scholarly journals Editorial

Author(s):  
Beatrice M Tucker

Welcome to Volume 3 of the Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. This web-based journal is an open access publication of peer-reviewed publications disseminating research and best practice in higher education teaching and learning for graduate employability. In response to contemporary global trends, higher education institutions are exploring innovative ways to transform teaching and learning. These trends include the rapid increase in the availability of interactive learning technologies and development of new frameworks for credentialing skills and achievements gained by learners outside formal educational institutions. Learners are increasingly embracing independent learning opportunities through free, online educational offerings. New approaches to teaching and learning will need to be developed to connect the learner across settings, technologies and activities. Innovative approaches and pedagogies will ensure that higher education institutions achieve their aim to transform students by providing them with the skills and abilities to actively contribute to our rapidly changing world. Graduate employability will continually be a priority for universities and higher education providers, employers, professions, students and graduates. New solutions will enhance and change the way students learn and undoubtedly, the way graduate capabilities are developed within and beyond the formal curriculum. Universities and higher education providers are focusing on assuring and evidencing their institutions' espoused capabilities in their graduates. The development of agreed minimum standards graduates need to achieve to be employable, and how these standards are measured, continues to be a priority and source of much debate in the sector. New challenges include the assurance of credentials and academic integrity in the rapidly changing technological environment that includes Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Key to these challenges are how we evidence and assure student achievement, and much of this is strongly related to how we assess students. There is general acceptance within the sector that the development and assessment of graduate capabilities is most effective when contextualised within the discipline. Numerous approaches to assessment have been proposed including: exit interviews, capstone assessments, an outcomes-based approach using portfolios, standardised tests such as the Collegiate Skills Assessment and performance based assessment tasks. Increasingly e-assessment technologies are being proposed to facilitate the submission, workflow and marking of assessments and for diagnosing plagiarism. Nevertheless the challenges related to academic integrity, whilst not new, are likely to be greater when learning occurs online and assessments are not invigilated. It is likely that the design of valid authentic assessments to enable successful learning and for assuring graduates capabilities lies with the pedagogy rather than the technology. On behalf of our editorial board, the journal's editor, Professor Beverley Oliver, and our administration officer Ms Linda Lilly, I encourage you to participate, through this journal, in scholarly communication, debate and scholarship in learning and teaching for effective graduate employability. Beatrice Tucker Deputy Editor

Author(s):  
D. N. Kinyanjui

The aim of the current paper is to provide an extensive review of the theoretical and empirical literature that justifies the need for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of tourism in the Kenyan institutions of higher learning. Further, a review of existing constraints is also explained using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which has proved to be a suitable theoretical model in helping to explain and predict user behaviour of information technology and subsequently proposes the way forward towards enhanced integration. This study examines literature review that reveals the different points of view in relation to the integration of ICT in teaching and learning in tourism higher education institutions in Kenya. Specifically this paper sought to establish the various ICT resources applicable in tourism education, determine the benefits of integrating ICT in tourism education and lastly establish the external factors and user based factors that influence or constrain acceptance of ICT in tourism education in higher institutions and recommend the way forward. The findings from the literature reviewed indicates that, the use of ICTs transforms the teaching and learning experience by changing the manner in which the tourism and hospitality skills and knowledge is acquired.  However, the need for more appropriate modes of delivery to make the tourism education programmes more convenient for the modern student is quite crucial. Findings further showed that students are willing to adapt and use ICTs for learning but there are numerous barriers that are either user or institutional based. It was established that institutions are slow to implement their use while lecturers are slow to adapt to their use. Other barriers to the integration of instructional technology into higher education that were identified included poor technology infrastructure, lack of proper institutional policies on ICT use and minimal low computer use competency. Further, many higher online educational institutions had failed due to the high cost of technology, poor decisions, competition, and the absence of a business strategy.  Consequently, many universities that provide e-learning face enormous difficulty in achieving successful strategies, including the delivery, effectiveness, and acceptance of the courses. To effectively utilise ICT in tourism teaching and learning in Higher Education Institutions (IHEIs) will require proper network infrastructures, increased computer to student ratios, good Internet connectivity speeds with high availability as well as technical support for the users. There is also a need for a change in the tourism curriculum to integrate the use of ICTs in teaching and learning while at the same time, enhance policies that recognise and award those who use of ICTs for teaching.


Author(s):  
Enis Elezi ◽  
Christopher Bamber

This chapter explores factors affecting the development of e-learning strategies in the context of higher education institutions. The authors focus on understanding the impact of e-learning on pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning and elaborate on the challenges higher education institutions experience in implementing e-learning strategies. A combination of synchronous and asynchronous delivery allows educational establishments to not only offer a service that is good value for money but promotes action learning, and encourages ownership, independent learning, and creative thinking. This work proposes social networking scaffolding for asynchronous and synchronous e-learning, where the learner is at the centre of a social network system. Furthermore, the chapter provides guidance to higher education governors, leaders, and e-learning technicians in developing and implementing e-learning strategies.


2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robsan Egne

Washback Effects of Handouts on the Teaching and Learning Process in Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia: Adama University in Focus The present study investigates the washback effects of handouts on the teaching and learning process in the higher education institutions of Ethiopia, particularly in Adama University. A descriptive survey and analytical research methods were employed in the present study. The subjects of the study included instructors and some selected students of the university. A questionnaire, an interview, a document and content analysis were employed to collect data. The data were analysed using quantitative and qualitative approaches. The data collected through close-ended items of the questionnaire were analysed quantitatively using a chi-square. Whereas the data collected via some interview guides and some items of the questionnaire were analysed using percentage. Besides, the qualitative data gathered via open-ended items of the questionnaire, some items of the interview, content and document analysis were analysed qualitatively. The research results revealed that the way handouts are being prepared and used in higher education institutions of Ethiopia does not encourage active and independent learning. Some recommendations which are deemed crucial for alleviating the problem are suggested.


10.28945/2679 ◽  
2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
ME Herselman ◽  
HR Hay

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are the major driving forces of globalised and knowledge-based societies of a new world era. They will have a profound impact on teaching and learning for two decades to come. The revolutionary change which is taking place in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), has dramatic effects on the way universities carry out their functions of teaching, learning and research, particularly on the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge. These developments pose unprecedented challenges to higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries particular in South Africa as South Africa is viewed as the leading country on the continent.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sa’adah Hassan ◽  
Novia Indriaty Admodisastro ◽  
Azrina Kamaruddin ◽  
Salmi Baharom ◽  
Noraini Che Pa

<p class="apa">Much attention is now given on producing quality graduates. Therefore, outcome-based education (OBE) in teaching and learning is now being implemented in Malaysia at all levels of education especially at higher education institutions. For implementing OBE, the design of curriculum and courses should be based on specified outcomes. Thus, the challenge for the assessment is that it should be capable of measuring whether intended outcomes have been achieved or not. Likely, by assisting lecturer in preparing examination paper that aligns with the specified outcomes is something that can help to ensure the implementation of OBE. Hence, this paper describes the development of a tool for generating question examination paper based on learning outcomes, called Learning Outcome-based Question Examination paper Tool (LoQET). LoQET is proposed for assisting lecturer in Universiti Putra Malaysia for preparing examination paper based on programme outcomes and learning outcomes set in the teaching plan and assessment entries.</p>


2015 ◽  
pp. 13-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Wespel ◽  
Dominic Orr ◽  
Michael Jaeger

Stratification of higher education is currently being driven by public funding schemes, among other things. Building on a survey of excellence funding initiatives across OECD member countries based on the measurement of excellence in higher education institutions, this contribution focuses on how teaching and learning are integrated into these highly selective funding mechanisms. It turns out that teaching performance is generally much less significant than research. Possible reasons and consequences for this result are discussed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Truong Trinh

This paper describes how the international, national and institutional conditions affect the primary processes of teaching and learning in the Vietnamese higher education institutions. Under such influences, the Vietnamese higher education institutions are facing both challenges and opportunities in terms of the competitions among institutions. establishment of credit-based system, quality assurance and accreditation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nageswara Rao Ambati

The present study is an exploratory in nature. The papers aims to understand the attitudinal barriers encountered by students with disabilities in higher education institutions and its impact on their learning experiences. The study was conducted in the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh (now bifurcated in to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), India. For this study, the researcher selected three universities in different parts of Andhra Pradesh by using purposive sampling. In the second phase the researcher interviewed 100 students with disabilities from the selected universities by using snowball sampling. For this study, quantitative and qualitative data analyses were used and in most cases quotes of real text for each theme were maintained and used extensively. The findings of the paper covered characteristics of students with disabilities, attitudinal barriers faced by them. The findings of the study suggests that changes are needed to be made, not only in the physical environment in which teaching and learning takes place, but also in the way in which higher education curriculum is organised, delivered and assessed and changes should also come in attitudes of teachers, university administration, peer group and public at large.


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