provide quality education, especially to the youth, and equip them with required skills and capabilities. The visionaries and policymakers of the countries around the world have been working relentlessly to improve the standard of the higher education system by establishing national and global accreditation and ranking bodies and expecting measuring performance through setting up accreditation and ranking parameters. This paper focuses on the review of Indian university accreditation and ranking system and determining its efficacy in improving academic quality for achieving good position in global quality accreditation and ranking.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed exploratory research approach to know about the accreditation and ranking issues of Indian higher education institutions to overcome the challenges for being globally competitive. The accreditation and ranking parameters and score of leading Indian universities was collected from secondary data sources. Similarly, the global ranking parameters and scores of these Indian universities with top global universities was explored. The performance gaps of Indian university in global academic quality parameter is assessed by comparing it with scores of global top universities. Further, each domestic and global accreditation and ranking parameters have been taken up for discussion.FindingsThe study identified teaching and learning, research and industry collaboration as common parameter in the accreditation and ranking by Indian and global accreditation and ranking body. Furthermore, the study revealed that Indian accreditation and ranking body assess leniently on parameters and award high scores as compared to rigorous global accreditation and ranking practice. The study revealed that “research” and “citations” are important parameters for securing prestigious position in global ranking, this is the reason Indian universities are trailing. The study exposed that Indian academic fraternity lack prominence in research, publication and citations as per need of global accreditation and ranking standards.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this study is that it focused only on few Indian and global accreditation and ranking bodies. The future implication of this study will be the use of methodology designed in this study for comparing accreditation and ranking bodies’ parameters of different continents and countries in different economic development stages i.e. emerging and developed economies to know the disparity and shortcomings in their higher education system.Practical implicationsThe article is a review and comparison of national and global accreditation and ranking parameters. The article explored the important criteria and key indicators of accreditation and ranking that would provide an important and meaningful insight to academic institutions of the emerging economies of the world to develop its competitiveness. The study contributed to the literature on identifying benchmark for improving academic and higher education institution quality. This study would be further helpful in fostering new ideas toward setting up of contemporary globally viable and acceptable academic quality standard.Originality/valueThis is possibly the first study conducted with novel methodology of comparing the Indian and global accreditation and ranking parameters to identify the academic quality performance gap and suggesting ways to attain academic benchmark through continuous improvement activity and process for global competitiveness.

How Web 3.0 Tourism Students See the 1.0 Higher Education System

2020 ◽  
pp. 252-268
Author(s):  
José Alexandre Martins ◽  
Romeu Lopes ◽  
Vitor Roque
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Education System ◽  
Cultural Resistance ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Web 3.0 ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Portuguese Higher Education

Social media does not seem to easily fit in the higher education system. The Web 3.0 students use social networks on a daily basis, however, 1.0 higher education institutions are not taking advantage of these tools. There are some institutional constraints, pedagogical issues, and cultural resistance for its adoption. A survey directed to Portuguese Higher Education students was held, aiming to identify social networks' use either in a personal and academic context. Results show that social networks are under-exploited in the teaching-learning process, both by students and also their teachers. They are both aware of the platforms and applications but are rarely used for an academic purpose. The study raises important issues and gives practical examples for effective use of social media in education. In order to address these challenges and opportunities wisely, it is necessary an effective engagement in social media by students, professors, and all the academic staff.

Students’ attitudes towards sustainable development in Serbia

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 733-755
Author(s):  
Vesna Nikolic ◽  
Tamara Vukic ◽  
Tatjana Maletaski ◽  
Milica Andevski
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Education System ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
The Other ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Students Attitudes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine university students’ attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development and towards the need for the implementation of education for sustainable development into the higher education system. To that end, the paper explores in a process-oriented focus which drivers and barriers are experienced as being the most important ones and how they relate to one another. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on the questionnaire for the evaluation of attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development. This instrument consists of 9 batteries with 83 items presented in the form of the five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire evaluated different aspects of respondents’ attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development, but students’ attitudes in relation to the items from the following subscales will be presented for this paper: understanding the concept of sustainable development, position of sustainable development in the system of higher education, sources of information about sustainable development and entities responsible for sustainable development. The study sample consisted of students from the University of Novi Sad, specifically from the faculties with accredited programs in the field of humanities and technological sciences. Findings In general, students recognized the main determinants of sustainable development and they support an integral approach to sustainability, i.e. the need to include the knowledge, values and skills for sustainable development in the higher education programs. In addition, they identified a number of obstacles and the uncertainties of overcoming them. In this regard, the students did not recognize the responsibility of the higher education institutions as the key responsibility or their own responsibility in relation to sustainable development, which can be related to their feeling of marginalization and the doubt that their behaviour and decisions can influence the development of the local society, as well as the development of the society as a whole. On the other hand, the respondents acknowledged the role, the importance and the responsibility of the mass media in the process of developing the attitudes towards and opinions about the problems related to environmental protection and sustainable development. Practical implications The results of the study indicate the students’ attitudes towards sustainable development, thus making the directions for higher education reform clearer and in line with the present needs for sustainable development in Serbia. The obtained results can serve as a recommendation to the governing structures, i.e. to the relevant ministries of education and environmental protection, as well as to the universities in terms of which direction their process of planning and creating paths of sustainability should take. This is particularly important in the case of the Republic of Serbia, which is currently in the process of joining the European Union and responding to the requirements set by the process of negotiation for Chapter 27 in terms of improving the strategic framework and plans for the education for sustainable development and building the capacities in response to climate change. On the other hand, linking the results of this research with the results of similar studies around the world contributes to the further enrichment of the scientific knowledge base in this field and confirms the need for stronger and united efforts on the path to a sustainable future. It is a fact that, regardless of the national, economic, socio-political and cultural context, there is a global lack of success in shaping a humane and sustainable relationship between man and nature. Therefore, the results of this research should be considered as an invitation for new research initiatives regarding the ways to support the positive attitudes of students towards the concept of sustainable development and to facilitate their further development in the educational process, as well as in other academic domains. Originality/value This research is inspired by the fact that, in the Balkan countries, education for sustainable development has not been extensively discussed within the scientific discourse on higher education for sustainable development. This is one of the first papers to provide data about students’ attitudes towards the concept of sustainable development and the need for its implementation in the higher education system in Serbia. The value of the paper lies in its potential to help understand the role that different drivers and barriers play in higher education for sustainable development.

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING (SMM) IN HEI’S ADMISSION

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Awais Mehmood ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Specific Objective ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
Promotional Messages ◽  
Admissions Process ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose: Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) are shaping their operational approach in a more business oriented manner due to intensification of competition to recruit quality students. This requires adaption of various marketing communication tools to develop, sustain and improve brand image. The invent of Web 2.0 technologies have offered many such options to organizations including social media (SM) that is being now used by many (HEIs) to connect with their stakeholders especially students. The specific objective and purpose of this study is to investigate the use of SM marketing in the higher education sector in Pakistan and its perceived impact on admission of students. Methodology: It is a qualitative study based on inductive approach where in-depth interviews were conducted with the university’s administrators responsible to manage the SM activities. The interviews were transcribed using NVivo to determine content type placed online by the HEIs in Pakistan, benefits accrued and their perceived impact on student admission. In addition ethnography technique was used to find the type of content on SM being placed by the Pakistani HEIs. Findings: The study illustrates that Facebook and Twitter are the most commonly used social media accounts by the Pakistani HEIs. The content placed on SM by the Pakistani HEIs include announcements, admissions, events, community messages, promotional messages, achievements, greetings, endorsements and job/internships opportunities. Through this content HEIs areable to better engage with their students, obtain necessary feedback, correct any misperceptions and help in career building. These benefits are consequently contributing directly and indirectly to the elements considered important by students for selection of HEIs as highlighted in students’ preference theories(Soutar & Turner, 2000; Maringe, 2006; Mangan, Hughes, Davies, & Slack, 2010). Implications: This study will help the HEIs to understand common benefits they can accrue through their SM use and its potential in facilitating their admissions process. The study will also let the managers of SM in HEIs know of ways to optimize their usage of SM that will consequently help them better gauge the identified benefits and ultimately help in achieving desired objectives pertaining to students’ recruitment.

Mechanisms of institutional regulation of government policy building in the higher education system in the conditions of Industry 4.0

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 230-238
Author(s):  
Konstantin V. Vodenko ◽  
Olga S. Ivanchenko ◽  
Eleonora V. Tereshchenko ◽  
Nina F. Petrova ◽  
Viktoria A. Mishchenko
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Education System ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Creative Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Innovative Potential

Purpose The article analyzes the mechanisms of institutional regulation of government policy on the establishment and development of the research-innovative potential of youth in the higher education system. Design/methodology/approach The concepts of this paper are focused on the research of innovation within transformation of education, studying youth as a subject of innovation, analyzing the socio-cultural points of youth innovation activity in the professional area and revealing the theoretical and methodological foundations of personal creative development. Findings The article provides analysis of research-innovative practices offering their own methodological basis for the research of public regulation of the establishment and development of the research-innovative potential of the person. The analysis made it possible to conclude that an important short-term objective is to create competitive and convenient conditions for scientific research, opportunities for self-development and self-control of the national scientific-technical system, forging relations between actors at all stages of the knowledge cycle. Originality/value It is substantiated that the young people who should provide an innovation breakthrough and development of an innovative economy plays a crucial role in taken development measures. We managed to identify three types of student attitudes to scientific and research-innovative activity and, respectively, support and stimulation measures for each type (young research workers, formalists (or officially involved in R&D), passive observers).

Establishing transdisciplinary minor programme as a way to embed sustainable development into higher education system

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-169
Author(s):  
Qian Jia ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Li Fengting
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Education System ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Core Courses

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study of the establishment and development of a minor program in Sustainable Development in Tongji University, China, and how it contributes to embedding sustainable development into higher education system as an alternative platform for researchers and students to involve in a transdisciplinary teaching and learning process. Design/methodology/approach This case reviews the institutional setting and the different studying models and requirements for postgraduates and undergraduates. Postgraduate students have to take four core courses, select one module with four themed courses (4 + 4 fixed) and complete a transdisciplinary essay, and undergraduates can choose any three courses in all modules apart from the four core courses (4 + 3 open), with a transdisciplinary group project. Findings The development of the minor program reveals the popularity and decline of different modules, because of the popularity of the schools and institutes behind them, the university legacy and the media influence. The program design spurs transdisciplinary thinking on sustainable development but brings about challenges including time conflict with students’ major study. In conclusion, this program explores alternative education practices in embedding sustainable development in education system, contributing to and reflect on Education for Sustainable Development and the education reform in China. Originality/value The case presents a unique way of implementing Education for Sustainable Development in higher education system, in which minor education stands between formal and informal curriculum to tackle the barriers in undertaking sustainable development initiatives in curricula, through nurturing the culture and providing organizational support.

A new model of practical spiritual intelligence for the leadership development of human capital in Indian Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 957-973
Author(s):  
Chetan Jayant Prabhu ◽  
Mita Mehta ◽  
Anugamini Priya Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Education System ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Spiritual Leadership ◽  
Spiritual Intelligence ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make a case for linking spiritual intelligence to the Indian university curriculum for creating sustainable leaders and change agents. The growing emphasis on higher education sustainability involves taking a step back from the daily rigors of academic life and giving a thought to the unique approaches to promote sustainability. Though there are several initiatives for making the environment in the campus sustainable – switching off lights/fans, reducing consumption, etc., there are very few initiatives promoting the transformation of the individual. This paper defines a new conceptual framework linking spiritual intelligence to leadership and sustainability of the higher education system. Design/methodology/approach This present study is analytical and comprises secondary data which are collected from research papers, books, periodicals and journals. Using keywords search in the Scopus database, a list of papers was arrived at, analyzed and distilled to arrive at select journals. These journals were cross-reference to the SCimago’s journal portal ranking and established journal selected. Papers based on these established journals were taken for systematic review and synthesis of literature. Literature studies for bibliometric analysis work were also conducted using the using tools like “VOSviewer” for precisely arriving at current and future areas of research. Findings There were three main findings: defined a new conceptual model/framework of practical spiritual intelligence in the higher education system; defined the key shared language of spiritual intelligence in a higher education system; and defined the key attributes of practical spiritual leadership and sustainability. Originality/value This research is based on developing a conceptual model of interaction between spiritual intelligence and spiritual leadership in a higher education university environment that can give us a new insight into the manifestation of practical spirituality in universities. The extent of research work, both conceptual as well as empirical, as evidenced, does indicate the growing and sustained interest in the subject of spirituality and spiritual intelligence, but there is limited research in the area of leadership development and sustainability in the higher education system.

scholarly journals Different histories, similar opinions? Perspectives of presidents of public and private universities on Argentina’s higher education system

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
María Fernanda Arias
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Education System ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Private Universities ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Depth Interviews

This article analyzes the opinions about the system of higher education in Argentina of presidents of private and public universities. The sample consisted of sixteen in-depth interviews with presidents of public and private universities. In the 1990s Argentina, similarly to other Latin American and European countries, initiated profound reforms of its university system The analysis of the interviews shows, that although Argentina's higher education system was traditionally organized around the ethos of public universities and only recently a new but increasingly influential private sector was developed, the opinions of the presidents of both types of universities is rather similar..  We concluded that the type of governance, public or private, is not the most influential dynamic in the opinions of the presidents of these universities, but the particular history and institutional traditions are better explanatory variables. 

Spirituality at workplace and its impact on academic performance: an empirical study among private higher education faculties of Delhi NCR

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayashree Sapra ◽  
Khushboo Khosla ◽  
Garima Dungrakoti
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Education System ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Workplace Spirituality ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe impact of workplace spirituality on organizational performance has continued to draw the attention of scholars and practitioners. Despite this enhanced attention, little is known about its the impact on academic performance. Addressing this gap in research, the purpose of this study is to empirically examine the impact of spirituality at workplace on academic performance among private sector higher education faculties in Delhi NCR.Design/methodology/approachThis study outlines the existing literature on workplace spirituality and academic performance and its relationship. The scale created by Petchsawang and Duchon (2009) has been used to measure workplace spirituality, whereas academic performance of faculties was measured by the scale created by Abubakar et al. (2018). Pearson correlation and linear regression have been used to depict the degree of relation and impact of spirituality on academic performance.FindingsThis study provides evidence that by practicing workplace spirituality, the performance of higher education faculties can be positively and significantly impacted. The result reflects that in the presence of compassion, mindfulness, meaningful work and transcendence, the academic organizational performance of higher education institutes is improved as there will be an enhancement in their academic reputation, employability of the graduate students, research work, internationalization, Nobel-prized and field medals, research grant, resources, infrastructure and community services.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study are subject to certain limitations, which can be addressed in future studies. Only four dimensions of workplace spirituality, i.e. compassion, mindfulness, meaningful life and transcendence, are taken into consideration. Also, the impact has only be studied on academic performance of higher education institutions. The results of this study cannot be used in a generalized context as the framework of this study is based on higher education faculties in Delhi NCR.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study would be a roadmap for higher education institutions or their faculties to improve performance with the assistance of spirituality at workplace.Social implicationsRetention of academic personnel is critically necessary so that the excellence of higher education is maintained. It is the need of the hour for these educational institutions to be more focused on improving the teaching staff efficiency. This is made possible through the development of an atmosphere that installs spirituality. The empirical findings of this research will enable academics as well as managers to understand how and to what degree faculties experience spirituality at workplace and its association with different outcomes.Originality/valueIndia's higher education higher education system is the third largest in the world, next to the USA and China. India's higher education system has expanded steadily, and India has over 1,000 universities as of 2020. Workplace spirituality for academicians is under-researched and neglected by organizations. It may further benefit those interested in employment learning.

Re-Thinking Inclusive Higher Education for Students With Disabilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 235-250
Author(s):  
Emnet Tadesse Woldegiorgis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Education System ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
Epistemic Access ◽  
Physical Access ◽  
Depth Interviews

Several studies address the notion of inclusive higher education from the perspective of access questioning who participates, where, and how in the sense of equity, raising issues of enrolment of disadvantaged groups. This chapter approaches the concept of inclusion in the Ethiopian higher education system from an epistemic access perspective. The argument is that discussions on access to higher education for disadvantaged groups should go beyond mere physical access and should be conceptualized in a manner that reflects educational outcomes and post-enrollment experiences. This chapter aims at exploring the notion of inclusive higher education and epistemic access to students with disabilities in Ethiopian public universities. The study is based on in-depth interviews of 25 students with disabilities from five Ethiopian public universities. The chapter argues that the higher education system in Ethiopia should re-approach the notion of access and take a proactive measure to ensure epistemic access to students with disabilities.

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