Graduate Certificates in Ontario colleges: uniquely engaging in specialized skills development

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Thorsell
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Scholarly Activity ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Graduate Certificate

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine Graduate Certificates in colleges in Ontario, Canada, and their distinctive ability to generate intrinsic student engagement in specialized skills development, and a culture of progression and scholarship. Design/methodology/approach – This is a review of selected literature on student engagement. While extrinsic motivation, such as employment, has most often been discussed this paper purposefully considers intrinsic motivation and factors that build deeper engagement in students. This paper compares and contrasts the literature, and its link with the features of the Ontario College Graduate Certificate in Canada. More specifically, it examines the background and development of the credential in the context of the movement towards competency-based education. Findings – This paper postulates that colleges can uniquely provide applied and intrinsically engaging programming through credentials like the Graduate Certificate. The Graduate Certificate helps heighten graduate skills engagement, a culture of progression and scholarship, and ultimately competitiveness in today’s workplace. Practical implications – The findings of this paper have implications for colleges to distinguish themselves amongst post-secondary institutions as providers of specialized skills development in higher education, especially as competency-based education grows in importance. It also puts in to question how this type of engaging design can be further built in to post-secondary graduate curriculum. Originality/value – This paper illuminates innovative practice at the post-graduate level, as an example of a skills-based scholarly activity. It helps position colleges as providers of effective, competency and outcomes-based higher education. This paper can add value to practitioners looking to build similar programming, by combining this Graduate Certificate design with evidence-based factors that build student engagement, particularly intrinsic motivation.

Building Competence

2017 ◽  
pp. 28-40
Author(s):  
Kristin A Jones ◽  
Steven G Olswang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Instructional Approaches ◽  
Pedagogical Change ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Instructional Innovation ◽  
Historical Significance ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Higher Education Instruction ◽  
Pedagogical Philosophies

A flurry of new instructional approaches has recently emerged in post-secondary education; one approach receiving the most attention is competency-based education (CBE). While many think CBE is relatively new, its roots are deeply seeded in decades-old pedagogical philosophies. The frequency with which CBE is now appearing in conversations about higher education instruction and reform gives the false impression that most practitioners actually know what CBE is, or how it contrasts with other instructional approaches. In fact, the modern dilemma faced by many in higher education is that few institutional leaders have a comprehensive understanding of what CBE is, how it differs from other instructional approaches, the historical significance behind it, and how it might be used to effect pedagogical change and instructional innovation. This chapter explores the historical basis of CBE, its benefits and detriments, and its operational elements.

A Framework for the Design of Online Competency-Based Education to Promote Student Engagement

2018 ◽  
pp. 203-220
Author(s):  
Robin Colson ◽  
Atsusi Hirumi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Educational Experiences ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
Instructional Technique ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Non Traditional Students ◽  
High Level

Advances in technology offer opportunities for many varieties of online learning but much online learning design is based on past practices and technologies (Hirumi, 2013). This practice could prove to be particularly detrimental for competency-based education (CBE) given its unique profile as a form of online learning that is self-driven and asynchronous. Furthermore, the majority of CBE students in higher education are non-traditional adult learners who require a high level of support and engagement from their educational experiences. One instructional technique that has proven to be effective for promoting student engagement in online learning is interaction (Wang, Chen, & Anderson, 2014; Hirumi, 2006; Anderson, 2003). This chapter draws from Hirumi's (2002, 2006, 2013) framework for designing interaction in online learning courses to provide suggestions for creating online CBE instruction that engages and motivates non-traditional students in higher education.

A Framework for the Design of Online Competency-Based Education to Promote Student Engagement

2017 ◽  
pp. 168-185
Author(s):  
Robin Colson ◽  
Atsusi Hirumi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Educational Experiences ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
Instructional Technique ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Non Traditional Students ◽  
High Level

Advances in technology offer opportunities for many varieties of online learning but much online learning design is based on past practices and technologies (Hirumi, 2013). This practice could prove to be particularly detrimental for competency-based education (CBE) given its unique profile as a form of online learning that is self-driven and asynchronous. Furthermore, the majority of CBE students in higher education are non-traditional adult learners who require a high level of support and engagement from their educational experiences. One instructional technique that has proven to be effective for promoting student engagement in online learning is interaction (Wang, Chen, & Anderson, 2014; Hirumi, 2006; Anderson, 2003). This chapter draws from Hirumi's (2002, 2006, 2013) framework for designing interaction in online learning courses to provide suggestions for creating online CBE instruction that engages and motivates non-traditional students in higher education.

Competency-Based Education in Higher Education

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine K. Sorensen Irvine ◽  
Jonathan M. Kevan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
The Public ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
Current State ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Reduced Costs ◽  
Barriers And Challenges ◽  
Changing Demographics

This chapter summarizes the background and current status of competency-based education (CBE) in higher education. After briefly reviewing the history and current state of CBE in higher education, the authors address the more recent uptick in CBE options in higher education as well as potential drivers of demand, including changing demographics, demands from the public and employers for reduced costs and evidence of outcomes, and rapidly evolving technologies. The chapter includes examples of CBE programs in operation or development at selected post-secondary institutions and concludes with a brief look at barriers and challenges higher education faces in implementing CBS as well as possible opportunities for the future.

The changing roles of higher education: curator, evaluator, connector and analyst

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne K. Wolfe ◽  
David W. Andrews
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Information Age ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Education Leaders ◽  
Changing Roles ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Future Of Education ◽  
Regional Associations

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the changing role of higher education as it adapts to the information age. The article posits that a personalized, competency-based model will be the most successful. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on research and observations of post-secondary education. It relies on existing literature and comparisons across disciplines to demonstrate the need for change and the ability for universities to adapt to the current needs. Findings – Universities will focus less on information dissemination and more on increasing the quality of available information; improving programs and processes for learners; and ensuring that all learners receive, analyze and apply knowledge that will allow them to be successful in their fields. The paper describes the evidence for these needs and potential pathways for competence. Practical implications – Learners in the information age look to universities for different roles than in the past. Universities must be able to respond to learners’ preferences and needs, connecting with industries to determine best practices and training skills. Originality/value – This is an original work. This paper draws on existing literature and the expertise of education leaders involved in many national and regional associations on the future of education.

Higher education student engagement in times of pandemic: the role of e-learning system usability and teacher behavior

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Abed Dahleez ◽  
Ayman A. El-Saleh ◽  
Abrar Mohammed Al Alawi ◽  
Fadi Abdelmuniem Abdelfattah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Teacher Behavior ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Content Type ◽  
System Usability ◽  
E Learning

PurposeThis research examined the factors affecting several types of student engagement, namely agentic, behavioral, emotional and cognitive engagement. Specifically, it examined the effect of e-learning system usability on student engagement and explored teacher behavior's possible intervening impact on this relationship.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 418 students studying at different specializations at Omani private academic institutions. This study employed a quantitative methodology and utilized the Smart-PLS for data analyses.FindingsThe findings showed that e-learning system usability influenced significantly and positively agentic, behavioral and cognitive engagement. However, the link between e-learning system usability and emotional engagement was not significant. Moreover, teacher behavior mediated the relationship between e-learning system usability and the four types of engagement.Originality/valueThis study improves one’s understanding of how the interaction of e-learning system usability and teacher behavior affects several aspects of student engagement. It also helps higher education administrators and policymakers by exploring the influential effects of e-learning systems usability and teacher behavior on facilitating students' engagement.

scholarly journals Impact of first-year seminar on student engagement, awareness, and general attitudes toward higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bothaina A. Al-Sheeb ◽  
Mahmoud Samir Abdulwahed ◽  
Abdel Magid Hamouda
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
College Of Law ◽  
First Year Seminars ◽  
Campus Resources ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Year Seminar

Purpose This study intends to add to the existing body of literature on the impact of a newly implemented first year seminar in the College of Law and Business. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effects the course have on students in regard to three aspects: student awareness and utilization of resources, interaction patterns, as well as, general interests and attitudes toward higher education. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of the assessment included analysis of a survey that has been conducted by the end of Spring 2014 semester. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to measure the impact of the intervention on students’ awareness and utilization of resources, interactions, general interests, and attitudes toward higher education. Through the SPSS application, the Mann Whitney U Test, and χ2 tests were used to check for significant differences while comparing the means or frequencies for both groups. For the three questions, the authors have used the 90 percent confidence level and the standard significance level p-value of 0.05 or less for statistical analysis. Findings The results indicated that the course had a highly significant positive impact on student attitudes and awareness of campus resources but had less significant impact on student interactions and utilization of resources. The results in this study reveal a positive impact for the first-year seminar course on student satisfaction and attitudes toward higher education as well as their awareness of campus resources. However, in terms of the course impact on student interaction, results conveyed that students who have participated in the first-year seminar course show a slightly better interaction rate with instructors, academic advisors, and close friends than those in the control group. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study was that the sample was small. Nonetheless, it has provided valuable insights into the understanding of the social and academic impact of first-year seminars on student engagement; through the use of comparison groups, this study increased the validity of prior research. Practical implications The first-year seminar course evaluated in this study demonstrated the potential to support and enhance student social and academic engagement during the first year of college. Based on the results in this study, the study team recommended some revisions to the current first-year seminar model (UNIV P100 Skills for University Success). The team proposed three models for subsequent first-year seminars at this university. Originality/value This study adds to the existing literature by examining the impact of a newly implemented first-year seminar course at the College of Law and Business at this university on both academic and non-academic aspects from the students’ perspective. These aspects were selected as retention and GPA effects have been widely explored; therefore, the focus is on the less studied emotional and social factors associated with student success and retention. The results from this study can act as a guide for universities intending to introduce a first-year seminar course as it gives clear guidelines on design, content, and course implementation, which can be useful in enhancing general student motivation and attitudes toward academic study and higher education in general.

Intrinsic and internalized modes of teaching motivation

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uwe Wilkesmann ◽  
Christian J. Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Teaching ◽  
Teaching Motivation ◽  
Selective Incentives

Purpose – The introduction of New Public Management in the German system of higher education raises issues of the academics’ motivation to do research and to teach. The purpose of this paper is to present evidence-based findings about contextual factors which influence intrinsic and related modes of internalized teaching motivation in German higher education institutions. The paper discusses parallels between internalized forms of motivation and public service motivation (PSM). In accordance with self-determination theory (SDT), the paper empirically tests factors which correlate with autonomous motivation to teach. The paper also addresses the issue of the crowding effect of intrinsic motivation by selective incentives. Design/methodology/approach – The analyses are based on the data of two online surveys among German professors (n=2,061) representative for the population of state-governed universities. To test the theory-driven hypotheses the paper used multivariate regression analysis. Findings – The results support the basic claims of the SDT that intrinsic teaching motivation is facilitated by social relatedness, competence, and partly by autonomy for German professors, too. If teaching is managed by objective agreements intrinsic motivation is significantly decreased. Originality/value – The authors translated, reformulated, and applied the SDT framework to academic teaching. The analysis presents evidence that the management of autonomy-supportive work environmental factors is also superior to selective incentives in higher education institutions. The study on academic teaching motivation is a specific contribution to PSM research. Academic teaching in public higher education institutions is a service to the public.

Professional community and student engagement in higher education: rethinking the contributions of professional staff

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaw Owusu-Agyeman ◽  
Enna Moroeroe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Culture ◽  
The University

PurposeScholarly studies on student engagement are mostly focused on the perceptions of students and academic staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) with a few studies concentrating on the perspectives of professional staff. To address this knowledge gap, this paper aims to examine how professional staff who are members of a professional community perceive their contributions to enhancing student engagement in a university.Design/methodology/approachData for the current study were gathered using semi-structured face-to-face interviews among 41 professional staff who were purposively sampled from a public university in South Africa. The data gathered were analysed using thematic analysis that involved a process of identifying, analysing, organising, describing and reporting the themes that emerged from the data set.FindingsAn analysis of the narrative data revealed that when professional staff provide students with prompt feedback, support the development of their social and cultural capital and provide professional services in the area of teaching and learning, they foster student engagement in the university. However, the results showed that poor communication flow and delays in addressing students’ concerns could lead to student disengagement. The study further argues that through continuous interaction and shared norms and values among members of a professional community, a service culture can be developed to address possible professional knowledge and skills gaps that constrain quality service delivery.Originality/valueThe current paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on student engagement and professional community by showing that a service culture of engagement is developed among professional staff when they share ideas, collaborate and build competencies to enhance student engagement. Furthermore, the collaboration between professional staff and academics is important to addressing the academic issues that confront students in the university.

Weaving Innovative Threads Together

2018 ◽  
pp. 22-35
Author(s):  
Judee Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Skill Levels ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
University Of Wisconsin ◽  
Societal Needs ◽  
Specific Performance ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
The University

In the United States, institutions of higher education have been under mounting pressure to improve. In part, this is due to increasingly high-priced academies producing graduates who possess skill levels that are out of sync with employer and societal needs. Added to this is the fact that the United States spends more than other countries to educate its citizens but continues to perform more poorly on comparative measures of literacy, math, reading, and science. To stay globally competitive, changes need to be made. Competency-based education has re-emerged and taken root as one way in which to educate students more effectively. By focusing on demonstrable learning outcomes and discipline-specific performance, competency-based education is changing the fabric of higher education. Based upon experiences garnered from the University of Wisconsin Flexible Option, this chapter presents some of the challenges encountered when developing this type of program within a longstanding traditional educational system.

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