scholarly journals Ranking Meets Distance Education

Author(s):  
Francesca Pozzi ◽  
Flavio Manganello ◽  
Marcello Passarelli ◽  
Donatella Persico ◽  
Andrew Brasher ◽  
...  

University ranking systems are being implemented with the aim of assessing and comparing higher education institutions at a global level. Despite their being increasingly used, rankings are often strongly criticized for their social and economic implications, as well as for limitations in their technical implementation. One of these limitations is that they do not consider the specific characteristics of online education. This study used a participatory approach to define a set of criteria and indicators suitable to reflect the specific nature of distance education. This endeavour will help evaluate and rank online higher education institutions more appropriately than in current practice, where indicators are devised for traditional universities. To this end, several stakeholders and informants were involved in a Delphi study in an attempt to reach the broader higher education institutions (HEI) community. According to the study participants, apart from students’ achievements and general quantitative measures of HEI performance, which are quite common in traditional ranking systems, teaching and student learning experience turned out to be the most important criteria. Student support, teacher support, technological infrastructure, research and organization were deemed middle ground criteria, while sustainability and reputation were regarded as the least important criteria.

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gulnara Sadykova ◽  
Jennie Dautermann

The growing demand for higher education worldwide, along with global expansion of telecommunication technologies, give online distance education a potential world-wide reach for institutions in many countries. Given the persistent international digital divide and the potential for the host institutions and languages to be those of wealthy, industrialized countries, international online distance higher education (IODHE) has great potential for educational and cultural imperialism. Therefore institutions contemplating expansion into international distance education must accommodate a number of changes that would enable building the safe learning/teaching environment needed for the development of a successful course. Drawing on literature of domestic and international online teaching and learning, multicultural studies, as well as personal international teaching and learning experience, the authors examine four domains where these changes are of critical importance: 1) host institution, 2) technology, 3) learning models of students, and 4) teaching models of faculty. The paper discusses issues and practices in each of these domains and offers general recommendations for institutions participating or planning to participate in cross-border/cross-culture online education.


Author(s):  
Сергей Александрович Грязнов

Технологии меняют образ жизни и деятельность человека. Глобальная сеть Интернет облегчает быстрый доступ к полезной информации. Социальная, культурная и образовательная конкурентоспособность находятся под влиянием образовательных технологий, которые положительно влияют на стиль, продолжительность и метод обучения в высших учебных заведениях. Дистанционное образование возможно применять и как полноценную самодостаточную форму, и как дополнение к классическому обучению в аудиториях. Автор рассматривает в статье дистанционную форму обучения как альтернативу традиционной форме преподавания в вузах на время периодов самоизоляции (пандемии, сезонные карантины), а также как дополнение к традиционным формам обучения. Анализируются проблемные и положительные аспекты применения данной формы. Указаны возможные форматы обучения в условиях дистанционного образования. Выделены сильные и слабые стороны использования некоторых технологий. Technologies alter the way of living and work of a person. The Internet world network makes it easier to quickly access useful information. Social, cultural and educational competitiveness are influenced by educational technologies that positively influence the style, duration and method of education in higher education institutions. Distance education can be used as a full-fledged self-sufficient form, or as a Supplement to classical training in classrooms. The author considers distance learning as an alternative to the traditional form of teaching in higher education institutions during periods of self-isolation (pandemics, seasonal quarantines), as well as as an addition to traditional forms of education. The problem and positive aspects of using this form are analyzed. Possible formats of training in the conditions of distance education are specified. The strengths and weaknesses of the use of certain technologies are highlighted.


Author(s):  
Kseniia V Tsytsiura ◽  
Ganna M Romanova

This article focuses on the latest approaches to the effective delivery of distance education for the students of economic specialties in China’s higher education institutions in force majeure circumstances. Distance education was introduced due to the complex global epidemiological situation, unpredictable for the entire world community. The growing role and importance of distance learning in contemporary higher education overall and the education of economists in particular have been outlined. The need to use and constantly upgrade software and distance learning platforms is emphasized. The current Chinese approaches to the provision of the economists’ distance education in higher education institutions are outlined. The efficiency factors of the economists’ distance education in China’s higher education institutions were determined and substantiated. Namely, the following efficiency factors were considered: importance of approbation and implementation of the new interaction methods among the participants of the teaching and learning process, game approach application aimed at the formation of motivation of students to study, the creation and continuous modernization of the informational and educational environment of the university, the provision of a free access to up-to-date digital technology and information and communication learning technologies, the use and efficient combination of distance learning platforms in teaching disciplines, the formation of digital competence of students and teachers, as well as the openness of the colleges and university management and faculty to change. The effectiveness study of distance education provision for the students of economics was experimentally tested. The results of distance learning and teaching during the semester in force majeure circumstances were analyzed on the basis of empirical data from the students’ survey at the Department of Economics of a state-owned Chinese higher education institution. The research findings emphasize the feasibility of studying and analyzing China’s positive experience in the provision of distance learning economic education in force majeure circumstances. Recommendations for the implementation of China's experience in economists’ training in Eastern European universities were elaborated and presented.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13055
Author(s):  
Halima Ahmed Omar ◽  
Eqlima Mohamad Ali ◽  
Shashidhar Belbase

Higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) adopted a distance/online learning approach during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to ensure that students were safe while they received an uninterrupted, high-quality education off-campus. This was the first time that all of the higher education institutions adopted this approach. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct this study to gain insight into graduate students’ experiences in distance learning and to verify whether these experiences are linked to their achievements. The purpose of this study was to examine graduate students’ experiences toward online and distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in the academic year 2020–2021 and their academic achievement. A questionnaire was developed for this study and sent online to graduate students’ emails with the coordination of the College of Graduate Studies at a higher education institution in the UAE. The study received 138 responses. The data was analyzed using IBMSPSS-26. The findings of the study showed that graduate students’ level of Engagement, ease of Communication, and quality of learning Experience with online/distance learning were related significantly to their overall academic achievement.


Author(s):  
Vladislav Kaputa ◽  
Erika Loučanová ◽  
Fernando A. Tejerina-Gaite

AbstractHigher education institutions have in the digital transformation an opportunity to facilitate access to education for individuals of different social backgrounds. At the same time, it will provide them with the necessary tools and skills to face current global problems (poverty, health quality, income disparities, environmental crises, among others) from a transdisciplinary perspective. Progress in the digitalization of higher education has been significantly accelerated by the onset of a pandemics in early 2020 (in European conditions). Such a rapid and massive transition to distance (online) education with comprehensive support for digital technologies is unparalleled. The survey conducted reflects the consequences of this change. Results shows that digital transformation improves some of the most demanded skills in the new knowledge society (searching and processing information, digital communication and socialization or working with text). Likewise, it has an important role in reducing costs related to education, but also in degradation of abilities in personal communication.


Author(s):  
Bernice Bain

Online education has grown to more than 6 million students with an average age of 33 years old (Kolowich, 2012; Selingo, 2012; Sheehy, 2012). Research indicates online programs are part of many institutions' strategic planning initiatives. Institutions are undergoing increased scrutiny from accrediting bodies, employers, and adult learners. To remain competitive and valid in this changing environment, a significant issue for leaders of online higher education institutions is how to effectively assess online cognitive learning outcomes, such as critical thinking. Adding to the challenge of online assessment of critical thinking is the contextual nature of critical thinking and two differing approaches to assessment. Leaders of online higher education institutions should seek a critical thinking assessment that is based on a theoretical framework of Transformative Learning and Adult Learning Theories. This is explored in this chapter.


2018 ◽  
pp. 541-562
Author(s):  
José Manuel Saiz-Alvarez ◽  
Edgar Muñiz-Ávila ◽  
Delia Lizette Huezo-Ponce

Universities play a key role in modern societies inserted into a globalized economic world. This chapter studies how informational competencies, entrepreneurship, and integral values in higher education are necessary to foster economic growth and fight corruption. The authors especially are focused on distance education as it can be a tool to fight poverty by diminishing high illiteracy rates, mainly existing in developing countries. The purpose of the chapter is two-fold: 1) to study the impact of informational competencies in both education and entrepreneurship, and 2) to emphasize the importance of acquiring integral values by learners to be applied into educational processes based on emotional intelligence. As a result, students will be defined as prospective entrepreneurs endowed with the ability to recognize, internalize and understand emotions to be adjusted into relations and business behavior to impulse their goals. And in this sense, online education has an important role to play, especially in postgraduate studies, as in the case of MOOCs that are also analyzed.


Author(s):  
José Manuel Saiz-Alvarez ◽  
Edgar Muñiz-Ávila ◽  
Delia Lizette Huezo-Ponce

Universities play a key role in modern societies inserted into a globalized economic world. This chapter studies how informational competencies, entrepreneurship, and integral values in higher education are necessary to foster economic growth and fight corruption. The authors especially are focused on distance education as it can be a tool to fight poverty by diminishing high illiteracy rates, mainly existing in developing countries. The purpose of the chapter is two-fold: 1) to study the impact of informational competencies in both education and entrepreneurship, and 2) to emphasize the importance of acquiring integral values by learners to be applied into educational processes based on emotional intelligence. As a result, students will be defined as prospective entrepreneurs endowed with the ability to recognize, internalize and understand emotions to be adjusted into relations and business behavior to impulse their goals. And in this sense, online education has an important role to play, especially in postgraduate studies, as in the case of MOOCs that are also analyzed.


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