Measuring student engagement in UK higher education: do surveys deliver?

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Charlotte Maskell ◽  
Lorna Collins
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Student Surveys ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Researchers ◽  
Essential Knowledge ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a general review of “student engagement” with a focus on the measurement of student engagement in UK higher education. A wide variation in how the construct is measured has made it difficult for institutional researchers to compare findings across studies. This study seeks to understand more about the measurement of student engagement by examining the reliability and validity of three national student surveys: National Survey of Student Engagement, National Student Survey and UK Engagement Survey. Design/methodology/approach Using a narrative review of literature, each survey method is examined to identify the strands of student engagement they can be applied, to determine to what extent survey results can be benchmarked across institutions, and to explore their potential use in institutional led research. Kahu’s (2013) four perspectives of engagement are adopted as a framework for analysis as they represent student engagement as a fluid, multifaceted and, at times, abstract construct. Findings Findings support the notion that a single instrument cannot examine all facets of this complex construct and that student surveys currently collect information on limited and discrete perspectives of engagement. The use of these three surveys provides a depth and breadth of information about student engagement; however, institutions need to maintain an open dialogue about the construct to ensure its validity, and how to measure and understand it. Originality/value Student engagement as a construct continues to evolve and change. This paper adds to the call for institutional researchers to continue to engage in debate about the validity of the construct. The need to maintain essential knowledge of the construct and its many facets is necessary, as is the need to incorporate such knowledge into ongoing work to provide accurate, actionable data to guide improvement and enhancement research.

scholarly journals Library data labs: using an agile approach to develop library analytics in UK higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 5-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhán Burke ◽  
Ross MacIntyre ◽  
Graham Stone
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Agile Methodology ◽  
Education Statistics ◽  
Agile Approach ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the Jisc and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Library Data Labs project and its outputs. This collaboration involved bringing together cross-institutional library teams to produce proof of concept data-visualised dashboards using library analytics data that could be made available to others via the Heidi Plus service. Design/methodology/approach The teams used an agile approach, which adapted the agile methodology for non-technical and disparate team members. The key agile elements were followed, including the Scrum approach, whereby teams had a product owner, several development team members, a data wrangler and a scrum master. Many of the dashboards took inspiration from some of the earlier Jisc work on library analytics. Findings A wide variety of proof of concept dashboards were created addressing a range of library issues. These fell into two main categories for the cross-institutional teams, namely, comparing the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) annual statistics results against the National Student Survey (NSS) data and collection management and analysis. Research limitations/implications Some of the HESA data were potentially sensitive. In effect, this created a walled garden as some of the data were not designed for sharing. Furthermore, the data that the Jisc team used were restricted by publisher agreements, meaning that specific institutions’ usage could not be identified to others. Originality/value The paper provides insight into the Library Data Labs project and discusses a number of implications from the outcomes of the project. These are now being investigated by HESA, Jisc and individual institutions.

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 strategy tripod perspective on merger effectiveness in the higher education industry: the mediating role of future foresight

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahraa Sameer Sajwani ◽  
Joe Hazzam ◽  
Abdelmounaim Lahrech ◽  
Muna Alnuaimi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Higher Education Industry

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the role of the strategy tripod premises, mediated by future foresight and its effect on merger effectiveness in the higher education industry.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative survey method was implemented, with the data provided by senior managers of 14 universities that went through a merger from the years 2013–2016. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares (PLS) of structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe results indicate that government support, competitive intensity and knowledge creation capability relate positivity to merger effectiveness, and these relationships are mediated by future foresight competence.Originality/valueThe study provides a better understanding of merger effectiveness in the higher education industry by identifying the role of future foresight competence in the application of strategy tripod and its contribution on merger effectiveness. Results indicate that future foresight competence contributes to the merger effectiveness and enables the effective implementation of the strategy tripod dimensions in higher education mergers.

scholarly journals Analysis of Tinto’s student integration theory in first-year undergraduate computing students of a UK higher education institution

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 97-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros Chrysikos ◽  
Ejaz Ahmed ◽  
Rupert Ward
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Integration Theory ◽  
First Year ◽  
Higher Education Institution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Integration ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose Retention is one of the key performance indicators in university quality assurance processes. The purpose of this paper is to identify the causes leading to low retention rates for first-year undergraduate computing students in a UK higher education institution (HEI). Design/methodology/approach The study applies Tinto’s student integration theory, and connects it with the behavioural patterns of students. Data were collected from 901 students using Pascarella and Terenzini’s questionnaire (integration scales). This data were combined with student enrolment information and analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. Findings The study results indicate that Tinto’s student integration theory is useful in analysing student retention, but this accounts for only a modest amount of variance in retention. Nevertheless, important relationships amongst student’s initial and later academic goals and commitments have been identified through this new approach to analysing retention. The largest direct effect on retention was accounted for by initial goals and institutional commitments, followed by later goals and institutional commitments. In addition, the results show that academic and social integration constructs can have an influence on the student retention processes. When all, or some, of these relationships are operating towards students’ benefits, appropriate services or programmes, such as student support systems, can have their maximum benefits. Originality/value The authors mapped behavioural-related retention factors using a learning community lens. The study explored students’ social and learning experiences within the context of a UK HEI by employing Tinto’s model. This is the first time the model has been tested in this context.

Characteristics of UK higher education institutions that disclose sustainability reports

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1279-1298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remmer Sassen ◽  
Dominik Dienes ◽  
Johanna Wedemeier
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose This study aims to focus on the following research question: Which institutional characteristics are associated with sustainability reporting by UK higher education institutions? Design/methodology/approach To answer the aforementioned research question, this study uses logistic regression. Findings The results show that 17 per cent of the UK higher education institutions report on their sustainability (July 2014). In line with legitimacy and stakeholder theory, logistic regressions provide evidence that the larger the size of the institution, the higher the probability of reporting. By contrast, high public funding decreases this probability. Research limitations/implications The findings show characteristics of higher education institutions that support or hamper sustainability reporting. Overall, the findings imply a lack of institutionalisation of sustainability reporting among higher education institutions. Originality/value Although a lot of research has been done on corporate sustainability reporting, only a small number of studies have addressed the issues of sustainability reporting of higher education institutions. This study covers all sustainability reports disclosed among the 160 UK higher education institutions. It is the first study that investigates characteristics of higher education institutions that disclose a sustainability report.

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.

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.

The necessity of teaching Intercultural Communication in higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassmah B. AlTaher
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Intercultural Communications ◽  
Intercultural Skills ◽  
Great Confidence ◽  
Private And Public

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze how Intercultural Communication is a necessary course for students to learn how to communicate in a healthy, tolerant and respectful manner when pursuing higher education, for miscommunication can result from ethnocentric behavior when dealing with people from various cultural backgrounds. Design/methodology/approach A survey method of research was adopted and questionnaires were administered to two sets of students: those who have taken Intercultural Communications and those who have not. A total of 192 valid responses from students were received from the School of Basic Sciences and Humanities, German Jordanian University. The first survey falls under the nominal analysis of a dichotomous questionnaire, and the results were measured with Cronbach’s α to test the reliability of the its consistency. The second questionnaire’s items were uni-dimensional, and so the Guttman chart was used to conduct students’ comprehension of global communication. Findings The results of this study have shown that the first questionnaire has a strong consistency (0.86); students have successfully understood the dynamics of cross-cultural communication, and used that knowledge to aid and prepare them for future careers. As for students who have not taken IC, they have answered the second questionnaire with great confidence in the first category of personal expectations, but fluctuated in their answers when answering the category of self-development and cultural appreciation. ZPD1 and ZPD2 have proven that students need their teacher to learn new knowledge and insights which they can gain from an IC course. Research limitations/implications Apart from the valuable contributions of the study, this study is performed at one public university, and the students, despite their diverse cultural backgrounds and majors, restrict the findings of this research from generalizing the results. Hence, future studies in this area are deeply encouraged, especially when comparing between private and public universities, and how IC is interrelated to other courses in the humanities; moreover, IC as an academic course can bridge the gap between student–teacher relationships. Originality/value The scarcity of a diverse course that teaches intercultural skills in communication has become a growing necessity in this day and age, especially in the Middle East and particularly in Jordan. Due to globalization and informatization, Jordanian students are constantly exposed to cultural and religious differences, and to have them engage in a healthy, well-respected conversation is the core aim of this paper, for tolerance and understanding are constantly on high demand. Students learn these skills in IC, and this course reflects how essential a course like this can play a great role in a student’s development.

Why digital goods have not replaced traditional goods: the case of e-books

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongbum Kim ◽  
Jeonghun Seo ◽  
Hangjung Zo ◽  
Hwansoo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Integrated Model ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Digital Products ◽  
Content Type

PurposeElectronic books (e-books) have been in the market for decades but have been unable to replace paper books. Previous studies on e-books have failed to identify significant factors affecting the adoption and diffusion of e-books. This study develops a theoretical framework to explain the adoption behavior of e-books from the perspective of user resistance.Design/methodology/approachAfter a pilot test with 50 e-book users, the research model is validated using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. A web-based survey method is used to collect data from a sample of 350 people – selected from Korean e-book users and nonusers – during a week in March 2017. This study tests the reliability and validity of the integrated model of planned behavior and resistance theory and tests the hypotheses with bootstrapping resampling.FindingsThe results show that four barriers – usage, value, risk and image – cause resistance to change and users with higher resistance have lower intention to use. The moderating effect of self-efficacy between resistance to change and intention to use is confirmed. Self-efficacy interacts not only with the encouraging factors but also with resistance.Originality/valueThis study expands the understanding of users' adoption behavior of e-books by examining inhibiting factors using a novel integrated model. The findings of this research provide insights for digital product providers, especially e-book publishers, to understand why digital products have not been successful in the marketplace.

Focusing on dilemmas challenging reputation management in higher education

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kati Suomi ◽  
Päivikki Kuoppakangas ◽  
Ulla Hytti ◽  
Charles Hampden-Turner ◽  
Jukka Kangaslahti
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Master's Degree ◽  
Reputation Management ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Degree Programme ◽  
External Stakeholders ◽  
Master’S Degree ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the dilemmas that challenge reputation management in the context of higher education (HE). Design/methodology/approach – The paper introduces one Finnish multidisciplinary master's degree programme as a case in point. The empirical data comprises a student survey and semi-structured interviews with internal and external stakeholders whose work relates to the master's degree programme in question. Findings – The findings identify different types of dilemmas arising from collaboration between stakeholders of HE. Practical implications – The paper demonstrates how the dilemma-reconciliation method can be used to enhance reputation management in HE. Originality/value – The novelty of the paper is in applying dilemma theory (Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars, 2000) in parallel with reputation theories. Dilemma theory attributes reputation risks to conflicting aims.

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