scholarly journals Thought Processes College Students Use When Evaluating Faculty: A Qualitative Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Pinto ◽  
Phylis M. Mansfield
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
College Students ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Thought Processes ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Student Responses ◽  
Faculty Evaluations ◽  
Education Administrators

This study explores the thought processes college students use when answering survey questions on standardized course/faculty evaluations.   Thought processes are categorized as: System One or System Two, based on the framework developed by Kahneman (2003) and Stanovich and West (2000). System One processes are typically hurried, superficial, effortless, and charged with emotions. System Two processes are considered to be slower, more deliberate, thoughtful evaluations. Results from eight focus group discussions are provided.  Student responses were categorized according to their adherence to System One or System Two cognitive processing. In total, 59% of the student responses were categorized as System One. Implications for faculty and higher education administrators are presented.

scholarly journals The Effects Of Different Sections And Students Pre-Course Interest On An Instructors Teaching Evaluations

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Obeua S. Persons
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Teaching Evaluations ◽  
Teaching Ability ◽  
Education Administrators

This study has identified two important factors, unrelated to an instructor’s teaching ability, which can affect an instructor’s teaching evaluations.  The first factor, which has never been examined in any prior studies, is the section effect.  This study finds that teaching evaluations differ significantly across sections of the same course taught by the same instructor.  This section effect cannot be explained by six student-related variables.  The second factor, which is students’ pre-course interest measured at the beginning of a course, is found to be positively related to teaching evaluations.  These findings suggest that higher-education administrators may want to consider the section effect and the students’ pre-course interest when they evaluate an instructor’s teaching effectiveness for promotion, tenure and merit decisions.

scholarly journals Impacting Networked Technologies on Teaching Practices

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Cutajar ◽  
Matthew Montebello
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Teaching Experiences ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Education Administrators ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Work And Life

Networked technologies are found permeating all work and life activities even in the education realm. Today’s networked technologies are changing the way we interact within the online environment and amongst themselves. Networked technologies have unleashed a plethora of possibilities for educators to take advantage of by employing them as part of their teaching practices. In this paper are presented findings related to how academics are experiencing networked technologies for teaching and their relation to learning. A phenomenographic approach and subsequently a quantitative stance was employed to shed light on the nature and the current dynamic of such practices. This paper recounts the phenomenographic outcome, but it particularly attends to subsequent quantitative findings obtained from consideration of learning experiences against the phenomenographic map of variation in teaching experiences whereby an unexpected clustering trend was exposed. The outcomes of this exploratory research provide crucial and essential insights for higher education administrators and policy makers on how to regulate themselves with regards to the adoption of networked technologies within their institution.

scholarly journals Supporting Student Transition into Professional Practice

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Jacqueline Dey ◽  
Angela Lindsay ◽  
Patricia Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Student Transition ◽  
Student Focus ◽  
Student Transitions

Transitions can affect students throughout their time at university. This study aims to show the potential of an additional, non-assessed placement in supporting MA3 Initial Teacher Education (ITE) students with skills thought to benefit transitions. Much of the research around student transitions focuses upon transitions into and out of higher education. In addition, within the MA ITE programme, students perceive challenges in transitioning into Professional Practice during their four year programme. A pilot study was undertaken to support third year MA ITE students in developing skills and attributes associated with the enhancement theme of student transitions in higher education: self-efficacy; reflection; and connectedness. The study involved MA3 students visiting an Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) setting in one local authority, one afternoon a week for eight weeks, the aim of the placement being for them to gain experience in playing and communicating with younger children, prior to their official early years placement. Initial findings from student focus group discussions suggest that students perceived that the study did help to support them in further developing transition skills and attributes.

Exploring the educational needs of adult learners: A study of three universities in Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaw Owusu-Agyeman ◽  
Magda Fourie-Malherbe ◽  
Liezel Frick
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Educational Needs ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Educational Challenges ◽  
Method Approach

Adult learners have unique educational needs that require attention from Higher Education Institutions, facilitators and industry. While several theories and policies have been developed to address the bourgeoning educational challenges confronting adult learners in Higher Education Institutions, not much has been achieved in the wake of growing knowledge and skills demands of employers. Using a mixed method approach, a survey (n = 200) and focus group discussions (n = 27) were conducted among adult learners who were also professionals studying engineering programmes in three diverse universities in Ghana. Additionally, interviews were conducted with representatives from industry and from the three engineering departments in the three universities. The study revealed that while the development of separate programmes for adult learners in Higher Education Institutions is not plausible in meeting the educational needs of adult learners, a different pedagogy could be used in addressing the unique knowledge and skills needs of adult learners. We present the implications of our study in relation to theory, practice and further research.

The need for civic engagement and competency in higher education in Lebanon

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 186-194
Author(s):  
Nadine Joudi ◽  
Ghada Chehimi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
National Security ◽  
The Political ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Research Outcomes ◽  
Security Levels

Lebanon has always been unstable on the political and the national security levels. The youth in Lebanon did not have the privilege of stability to engage in civic activities and become active citizens. The youth need to collaborate with adults to explore different issues and opportunities to develop civic engagement in their own society. This study is an exploratory research which reveals the need for constructive plans in higher education in Lebanon that will lead youth to civic engagement and competence. It also focuses on exploring the existence of university curriculum that fosters the actual implementation of civic engagement and civic competency programmes. Data were collected using a qualitative framework. University students’ civic competency, knowledge, skills, participation in civic engagement, attitudes and efficacy are assessed by using focus group discussions with students and instructors. The research outcomes provide a foundation for the sustainable interventions through the development of a university curriculum.   Keywords: Civic engagement, civic competency, Lebanon.  

Communicative Resilience of First-Generation College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina M Scharp ◽  
Tiffany R Wang ◽  
Brooke H Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
College Students ◽  
Online Education ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
First Generation College Students ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
First Generation College ◽  
Education Administrators

Abstract As U.S. higher education institutions closed their campuses and transitioned to online education due to the high risk for COVID-19 transmission, first-generation college students (FGS) were particularly susceptible to multiple stressors. Findings from a sample of 44 participants reveal seven resilience triggers, four resilience processes, and three relationships between resilience processes and triggers. Based on these findings, we advance the communication theory of resilience by establishing the ways triggers can be structural, emergent, and overlapping and by theorizing resilience processes as both enduring and time-bound/contingent. We also employ a new qualitative method, thematic co-occurrence analysis, to illuminate the relationships between the resilience triggers and processes. Practical applications for higher education administrators, teaching instructors, and student support professionals are described.

Redesigning Prediction Algorithms for At-Risk Students in Higher Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 232-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Foung
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Classification Tree ◽  
At Risk Students ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Education Administrators

Use of algorithms and data mining approaches are not new to Industry 4.0. However, these may not be common for students and educators in higher education. This chapter compares various classification techniques: classification tree, logistic regression, and artificial neural networks (ANN). The comparison focuses on each method's accuracy, algorithm, and practicality in higher education. This study made use of a dataset from two academic writing courses in a university in Hong Kong with more than 5,000 records. Results suggest that classification trees and logistic regression can be easily used in the higher education context, but ANN may not be applicable in higher educational settings. The research team suggests that higher education administrators take this research forward and design platforms to realize these classification algorithms to predict at-risk students.

scholarly journals Rapid Dissemination of College Food Insecurity Findings in A Multi-Institutional Study Using the eB4CAST Approach

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1646
Author(s):  
Melissa D. Olfert ◽  
Rebecca L. Hagedorn ◽  
Ayron E. Walker ◽  
Rachel A. Wattick
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Higher Education Administrators ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
Rapid Dissemination ◽  
Education Administrators ◽  
Specific Food

The sharing of college food insecurity data with higher education administrators and stakeholders is essential to increase awareness of campus-specific food insecurity outcomes. This study utilized the evidence-Based forecast C-capture, A-assemble, S-sustain, T-timelessness (eB4CAST) approach to develop campus-specific food insecurity reports for researchers involved in a multi-institutional food insecurity study. eB4CAST reports were developed for each higher education institution (n = 22). The reports were four pages of visual data that included details of the eB4CAST approach and the multi-institutional food insecurity study, campus demographics, an overview of college food insecurity, food insecurity prevalence estimates at all participating institutions, and student use and awareness of campus resources, as well as the campus-specific resources that are available. The interpretation and forecasted use of the reports were evaluated through a 17-item online survey. The survey was completed by 26 content experts and showed a favorable perception of the eB4CAST institutional report. A majority of participants strongly agreed that the eB4CAST food insecurity report was clear to understand (72%), it was easy to read (64%), the statistics were easy to interpret (80%), it shared valuable information (92%), and it was impactful to their work (80%). Further, 84% of participants found the overall information of the report to be relevant and sharable. Participants forecasted disseminating the reports primarily to administration (77%) and with other faculty and staff (85%). These findings highlight the projected usability of the visualized data eB4CAST report across many sectors of college food insecurity research, which may help disseminate rapid findings on this emerging issue and increase awareness.

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