scholarly journals Neo-liberalism and Institutionalism in the Short Life of TechBC

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Hendrigan
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Corporate Governance Structure ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
University Experience ◽  
Oral History Interviews ◽  
The University

The Technical University of British Columbia (1999–2002) has received scant attention in the scholarly literature since it was folded into Simon Fraser University and became SFU’s Surrey branch campus. This article uses neo-liberal and institutional theory to understand the university’s economic mandate and the motivations of the staff and faculty who worked there. TechBC’s legislation and oral history interviews reveal neo-liberal influence in its purpose as an economic driver of the province, academic programs intended to satisfy the high-technology labour market, willingness to collaborate with industry, corporate governance structure, and reduced government funding support. TechBC employees were drawn to working at a start-up university, building an interdisciplinary curriculum, and employing new online teaching and learning methods. TechBC’s institutional logic of non-conformity and its aspirations to transform the university experience accounts for its community’s positive memories of the short-lived university.RésuméL’Université technique de Colombie-Britannique (1999-2002) a reçu peu d’attention dans la littérature académique depuis son incorporation à l’Université Simon Fraser où elle est devenue le Campus Surrey. Cet article utilise la théorie néolibérale et institutionnelle pour comprendre le mandat économique de l’université ainsi que les motivations du personnel et des professeurs qui y ont travaillé. Les statuts de TechBC et les entrevues en histoire orale révèlent une influence néolibérale dans sa mission comme moteur économique de la province, dans les programmes universitaires destinés à satisfaire le marché du travail de haute technologie, dans la volonté de collaborer avec l’industrie, ainsi que dans la structure de gouvernance corporative et le soutien financier limité du gouvernement. Les employés de TechBC ont été incités à travailler dans une nouvelle université, à développer un programme d’études interdisciplinaire et à utiliser de nouvelles méthodes d’enseignement et d’apprentissage en ligne. La logique institutionnelle de non-conformité de TechBC et ses aspirations à transformer l’expérience universitaire expliquent le souvenir positif de sa communauté envers l’université éphémère. 

scholarly journals An Overview of Chemistry Teaching Transformation during COVID-19 Pandemic: An Experience from University of Botswana

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Girija S. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Mechanisms ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Chemistry Teaching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
University Of Botswana ◽  
National University ◽  
The University ◽  
Teaching Transformation

COVID-19-related disruption in teaching in the University of Botswana led the school to prepare new strategies for running classes and to design innovative way of instruction.  The most notable change was to replace face-to-face lectures with online teaching at least partially (blended teaching and learning). This posed many challenges, especially in the teaching of science and technology subjects. In a laboratory-based discipline such as chemistry the problems encountered were especially daunting.  Moreover, writing mathematical equations, chemical reactions and reaction mechanisms posed their own difficulties.  The present communication provides a brief overview of how chemistry education at the University, the premier national university of Botswana, has been transformed during the last three semesters.  It is based on experience of the author and as judged by the feed-back received from colleagues and the students. Admittedly, the experience is limited and much discussion is still in progress to meet the unresolved challenges. Theory classes at undergraduate levels are now mostly taught online using packages such as Moodle and MS Teams. The tutorial and laboratory sessions have faced the greatest disruptions and the instructors continue to explore ways to conduct these virtually.  Online examinations were found to be limited in their effectiveness, especially in the assessment of drawing chemical structure and reaction mechanisms as well as the students’ ability in scientific writing.

Learning Analytics as a Tool for Planning, Evaluating, and Improving a SMOOC for Teacher Professional Development

2021 ◽  
pp. 170-189
Author(s):  
Cristine Martins Gomes de Gusmão ◽  
Josiane Lemos Machiavelli ◽  
Patricia Smith Cavalcante
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Educational Culture ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University

This chapter describes how a public university has met the challenge of changing inside the educational culture and preparing its teachers to manage online teaching-learning processes using learning analytics to contribute to the design, evaluation, and improvement of SMOOC. From the results obtained with a survey answered by the teachers, a twenty-hour class SMOOC was developed that focuses on instrumental aspects of digital technological resources in the teaching and learning contexts, as well as in the pedagogical issues, which concern the appropriate use of digital technologies. The findings of this research demonstrate that the SMOOC has been able to meet the teacher training needs, which are changing the way they work since remote education has been the viable alternative to guarantee the functioning of the university in the coronavirus pandemic period. However, it is believed that the knowledge that teachers are acquiring will contribute to changes in professional practice even post-pandemic.

Like It

2016 ◽  
pp. 426-445
Author(s):  
Mary Leigh Morbey ◽  
Farhad Mordechai Sabeti ◽  
Michelle Sengara
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
New Media ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Effective Inclusion ◽  
University Experience ◽  
The University

Social networking environments have become a ubiquitous part of the university experience. Accordingly, postsecondary institutions have started to consider the role that social networking can play in teaching and learning across academic disciplines. This case study documents findings from a 2012-2013 mixed-methods data collection in six graduate and undergraduate Digital Literacies and New Media Literacies courses at a major Canadian comprehensive university. It examines the pedagogical implications of adapting the Facebook platform for online collaboration and multimedia learning in blended courses, and offers a model of Facebook implementation for engineering and architecture education. Questions guiding the research ask: What is gained pedagogically through the use of Facebook in higher education courses? What are the pedagogical challenges encountered, and how might these be addressed? Suggestions based on observed trends are offered for the effective inclusion of Facebook as a beneficial pedagogical component in the design of e-learning platforms for higher education.

scholarly journals Quarantined, Sequestered, Closed: Theorising Academic Bodies Under Covid-19 Lockdown

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 791-811
Author(s):  
Lesley Gourlay
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Black Death ◽  
Spatial Practices ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
The University ◽  
Uk Higher Education

Abstract The term ‘quarantine’ is derived from the Italian quarantena, from quaranta, referring to the forty days of isolation traditionally imposed during the era of the Black Death in Europe. This paper examines this and related contemporary terms, in order to consider the complex and contradictory nature of enforced sites of isolation, with reference to the historical literature. The centrality of spatial practices in the current pandemic is emphasised, with a focus on the normally unobserved, micro practices of individuals under ‘lockdown’. The paper reports on an interview study conducted at a large UK Higher Education institution during the Covid-19 ‘lockdown’, and analyses the accounts of six academics, focusing particularly on their embodied and sociomaterial practices, with reference to the etymological analysis. The paper considers the extent to which their reported experiences reflect the various meanings of the term sequestrato, going on to propose that their working practices, particularly focused on screens and video calls, are characterised by a need to ‘perform the university’. I speculate on how the ontological nature of the university itself has been fundamentally altered by the closure of the campus and lockdown, proposing that the site of the university is now radically dispersed across these sequestered bodies. I conclude by calling into the question the accuracy of the term ‘online teaching and learning’, instead suggesting that in a fundamental sense, none of these practices is in fact ‘online’ or digital.

Teaching interpreting online for the Translation and Interpreting Degree at the University of Vic

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-182
Author(s):  
María Perramon ◽  
Xus Ugarte
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Teaching Resources ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
University Degree ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year

Abstract At a time when the advances in information and communication technologies meant that new approaches to virtual teaching and learning could be proposed, the teaching staff on the degree in Translation and Interpreting at UVic decided to offer part of the degree in distance learning mode. This learning mode was launched in the 2001–2002 academic year, with optional face-to-face teaching sessions some Saturdays and coexisted with the traditional face-to-face courses. During the first years, the fourth-year interpreting specialisation subjects were not taught online for technical and pedagogical reasons. Since the 2014-2015 academic year, we also teach these subjects online. The challenge that we face starting the 2017-2018 academic year is twofold: 1. To adapt the online teaching of interpreting subjects to groups with a high number of students in the new Inter-university Degree in Translation, Interpreting and Applied Languages jointly offered by the University of Vic and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). 2. To adapt the contents and methodology of interpreting subjects to changes in professional practice: telephone and videoconference interpreting, especially in liaison interpreting. In our paper, we will show some online teaching resources, as well as several online tools which we use in our courses.

scholarly journals Mobile in learning: Enhancement of information and communication technologies

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2.6) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jossy P George ◽  
Vinay M
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Central System ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Digital Book ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University

The technological advancement in the world has changed the people’s life. The people view point towards the usage of technologies in different fields like business, tourism, communication, education etc. has changed. Mobile learning can give flexible learning environment for the user. It can also increase the participant number in the online teaching learning process. This paper discusses about the effectiveness of the current technologies used in higher education system. It profiles the advantages of using mobile in accessing the university central system for teaching and learning. It also discusses about mobile digital book with augmentation, which can be used to improve the teaching and learning process of the different departments in the university

scholarly journals Participation, inclusion, and success in emergency remote online teaching and learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 132-136
Author(s):  
Sandra Healy
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Computer Usage ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Patterns ◽  
The University ◽  
Interactional Patterns

Covid-19 affected educational institutions worldwide, and many moved online engaging in Emergency Remote Teaching and Learning (ERTL). It had a particular impact in Japan due to the low levels of computer usage in Japanese educational institutions and a reliance on traditional methods. This study uses semi-structured interviews with five participants to explore their perceptions of the move to online learning in a Japanese university context. Four factors emerged as significant: participants’ experiences prior to entering university; the importance of Social Networking Systems (SNS) in the process of becoming part of the university academic community; changes in spoken interactional patterns; and changes in learning patterns. It was found that the disruption due to ERTL led to fresh ways to learn and promoted an inclusive environment.

scholarly journals My.monash: Supporting students and staff in teaching, learning and administration

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Kennedy ◽  
Len Webster ◽  
Robyn Benson ◽  
Di James ◽  
Nathan Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Extreme Programming ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Learning Programs ◽  
Innovative Learning ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Collaborative Activities ◽  
Key Resources ◽  
The University

The my.monash Portal (Portal) provides a virtual gateway to support student centred flexible learning by coordinating many of the university’s key resources to meet the needs of students and staff. The Portal is intended to help deliver innovative learning programs, foster opportunities to undertake research, increase flexibility of access to resources and services, support asynchronous approaches to teaching and learning, and allow online teaching and learning environments to be more responsive to changing student needs. In essence, it is part of a recent movement in higher education towards providing more complete, holistic online environments for students and staff by converging a number of technologies. The project has been developed with an innovative software design model (extreme programming) that involves rapid prototyping, in which iterative and continuous evaluation by staff and students is used to inform all aspects of the project’s design and development. This has resulted in significant collaborative activities across a wide cross section of the university community. The paper will address each of these aspects in turn, concluding with the results of the evaluation processes and future directions for the development of the Portal.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Study of Faculty Responses to Teaching during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Creating a Culture of Support

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. p67
Author(s):  
Paula Smith-Hawkins
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research University ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Faculty Work ◽  
Course Materials ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
The University ◽  
Hybrid Learning Environment

This study examines the online teaching and learning experience of twenty-one (21) faculty members at a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) research university from the initial campus closure of the university in February 2020 in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, through the end of Fall 2020 semester. The methodology entailed one-on-one interviews with instructors, reviews of the course materials in the Learning Management System, and the examination of email and videoconferencing exchanges. Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction and the Quality Matters Rubric guidelines for instructional design framed the methodology. This study finds that faculty benefitted from close connections with colleagues and continuous institutional support during the pivot to emergency remote teaching and into a hybrid learning environment. These two factors – collegial connections and university resources – were crucial in sustaining faculty work during the period of this study.

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