A comparative study of formal coaching and mentoring programmes in higher education

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Jones ◽  
Helen A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Business School ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Practice Recommendations ◽  
Matching Process ◽  
Two Phases

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate two coaching and mentoring programmes focused on the ever-increasingly important aim of enhancing the chances of professional level employment for undergraduate students, at two UK universities. In addition, to offer recommendations to enhance coaching and mentoring success within higher education (HE).Design/methodology/approachTwo similar programmes are compared; the first study is a coaching programme delivered in two phases involving over 1,500 students within the business school. The second study is a mentoring programme involving over 250 students over a ten-year period within the business school at a different institution.FindingsThe two programmes have been compared against the key success criteria from the literature, endorsed by coaching and mentoring experts. The results highlight the importance of integrating with other initiatives, senior management commitment, budget, an application process, clear matching process, trained coaches and mentors, induction for both parties, supportive material, ongoing supervision and robust evaluation and record keeping.Research limitations/implicationsThe research focuses on two similar institutions, with comparable student demographics. It would have been useful to dig deeper into the effect of the diverse characteristics of coach/mentor and coachee/mentee on the effectiveness of their relationships. In addition, to test the assumptions and recommendations beyond these two institutions, and to validate the reach and application of these best practice recommendations further afield.Practical implicationsThe results identify a number of best practice recommendations to guide HE institutions when offering coaching and mentoring interventions to support career progression of their students.Originality/valueThere are limited comparison studies between universities with undergraduate career-related coaching and mentoring programmes and limited research offering best practice recommendations for coaching and mentoring programmes in HE. The top ten factors offered here to take away will add value to those thinking of running similar programmes within HE.

Determination of criteria for assessing the quality of training future specialists for higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludmila Sokorutova ◽  
Natalia Prodanova ◽  
Inna Ponomareva ◽  
Oleg Volodin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Professional Employee ◽  
Professional Fields

PurposeThe most important problem for higher education in the post-COVID period is the production of highly qualified specialists for the labor market. The purpose of this study is to determine effective criteria for assessing the quality of training of future specialists and the adequacy of their readiness to solve real problems of the future specialty.Design/methodology/approachA study was carried out among students in order to determine some of the most important characteristics of them as future specialists. Based on the survey results, non-academic indicators were identified that participants perceive as significant for a highly professional employee. The empirical study included 300 undergraduate students from four universities (66% women and 34% men aged 20–21). All participants represent full-time training.FindingsThe survey showed that the participants identified the ability to learn and personal development as the most significant personal qualities.Originality/valueMany criteria for assessing the quality of training of specialists in different professional fields have not been precisely defined. Several ways of solving this problem can be proposed: developing criteria for assessing quality in hiring; revising the methods of work of universities; presenting to students the criteria for development in the profession or adopting international criteria for assessing pedagogical quality.

The wheel of fortune as a novel support for constructive alignment and transformative sustainability learning in higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Noy ◽  
Teresa Capetola ◽  
Rebecca Patrick
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Constructive Alignment ◽  
Common Framework ◽  
Changing Times

Purpose Education for Sustainability in Higher Education (ESHE) sits within and across disciplinary settings that share the need for a framework that provides a basis for pedagogy, assessment and learning outcomes (Kalsoom, 2019). ESHE strives to create transformative learning spaces that help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to understand and contribute to shaping a world based on communities living within the limits of earth’s resources. This paper aims to offer a novel solution to the challenge of teaching students from different disciplines struggling with the complexity of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The paper explores the development of an interdisciplinary subject designed for undergraduate students from four faculties. It presents a case study of pedagogy that moves away from three pillars/concentric circles approaches towards practices based in systems thinking and interactive transformative learning. It describes the iterative process of developing and implementing an infographic: the “Sustainability Wheel of Fortune” (Wheel), to support constructive alignment of content, assessment tasks and learning outcomes. Findings The Wheel provides a holistic, interconnected and dynamic focus for framing content and teaching. The pedagogy aligns with sustainability competencies, builds in flexibility in response to changing times and student experiences and provides teachers and students with a common framework for interrogating the possibilities for sustainable futures. Originality/value The Wheel is a novel learning tool for contemporary sustainability education. It captures key elements of approaches to and concepts about sustainability, visually reinforces the idea of a holistic interconnected approach and provides a framework that supports the constructive pedagogy of an interdisciplinary sustainability subject.

Using behavioural science to explore patient perceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-485
Author(s):  
Andria Hanbury ◽  
Hannah Wood
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Behavioural Science ◽  
Summary Table ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practice Recommendations ◽  
Swallowing Difficulties

Purpose This paper aims to develop a behavioural science informed communication strategy aimed at health professionals and patients promoting best practice recommendations regarding the use of specialist liquid medicines for elderly people with swallowing difficulties. Design/methodology/approach The medicine prescribing, formulation and administration related challenges and experiences of health professionals and elderly patients with swallowing difficulties were identified through a pragmatic literature search. Key findings across the papers were synthesised into themes, before being linked to domains from a behavioural science framework. Published recommendations for behaviour change techniques that can be used to target the domains were then mapped to the domains. Guidance on how to develop a communication strategy, drawing on the insight gained from the literature review and the behavioural science recommendations, and designed to stimulate change in health-care professionals’ and patients’ behaviours, was then developed. Findings In total, 13 themes emerged across 15 papers, including “patient and health professional roles and remits”. These themes were linked to nine domains from the framework, highlighting the range of individual, social and environmental factors influencing patients’ and health professionals’ perceptions and experiences. A summary table, mapping the domains and underpinning themes to recommended behaviour change techniques, was used to develop the subsequent communication strategy recommendations. Recommendations include using techniques such as providing social processes of encourage, pressure and support to change patients’ and health professionals’ perceptions of their roles/responsibilities in medicines prescribing and administration, delivered via, for example, an educational leaflet and/or online training. Practical implications The summary table and guidance can inform development of an evidence-based strategy for communicating best practice recommendations regarding the use of liquid medicines for elderly patients with swallowing difficulties, tailored to the perceptions and challenges identified. Originality/value The behavioural science approach is less established within the pharmaceutical industry for promotion of best practice recommendations and related products, yet it offers a framework for an evidence-based and systematic approach that goes beyond a literature review or focus group.

Supporting learners’ STEM-oriented career pathways with digital badges

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 87-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline R. Pitt ◽  
Adam Bell ◽  
Rose Strickman ◽  
Katie Davis
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Career Pathways ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Digital Badges ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technology Industry ◽  
Learning Pathways ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential for digital badges to support alternate learning and career pathways in formal and informal learning environments. Stakeholder groups in higher education and industry discussed how digital badges might transform current processes of admitting undergraduate students and hiring young professionals. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 stakeholders in higher education and the technology industry. Findings Interview participants expressed optimism about the potential for digital badges to make learning pathways visible to learners and external audiences and to promote equity in STEM (STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and careers. Participants noted several obstacles, largely focused on issues of credibility and logistics of working with badges across settings. Research limitations/implications Though the research approach is limited in geographic scope, the findings have broad applicability and insight for the use of digital badges in general. Practical implications Education policymakers, employers and scholars will be able to use the insights from this investigation in their efforts to find innovative ways to expand and diversify the STEM workforce, as well as support a wider range of learners than is currently supported by initiatives aligned with the school-to-workforce pipeline metaphor. Originality/value This paper directly confronts issues of real-world applications of digital badges by discussing practical implications with college admissions officers and employers. The current study fills a need for research that investigates the use of digital badges across – as opposed to within – contexts.

The skill needs of the manufacturing industry: can higher education keep up?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oran Doherty ◽  
Simon Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Senior Managers ◽  
Experiential Training ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThis paper explores the implications for higher education of the rapid development in technology used by the manufacturing sector. Higher education programmes change or new courses are introduced in attempts to match labour market demands. However, the pace of change in the manufacturing industry challenges the authors to reconceive how programmes and modules can and should be designed and delivered.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on interviews with 26 senior management representatives from manufacturing companies in Ireland. The 26 senior managers and their companies represent the wide diversity of Ireland's manufacturing sector. All the interviews were face to face, complimented by a short questionnaire. Follow-up interviews focussed on the emergent findings were carried out to aid the writing of recommendations for the best practice in programme design and delivery.FindingsWhat emerges from this study is that the manufacturing industry needs skills at three distinct levels. The authors define and classify the skill requirements at entry, competent and expert level. The authors place an emphasis on upskilling as an aid to movement between the three levels. In addition, and significantly, the desired time frame for delivery of these skills and/or upskilling is very short.Originality/valueAccelerated reskilling programmes with faster, shorter bursts of work-based learning (WBL) and experiential training are required. With a growing demand for those at competent and expert level, it is necessary to promote WBL to facilitate the upskilling of those employed in manufacturing roles, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Lean in higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yigit Kazancoglu ◽  
Yesim Deniz Ozkan-Ozen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Business School ◽  
Stage Structure ◽  
Fuzzy Decision Making ◽  
Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Multi Stage

PurposeThis research aims to investigate and define the eight wastes of lean philosophy in higher education institutions (HEIs) by proposing a multi-stage model.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have used a specific multi-criteria decision-making method, fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory, to investigate the cause–effect relationships and importance order between criteria for wastes in HEIs. In total, 22 criteria were categorized under eight wastes of lean. The study was implemented in a business school with the participation of faculty members from different departments.FindingsThe results showed that the most important wastes in the business school selected were repeated tasks, unnecessary bureaucracy, errors because of misunderstanding/communication problems, excessive number of academic units and creation of an excessive amount of information. Another important result was that all the sub-wastes of talent were in the causes group, while motion and transportation wastes were in the effect group.Practical implicationsA road map to guide lean transformation for HEIs is proposed with a multi-stage model and potential areas for improvement in HEIs were presented.Originality/valueThis study proposes a multi-stage structure by applying multi-criteria decision-making to HEIs, focussing on wastes from a lean perspective.

A proposal for a national frame of reference for the accreditation of engineering programs in Tunisia

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-275
Author(s):  
Adel Khelifi ◽  
Slaheddine Khlifi ◽  
Nabil Khelifi ◽  
Hamdi Essaieb
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Engineering And Technology ◽  
Comprehensive Framework ◽  
Ministry Of Higher Education

Purpose This study aims to propose a national frame of reference for the accreditation of engineering programs (EPs) in Tunisia. It uses as a benchmark the structure used by the world’s leading accreditation systems such as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and Commission des Titres d’Ingénieur. It provides a comprehensive framework for academic institutions to evaluate the performance of their programs. In addition, it suggests the procedures, steps and timeline for the application process and defines the required documents that should be submitted. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzes the standards applied by well-established accreditation agencies such as ABET, Commission Titre Ingenieur and European Accredited Engineer, studies the perceptions of academicians who participated in six workshops and uses the results of surveys and interviews to characterize their opinions about accreditation. A sample population of 146 faculty members, experts and policymakers from 23 different higher education institutions in Tunisia, who had participated in the workshops mentioned above, was solicited to participate in the survey. The opinions of 51 respondents who responded to the survey were analyzed. This methodology led to the establishment of a proposed national frame of reference for accreditation of EPs. Findings Analysis reveals that the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) provides authorization (“habilitation”) to institutions allowing them to offer their educational program. However, it is inaccurate to consider this procedure as accreditation because it is more of a licensure process. In addition, the MHESR grants the “habilitation” to those institutions that successfully apply. The National Authority for Assessment, quality assurance and accreditation Instance Nationale de l’Evaluation, de l’Assurance Qualité et de l’Accréditation (IEAQA) is not involved in this process, which makes the latter’s role trivial. Practical implications This frame of reference will help the MHESR to evaluate the EPs based on a comprehensive analysis of well-established accreditation systems, to improve its “habilitation” process by splitting it into two parts as per international practice, namely, licensure and accreditation and to make the existence and role of the IEAQA much clearer. Originality/value This study is the foremost study to propose a comprehensive frame of reference for accrediting EPs in Tunisia.

Effects of business school student’s study time on the learning process

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Godson Ayertei Tetteh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Business School ◽  
Study Time ◽  
Process Approach ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to clarify the relationship between the student’s study time and the learning process in the higher education system by adapting the total quality management (TQM) principles-process approach. Contrary to Deming’s (1982) constancy of purpose to improve the learning process, some students in higher education postpone their studies till the last few weeks of an examination. Design/methodology/approach The paper opted for an experimental study with three different classes of business school students. The experimental research question was “Do student’s study time (massed or distributed spacing) has an impact on the learning process?” Findings Results indicated that students in the “Strictly supervised study time” group improved on their learning process more than the “Not Strictly Supervised study time” and the control group. It is important for students to manage their own learning activities and follow a regular study time and constantly improve their learning process as proposed by Deming (1982). Research limitations/implications This study used restricted to undergraduate business school students in a university in Ghana, and may not necessarily be applicable universally. One other limitation was that the authors did not control for lecturer’s expectancies and how these may have influenced the students’ learning process. Another potential limitation was that TQM was the only subject area used for this study. Practical implications This objective of the study is to use the TQM principles of process approach, the Learning Theory and the Learning Strategies from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) – Pintrich et al. (1991) – to support theoretical and practical implications of the relationship between the student’s study time and the learning process. The results imply that students must take a more active role in their learning by having a regular study time. Originality/value Currently, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are not many experiment-based studies on a student’s study time using the MSLQ-Pintrich et al. (1991) approach. This study contributes to the literature by examining how a student’s study time (massed or distributed spacing) has an impact on the learning process.

scholarly journals Towards sustainable capitalism in the development of higher education business school curricula and management

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Beusch
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Business School ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
Broad Class ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Forces ◽  
Education Business ◽  
School Curricula

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to account for, and conceptualize, the internal and external forces that influence higher education business schools as they strive to integrate sustainability issues into their curricula in the effort to achieve a more sustainable (yet capitalist) world. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is used for the research, which is grounded in the relevant literature, to investigate sustainable development issues in the context of a Swedish business school (university level). The empirical data consists of a review of internal documents plus e-mail surveys and interviews and discussion seminars with university teachers/researchers and key administrators. Findings – Two tentative models are presented that map the various internal and external forces behind business schools’ curriculum change. One important finding describes how supply and demand influences business schools and recruiters of business students. Research limitations/implications – Because this research is based on a single case study, the analysis and the mapping in the paper are somewhat limited in their general applicability. However, the research context of the business school permits drawing conclusions that may apply to a broad class of colleges or departments in higher education. In addition, because the research is supported by significant ideas from the literature, general inferences may be drawn about business school curricula. Originality/value – The two tentative models provide a holistic framework that adds to the understanding of the composition and interrelationship of influential forces on business schools when major changes in curricula and their management are contemplated.

The use of the learning styles questionnaire (LSQ) in the United Arab Emirates

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 490-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darwish Abdulrahman Yousef
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Characteristics ◽  
Learning Style Preferences ◽  
Style Preferences

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the use of Honey and Mumford’s (1986) learning styles questionnaire (LSQ) in the context of United Arab Emirates (UAE) higher education. In particular, it aims at exploring the learning style preferences of United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) students using LSQ. It also investigates whether there are statistically significant differences in students’ learning style preferences because of their demographic and academic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a sample of 1,463 undergraduate students at the UAEU. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to present the main characteristics of respondents, to explore the learning style preferences of UAEU students and to find out whether there are significant differences in students’ learning style preferences because of their demographic and academic characteristics. Findings Results indicated that UAEU students have strong preferences for the four learning styles. Results showed that about 68 per cent of UAEU students have strong or very strong preferences for the activist leaning style, whereas about 84 per cent have strong or very strong preferences for the reflector learning style, 78 per cent have strong or very strong preferences for the theorist learning style; about 60 per cent have strong or very strong preferences for the pragmatist learning style. Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in certain learning styles because of students’ demographic and academic characteristics. Research limitations/implications There are a number of limitations associated with this study. First, data were collected from a single university in the UAE. Second, the results are based on a self-report survey and this in turn might affect the reliability of the results. Another limitation is that this study is of snapshot type. Hence, it might not capture the dynamic nature of learning style. On the other hand, it has a number of implications for students, educators and administrators. Originality/value The present study is the first attempt to explore learning styles preference of undergraduate students using LSQ, not only in the content of UAE higher education but also in the Arab world.

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