Conceptualisations and pedagogical practices of academic literacy in Namibian higher education

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lukas Homateni Julius
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Literacy Development ◽  
Academic Literacy ◽  
Academic Development ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Genre Theory ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Institutional Types

The purpose of this study was to investigate academic literacy development lecturers’ conceptualisations of academic literacy and resultant pedagogical practices in academic development courses at three different Higher Education Institutional types in Namibia. The research sites were a Traditional University, a University of Technology and a Comprehensive University. The focus was to understand the extent to which the academics’ conceptions of academic literacy and the resultant pedagogical practices in the academic development courses at these three Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) facilitate epistemological access into students’ chosen fields of study. Bernstein’s Pedagogical theory (1990), Genre theory (1996) and Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (1978) were used as the study’s theoretical lenses and analytical framework. An interpretative paradigm and a qualitative case study design were employed as the research approach. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and documentary evidence were used to generate data. Research findings revealed a common (mis)conception of the nature of academic literacy, the resultant inadequate learning support offered to students in the selected academic literacy development courses, and a clear divorcing of academic literacy interventions from the students’ ‘home’ or mainstream disciplines at the three HEIs. The participants understood academic literacy from an autonomous position as a set of generic skills which could be taught outside of mainstream classes. Moreover, findings revealed that this understanding impacted on the design and assessments of all the academic literacy courses across the three universities under study. The study calls for a context sensitive model through which academic literacy acquisition can be scaffolded to meet the discipline-specific epistemological needs of the students.

scholarly journals Academic Literacy Development: What Does It Entail for Multilingual Scholars?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Laura-Mihaela Muresan ◽  
Concepción Orna-Montesinos
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Literacy Development ◽  
Academic Literacy ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Research Writing ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Multilingual Scholars

AbstractIn the introductory chapter, Muresan and Orna-Montesinos provide an overview of the multiple dimensions of academic literacy development, with a focus on its relevance for plurilingual scholars engaged in academic research writing and publishing processes. They situate the ethnographic and pedagogical studies presented in the subsequent chapters within a cognitive/socio-cultural theoretical framework, providing insights into higher education and academic literacy in glocal contexts.

Facebook as Complementary Teaching Material: Reconceptualizing the Context Boundaries of Formal and Informal Learning in EFL Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (9) ◽  
pp. 23-35
Author(s):  
Iman Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Formal Curriculum ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Skills Learning

This article is a case study that aims to understand and explore a teacher's perspective about integrating Facebook as an informal social platform into the EFL classroom in a higher education context in Oman. The study further aims to identify the attitudes and perspectives of a group of students belonging to the same context. Research data came from semi-structured interviews with a teacher participant and a survey questionnaire with student participants. The study provides a set of findings based on interview data analysis and questionnaire survey analysis. The study's findings revealed the teacher and students' positive attitudes and perspectives towards the role of Facebook in boosting pedagogical practices and increasing English language skills learning. This study contributes to knowledge by providing insights on the integration of Facebook as an informal platform into the formal curriculum-based learning in TESOL. The insights and findings are of value to the teachers and instructors in EFL higher education contexts. Pedagogical implications for ESL (English as a second language) and EFL (English as a foreign language) and researchers are offered in the light of these results.

scholarly journals A Phenomenographic Research Study of Students’ Conceptions of Mobile Learning: An Example From Higher Education

SAGE Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824401986145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Shahadat Hossain Khan ◽  
Benadjih Oiriddine Abdou ◽  
Jaana Kettunen ◽  
Sue Gregory
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
The World ◽  
New Ideas

This article aims to identify different ways of using mobile devices in students’ learning in higher education. This qualitative research presents the findings from a phenomenographic research of students’ conceptions of mobile learning (m-learning) in higher education. A cohort of 16 students from four universities of Bangladesh took part in semi-structured interviews to explore their in-depth understandings and experiences of m-learning. The findings indicate that university students perceived five qualitatively different ways of using mobile devices in their learning: a medium for communication; a medium for management of learning materials; a tool for effective learning; a means for collaborative learning; and a means for development of new ideas. The findings of this research demonstrate students’ pedagogical understanding of using mobile devices in higher education. The outcomes of this research could play a crucial role in informing students on how they can use their mobile devices for learning purposes and providing educators with empirical evidence on students’ pedagogical practices of using mobile devices in other developing and more developed countries in the world.

scholarly journals Exploring Online Pedagogical Practices for Enhancing Transfer of Learning in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Galoyan ◽  
Kristen Betts ◽  
Brian Delaney ◽  
Mariette Fourie
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Instructional Designers ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Graduate Degree ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods

Institutions of higher education play a critical role in bridging academia and workforce, yet college students find it challenging to transfer their learning across and beyond instructional formats, including online, hybrid, and face-to-face. The goals of this exploratory, sequential, mixed-methods study were to (1) explore graduate students’ conceptualizations of transfer, and (2) examine online pedagogical practices for enhancing transfer. Participants included students enrolled in a full-time online graduate degree program in education at a private university in the Mid-Atlantic USA. Findings from the qualitative phase with seven semi-structured interviews were used to design a survey study with 68 graduate students to explore their perceptions of effective online pedagogical practices for enhancing transfer. This study is significant since its findings revealed a number of online practices that instructional designers and faculty can use to optimize learning and transfer in higher education.

Micro Push and Pull Factors Influence Human Capital Flight in Academia: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-67
Author(s):  
QUDSIA ARSHAD ◽  
RASHIDA KHATOON MALIK
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Social Constructivism ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Pull Factors ◽  
Human Capital Flight ◽  
The Brain

This study aims to deepen the understanding of the issues of an intellectual brain drain in academia. There is no doubt that higher education is vital to the growth and development of a country. Hence, the universities need to maintain highly qualified human resources to ensure effectiveness and competitiveness. This research study is focused to investigate the experiences of the academicians who are foreign qualified and migrated to advanced countries, they were asked to describe their experiences, using their own stories and interpretations of their personal experiences. The qualitative research approach was adopted to get the gist of the real reason that prompts the academicians to stay or leave their home country after getting education from abroad. The study employed social constructivism as an interpretive framework analysis method and used purposive and snowballing sampling techniques. Semi-structured interviews were recorded and analyzed. Findings suggested that career opportunities, economic, social, education, technological factors, and adjustment issues caused the brain drain of academicians of public sector universities of Islamabad. The knowledge drawn from this research can operate as a piece of useful reference information for current and future recruitment efforts, support services, and helpful in minimizing the brain drain. Keywords: Academicians, Brain Drain, Human Resource, Higher Education Institutions (HEI), Push Pull Factors.

From Big Data to Big Impact: analytics for teaching and learning in higher education

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 321-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushil S. Chaurasia ◽  
Anna Frieda Rosin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Predictive Analytics ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of Big Data in higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews was employed to get insights from 23 experts from the Indian higher education sector. Respondents included higher education specialists from information technology, administration and academicians from public and private funded institutions. Findings Based on competitive advantage and data complexity, four major application areas were identified for the use of Big Data in higher education. These application areas are reporting and compliance; analysis and visualization; security and risk mitigation; and predictive analytics. Research limitations/implications Qualitative methodology is suitable to explain constructs and relationships between constructs, but it does not explain the magnitude of the relationships. The lack of Big Data experts in higher education constrained the ability of this research by leading to repeated themes. Finally, including participants from other countries would have assisted further in generalizing the findings. Originality/value As both interest and reluctance persists about Big Data, it calls for the application across industries and cost-benefit analyses. A number of researchers have studied the use of Big Data in various fields associated with the applicability, the data availability, the cost, the competence, the privacy, the relevance and the ownership. Very few publications explicitly address the integrative use of Big Data in higher education. So the current study examines the applicability of Big Data analytics in higher education institutions.

scholarly journals Management perceptions of a higher educational brand for the attraction of talented academic staf

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Musa Saurombe ◽  
E. Nicolene Barkhuizen ◽  
Nico E. Schutte
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Higher Education Management ◽  
Education Management ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Higher Educational

Orientation: Academic staff members have a crucial role in the success of higher education institutions (HEIs). Therefore, it is imperative to cultivate an appealing organisational brand that will attract them to HEIs as an employer of choice.Research purpose: The main objective of this study was to explore management perceptions on a higher educational institution as a brand for the attraction of talented academic staff.Motivation for the study: Although a substantial amount of research has been conducted on organisational branding, not much has emphasised the higher educational sector.Research approach, design and method: A qualitative research approach was adopted, using semi-structured interviews to collect data from management (N = 12) of a merged South African HEI.Main findings: The findings revealed six themes that should form the core of a higher educational brand for academic staff: reputation and image, organisational culture and identity, strategic vision, corporate social responsibility and work and surrounding environment.Practical/managerial implications: The findings of the study will assist higher education management to create a compelling organisational brand and work environment to attract and retain talented academic staff members.Contribution/value-add: This research makes a valuable contribution towards creating new knowledge in the key that should form part of an appealing higher education brand that will attract and retain current and future talent.

Emerging themes in creative higher education pedagogy

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-282
Author(s):  
Derrick Robinson ◽  
Ben M. Schaap ◽  
Mejai Avoseh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Effective Teachers ◽  
Administrative Support ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Higher Education Pedagogy ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Emerging Themes ◽  
Higher Education Instruction

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore emerging themes in which creativity, or creative pedagogy (CP), is aligned with the practices of higher education instruction. The componential theory of creativity (Amabile, 2012) was used as the lens for examining CP of the study’s participants. Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory case study of institutionally recognized effective teachers at a flagship university in the upper mid-western region of the USA, researchers sought to see which themes emerge and align with the four components of CP. Researchers used semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and artifact data to support thematic development. Findings Four themes emerge from the study to align with CP: administrative support; praxis and environment; content learning; and student independence. Of the four themes, praxis and environment are found to be most dominant in the study. Within each theme, surrounding environment and creative-relevant components of CP emerge as the most dominant. In all, it can be concluded that effective teachers position themselves toward themes and components that offer the most impact for students. Originality/value Applying Amabile’s (2012) components of creativity to analyze the pedagogical practices of institutionally recognized teachers of excellence encourages deeper observation of pedagogical practices on higher education faculty and institutional impact on pedagogy. Recommendations are offered for both institutions of higher education and its faculty.

scholarly journals Effective Leadership Conceptualization in Higher Education Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Sobia Shafaq Shah ◽  
Asif Ali Shah ◽  
Arjumand Bano Soomro
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Department Head ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Inductive Research ◽  
Sindh Province

The relevancy and significance of effective leadership has been emphasised in every setting, situation and context. The conceptualisation of   effective leadership embedded   in multiple perspectives due to the contextualised nature of leadership.  The significance of higher education institutions and the necessity to manifest effective leadership in educational context entails empirical research and deep down understanding. Keeping in view the elusive nature of  effective leadership and pivotal role of department head, this research endeavour aimed at exploring faculty members’ perceptions concerning their conceptualisation of  effective department leadership. Drawn from inductive research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted from twelve faculty members of public university of Pakistan, located in Sindh province. The study findings highlighted thirteen important behaviours in relation to manifesting effective leadership by department heads. Notably, the majority of highlighted leadership behaviours appeared closely aligned with various dimensions of transformational leadership. However, there is need to conduct further research studies with larger sample to endorse the effective leadership conceptualisation in Pakistani higher education context.

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