scholarly journals Digitalizing Higher Education in Light of Sustainability and Rebound Effects—Surveys in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12912
Author(s):  
Marlen Gabriele Arnold ◽  
Alina Vogel ◽  
Martin Ulber
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
University Life ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
Digital Formats

The COVID-19 pandemic has focused attention not only on health and social issues, but on the issue of digital transformation as well. Within a very short time, universities had to convert their courses to digital formats and university life was reduced to a minimum. To shed light on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected universities, we investigated the following questions: How was this transformation accomplished? What advantages and disadvantages did it bring with it? How sustainable was this transformation? and What can the future of higher education look like? This study is based on the responses to two questionnaires for university staff and students conducted at the Chemnitz University of Technology between mid-July and September, 2020 (n = 369), and between February and March, 2021 (n = 252). Both questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. The results show wide variations in response to digital teaching and learning. Digital teaching and working/learning from home have brought both multiple benefits and multiple challenges at the same time. Working and learning from home was perceived as both enriching and overwhelming—even for the same individual. Respondents appreciated the flexibility associated with digital teaching, even though digital teaching was perceived as imposing excessive demands. This study reveals striking gaps in our knowledge and our actions linking digital transformation and sustainability and highlights how digital teaching can be further developed.

A CUSTOMISED FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE PODCAST INTEGRATION IN A SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-32
Author(s):  
Shane Pachagadu ◽  
Liezel Nel
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
African Higher Education ◽  
South African Higher Education ◽  
Effective Integration

Numerous studies have explored the potential of podcast integration in teaching and learning environments. This paper first presents and organises perspectives from literature in a conceptual framework for the effective integration of podcasting in higher education. An empirical study is then discussed in which the guidelines presented in the framework were evaluated for applicability in a selected course at a South African University of Technology. Since the results of the study revealed a number of aspects not accounted for in the conceptual framework, the framework was customised to make it more applicable for the particular higher education environment. The customised framework identifies four principles and a series of related guidelines for the effective integration of podcasts in a South African higher education teaching and learning environment. This framework can become a valuable resource for effective podcast integration in similar environments.

Conclusion

2019 ◽  
pp. 184-193
Author(s):  
Charlotte Baker ◽  
Rebecca J. Blankenship
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Learning Culture ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Higher Education Teaching

In this summary, authors Charlotte Baker and Rebecca Blankenship provide an overview of the cases and their impact on the overall DLI initiative. They also explore similar initiatives at other colleges and universities and how these technical transformations are changing the higher education teaching and learning culture. The authors examine the DLI in terms of other short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals as noted in the 2019 Horizon Report and how the DLI initiative can be used as a vehicle to actuate an ongoing culture of innovation and digital transformation in colleges and universities across the country.

Aspectual Analysis of Digital Transformation and New Academic Professionals

2021 ◽  
pp. 108-122
Author(s):  
Alaa Abdulrhman Alamoudi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Ict Implementation ◽  
Technological Tools ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Academic Professionals

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are currently developing a significant research interest in transferring from traditional to novel practices in teaching and learning through the use of modern technological tools and platforms. The integration of digital technologies in higher education has tended to focus on improving academic professionals in developing countries like Saudi Arabia. This chapter was driven by a desire to understand ICT implementation in higher education institutions (HEIs) by professionals using digital transformation in Saudi Arabia. This chapter discusses the implementation of digital transformation in teaching and learning at HEIs in Saudi Arabia. This aim is achieved throughout several objectives, beginning by reviewing the related literature and presenting theoretical frameworks. The literature review will provide the possibility of identifying the focal trends related to the topic.

Distance Education

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane A. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Learning Systems ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Virtual Universities

Technology-based distance education is emerging as an increasingly visible feature of post-secondary education in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, 1999). Educators have the opportunity to define, design, and manage effective and robust teaching and learning systems, programs, and courses. As distance learning becomes a serious alternative to the standard classroom environment, enormous opportunities and dilemmas present themselves for the players. This chapter examines the technology used in distance education; the type of student utilizing distance education; advantages and disadvantages for the student, the instructor, and the institution in the use of distance education; and the players involved—including higher education institutions, virtual universities, states, and consortia.

scholarly journals The Use of WhatsApp as An Educational Communication Tool in Higher Education: Experiences of Nursing Students in Kavango East, Namibia

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Vistolina Nuuyoma ◽  
Nkosenhle Jermaine Mhlope ◽  
Leonard Chihururu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Educational Communication ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Descriptive Phenomenology ◽  
School Of Nursing

WhatsApp is the most popular networking site used by most university students for general purposes, and as a communication, collaborative and transactional tool in the teaching and learning process. However, experiences of its use among university students as an educational communication tool in low and resource-constrained settings have not been explored. Following a qualitative, descriptive, phenomenology approach, this study described and explored nursing students’ experiences of the use of WhatsApp as an educational communication tool. Data were collected from 24 university nursing students who were conveniently sampled to participate in the focus group discussions; thereafter, data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Whittemore, Chase and Mandle’s primary criteria of validity in qualitative research, which include credibility, authenticity, criticality and integrity, were used to ensure the quality of the study. Ethical approval and permission were granted by the School of Nursing Research Ethics Committee. Informed consent was obtained from participants, and their anonymity and confidentiality were ensured. The findings revealed that WhatsApp is a beneficial communication tool but has effects on human behaviour. Moreover, connectivity and handset-related challenges were experienced by the students. Following these findings, it is concluded that WhatsApp is a suitable communication tool in higher education and in maintaining communities of practice among students and lecturers. Conversely, there is a need to educate students on mechanisms to mitigate its negative effects on human behaviours, such as disturbances, addiction, and lack of responses. Lastly, universities should consider partnering with network providers to improve connectivity among students and lecturers, as well as accessibility to affordable smartphones.

scholarly journals University 4.0: Model of University 4.0 Meeting the Development of Industry 4.0.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi My Loc ◽  
Hoang Si Tuong
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Education Technology ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Educational Organizations ◽  
Integrating Technology ◽  
Industrial Revolutions

The industry has different industrial revolutions leading to great fluctuations in all areas of life, especially in the field of education. Technology has become ubiquitous in educational organizations help meet the demands of improving, optimizing, and personalizing education. The ability to automate learner tracking becomes possible, at least in the assessment of learner's diligence and progress as well as their acquisition of knowledge and skills. Especially in the context of knowledge becoming increasingly heterogeneous and complex in today's learning environment. With constant innovation and development in today's teaching and learning, we need transform the paradigm of integrating technology into the teaching process to accommodate collaboration and coordination. In this article, we propose a solution integrating technology into higher education in the context of higher education 4.0. University 4.0 concept is inspired by the industry 4.0 model and applies this concept to higher education to better meet the increasing needs of learners. The article also focuses on presenting the context of the industrial revolution and the education revolution, especially the digital transformation in education from education 3.0 to education 4.0, the challenges facing university 4.0. proposed university model 4.0. It is an open, flexible and interconnected university model, with the aim of providing learners with professional capabilities to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0, creating a lifelong learning environment, according to specific conditions, individual needs, aspirations and preferences of learners.

scholarly journals An Introduction to Immersive Reality

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Cochrane ◽  
Helen Sissons
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mixed Reality ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Hype Cycle ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Assessment Time ◽  
Journalism Students

Immersive reality (XR) encompasses the spectrum of enhancing learning through augmented reality to virtual reality. Although there has been much hype around the transformative potential of AR and VR the adoption of these technologies in higher education learning environments has been limited (Cochrane, 2016). With a lack of models of how to integrate XR in higher education AR has fallen into the trough of disillusionment on the Gartner hype cycle for emerging technologies 2018, while VR is on the ‘slope of enlightenment’ (Daniel, 2018). In response, this workshop will provide participants with a hands on experience of creating their own simple immersive reality scenario using the web-based VR platform SeekBeak (https://seekbeak.com). The workshop is a generic version of a workshop run with Journalism students that introduced them to the concepts of immersive journalism practice and the implications for immersive storytelling (Sissons & Cochrane, 2019a, 2019b). The workshop will introduce participants to the state of the art of immersive journalism, and demonstrate a BYOD approach to user-generated virtual reality in higher education as a model of integrating authentic learning within the curriculum.   Schedule (100 mins) Introductions (5 min)

 Participant survey (5 min) Introduction to 360 video and VR (10 min) XR Journalism examples

 Demo of initial Media Centre VR https://seekbeak.com/v/kvPq47DpjAw (5 min)


 VR project development (60 min) Google Cardboard Headsets, using participants’ own smartphones Introduction to the Toolkit Participants create SeekBeak accounts Hands on with the 360 cameras 

 Participants choose a topic to work on as a mobile VR production team Sharing and review of participant projects(participants share SeekBeak links) (10 min) Reflections via brief SurveyMonkey survey, and sharing of project URLs and reflections via Twitter and the #SOTELNZ hashtag (5 min) END References   Cochrane, T. (2016). Mobile VR in Education: From the Fringe to the Mainstream. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning (IJMBL), 8(4), 45-61. doi:10.4018/IJMBL.2016100104 Daniel, E. (2018, 21 August 2018). Gartner hype cycle 2018: Mixed reality to overtake VR and AR. Retrieved from https://www.verdict.co.uk/gartner-hype-cycle-2018-mixed-reality/ Sissons, H., & Cochrane, T. (2019a, 22 November). Immersive Journalism: Playing with Virtual Reality. Paper presented at the AUT Teaching and Learning Conference: Authentic Assessment - Time to Get Real?, Auckland University of Technology. Sissons, H., & Cochrane, T. (2019b). Newsroom Production: XRJournalism Workshop. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/XRJournalism

Assessment and Grading in Music Courses

2020 ◽  
pp. 31-46
Author(s):  
Colleen M. Conway
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Music Teaching ◽  
Music Aptitude ◽  
Music Achievement ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Essay Tests

Chapter 2 provides a detailed overview of approaches to assessing music teaching and learning in a higher education setting. The chapter begins with a discussion of music aptitude versus music achievement and clarifies the differences between these constructs as well as between assessment and grading. Types of measures such as multiple choice, essay tests, and performance assessments are provided with discussion of advantages and disadvantages of each. A focus on reliability and validity if assessments is included and sample student-generated rubrics for various music courses are provided. Performance rubrics are provided as well. The chapter concludes with discussion of departmental level assessment.

A large-group peer mentoring programme in an under-resourced higher education environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-356
Author(s):  
Cindy Olivier ◽  
Catherine Burton
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Mentoring ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
University Life ◽  
Transition To Higher Education

PurposeThe transition from school to higher education is a complex process. Peer mentoring is often used by institutions to facilitate this process. The purpose of this research, which was conducted at a South African university, was to determine whether a peer mentoring programme, which involved a large number of students and a limited number of mentors, could successfully assist students to adapt to the academic and psychosocial demands of university life.Design/methodology/approachA sequential explanatory mixed method design was implemented. In the first phase, a questionnaire was used to collect data to establish participants' experience of the programme. The findings from the questionnaire were used to inform the qualitative phase, in which the participants' perceptions of the benefits of the mentor programme were further explored by means of group interviews. The qualitative data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that a structured peer mentoring programme, in which a mentor works with up to 70 mentees in a group setting, can be a useful tool to assist with students' transition to university. The research found that the peer mentoring programme contributed to the students' academic, social and personal integration into the higher education environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe perspectives of mentors and faculty were not included. No comparative study with students who did not participate in the programme was conducted.Practical implicationsThis research illustrates that it is possible to mentor large groups of disadvantaged and vulnerable students notwithstanding limited resources.Originality/valueIn contrast to the existing literature on peer mentoring in higher education, which focuses on one-on-one or small-group mentoring, this research suggests that peer mentoring of larger groups can also play an important role in assisting students to transition to higher education. The description of the programme and the benefits students derived from it offer other institutions with limited resources some ideas about how a peer mentoring programme can be implemented.

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