scholarly journals Practical Measures for Institutional Program Reviews: A Case Study of a Small Post-Secondary Institution

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-71
Author(s):  
John Jayachandran ◽  
Colin Neufeldt ◽  
Elizabeth Smythe ◽  
Oliver Franke
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Program Review ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Educational Effectiveness ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Post Secondary Institution ◽  
Improving Teaching And Learning ◽  
Program Reviews

Post-secondary institutions carry out cyclical program reviews (CPRs) to assess educational effectiveness. CPRs often use both qualitative and quantitative data analyses with the aim of improving teaching and learning. Though most of the CPR review studies identify various factors for this purpose, they fail to identify measures/indicators that are relevant and practical for the institutional decision-making process. Our main objectives for this article are two-fold: first, we identify and list variables that are measurable and sort theminto clusters/groups that are relevant to all programs, and second, we critically assess the relevance of these indicators to program review in a small-sized, post-secondary institution.

scholarly journals Practical Measures for Institutional Program Reviews: A Case Study of a Small Post-Secondary Institution

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-71
Author(s):  
John Jayachandran ◽  
Colin Neufeldt ◽  
Elizabeth Smythe ◽  
Oliver Franke
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Program Review ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Educational Effectiveness ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Post Secondary Institution ◽  
Improving Teaching And Learning ◽  
Program Reviews

Post-secondary institutions carry out cyclical program reviews (CPRs) to assess educational effectiveness. CPRs often use both qualitative and quantitative data analyses with the aim of improving teaching and learning. Though most of the CPR review studies identify various factors for this purpose, they fail to identify measures/indicators that are relevant and practical for the institutional decision-making process. Our main objectives for this article are two-fold: first, we identify and list variables that are measurable and sort them into clusters/groups that are relevant to all programs, and second, we critically assess the relevance of these indicators to program review in a small-sized, post-secondary institution.

scholarly journals Aligning accreditation and academic program reviews: a Canadian case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Bowker
Keyword(s):  
Professional Associations ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Academic Units ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Program Reviews

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential benefits and limitations associated with aligning accreditation and academic program reviews in post-secondary institutions, using a descriptive case study approach. Design/methodology/approach The paper describes two Canadian graduate programs that are subject to both external professional accreditation and institutional cyclical reviews, as they underwent an aligned review. The process was developed as a collaborative effort between the academic units, the professional associations and the university’s graduate-level quality assurance office. For each program, a single self-study was developed, a single review panel was constituted, and a single site visit was conducted. The merits and challenges posed by the alignment process are discussed. Findings Initial feedback from the academic units suggests that the alignment of accreditation and program reviews is perceived as reducing the burden on programs with regard to the time and effort invested by faculty, staff and other stakeholders, as well as in terms of financial expenses. Based on this feedback, along with input from reviewers and program evaluation committee members, 14 recommendations emerged for ways in which an aligned review process can be set up for success. Practical implications The results suggest that aligned reviews are not only resource-efficient but also allow reviewers to provide more holistic feedback that faculty may be more willing to engage with for program enhancement. Originality/value The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge about conducting aligned reviews in response to external accreditation requirements or institutional needs. It summarizes the potential benefits and limitations and offers recommendations for potential best practices for carrying out aligned reviews for policymakers and practitioners.

scholarly journals Classroom assemblage: the vibrant setting of the schooling process

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 580
Author(s):  
Paula Cristina Lameu
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
The Social ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Social Realm ◽  
Schooling Process ◽  
Matter Energy

Some scholars and researchers have been claiming we are in a New Materialist and Posthumanist era. It means that for the ones who are researching in Social Sciences, the focus is not only the human as the centre and the cause of what happens in the social realm. For human, nonhuman and inhuman are attributed the same importance in research once all of them are components of reality, inserted in nature.Reality is regarded as complex, not simple straightforward isolated cause and effect processes. This is how the classroom is supposed to be observed in educational research: not only teaching and learning, but these two processes and policy making, and identity construction, and emotional flows, and curriculum, and schooling, and…, and…The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the complexity of the classroom environment regarded as an assemblage. The hypothesis is that all the components of the assemblage are equally vital, although some components are more vibratory than others. The theory of Vitalism from Driesch (1914) and the Vital Materialism from Bennett (2010a, 2010b) are used as the theoretical tools for analysis. Assemblage Ethnography (YOUDELL, 2015; YOUDELL and MCGIMPSEY, 2015) is the methodology of data collection. A multiple case study was developed in three different schools in United Kingdom: one Primary, one Secondary and one Post-secondary. The results suggest that teacher and students are the components who most influence on the classroom assemblage composition, decomposition and recomposition orienting the flows of matter-energy once they are change-creating agents.

scholarly journals At the threshold: A case study of a partnership between a student organization and an educational development center

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie DeLane Doktor ◽  
Dorothe Bach ◽  
Sophia Abbot ◽  
Jacob Hardin
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Development ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Threshold Concepts ◽  
Student Organization ◽  
Development Unit ◽  
Development Center ◽  
Role Confusion ◽  
Improving Teaching And Learning

This article offers a case study about the collaboration between a student-led organization and an academic development unit dedicated to improving teaching and learning at [Institution 2]. We describe the genesis of our collaboration, how we nurtured and developed it over time into a substantive program, and what we learned in the process. While most existing case studies focus on partnerships between students and faculty, we turn the lens inward and investigate the challenges involved in enacting an “ethic of reciprocity” (Cook-Sather and Felten, 2017) in a partnership between an academic development center and a student organization.  Using the analytical framework of threshold concepts, we explore the rocky navigating of issues of trust, vulnerability, role confusion, the notion of expertise, and pre-existing power inequalities to move towards a more collaborative and equitable partnership.

scholarly journals Reporting Unwanted Sexual Behaviour at a Post-Secondary Institution: Student Understandings of Campus Policy

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-242
Author(s):  
Lindsay Ostridge ◽  
Christopher D. O'Connor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Campus Policy ◽  
Reporting Process ◽  
Commuter University ◽  
Post Secondary Institution ◽  
Student Input

The Ontario government recently mandated all universities and colleges in Ontario, Canada to create a sexual violence policy that involves student input. Using a small commuter university in southwestern Ontario as a case study, this article examined student perceptions of an existing university sexual violence policy. More specifically, we conducted online qualitative research with seventeen students using an open-ended inductive, exploratory instrument. We asked students to read and define aspects of their university’s sexual violence policy in their own words. The objective of this research was to examine if students adequately comprehended the language of the policy, how to report, who to report to, feel safe reporting, and whether or not they find the reporting process supportive of their needs. Also discussed are student recommendations for what they would like to see in university sexual violence policies.  

scholarly journals Responsive BScN Programming at Nipissing University: The Continuing Education of Ontario Nurses

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Fitzgerald ◽  
Beverley Beattie ◽  
Lorraine Carter ◽  
Wenda Caswell
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Continuing Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Online Technologies ◽  
Post Secondary Institution ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Face To Face Learning

Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario, is currently the only post- secondary institution in that province to offer a part-time Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BScN) program for Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) through a blended learning model. This program represents a “bridge” from the nurse’s college diploma and offers a curriculum that enables students to continue to practice nursing as they study. Since the program’s inception in 2010, over 500 students have been admitted, attesting to its need. Flexibility, access, partnership, and excellence in teaching and learning comprise the heart of this complex, innovative, and student-centred program. As a blended learning program, it uses synchronous and asynchronous online technologies to deliver theoretical content; these experiences are balanced with face-to-face learning in the clinical setting. Clinical learning is facilitated through partnership agreements with the students’ employers.This paper describes how this RPN to BScN blended learning program has brought Nipissing to a leading edge in continuing education for RPNs. It also demonstrates Nipissing University’s commitment to drive change in the world of professional and adult education. 

scholarly journals Towards a more meaningful involvement of librarians in academic program reviews

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Bowker
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Review Process ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Corpus Analysis ◽  
Program Review ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Empirical Measures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Program Reviews

Purpose Using a descriptive case study approach, this paper aims to validate academic librarians’ perceptions that they are marginalized by faculty during academic program reviews, and recommends ways for the two groups to collaborate more effectively to make program reviews more meaningful. Design/methodology/approach The paper describes a case study at a Canadian university where the six types of documents produced as part of the program review process for ten graduate programs were analyzed using corpus analysis tools and techniques, such as keyword generation and key word in context analysis. For each program, documents were examined to determine the volume and nature of the discussion involving libraries in the self-study, library report annex, site visit itinerary, external reviewers’ report, academic program’s response and final assessment report. Findings The empirical evidence from the corpus analysis validates the findings of previous perception-based studies and confirms that librarians currently have a minor role in program reviews. Best practices and gaps emerged, prompting five recommendations for ways in which academic librarians can play a more meaningful role in the program review process. Practical implications The results suggest that programs are not currently putting their best foot forward during program reviews, but this could be improved by including librarians more fully in the program review process. Originality/value The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge about the role of academic librarians in the program review process by providing direct and empirical measures to triangulate previous perception-based investigations that rely on surveys and interviews. It summarizes limitations of the current institutional quality assurance process and the benefits to be gained by involving librarians more in the process. It offers recommendations for policymakers and practitioners with regard to potential best practices for facilitating librarian involvement in academic program reviews.

scholarly journals Aplicação do Jogo Digital Code Combat no Ensino de Programação aos Alunos do Curso Médio Técnico em Informática

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-116
Author(s):  
Leandro Santos Passos ◽  
Jonathan Willian Zangeski Novais ◽  
Louyse Siqueira da Silva Varella ◽  
Allan Gonçalves De Oliveira ◽  
Dahiane dos Santos Oliveira Zangeski
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Digital Game ◽  
Digital Code ◽  
Digital Gaming ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Learning Programming

O estudo compreendeu a aplicação do jogo digital Code Combat, em sala de aula, com o intuito de verificar como os alunos interagiam com esse jogo visando o aprendizado de programação.  A programação é muito importante para o tempo atual e seu ensino e aprendizagem é fundamental nos cursos voltados à Tecnologia da Informação (TI). No entanto, no processo de aprendizagem, muitos estudantes se deparam com dificuldades em raciocinar e abstrair respostas para a solução de problemas encontrados. Neste contexto, a utilização de jogos digitais no ensino de programação tem sido uma estratégia, que visa minimizar essas dificuldades. Assim, foi observada a sua a aplicação, em sala de aula, visando o aprendizado de programação. Trata-se de uma pesquisa com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa a partir de um estudo de caso, tendo como coleta de dados um questionário aplicado aos participantes. Os resultados mostram que essa abordagem possui boa aceitação pelos participantes e se verificou que os participantes se sentiram motivados a aprender programação com o auxílio do jogo digital e, por isso, consideram uma estratégia importante no ensino de programação, em função da facilidade que muitos alunos já possuem para compreender a dinâmica do jogo digital.   Palavras-chave: Jogos Digitais. Code Combat. Programação. Aprendizagem.   Abstract The study included the Code Combat digital game application in the classroom in order to verify how the students interacted with this game aiming the programming learning. Programming is very important for our time and its teaching and learning is fundamental in courses focused on Information Technology (IT). However, in the learning process, many students face difficulties reasoning and abstracting answers to solve encountered problems. In this context, the use of digital games in programming teaching has been a strategy that aims to minimize these difficulties. Thus, it was observed its application in the classroom aiming at programming learning. This is a research with qualitative and quantitative approach based on a case study with data collection as a questionnaire applied to the participants. The results show that this approach is well accepted by the participants and it was found that the participants were motivated to learn programming with the help of digital game and therefore consider it an important strategy in programming teaching, due to the ease that many students already have to understand the digital gaming dynamics.   Keywords: Digital Games. Code Combat. Programming. Learning.  

Modeling the Model for Distributed Learning

2011 ◽  
pp. 312-327
Author(s):  
Qing Li
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Graduate Courses ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Online Discussion Forums ◽  
Course Work ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

Increasingly, educators in a range of venues and institutions (e.g., K-12 schools, post secondary institutions, training facilities) are being called upon to teach online. Because it is relatively new, there appears to be no commonly held pedagogy specific to online teaching and learning. Further, these educators have little or no previous experiences to draw on, and they often feel there are no best practices to guide them in their work. This study proposes to investigate an innovative approach to online learning. It explores the impact this approach has on graduate student learning and their subsequent professional practice. This research is a qualitative case study of an instructional design model. Students enrolled in two graduate courses using this model were recruited to this study. They were given an open-ended survey and artifacts from their course work and online discussion forums were reviewed.

scholarly journals Utilização de um Sistema de Provas Eletrônicas (SPE) como estratégia de ensino e avaliação de aprendizagem: um estudo de caso em uma Instituição de Ensino Superior (IES)

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 464-487
Author(s):  
Vinicius Costa da Silva Zonatto ◽  
Elvis Silveira-Martins ◽  
Andréia Carpes Dani ◽  
Roberto Carlos Klann
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Examination System ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Learning Evaluation ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Evaluation Of Learning

This study aims to identify the contributions of an Electronic Examination System of (SPE) in the processes of teaching and learning evaluation of Business and Accounting Undergraduate students of a higher education institution. A case study, of exploratory and descriptive nature, with qualitative and quantitative approach was conducted. The main highlighted contributions by teachers in the teaching and evaluation of learning processes are related to the identification of areas of improvement, the reinforcement of content taught during the course, the consolidation of basic concepts, the expansion of general knowledge (multidisciplinary learning), greater quality of education and higher levels of learning. The results show that the students’ performance on the SPE assessments was increasing, which represents a better performance of the whole group analyzed. Similar results were observed in bimonthly evaluations, where the students’ performance was also growing and lowest standard deviation, which indicates less dispersion in the overall performance of the students. The results suggest that the students’ are getting a better learning the content taught in courses, which opens perspectives for a new field of research. It is concluded that the SPE can be an effective strategy of teaching and learning.

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