Developing a Gameful Approach as a Tool for Innovation and Teaching Quality in Higher Education

2022 ◽  
pp. 563-578
Author(s):  
Anna Sendra ◽  
Natàlia Lozano-Monterrubio ◽  
Jordi Prades-Tena ◽  
Juan Luis Gonzalo-Iglesia
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
Quality In Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

This paper introduces the results of applying a gameful approach based on six playful activities as a tool to improve the learning process in higher education. A total of 850 students from different courses of Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain) were involved in the study. The strategy was evaluated through a participant observation (active and passive) and mixed-methods surveys answered by the students. Results point out that most participants responded positively to the activities proposed. The reported levels of motivation and engagement also indicate the capabilities of this strategy as a method to enhance the learning experience of students. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges like the impact on working practices of teachers or the long-term engagement of gameful approaches requires additional research.

Developing a Gameful Approach as a Tool for Innovation and Teaching Quality in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66
Author(s):  
Anna Sendra ◽  
Natàlia Lozano-Monterrubio ◽  
Jordi Prades-Tena ◽  
Juan Luis Gonzalo-Iglesia
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
Quality In Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

This paper introduces the results of applying a gameful approach based on six playful activities as a tool to improve the learning process in higher education. A total of 850 students from different courses of Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Spain) were involved in the study. The strategy was evaluated through a participant observation (active and passive) and mixed-methods surveys answered by the students. Results point out that most participants responded positively to the activities proposed. The reported levels of motivation and engagement also indicate the capabilities of this strategy as a method to enhance the learning experience of students. Despite these positive outcomes, challenges like the impact on working practices of teachers or the long-term engagement of gameful approaches requires additional research.

Assessing teaching performance in higher education: a framework for continuous improvement

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Carlucci ◽  
Paolo Renna ◽  
Carmen Izzo ◽  
Giovanni Schiuma
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Control Chart ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Teaching Performance ◽  
Course Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Abc Analysis ◽  
Quality In Higher Education ◽  
Fuzzy Weights

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for the analysis of students’ ratings of teaching quality in higher education and the disclosure of risky issues undermining the quality of teaching and courses that require attention for continuous improvement. The framework integrates two decision-based methods: the standardized u-control chart and the ABC analysis using fuzzy weights. The control chart, using the students’ ratings, allows the identification of those courses requiring an improvement of teaching quality in the short-medium term. While the ABC analysis uses fuzzy weights to deal with the vagueness and uncertainty of students’ teaching evaluations and provides a risk map of the potential areas of teaching performances improvement in the long term. The proposed framework allows the identification of teaching and course quality aspects that need corrective actions in response to students’ criticisms in accordance with different levels of priority. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts two methods, commonly used in industrial applications, i.e. the u-control chart and ABC analysis. Combining the results of a literature review on teaching evaluation and the application of these two methods as building blocks for the assessment, a framework to detect potential risks reducing teaching quality in higher education is proposed. The application of the framework is shown through an action-based case study developed in an Italian public university. Findings The study proposes a framework that combines two methods, i.e. u-control chart and ABC analysis with fuzzy weights, to support the assessment of teaching and course quality. The framework is proposed as an assessment approach of the teaching performance in higher education with the purpose to continuously improve the quality of teaching and courses both in the short, medium and long term. Originality/value The study provides an original contribution to the understanding of how to analyze students’ evaluation of teaching performance in order to take proper and timely decisions on corrective actions in response to the need of continuously improving the level of teaching and course quality.

scholarly journals State of Mind Ireland-Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Evaluation of a Positive Mental Health Intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (15) ◽  
pp. 5530
Author(s):  
Niamh O’Brien ◽  
Martin Lawlor ◽  
Fiona Chambers ◽  
Wesley O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Education Student ◽  
State Of Mind ◽  
The Impact

Objective: This study evaluates the impact of the State of Mind Ireland-Higher Education (SOMI-HE) Mental Fitness intervention on student wellbeing, resilience, and physical activity (PA) participation. Design: A mixed-methods research design, comprising of a self-report questionnaire, and semi-structured focus group interviews at pre, post and follow-up phases were employed. Participants were a sample of 134 higher education students (29% male: 71% female; mean age range 18 to 25 years old). The quantitative outcome measures of wellbeing, resilience and PA data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0, (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) with appropriate statistical analysis. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis to capture the long-term outcomes and impact of the intervention. Results: The results indicate a significant intervention effect on participants’ wellbeing (t (120) = −4.27, p < 0.001), PA levels (t (126) = 3.91, p < 0.001) and motivational readiness for exercise change (χ2 (1, n = 131) = 6.9, p < 0.009 (2–sided). Qualitative findings suggest a sustained long-term increase in PA and resilience skills for positive mental health, and reduced stigma and barriers to positive mental health. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the SOMI-HE evidence-based intervention, and beneficial outcomes of a salutary approach to higher education student mental health.

The Impact of Web 2.0 Technologies on the Learning Experience of Students in Higher Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afaf Mubarak Bugawa ◽  
Andri Mirzal
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Traditional Classrooms ◽  
Web 2.0 Technologies ◽  
The Impact

This article describes how the use of Web 2.0 technologies in the field of learning is on the rise. By their nature, Web 2.0 technologies increase the interactivity between users where interactivity is considered to be a key to success in traditional classrooms. This article reviews recent studies in the field of Web 2.0 technologies for learning and their impacts on the learning experiences and investigates relationship between Web 2.0 technologies and pedagogy in higher education on student learning. Key findings about the impacts of using social networks like Facebook, Twitter, blogs and wikis on learning experiences are also discussed. Web 2.0 technologies' characteristics and the rationale of Web 2.0 technologies in learning will also be explored.

scholarly journals KUALITAS PELAYANAN SEKOLAH TTERHADAP KEPUASAN MAHASISWA DAN PENCIPTAAN BRAND IMAGE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lusiah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
High School ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Good Service ◽  
Good Image ◽  
New Students ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

The development of higher education in Indonesia is increasingly evident. It is characterized by many private colleges are spread all over Indonesia. But in recent years the government did not give permission to those who want to establish a college. One reason is the government not only menginginkankan development in terms of quantity alone, but must be accompanied by good quality of any existing college.The number of colleges that exist today is already growing its own competition. The high level of competition among private universities is happening now requires every college has the right strategy to attract the interest of new students. Each college offers the advantages of each. However, not all universities have a particular brand image compared with other universities.One of the determining factors of brand image is the satisfaction of its customers. While satisfaction itself arises as a result of service perceived by the customer.College is not only required to provide a good quality education, but they also must be able to provide good service to students as well. Good service is expected to provide satisfaction for students. Of course in the long term, the impact of satisfaction that will form a good image for the college concerned anyway.STIE IBBI Medan is one of the private high school that has a good image in the city of Medan. However, STIE IBBI still have to further improve the quality of services provided to students. It is necessary to maintain the good image that has been owned STIE IBBI today.The plan of the research will be conducted in STIE IBBI Medan. The population is all students STIE IBBI. The long term goal of this research is to STIE IBBI to increase public confidence in higher education that will take in high school applying good quality excellent service. Expected from the results of this study, STIE IBBI can also implement appropriate marketing strategies to improve the quality of service to students. In addition, the results of this research can be a good reference for prospective new students who will pursue higher education in the STIE IBBI Medan.

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.

scholarly journals Using interactive technologies and distance learning in sustainable education

2021 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 07003
Author(s):  
Anna Rybakova ◽  
Aleksandra Shcheglova ◽  
Denis Bogatov ◽  
Liudmila Alieva
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Interactive Technologies ◽  
Sustainable Education ◽  
The Impact

This paper focuses on the use of interactive technologies and distance learning in sustainable education. It discusses how remote learning technologies can positively influence students’ learning and entry in sustainable education. The paper looks at the use of distance learning in higher education as a means to help students in the built environment and its use within the education system. It studies and expands the theoretical research on the benefits of distance learning, where the study is remote and there is no personal contact with staff or students, and examines the impact of distance learning on the student’s learning experience. It also proposes and evaluates potential solutions to overcome the barriers to learning in the built environment and create successful virtual learning communities, recognising that such improvements must be reconciled with the primary benefits identified. The paper provides an overview of sustainable distance learning within higher education and discusses the differences between learning outside the structural environment of a profession, what it means for the student’s learning experience and the potential to overcome barriers to distance learning. This is a very timely topic in the times of COVID-10 pandemic. Lockdowns of the economy and social life impacted all spheres of education with schools and universities closed for long periods of time and all teaching moved to online and distance mode. However, coronavirus pandemic also brought the digital surge in the system of education, including the sustainable education. All these innovations might stay after the pandemic and help the education to evolve and to embrace more novel trends and technologies.

scholarly journals Beyond novelty effect: a mixed-methods exploration into the motivation for long-term activity tracker use

JAMIA Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Shin ◽  
Yuanyuan Feng ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Jarrahi ◽  
Nicci Gafinowitz
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
Novelty Effect ◽  
Activity Tracker ◽  
Monitoring Technologies ◽  
Daily Physical Activities ◽  
Short Time ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives Activity trackers hold the promise to support people in managing their health through quantified measurements about their daily physical activities. Monitoring personal health with quantified activity tracker-generated data provides patients with an opportunity to self-manage their health. Many have been conducted within short-time frames; makes it difficult to discover the impact of the activity tracker’s novelty effect or the reasons for the device’s long-term use. This study explores the impact of novelty effect on activity tracker adoption and the motivation for sustained use beyond the novelty period. Materials and methods This study uses a mixed-methods approach that combines both quantitative activity tracker log analysis and qualitative one-on-one interviews to develop a deeper behavioral understanding of 23 Fitbit device users who used their trackers for at least 2 months (range of use = 69–1073 days). Results Log data from users’ Fitbit devices revealed 2 stages: the novelty period and the long-term use period. The novelty period for Fitbit users in this study was approximately 3 months, during which they might have discontinued using their devices. Discussion The qualitative interview data identified various factors that users to continuously use the Fitbit devices in different stages. The discussion of these results provides design implications to guide future development of activity tracking technology. Conclusion This study reveals important dynamics emerging over long-term activity tracker use, contributes new knowledge to consumer health informatics and human-computer interaction, and offers design implications to guide future development of similar health-monitoring technologies that better account for long-term use in support of patient care and health self-management.

Knowledge Management Trends

2011 ◽  
pp. 3475-3483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Petrides ◽  
Lilly Ngyuen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Business Sector ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Systemwide Change

While the pressure of public accountability has placed increasing pressure on higher education institutions to provide information regarding critical outcomes, this chapter describes how knowledge management (KM) can be used by educational institutions to gain a more comprehensive, integrative, and reflexive understanding of the impact of information on their organizations. The practice of KM, initially derived from theory and practice in the business sector, has typically been used to address isolated data and information transfer, rather than actual systemwide change. However, higher education institutions should not simply appropriate KM strategies and practices as they have appeared in the business sector. Instead, higher education institutions should use KM to focus on long-term, organization-wide strategies.

Service quality in higher education institutions: qualitative evidence from the students’ perspectives using Maslow hierarchy of needs

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jawad Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Deductive Reasoning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Hierarchy Of Needs ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Quality In Higher Education

Purpose Higher education institutions (HEIs) are responsible for training and transforming the students into valuable resources. Although students are believed to be the principal stakeholders in HEIs, limited research studies are available on service quality (SQ) in HEIs from students’ perspectives. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the factors, which constitute SQ in HEIs, specifically from students’ perspective, as existing literature on this topic is either from management and general perspective or is time dated. Design/methodology/approach The current study contributes by reviewing qualitative responses received through interviews and focus groups session with 43 students from 3 Turkey-based private HEIs. Data was collected from 43 students through 26 individual interviews and 3 focus group sessions and was analyzed through deductive reasoning using narrative and framework analysis with open coding. Findings The analysis of data indicated six main themes, specifically: teaching quality, facilities, support staff quality, employability links, safety and security and extra-curricular activities as indicators of SQ from students’ perspective. The findings of the study strongly comply with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and take steps by identifying employability and safety and security as new emerging indicators of the existing literature of SQ in HEIs. Originality/value The existing literature lacks to provide qualitative data on SQ in HEIs from students’ perspectives in Asian countries, particularly, in Turkey, the place of current research. The findings of the present research provide valuable insights to HEIs’ management to understand students’ perceptions of SQ, their expectations and experiences.

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