scholarly journals Are We Ready to Go Live with Our Team Projects?

10.28945/3481 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 159-169
Author(s):  
Janice Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Technical Skills ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
Team Working ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting

Project work forms a large part in work undertaken by graduates when they enter the workforce, so projects are used in higher education to prepare students for their working lives and to enable students to apply creativity in their studies as they present a solution to a problem, using technical skills they have learned in different units of study. Projects, both at work and in higher education, may be completed in teams, thus providing experience and the opportunity to develop team working skills. The team projects presented in this paper have been provided by external organisations, so that students work in a team on a real life problem, but with the support of their tutors, in the university setting. In this way the projects more closely resemble the sorts of problems they might encounter in the workplace, giving an experience that cannot be gained by working on tutor devised problems, because the teams have to communicate with an external client to analyse and solve an authentic problem. Over the three years that the Live Projects have been running, feedback indicates that the students gain employability skills from the projects, and the organisations involved develop links with the university and benefit from output from the projects. A number of suggestions for improving the administration of the Live Projects were suggested, such as providing clients with information on timescales and providing students with more guidance on managing the projects.

scholarly journals Are We Ready to Go Live with Our Team Projects?

10.28945/3482 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Technology Project ◽  
Working Lives ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
Team Working ◽  
Information Technology Project ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting

[The final form of this paper was published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology.] Project work forms a large part in work undertaken by graduates when they enter the workforce, so projects are used in higher education to prepare students for their working lives and to enable students to apply creativity in their studies as they present a solution to a problem, using technical skills they have learned in different units of study. Projects, both at work and in higher education, may be completed in teams, thus providing experience and the opportunity to develop team working skills. The team projects presented in this paper have been provided by external organisations, so that students work in a team on a real life problem, but with the support of their tutors, in the university setting. In this way the projects more closely resemble the sorts of problems they might encounter in the workplace, giving an experience that cannot be gained by working on tutor devised problems, because the teams have to communicate with an external client to analyse and solve an authentic problem. Over the three years that the Live Projects have been running, feedback indicates that the students gain employability skills from the projects, and the organisations involved develop links with the university and benefit from output from the projects. A number of suggestions for improving the administration of the Live Projects were suggested, such as providing clients with information on timescales and providing students with more guidance on managing the projects.

Sustained Engagement Experiences in Kinesiology: An Engaged Department Initiative

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-367
Author(s):  
Brian D. Clocksin ◽  
Margo B. Greicar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Real Life ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Life Problems ◽  
The University ◽  
High Impact Practice

Community engagement is commonly imbedded in the ethos of institutions of higher education and has been identified as a High Impact Practice for student learning and retention. The Sustained Engagement Experiences in Kinesiology (SEEK) program at the University of La Verne is a curriculum-wide approach that moves students through four stages of community engagement: Respect, Participating with Effort, Self-Directions, and Leadership. The stages are developmentally sequenced across the curriculum and provide opportunities for learners to move from passive participants to active engagement scholars. The engagement experiences serve to enhance students’ abilities to transfer what they learn in the classroom to real-life problems, foster an asset-based approach to community engagement, and facilitate a transition from surface-to deep-learning.

scholarly journals 8.2. ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ПРОБЛЕМ И ВОПРОСОВ УСТОЙЧИВОГО РАЗВИТИЯ В ЗАРУБЕЖНЫХ УНИВЕРСИТЕТАХ

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.Yu. Burtcevа ◽  
K.Yu. Burtcevа ◽  
K.Yu. Burtcevа
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
Real Life ◽  
High Quality Education ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The University ◽  
Foreign Universities

В исследовании рассмотрены подходы зарубежных университетов к устойчивому развитию, включающие цели устойчивого развития для обучения, проведения исследований и вовлечения общества, в Австралии, США и Бразилии. Представлены инициативы Мельбурнского университета по реализации концепции устойчивого развития, инициативы США, включающие в себя работу Ассоциации по продвижению устойчивости в высшем образовании (AASHE), программу STARS, инициативу по мобилизации постшкольных учреждений для решения экологической проблемы изменения климата (ACUPCC). В статье обоснованно, что университеты как места, где происходит большая часть исследований и обучение устойчивому развитию, должны выполнять не только образовательную и научную функции, но и выступать в качестве типовых учреждений примеров с точки зрения их собственной деятельности. Автором определено, что процессы устойчивого развития организаций, стран и общества следует начинать с создания высококачественного образования, подготовки надлежащих материалов для учащихся, формирования современных подходов к образованию с точки зрения устойчивой перспективы, создания учебных планов, связанных с современными проблемами, установления связи между образовательными программами и реальной жизнью. Проведенный в статье анализ зарубежной практики позволил предложить направления продвижения устойчивости в отечественном высшем образовании: обеспечение соблюдение принципов устойчивости в высшем образовании содействие институциональным усилиям по интеграции устойчивости в преподавании, исследованиях, взаимодействии с обществом поддержание всех инфраструктурных функций кампусов в достижении целей устойчивого развития расширение сотрудничества со всеми группами стейкхолдеров.In the article the approaches of the foreign universities to sustainable development including sustainable development goals for education, researches and involvement of society in Australia, the USA and Brazil are considered. Initiatives of the University of Melbourne of implementation of the concept of sustainable development, initiatives of the USA including work of Association on advance of stability in the higher education (AASHE), the STARS program, an initiative of mobilization of post-school institutions for the solution of an environmental problem of climate change (ACUPCC) are presented. In article it is reasonable that the universities as places where there is a most part of researches and education in sustainable development, have to perform not only educational and scientific functions, but also act as standard institutions - examples in terms of their own activity. By the author it is defined that processes of sustainable development of the organizations, the countries and society it is necessary to begin with creation of high-quality education, preparation of appropriate materials for pupils, formation of modern approaches to education in terms of steady prospect, creation of the curricula connected with modern problems, establishments of communication between educational programs and real life. The analysis of foreign practice which is carried out in article allowed to offer the directions of advance of stability in domestic higher education: providing respect for the principles of stability in the higher education assistance to institutional efforts on integration of stability in teaching, researches, interaction with society maintenance of all infrastructure functions of campuses in achievement of the goals of sustainable development expansion of cooperation with all groups of stakeholders.

K-12 Arts Pedagogies and Technology Use Transitioning into Higher Education

2015 ◽  
pp. 310-330
Author(s):  
Megan J McPherson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Significant Issue ◽  
Art And Design ◽  
Design Students ◽  
Education And Technology ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting

Art and design students' transitions in the university studio and their careers are now a significant issue in higher education. There is a more explicit articulation of the graduate capabilities that students now need to cultivate to become artist and designers. The author focuses on the transition into the university setting and the pedagogic relationship with the graduate capabilities of artists and designers and their portfolio careers as a way to contextualize art pedagogies and technology use in K-12 education. The author argues that supporting students' expectations and aspirations in their desires to become artists and designers is relational to graduate capabilities and the notion of a portfolio career. The author concludes by suggesting that the use of arts education and technology have a pivotal role in helping students develop transitioning skills, graduate capabilities and portfolio careers.

scholarly journals The Children’s Congress: A Benefit to All Levels of Schooling by Strengthening Computational Thinking

2020 ◽  
pp. 241-246
Author(s):  
Sara Hinterplattner ◽  
◽  
Jakob S. Skogø ◽  
Corinna Kröhn ◽  
Barbara Sabitzer
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Honors Students ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Johannes Kepler ◽  
Life Problems ◽  
The University

The Children’s Congress is an event, developed to meet a demand for strengthening computational thinking and to increase the interest in STEAM subjects. This congress brings teachers, university students and pupils together to work interdisciplinary on real-life problems. During these proceedings, the pupils slip into the role of researchers and scientists, supported by their teachers, university staff and university students. In every project team, at least one student from the Honors program of the Johannes Kepler University in Linz takes part. This support helps the pupils both in their projects and in their personal development, through mentoring by the talent students of the university. To find out more about these benefits and to improve the congress for the next years the Honors students were asked to give feedback after the congress. In these interviews, the Honors students described the Children’s Congress as a very inspiring and motivating project for all the participants. The results show that the students experienced a lot of appreciation through the work with the pupils, and that they faced many new challenges. They see many benefits for the pupils, starting from the increasing academical knowledge to skills like team- and time management. Furthermore, the benefit of getting used to computational thinking was described. Besides the advantages for the pupils, benefits for teachers were mentioned. Overall, the results show that the Children’s Congress successfully combines computational thinking, real-life problems, interdisciplinarity, project work and mentoring, benefitting all participants involved.

scholarly journals Building capabilities for higher education prior to entry

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-31
Author(s):  
Karen MacFarlane
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
First Generation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Participation In Higher Education ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting ◽  
The Capability Approach

Inequality of participation in higher education persists despite a wealth of research and interventions. This has led to calls to rethink what it means to be university ready , especially for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are first-generation students. This paper explores the efficacy of a unique widening participation model based on immersing learners in the university environment prior to entry to HE in Scotland. Data from interviews with 30 students who participated in the programme are mapped to Wilson-Equitable Transitions to University (2016) which is based on the Capability Approach. Capability theorists contend that an appropriate approach to widening participation would address what students need to be able to do and to be (their capabilities) to successfully make the transition to HE. Evidence from this study suggests that the experience of studying HE level qualifications within a university setting whilst still at school provides learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with the capabilities for an equitable transition to university. A key finding is that when capabilities for equitable transitions are fostered prior to entry, learners identify as university students. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge at the nexus of widening participation, transition and capabilities.

Assessment of Learning in Higher Education

2018 ◽  
pp. 196-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitra Fallahi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Learning Management Systems ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Essential Component ◽  
Assessment Of Learning ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
The University ◽  
Teaching In Higher Education

This chapter discusses that the goal of assessment, as a part of teaching, in higher education should be to prepare the learner for performing in real life as a professional. The learner should become a self-regulator and a self-evaluator. The instructor (faculty, supervisor, or mentor) at the university must understand that assessment is a process of coaching and assisting, not just approving students' achievement. Technology acquired by the universities in the form of learning management systems (LMS) can be used to provide feedback and assistance to a large number of students. The role of feedback is discussed as an essential component of assessment that would help students to reflect and learn. Rubrics must be used as a tool to provide feedback to students instead of just grading assignments.

The Englishisation of higher education, between naturalisation and resistance

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Cabral-Cardoso
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
English Language ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mind Set ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to shed additional light on the Englishisation process in higher education (HE), by exploring the contentious and divisive nature of language changes and the different ways in which individual academics experience that process and craft ways of resisting institutional attempts to naturalise the use of the English language in teaching and scholarly writing.Design/methodology/approachBased on a self-ethnographic insider study in a Portuguese university setting, the data were gathered from multiple sources and over an extended period of time and presented as stories selected as illustrative examples of resistance.FindingsThe Englishisation process goes beyond language issues and tends to be associated with increasing competitive pressures and the implementation of international standards that might challenge the cultural mind-set and long-established practices; by exacerbating old political divisions and tensions, the Englishisation process uncovers a confrontation between different visions of the role and nature of the university that seems to co-exist and compete in the same setting – the community of scholars and the market-led university.Originality/valueThe paper adds to the debate on the implications of the Englishisation process in HE showing that resistance to the growing use of the English language might not be about the language after all. It is the full package that comes with the Englishisation process that really seems to matter.

scholarly journals Ground Rules in Team Projects: Findings from a Prototype System to Support Students

10.28945/3300 ◽  
2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Project Work ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
Team Working ◽  
Student Teams ◽  
Limited Support ◽  
Team Project ◽  
Student Team

Student team project work in higher education is one of the best ways to develop team working skills at the same time as learning about the subject matter. As today’s students require the freedom to learn at times and places that better match their lifestyles, there is a need for any support for team project work to be also available online. Team working requires that the task roles as well as the maintenance roles are taken into consideration, in that social interactions are just as important as carrying out the tasks of the project. The literature indicates that groupware, whilst effective in supporting the task roles, provides limited support for the maintenance roles of team working in the work place. As groupware was not specifically designed for student team working, it provides limited support for maintenance roles in student team projects. Virtual learning environments similarly provide support for completing the task roles. Many researchers have found that students experience difficulties with their team project work that reduce the perceived benefits of working in a team. It is proposed that helping students to agree on ground rules at the start of a project will improve team cohesion. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a prototype system to help students to agree on ground rules as they start their team projects. The system was tested with teams of students carrying out information systems team projects, using an interpretive case study research approach. In this case the teams had the additional problem of being composed of students from across three years of their undergraduate degree programmes, so they did not always have prior knowledge of each other’s preferences. We were trying to establish how useful this software tool would be to these student teams, in starting their project work. The findings showed that some of the student teams did find the ground rules function useful, but the team leaders were the ones who most appreciated its potential. The students may use the outputs in very different ways, but even just looking at the ground rules appeared to get team members thinking about their expectations for team working. Student teams do not often start by thinking about norms, but this study shows a positive benefit of encouraging teams to agree on ground rules at the start of their projects.

scholarly journals Engaging sustainability good practice within the curriculum design and property portfolio in the Australian higher education sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Poon
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which universities’ strategic plans affect the level of incorporation of sustainability within the curriculum design and property portfolio. Design/methodology/approach This research adopted a case study approach. The case study institution was Deakin University in Australia. This paper used a qualitative research method. Desk-top study included the review of the University’s Strategic Plan, policy agenda on sustainability and the documents on sustainability courses and units. Semi-structured interviews were held with academics who have course development and management responsibility within the university, colleagues who have a sustainability-focused role on estate management and colleagues whose roles are to manage sustainability initiatives at the institution level. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Content analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Findings Despite the University having clear strategic aims and initiatives on the incorporation of sustainability within the curriculum design and property portfolio, there is disconnection between policy development and policy implementation. As a result, the incorporation of sustainability varies largely between curricula within the institution. The incorporation of sustainability within the property portfolio is clear and effective. However, within the curriculum, it is polarised. The level of incorporation depends on the nature of the course or unit and is largely driven by the initiatives of the individual academic. Good practice identified in the incorporation of sustainability within the curriculum is to use a problem-based approach supported by real life projects to enhance the students’ authentic learning experience. A good practice for successfully incorporating sustainability into the property portfolio is to have clear vision of what it has planned to achieve and to ensure that there is a balance between sustainability and value for money. Originality/value This is pioneering research to investigate the incorporation of sustainability into higher education in a more comprehensive way. This paper considered the impact of strategic planning on the incorporation of sustainability within a higher education, on both curriculum design and property portfolio management.

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