The relationships between student engagement and learning outcome in the undergraduate sports science program in Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tefera Tadesse ◽  
Beshir Edo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Outcome ◽  
Science Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sports Science ◽  
Science Major

PurposeWhereas the influence of engagement on learning outcomes has been extensively investigated, this has not been studied for undergraduate students of sports science major field. The objective of this study was to measure the extent of student engagement and learning outcomes and further examine their relationships in the context of a sports science program in the Ethiopian public higher education system.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a cross-sectional survey design collecting quantitative data from a random sample (n=83) of volunteered undergraduate sports science students from four public universities in Ethiopia. The student engagement theories were used as guiding frameworks.FindingsFindings reveal above-average levels of engagement and learning outcome scores and low to moderate relations between the scores of engagement and outcomes measured. Both independently and interdependently, the student engagement factors reveal statistically significant relationships with all the measured outcomes, adjusted R2 ranging between 17 and 50 percent (p < 0.001).Research limitations/implicationsBecause of disciplinary focus on sports science and small sample size, generalization is limited in scope.Practical implicationsHigher education teachers and administrators who work with undergraduates of sports science major should take into consideration the contexts and the relevance of student engagement for greater learning outcomes, especially student-teacher relationships. Hence, mandating instructional interventions to promote engagement through authentic faculty development and increasing academic rigor should be serious concerns.Originality/valueUndergraduate students of sports science major field have received little attention in the higher education research literature, and discipline-based education research is a growing field of inquiry. This study addresses this gap.

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.

Student learning opportunities in traditional and computer-mediated internships

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leopold Bayerlein ◽  
Debora Jeske
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Learning Outcome ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Student Learning Outcome

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a student learning outcome focussed assessment of the benefits and limitations of traditional internships, e-internships, and simulated internships to evaluate the potential of computer-mediated internships (CMIs) (e-internships and simulated internships) within higher education from a student perspective. Design/methodology/approach The paper undertakes a systematic conceptually based assessment of the extent to which CMIs are able to replicate the cognitive, skill-based and affective learning outcomes of traditional internships. In addition, the key limitations of traditional internships from a student perspective are identified, and the potential ability of CMIs to address these limitations is assessed. Findings The findings of this paper highlight that CMIs are able to replicate most of the benefits of traditional internships, whilst concurrently addressing many of their limitations. However, the current paper also identifies a number of important limitations for student learning in CMIs, and provides advice that aims to assist students in maximising their learning outcomes in these situations. Originality/value The paper is the first to provide a systematic student learning outcome focussed comparison of traditional internships and CMIs. In addition, the paper establishes the high potential of simulated internships for student learning in higher education, and provides students, higher education providers and researcher with learning outcome focussed criteria sets that enable the empirical evaluation of CMIs in future research.

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.

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.

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.

scholarly journals Developing a Learning Outcome-Based Question Examination Paper Tool for Universiti Putra Malaysia

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sa’adah Hassan ◽  
Novia Indriaty Admodisastro ◽  
Azrina Kamaruddin ◽  
Salmi Baharom ◽  
Noraini Che Pa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Learning Outcome ◽  
Teaching Plan ◽  
Outcome Based Education ◽  
Programme Outcomes ◽  
Examination Paper

<p class="apa">Much attention is now given on producing quality graduates. Therefore, outcome-based education (OBE) in teaching and learning is now being implemented in Malaysia at all levels of education especially at higher education institutions. For implementing OBE, the design of curriculum and courses should be based on specified outcomes. Thus, the challenge for the assessment is that it should be capable of measuring whether intended outcomes have been achieved or not. Likely, by assisting lecturer in preparing examination paper that aligns with the specified outcomes is something that can help to ensure the implementation of OBE. Hence, this paper describes the development of a tool for generating question examination paper based on learning outcomes, called Learning Outcome-based Question Examination paper Tool (LoQET). LoQET is proposed for assisting lecturer in Universiti Putra Malaysia for preparing examination paper based on programme outcomes and learning outcomes set in the teaching plan and assessment entries.</p>

Outcomes-based approach to quality assessment and curriculum improvement in higher education

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen Tam
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Curriculum Improvement ◽  
Improving Student Learning ◽  
Views And Perceptions ◽  
Traditional Structures

Purpose – This paper was written for practitioners in higher education, including academics and instructional designers who are engaged in curriculum revision. It aims to examine the notion of outcomes-based education, survey the literature and provide a critical review of the outcomes-based approach to quality assessment and curriculum improvement in higher education. The outcomes-based approach is completely student-centred, which focuses on what students know and can actually do. Sharpening the focus onto student learning outcomes goes beyond mere tinkering with traditional structures and methods; it really constitutes a paradigm shift in educational philosophy and practice. Design/methodology/approach – This paper begins with a summary of developments in institutional quality assessment and curriculum improvement in higher education in recent decades. Then, it identifies the underlying concepts and principles that characterize the outcomes-based approach for the design and improvement of curriculum and instruction in higher education. Finally, the outcomes-based approach is critically reviewed for its value from the perspectives of both practical and philosophical considerations. Findings – In so doing, it is directed to the heightening of sensitivity as to the manner and situations in which the outcomes-based approach may be employed. Originality/value – A final note is that while learning outcomes approaches are useful, care is needed to take into account the different views and perceptions of those involved in defining learning outcomes and to keep the ultimate goal of improving student learning clearly in mind. Care must also be taken to avoid rigidity and conceptual reification during implementation in curriculum and instructional design.

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.

Basic psychological needs satisfaction and student engagement: the importance of novelty satisfaction

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abderrahim Benlahcene ◽  
Amrita Kaur ◽  
Rosna Awang-Hashim
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Self Determination Theory ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Needs Satisfaction ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the associations between students' basic psychological needs satisfaction, including novelty satisfaction, and the four aspects of student engagement.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a total sample of 743 undergraduate students from three public universities in northern Malaysia. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data.FindingsCompetence and relatedness were positively related to the four aspects of student engagement, while autonomy satisfaction was found to relate to agentic engagement. Novelty satisfaction, on the other hand, is related positively with behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThe results provide a new understanding on the importance of novelty satisfaction alongside existing needs in self-determination theory (SDT) in enhancing student engagement.Practical implicationsEducators are encouraged to develop strategies to provide novelty support and facilitate students' basic needs satisfaction in order to establish a motivational learning environment that vitalises students' engagement.Originality/valueThis study breaks new ground by testing the unique relationships of novelty satisfaction along with the psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, with the four aspects of student engagement in higher education.

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.

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