Higher education accreditation, quality assurance and their impact to teaching and learning enhancement

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-250
Author(s):  
Samar Aad Makhoul
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Faculty Retention ◽  
Regional Accreditation ◽  
Learning Enhancement ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This paper aims to study the relationship between higher education accreditation and teaching and learning enhancements in academic institutions. Higher education institutions are now looking at satisfying the standard by standard list assigned by internationally recognized accreditation agencies. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether outside quality confirmation can truly influence the inward life of higher education institutions. Will accreditation implementation have an impact on teaching and learning enhancement and drive institution change? Design/methodology/approach This study was based on an explanatory qualitative design whereby individual faculty members who are tenured or in tenure-track positions in business schools in Lebanese universities were interviewed. The latter universities from which interviewees were questioned are either the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited or currently pursuing accreditation. The sample included 30 faculty members from four different higher education Lebanese institutions. Findings Following thorough review of previous literature, and building on the outcomes of the interviews conducted for the purpose of this research, the author deduced that AACSB serves as the optimal guiding mechanism that incorporates effective evaluation criteria for learning quality and universities. There also exist a lack of commonality and shared standards among accrediting agencies. The researchers also highlight the need to introduce further quantification into the accrediting measures adopted including faculty retention and student attrition rates. Research limitations/implications Ranking agencies were not considered in this study. Those can be used to assess the effectiveness of higher education institutions and will provide fair quality assurance of learning. It is encouraged to incorporate the ranking agencies variable within the scope of future studies for further analysis. Practical implications The paper includes the need to introduce further quantification into the accrediting measures adopted including faculty retention and student attrition rates. Originality/value The focus of this study will be of particular interest to Business school seeking or maintaining accreditation. It will also be of interest to the Lebanese government if they want to look at having a regional accreditation. Future research could possibly explore the need to have a regional accreditation especially with the emerging numbers of higher education institutions in Lebanon.

Factors contributing to Gen Z's deep learning: investigating undergraduates' course experience in Malaysian private higher education institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Mee Thien ◽  
Mi-Chelle Leong ◽  
Fei Ping Por
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Private Higher Education ◽  
Generic Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Experience ◽  
Private Higher Education Institutions

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between undergraduates' course experience and their deep learning approach and to identify areas of improvement to facilitate students' deep learning in the private higher education context.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 844 Malaysian undergraduate students who studied in six private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Penang and Selangor. This study used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis.FindingsThe findings revealed that good teaching and appropriate assessment have no significant relationship with deep learning. Generic skills, clear goals and standards, appropriate workload and emphasis on independence are positively related to deep learning. Generic skills and emphasis on independence are two domains that deserve attention to enhance deep learning among undergraduates.Practical implicationsLecturers need to focus on to the cultivation of generic skills to facilitate students' deep learning. Student autonomy and student-centred teaching approaches should be empowered and prioritised in teaching and learning.Originality/valueThe current study has its originality in providing empirical findings to inform the significant relationship between dimensions of course experience and deep learning in Malaysian private HEIs. Besides, it also identifies the areas of improvement concerning teaching and learning at the private HEIs using importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) in a non-Western context.

New approach for target setting mechanism of course outcomes in higher education accreditation

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayananda P ◽  
Mrityunjaya V. Latte ◽  
Mahesh S. Raisinghani ◽  
Sowmyarani CN
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Target Setting ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Standard Quality ◽  
Faculty Experience ◽  
Course Outcomes

PurposeStandard quality is very highly important parameter in the education sector. Accreditation is a process where standard quality of education is given and the process of continuous improvement is defined. Emphasizing quality of student education is achieved through outcome-based education system (OBE). Program outcomes signify the comprehension, skills and attitude the students should have at the end of the program. At the end of each course, course outcomes signify the knowledge acquired by the students. Course outcomes assessment is one of the key aspects of the OBE model. In this research, the following four factors: subject quality, number of times subject handled by faculty members, faculty experience and student quality with different weightage, are used for analysis of the target setting for individual courses, used for higher education accreditation. This new approach for target setting will improve the teaching and learning process.Design/methodology/approachFour factors: subject quality, number of times subject handled by faculty members, faculty experience and student quality with different weightage, are used for analysis of the target setting for individual courses, used for higher education accreditation.Practical implicationsUsing proposed approach, higher targets can be achieved in teaching and learning.FindingsNew approach for target setting will improve the teaching and learning process.Research limitations/implicationsProposed approach for target setting will improve the teaching and learning process; it should be implemented across all engineering colleges or universities.Social implicationsAll engineering colleges will have impact on teaching and learning process.Originality/valueThe following four factors: subject quality, number of times subject handled by faculty members, faculty experience and student quality with different weightage, are used for analysis of the target setting for individual courses, used for higher education accreditation.

scholarly journals Knowledge management practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balakrishnan V Nair ◽  
Chandramalar Munusami
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
General View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate KM practices that may be in place in the higher education institutions (HEIs) and whether the KM practices are made known to the employees for improving the teaching and learning environment provided at the Malaysian higher education institutions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a personal administrated method made available to private higher education institutions academic members in five states with 30 or more employees. A total of 1,100 survey questionnaires were handed out, out of which 273 were collected and were usable (24.8 per cent response rate). The sample was checked for response and non-response bias. Results were tested using SPSS application and questionnaire tools.FindingsIt was essential to establish the knowledge management (KM) capacity in key areas such as the ability to recognise experts within the institution, leadership’s innovation, knowledge sharing and knowledge acquiring work culture, and technology usage. KM tools and techniques would help the institutions to meet their competitive goals; therefore, it is vital for HEIs to create KM awareness among the employees.Research limitations/implicationsSimilar to most studies, it is anticipated that the participants’ awareness of KM practices at their HEIs is very high. The samples were collected to evaluate the general view of KM awareness and how participants perceived KM practices. The total samples received for this study were expected; however, they were sufficient to study the impact.Practical implicationsThis paper provides support for the importance of KM practices and employees awareness at HEIs to enhance innovation and performance teaching and learning environment.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first papers to find empirical support for the role of KM practices at HEIs. Further, the positioning of KM practices as a competitive tool can be considered as an influential factor to competitive advantage.

scholarly journals Integrated reporting in UK higher education institutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 844-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abeer Hassan ◽  
Mahalaximi Adhikariparajuli ◽  
Mary Fletcher ◽  
Ahmed Elamer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
International Integrated Reporting Council ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Purpose This paper aims to examine trends in the content of reporting within 135 UK higher education institutions (HEIs). It explores the extent to which integrated reporting (IR) content elements, reflecting integrated thinking, are disclosed voluntarily and whether HEI-specific features influence the resulting disclosures. Design/methodology/approach Existing IR guidelines given by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and the adoption of content analysis have provided the opportunity to examine the trend and extent of IR content elements associated in HEI corporate reports. The evidence was obtained from 405 UK HEI annual reports covering the period 2014-2016. Findings The results indicate a significant increase in the number of IR content elements embedded in HEI annual reports. The HEI-specific characteristics examined, such as the establishment of HEI (before or after 1992), adoption of IR framework and size of HEI, are all significantly and positively associated with IR content elements disclosure. This paper argues that institutional theory, isomorphism and isopraxism are relevant for explaining the changes in the contents of HEI annual reports. The findings also suggest that universities are beginning to adopt an integrated thinking approach to the reporting of their activities. Research limitations/implications The study is based on IR content elements only and could be extended to include the fundamental concepts and basic principles of the IR framework. There are other factors that have a potentially crucial influence on HEI core activities (such as teaching and learning research and internationalisation) which have been omitted from this study. Practical implications The findings will allow policymakers to evaluate the extent to which integrated thinking is taking place and influencing the UK HEI sector in the selection and presentation of information. A further implication of the findings is that an appropriate a sector-wide enforcement and compliance body, for instance, the British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG), may consider developing voluntary IR guidance in a clear, consistent, concise and comparable format. Also, it may pursue regulatory support for this guidance. In doing so, it may monitor the compliance and disclosure levels of appropriate IR requirements. Within such a framework, IR could be used to assist HEIs to make more sustainable choices and allow stakeholders to better understand aspects of HEI performance. Social implications The research has implications for society within and beyond the unique UK HEI sector. Universities are places of advanced thinking and can lead the way for other sectors by demonstrating the potential of integrated thinking to create a cohesive wide-ranging discourse and create engagement among stakeholder groups. Specifically, IR builds on the strong points of accounting, for instance, robust quantitative evidence collecting, relevance, reliability, materiality, comparability and assurability, to explain the sustainability discourse into a “language” logical to HEIs organisational decision makers. Consequently, IR may generate better visibility and knowledge of the financial values of exploiting capitals (financial, intellectual, human, manufactured, social and natural) and offer a multifaceted approach to reassess HEIs organizational performance in various sectors that support the growth of integrated thinking. Originality/value This is the first known study to explore HEI characteristics and link them with the level of voluntary IR content elements disclosed in UK HEIs.

Do “decent work” dimensions lead to work engagement? Empirical evidence from higher education institutions in India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaneet Kashyap ◽  
Neelam Nakra ◽  
Ridhi Arora
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Decent Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The study aims to investigate the impact of “decent work” dimensions on faculty members’ work engagement levels in the higher education institutions in India. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from 293 faculty members working in higher education institutes in India. The proposed study hypotheses were tested by deploying the statistical technique of multiple regression analysis using statistical package for social sciences Version-24. Findings Results demonstrated that of the five dimensions of “decent work,” only “access to health care” and “complementary values” were significant predictors of work engagement. “Adequate compensation,” “free time and rest” and “safe interpersonal working conditions” as dimensions of “decent work” were not found to be significantly related to work engagement. Research limitations/implications Findings encourage education policymakers to implement a “decent work” policy for faculty members with greater emphasis on ensuring workplace-fit and provision of adequate health-care facilities to keep the workforce engaged. Originality/value It is one of the few studies conducted in the South-Asian context that highlight “decent work” as a crucial job resource, useful in enhancing the work engagement of faculty members in higher education institutions.

Challenges and Issues of Teaching Online

2011 ◽  
pp. 241-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo M. Baylen ◽  
Erping Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Computer Hardware ◽  
Teaching Online ◽  
Software Applications ◽  
Faculty And Staff

Teaching and learning in the 21st century not only utilizes various technologies, but also takes place any time and any place. During the last decade, higher education institutions equipped many of their classrooms with the latest computer hardware and software applications and trained their faculty and staff to use the technology. With the technological advancements and the changing needs of institutions and students, more faculty members are teaching online.

Influences of working condition and faculty retention on quality education in private universities in Bangladesh

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ali Ashraf
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Working Condition ◽  
Private Universities ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Quality Education ◽  
Private Higher Education ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Faculty Retention ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the influence of working condition on faculty retention and quality education in the private higher education sector; and second, to see whether there is any mediating role of faculty retention linking working condition and quality education in the private universities in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach To attain these objectives, a total of 516 data were collected from the faculty members of the private universities located all over the country based on random sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling technique. Findings The findings of the study reveal that though working condition has a direct significant influence on both faculty retention and quality education and faculty retention has a partial mediating influence on quality education in private higher education institutes in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications From a research perspective, the study results demonstrate once again the robustness of the Muslow’s hierarchy need theory of motivation for helping to explain the faculty members of the private universities. As more and more studies of faculty behavior and its antecedents are done within the similar framework, the author is more able to discover and confirm which antecedents are most important, helping the author build a robust theory of quality education affected based on human resource practices by the management of the institutes. Practical implications From a practical perspective, as a cumulative body of work on the nexus between human resource management and quality education emerges, the author will be better able to advise private university authorities on the elements they need to address in order to excel quality education. In this study, the one area of findings that may help university authorities the most concerns work environment. These findings imply that in order to excel quality education the authorities of the private universities should focus more on friendly and enjoyable working environment for prolonging faculty retention and excelling quality education. Originality/value This study has revealed an important contribution focusing the influence of working condition on faculty retention as well as quality education in private universities in Bangladesh.

Quality of work life (QoWL) of faculty members in Saudi higher education institutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 768-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Vijay Subbarayalu ◽  
Ahmed Al Kuwaiti
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Quality Of Work Life ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Of Work ◽  
Significant Difference

Purpose Higher education institutions understand the importance of the quality of work life (QoWL) since it directly impacts faculty members’ involvement in providing high-quality teaching. The purpose of this paper is to compare the QoWL of faculty members in undergraduate medical and undergraduate engineering programs offered at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory study design was adopted and 100 faculty members from each program were selected. A pretested QoWL questionnaire was distributed among faculty members using the Questionpro online survey portal. Findings Results showed that there is no significant difference between the two programs with regard to the overall QoWL (p>0.05). However, a significant difference was observed with respect to dimensions such as “working condition/environment,” “psychosocial factors at work place” and “job satisfaction and job security.” Also, there is a positive relationship observed between all the dimensions of QoWL (p<0.05). Originality/value This study will help educational policy planners to understand the differences in QoWL of faculty members in different programs so as to develop appropriate strategies for its improvement.

scholarly journals Learning Management Systems: The Game Changer for Traditional Teaching and Learning at Adult and Higher Education Institutions

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Dr. Lester Reid
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Learning Management Systems ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
Adult And Higher Education

This qualitative case study explored how learning management systems influence adult learners' method of acquiring higher education, how learning management systems influence adult learners transformative learning and how learning management systems is a game-changer for traditional teaching and learning at adult and higher education institutions. This empirical study focused on the perspectives of faculty members, students, and academic leadership concerning learning management systems utilization, benefits, preference, and satisfaction that influenced traditional teaching and learning at adult and higher education institutions. The qualitative and quantitative research methods conducted by the scholars in this empirical study shows positive and optimistic responses from faculty members and students regarding learning management system preference, utilization, appreciation, and satisfaction for online teaching-learning at adult and Higher education institutions. The study shows the trend, and directions adult and higher education institutions are taking to meet the demands and competition to deliver online education to adult learners.

Weaving sustainability in Indian higher education system

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Archana Shrivastava
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Virtual Teams ◽  
International Business ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Virtual Communication ◽  
Content Type

Learning outcomes The specific teaching and learning objectives are as follows: to help students manage virtual communication in cross-cultural settings and developing the trust in virtual teams. To have them assess their effectiveness in the virtual collaboration process. To design the strategies to combat the challenges involved in working collaboratively on a common computing platform. Case overview/synopsis Higher education institutions in India are facing intense criticism for failing to impart employability skills to the students. Despite being one of the largest education systems in the world, Indian universities are not listed in the rankings of best international universities. It is grappling with the challenges of adopting the right teaching methodologies that foster deep learning, which may lead to sustainability in higher education. To gain relevancy, the higher education institutions must discover the ways to transit from the knowledge-intensive to skill-intensive institutions. By introducing a virtual collaborative professional project for international business students, Professor Bose proposed a small step of moving from a rote teacher-centric to more hands-on, student-centric teaching methodology. While virtual projects are a common and successful way of enhancing cross-cultural competence in students, Professor Bose is unsure how receptive Indian students will be with this methodology. He visualizes many challenges related to the execution of the project and is worried whether he will be successful in achieving his goal of skill-based knowledge creation. While systems and institutions of higher education in India struggle to address the pressures created by globalization, Professor Bose knew that the one-size-may not fit all. “Flexible pedagogy” and personalizing the methods to suit the requirements of a majority of the students was the way forward. However, he needs to know if the faculty and students will be open to change. Complexity academic level This case is immediately valuable for the students and faculty who are the part of the courses such as “International Business” in which the global leadership challenges, managing virtual communication in cross-cultural settings and developing the trust in virtual teams are main features of the curriculum. The case could also be used effectively in the seminars conducted for the managers working in international organizations and managing the tasks in virtual teams located globally. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS: 5 International Business.

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