scholarly journals FACULTY & STUDENT RETENTION: KEEPING OUR HBCU-UDC ALIVE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arlene King-Berry ◽  
◽  
Carolene Eslyn Charles
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
National Crisis ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
Performance Based Assessment ◽  
New Perspective

There is a national crisis around recruiting and retaining students from HBCUs. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education surveyed 64 of 100 HBCUs and found that only five of the schools surveyed graduated more than 50 percent of their students. The statistics are startling because HBCUs, some of which date to Reconstruction in the South after the Civil War (widely accepted as the period from 1865 to 1877), ostensibly was designed to improve an underserved community. Despite the large number of freshmen admitted each year to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), a low number graduate (Tinto, 1993). It is, therefore, imperative that HBCUs implement strategies most likely to increase retention and persistence rates. When it comes to taking a closer look at pedagogy and practice in teaching, the COVID-19 Pandemic has created innovative environments for faculty to assess the students. The new perspective has many faculties utilizing evidence-based practices regarding performance-based assessment and other innovative techniques to assess students learning. Online teaching & learning and online assessment are likely to occupy a higher percentage of the future curriculum, which can be seen as a positive development for online learning. A correlation assumed that university faculty satisfaction and fair promotion could have a positive effect on student retention and engagement with a comprehensive analysis of these studies. It is paramount to consider that not only was fundamental student engagement found of tremendous relevance, but the literature is evident that student engagement during the entire higher education experience also leads to higher student retention rates and increased institutional commitment (Burke, 2019). This paper defines retention and persistence at HBCUs and presents the results of a systematic literature review that (a) identifies the challenges that impact student retention and persistence at HBCUs during the COVID-19 Pandemic and (b) delineates research-based practices/strategies recommended to address the academic, socio-emotional, and financial and health/wellness challenges of students attending HBCUs.

scholarly journals The Impact of Faculty Experience with Emergency Remote Teaching: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-23
Author(s):  
Maha Al-Freih
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this phenomenological study is to provide a deeper understanding of the impact of remote teaching on instructors’ perceptions of online learning and future teaching practices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze open-ended semi-structured interviews conducted with five higher education faculty in Saudi Arabia. Three major themes were identified: enhancing student engagement; increased awareness of technology affordances and constraints; and moving from emergency remote teaching to technology-enhanced and blended learning. Participants of this study were mainly concerned about finding ways to support active student engagement in this new learning environment, which in turn increased their awareness of the educational affordances and constraints of online learning and technologies. Participants’ deeper understanding of the potential of online technologies in supporting student learning, as well as their own and students’ increased familiarity and comfort with online learning and technologies, served as the main drivers for potential future implementation of blended learning and technology-enhanced teaching practices. With that said, participants were still apprehensive about engaging in fully online teaching, arguing that blended strategies and enhanced-technology integration are more likely to overcome some of the limitations of face-to-face teaching and improve the overall learning experience for their students. Discussion of these findings in relation to the extant literature and their implications for higher education institutions moving forward are provided.

Disrupting the College Classroom Experience

2022 ◽  
pp. 223-242
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Torres
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Technology Integration ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Real World ◽  
Technological Innovations ◽  
Classroom Experience ◽  
Academic Gains ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Technological Tools

This chapter provides readers an overview of the potential advantages and disadvantages of technology integration in higher education. As technological innovations continue to advance, faculty are provided ample opportunities to enrich their curriculum to further enhance student engagement and learning. Further, the inclusion of technology promotes student retention and provides them access to real-world content. Innovations in technology have resulted in a plethora of tools that can be incorporated into today's classrooms. However, faculty are often hesitant to integrate technological tools given security, accessibility, and access considerations. Further, faculty may perceive technology as disruptive to their classrooms resulting in distracted learners who experience lower academic gains.

scholarly journals Getting students engaged

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phil Race
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Student Survey ◽  
Education Experience ◽  
League Tables

We live and work in challenging times. Now that it seems certain (post Browne, 2010) that the fees students pay for their higher education experience will double (or worse), we can't be surprised that the emphasis on 'the student experience' of higher education will intensify. Whether students are saddling themselves with ever-increasing amounts of debt to afford that higher education experience, or whether it is parents who foot the bill, the spotlight continues to focus ever more sharply on student satisfaction, alongside all available measures of the quality of student engagement in higher education. We already have league tables in which the reflection of the student experience as gained from the National Student Survey features prominently. And with diminishing budgets for teaching, class sizes are likely to continue to grow - in those disciplines where higher education survives least scathed. So how can we meet the challenge of 'getting students engaged'?

scholarly journals E-teaching satisfaction in a black swan moment: the effect of student engagement and institutional support

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Firdaus Basbeth ◽  
Roselina Ahmad Saufi ◽  
Khaeruddin Bin Sudharmin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Institutional Support ◽  
Faculty Satisfaction ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Faculty Motivation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hygiene Factors

Purpose Assessing the impact of hygiene factors on faculty motivation and satisfaction in online teaching will advance the literature. It will especially demystify that both factors (hygiene factors and motivator) can cause job satisfaction in online education. The purpose of this paper is to firstly determine the level of faculty motivation and satisfaction in online teaching. Secondly, this study analyses the extent to which hygiene factors affect motivation and faculty satisfaction with online teaching. Design/methodology/approach The population of this study consists of university faculty in Indonesia and Malaysia. The sample is randomly chosen in 50 higher education institutions in Indonesia and Malaysia. The sample size is 206. The participants completed a survey, including perceived student engagement, institutional support, motivation, faculty satisfaction and demographical questions. To test the model, PLS-SEM was used using SmartPLS3 software. The hygiene factors construct was operationalized as a second-order construct consisting of first-order construct: student engagement and institutional support. Findings There were no statistically significant differences concerning institutional support and motivation by country of residence. However, there were significant differences in student engagement and faculty satisfaction by country residence. Concerning satisfaction and motivation, the most satisfied and motivated was the faculty member in Indonesia. Hygiene factors were found as the antecedent to faculty motivation and faculty motivation multiplying hygiene factors' effect on job satisfaction. The results showed that student engagement has the highest impact on faculty satisfaction, followed by motivation. Work motivation mediates the relationship between hygiene factors and faculty satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations; firstly, causal inferences are not warranted as the data is cross-sectional. However, a future direction is to analyse the causal relationship between the hygiene factors, and motivation factors on faculty satisfaction using a formative first-order construct through a longitudinal study. Secondly, the results’ generalizability is another limitation of this study because the sample comprised only Indonesia and Malaysia faculty across 51 higher education institution in big cities in the island of Java in Indonesia and Malaysia peninsular only; however, the factors determined in this study represent the job-related aspects taken from the literature and the researchers’ experiences; other parts influence faculty satisfaction with online teaching. Therefore, identifying other elements is a future path. Practical implications When managers aim at increasing faculty satisfaction, the priority should be given to improve the performance of indicators with the highest effect but a relatively low in performance. All of this implies that higher education institution first needs to find ways to increase motivation by rewarding faculty in many forms, and improve the quality of instruction. Secondly, implementing policies and make some decisions that require an investment such as providing a learning management system. Social implications Indonesia and Malaysia higher education institutions may ameliorate faculty satisfaction with online teaching in several ways. Firstly, before the online course begins, higher education institutions should attempt to have faculty believe teaching online is worthwhile and understand the institution itself also believes it is significant. Administer training for faculty, especially regarding increasing connections with and between students, gives faculty the time needed to design an online course and provide faculty with a course management system with multiple capabilities. Secondly, during the online course, higher education institutions should support technical issues and try to have faculty believe they have an accommodating work schedule and independence with the online course. Originality/value This research firstly contributes to the literature by establishing the relationship between hygiene factors and motivation, and hygiene factors and satisfaction, which did not exist according to the two-factor theory in the past. Secondly, the authors provide evidence of motivation constructs as a mediating variable. Thirdly, this study broadens the literature scope by including faculty in two countries (Indonesia and Malaysia). It includes faculty from 51 higher education systems (e.g. public and private four-year universities), incudes graduate school in seven big cities in two countries, Indonesia and Malaysia.

scholarly journals Supplemental Instruction: Understanding Academic Assistance in Underrepresented Groups

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Michelle Buchanan ◽  
Kathrene D Valentine ◽  
Michael Frizell
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Graduation Rates ◽  
Supplemental Instruction ◽  
Grade Point Averages ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Academic Assistance ◽  
Course Grades ◽  
Comparison Groups

Student retention rates are increasingly important in higher education. Higher education institutions have adopted various programs in the hopes of increasing graduation rates and grade point averages (GPAs). One of the most effective attempts at improvement has been the Supplemental Instruction (SI) program. We examined our SI program on three facets: attendance, attendance’s influence on final scores, and graduation rates for students who had participated in these courses. These questions were also investigated focusing on specific comparison groups, as we looked into how these effects differed for Minority students and nontraditional students, when compared to their White and traditional peers. Overall, SI attendance led to positive outcomes: increased final course grades and graduation rates, even after adjusting for previous achievement.

scholarly journals From Theory to Practice of Promoting Student Engagement in Business and Law-Related Disciplines: The Case of Undergraduate Economics Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Rabindra Nepal ◽  
Ann M. Rogerson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economics Education ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Undergraduate Economics

Higher education is experiencing a paradigm shift from passive learning towards active learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has further presented an opportunity for education providers to enhance teaching that includes non-campus modes. However, concerns regarding student engagement lie at the heart of the transition to active learning environments in the context of the increased demand for online education. Therefore, promoting student engagement has become an educational priority since greater student engagement translates into valued student experiences, higher academic performance, and increased retention rates. This paper semi-systematically reviews the literature on student engagement in undergraduate economics education. Close emphasis is also paid to the relationships between the direct measures of disengagement such as absenteeism on student performance in economics. The student engagement framework developed by Frederiks, Blumenfeld, and Paris (2004) is used to classify the dimensions of student engagement and the factors that influence the different dimensions of engagement. The literature reviewed is predominately occupied with behavioral aspects of engagement with little attention towards capturing the cognitive and emotional aspects of student engagement. Three key recommendations are noted from the study in order for business school educators and higher education policy makers to promote student engagement in economics education. Future research on student engagement in undergraduate business education should focus more on capturing the cognitive and emotional aspects of student engagement to inform policymaking in promoting student engagement.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Findings of the Saudi Research on Student Attrition in Higher Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Othman Aljohani
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
Academic Institution ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Tertiary Institutions

<p class="apa">This paper presents a comprehensive review of the available literature on student attrition in Saudi higher education context. Despite the reported low student retention rates in Saudi tertiary institutions, student attrition remains an under-researched phenomenon. Thus, this paper aims to trace and collect all the available studies that addressed the issue of low student retention in the Saudi in higher education and to present and analyse their findings. This will help in providing evidence and empirical data that give a clearer view of the problem and pave the way for the future researchers as well as allowing for suggestions towards more effective plans and solutions. The student attrition factors reported in the reviewed Saudi studies were classified under personal, academic, social and institutional categories. However, the students’ low academic abilities and institutional factors were the most common across all of the studies. These factors relate to students’ experiences with the administrative system of their academic institution, including the admission, registration and disciplinary rules and policies and the availability and quality of student services and facilities.</p>

scholarly journals A critical reflection on a research partnership

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Nick Zepke ◽  
Linda Leach
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Research Partnership ◽  
The Third ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
The Impact

This critical reflection asks what contributions a research partnership, active between 1997 and 2014, made to knowledge about student learning in higher education. It focuses on three overarching projects. The first, on assessment, addressed ways to empower students in assessment processes and make them fairer for students from diverse backgrounds. The second, on student retention and success, identified ways for students to integrate into higher education while also advocating that institutions adapt their cultures and practices to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds. The third, on student engagement, attracted considerable interest for a conceptual organiser of this complex construct. It included ten proposals for action and recognised the impact of non-institutional factors on engagement. It also found that engagement is best researched within institutions. A critical reflection on the influences of the projects suggests that their impact on assessment was negligible. However, the retention and engagement projects have influenced mainstream thinking.

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