scholarly journals Critical issues in the Supervision of Post-Graduate Dissertations in Distance Education Environments

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kofi Poku Quan-Baffour ◽  
Maurice Taonezvi Vambe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Reflective Assessment ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Post Graduate ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Residential University ◽  
Definition Of

The main aim of this paper to identify, explain and advance as best practice, the principles of an alternative framework of postgraduate supervision in the context of distance education. This framework, we describe as Dynamic facilitation. Thepaper starts with a critique of the African Union Commission Plan of Action of the Second Decade for Education in Africa (2006-2015), highlighting the document’s unfortunate silence on the role of distance education in Africa’s Higher education. Wesuggest that this silence is due to African educationists’ reliance on old theories of learning and supervising dissertations whose main limitations are their narrow definition of higher education as residential university, and also the dominance ascribed to the pedagogic role of supervisors in the Behaviourist and Cognitivetheories of learning. We critique these theories for their inherent limitations and proceed to suggest that the context of distance education has its unique features and particularities that must be robustly engaged with, in the areas of learning and supervising of postgraduate dissertations. We then propose ‘dynamic facilitation’ as a type of supervision suited to distance education contexts. Our basic argument is that dynamic facilitation empowers postgraduate students because it allows for their initiative in generating new knowledge systems. We conclude by suggesting that dynamic facilitation takes into account the ‘distance-ness’ between supervisor and thesupervised; it integrates methods of assessment ranging from the main dissertation, to continual self-reflective assessment achieved through maintaining journal notes on work done and portfolio of the supervised’s experience during the process ofsupervision.Key words: Supervision, Distance Education, Post-Graduate, Critical, Dissertation, Context, Dynamic facilitation.

scholarly journals Critical issues in the Supervision of Post-Graduate Dissertations in Distance Education Environments

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kofi Poku Quan- Baffour ◽  
Maurice Taonezvi Vambe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Reflective Assessment ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Post Graduate ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Residential University ◽  
Education In Africa

<p>The main aim of this paper to identify, explain and advance as best practice, the principles of an alternative framework of postgraduate supervision in the context of distance education. This framework, we describe as Dynamic facilitation. The paper starts with a critique of the African Union Commission Plan of Action of the Second Decade for Education in Africa (2006-2015), highlighting the document&rsquo;s unfortunate silence on the role of distance education in Africa&rsquo;s Higher education. We suggest that this silence is due to African educationists&rsquo; reliance on old theories of learning and supervising dissertations whose main limitations are their narrow definition of higher education as residential university, and also the dominance<br />ascribed to the pedagogic role of supervisors in the Behaviourist and Cognitive theories of learning. We critique these theories for their inherent limitations and proceed to suggest that the context of distance education has its unique features and particularities that must be robustly engaged with, in the areas of learning and supervising of postgraduate dissertations. We then propose &lsquo;dynamic facilitation&rsquo; as a type of supervision suited to distance education contexts. Our basic argument is that dynamic facilitation empowers postgraduate students because it allows for their initiative in generating new knowledge systems. We conclude by suggesting that dynamic facilitation takes into account the &lsquo;distance-ness&rsquo; between supervisor and the supervised; it integrates methods of assessment ranging from the main dissertation, to<br />continual self-reflective assessment achieved through maintaining journal notes on work done and portfolio of the supervised&rsquo;s experience during the process of supervision.</p><p><strong>Key words:</strong> <em>Supervision, Distance Education, Post-Graduate, Critical, Dissertation, Context, Dynamic facilitation.</em></p>

scholarly journals Student access to and skills in using technology in an open and distance learning context

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanlie Liebenberg ◽  
Yuraisha Chetty ◽  
Paul Prinsloo
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
South African ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Access To Technology ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
South African Higher Education

<p>Amidst the different challenges facing higher education, and particularly distance education (DE) and open distance learning (ODL), access to information and communication technology (ICT) and students’ abilities to use ICTs are highly contested issues in the South African higher education landscape. While there are various opinions about the scope and definition of the digital divide, increasing empirical evidence questions the uncritical use of the notion of the digital divide in South African and international higher education discourses.</p><p>In the context of the University of South Africa (Unisa) as a mega ODL institution, students’ access to technology and their functional competence are some of the critical issues to consider as Unisa prepares our graduates for an increasingly digital and networked world.</p><p>This paper discusses a descriptive study that investigated students’ access to technology and their capabilities in using technology, within the broader discourse of the “digital divide.” Results support literature that challenges a simplistic understanding of the notion of the “digital divide” and reveal that the nature of access is varied.</p>

Problems of distance education in the context of philosophy of personal education

2021 ◽  
pp. 7-10
Author(s):  
I.E. Ditkovskaya ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Programming Languages ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Independent Learning ◽  
Self Development ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Independent Work ◽  
Personal Education

Analyzed is experience of distance education in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. In the context of education quality problems, attention is drawn to the inability of most students to organize their independent work and low motivation for independent mastering of the specialty. Meanwhile, under conditions of rapid development of technologies, rapidly changing economic conditions, flexible and timely planning in the context of overcoming the production crisis, specialists, who possess modern technologies in a narrow field, programming languages and the skills of working on specific equipment, are required. But, at the same time, employers are interested in well-educated and big-minded professionals, for example, crisis managers. Graduates should have broad knowledge that allows them to quickly adapt to new requirements, independently choose and master new professions in the future, receiving necessary education, navigate growing flows of information, strive for self-education and self-development, which should be based on the motivation of independent learning. The article focuses on the role of humanitarian knowledge, mastery of which is the basis for self-education and self-development. The definition of the concept of “philosophy of personal education” as a system of thinking in which the principles of philosophy of education are projected onto a personal assessment of one’s own physical, intellectual, spiritual, moral and ethical potential as a foundation for self-education and self-development is given. On the basis of philosophy of personal education, abilities, intellectual and creative potential of the individual are realized and a clear motivation for the need to master a particular specialty and self-improvement in this area is determined.

“You Can Lead the Horse to Water, but … ”

2012 ◽  
pp. 182-199
Author(s):  
Henk Huijser ◽  
Michael Sankey
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Learning Management Systems ◽  
Web 2.0 Technologies ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The University

This chapter outlines the potential benefits of incorporating Web 2.0 technologies in a contemporary higher education context, and identifies possible ways of doing this, as well as expected challenges. It uses the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), primarily a distance education provider, as the context for many of its case study examples. In particular, it addresses the important role of the allowances of particular learning management systems (LMSs) in pedagogical applications of Web 2.0 technologies. Overall, this chapter argues that the goals and ideals of Web 2.0/Pedagogy 2.0 can be achieved, or at least stimulated, within an institutional LMS environment, as long as the LMS environment is in alignment with such goals and ideals. It uses the implementation of Moodle at USQ as a case study to reinforce this argument and explore which factors potentially influence a shift in thinking about learning and teaching in a Web 2.0 context.

Professional Analysts and the Ongoing Construction of IT Governance

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Magnusson
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
It Governance ◽  
Target Group ◽  
Chief Information Officers ◽  
Intended Target ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Commercial Research

This article addresses the role of the professional analysts as actors within the field of IT Governance. Through a content analysis of over 400 reports from the largest commercial research firm, instances of normative statements are identified and analyzed. With the intended target group of the reports being Chief Information Officers, the findings show that the content of IT Governance has changed during the last three years. This is discussed in relation to the role that professional analysts play in an ongoing construction of IT Governance. The article concludes by identifying possible risks and benefits involved in using professional analysts as sources for best-practice, as well as calling for a more practice-based definition of IT Governance.

scholarly journals Academic excellence as “competitiveness enhancement” in Russian higher education

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Tsvetkova ◽  
Sylvie Lomer
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Academic Excellence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
World University Rankings ◽  
Russian Higher Education ◽  
The Government ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Russian Universities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse critically the Russian Academic Excellence Initiative (the Project 5-100), designed to propel five leading Russian universities into world university rankings (WURs) by 2020, and research it through the lens of neoliberalism. The paper seeks to reveal recurrent discourses and dominant orders of discourse constituting the overall concept of “excellence” in Russian higher education (HE) policy. Design/methodology/approach Since the Project 5-100 has been designed in line with a neoliberal model of academic excellence initiatives, emphasising “competition as a driver of excellence” (Hazelkorn, 2009), Fairclough’s approach to critical discourse analysis (CDA) has been adopted as a qualitative research method. There is no universally accepted definition of “excellence” in HE policy; therefore, this CDA also aims at revealing the Russian government’s vision of the concept and its voice in HE policy. Findings The paper concludes that the government reinforces neoliberal discourse on the HE agenda and transforms the 5-100 Universities’ identities through emphasising the role of WURs in modernising the HE system. Consequently, within the neoliberal paradigm, the Project 5-100 can be regarded as a manifestation of the commodification of “excellence” in Russian HE policy. Originality/value This research intends to broaden knowledge of excellence initiatives in HE policy and reveal their features and neoliberal natures. It also seeks to contribute in terms of showcasing a qualitative study of the Project 5-100 for future comparative analyses of similar HE policies.

scholarly journals The Role of Agile Teams in the Delivery of Distance Education in Saudi Universities Amid the COVID-19 Crisis: Qualitative Data Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Amal Rashed Al-Hamdan ◽  
Sami G. Alsulami
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Market Competitiveness ◽  
Data Collection Instrument ◽  
Agile Teams ◽  
Fourth Theme

The objective of this study is to investigate the role of agile teams in the service delivery of Saudi higher education amid the COVID-19 crisis. The qualitative design of this study allows for an open-ended data collection instrument defined by a semi-structured interview process and thematic data analysis. The study employs a purposive strategy to sampling whereby direct engagements are administered between the author and individual participants. The study therefore analyzes data inductively and reports results where codes are defined, patterns are identified, and themes are generated. The first theme is that the future of Saudi higher education is learner-focused. The second theme is that the value of agile teams increases in the level of operational complexity of distance education. The Fourth theme is that the COVID-19 crisis is leaving a permanent impact on the way higher education is delivered. The fifth theme is that the agility features of adaptability and responsiveness are highly desirable in Saudi higher education settings. The sixth theme is the great potential for agile teams in the delivery of distance education is to enhance learners’ labor market competitiveness while augmenting their sense of responsible citizenship. The study implies that agile teams have great potential in the service delivery of Saudi higher education.

scholarly journals The positive in the tragic: Covid pandemic as an impetus for change in teaching and assessment in higher education

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-76
Author(s):  
Ottavia Trevisan ◽  
Marina De Rossi ◽  
Valentina Grion
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Educational Innovation ◽  
International Study ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Teaching Methodologies ◽  
The World ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Silver Lining

Abstract The spread of Covid-19 pandemic upturned higher education routines, inducing a shift to online learning which sometimes translated into a huge leap towards didactic experimentation. While exposing critical issues in existing teaching methodologies and assessment processes, such emergency distance education condition could spark meaningful educational innovation. This paper describes an international study engaging teachers of professionalizing courses in the educational area across the world (N=120). The aim was to investigate their perception of the induced distance education in terms of teaching methodology and assessment practices. Emerging findings indicate a silver lining in the midst of the pandemic storm, as teaching practices gear more towards being student-centred.

scholarly journals Internationalization, the Curriculum and the Disciplines

2015 ◽  
pp. 10-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans De Wit ◽  
Betty Leask
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Internationalization Of Higher Education ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
National Organizations ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
National Governments ◽  
The Relationship

Institutions of higher education, national governments and (inter)national organizations have become more proactive, comprehensive, diverse, and innovative in their approaches to internationalization. Critical reflection on their outcomes, and in particular their impact on student learning, has resulted in a search for approaches to internationalization that have deeper meaning and greater impact. However, it is only relatively recently that questions related to the relationship between the internationalization of higher education, the curriculum and the disciplines have been explored in depth. Some of these questions are discussed, such as the relationship between ‘at home’ and ‘abroad’, the role of mobility, the role of contexts and the definition of internationalization of the curriculum.

THE DARK AGES OF COST ACCOUNTING: THE ROLE OF MISCUES IN THE LITERATURE

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
George J. Staubus
Keyword(s):  
Cost Accounting ◽  
Theoretical Development ◽  
American Institute ◽  
Poor State ◽  
Dark Ages ◽  
Rational Allocation ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Cost

The conceptual and theoretical development of cost accounting has been at a standstill for several decades, despite its poor state and drastic changes in its environment. The concept of cost itself and related concepts are both unclear and unrelated to relevant concepts in other areas of economics, and several critical issues remain unresolved. Part of the blame for this state is laid at the door of those writers and interpreters of several key pieces of literature, or sets of writings on specific topics. The works involved in the “miscues” are J. M. Clark's emphasis on different costs for different purposes in his Studies in the Economics of Overhead Costs; Paton and Littleton's difficulties in clarifying the cost concept; the American Institute of Accountants' definition of depreciation accounting as systematic and rational allocation; the direct/variable costing literature; and the rejection of allocation. An effort is made to show how each of those miscues harmed the cause of cost accounting.

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