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.

scholarly journals Facebook Group and Student Engagement

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santirianingrum Soebandhi ◽  
Natalia Damastuti ◽  
Novi Nurul Quina
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information System ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Management Information System ◽  
Management Information ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Educational Tools ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the use of Facebook groups on student learning process. This group is intended as a communication and discussion tool and means for collecting assignment, therefore all members of this group can access the course related materials. Online questionnaire using Likert scale and open-ended section is used at the end of the course to know the response of students to the use of this group. We obtained 57 responses from 77 enrolled students from Management Information System subject. The results showed that the FB Group enhanced engagement both on the course and lecturer, and can be used as educational tools in higher education.

scholarly journals The LEAP (Learning Excellence Achievement Pathway) framework: A model for student learning development in higher education

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily McIntosh ◽  
Mary Barden
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Evaluation Activity ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
Mixed Methods Evaluation ◽  
Learning Development ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

This article explores the development of the LEAP (Learning Excellence Achievement Pathway) framework at the University of Bolton, UK. It describes the nature of the project and focuses on the methodology involved in conducting an institution-wide audit of student learning development (LD) provision and producing a visual framework to stimulate a culture of LD within the organisation. Whilst most UK universities offer a student LD programme at undergraduate level, little work has been undertaken to develop and define a visual framework which underpins these programmes and assists students to conceptualise their progress. This paper explores the context for creating an LD framework and outlines how LD provision is mapped to align curricular LD opportunities with co-curricular student engagement initiatives. The article then considers the implementation of the LEAP framework. A mixed-methods evaluation activity was conducted, involving both staff and students, using a variety of data. Evaluation methods were used to assess the impact of the framework on student LD, revealing a number of positive changes to their LD behaviour and habits, their assessment of LD, the accessibility of help and support and their awareness of the context in which LD takes place. Finally, we identify future developments to the framework to embed it further within the institution.

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 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 Intersections between Tutorial Engagement, Directive Feedback, and Critical Reflection

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 246-264
Author(s):  
Gail Nash ◽  
Morgan Dawson ◽  
Kaine Gulozer
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Reciprocal Interaction ◽  
Composition Course ◽  
Sociocultural Model ◽  
Core Composition ◽  
Writing Assignment ◽  
The Impact

A handful of research studies have investigated the effect of writing centre tutorials on subsequent revisions. This classroom-based study adds to that research by reporting results from a collaborative study between a composition professor and a writing centre tutor. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of writing centre tutorials on immediate student revisions as well as final drafts. The analysis was extensively framed by the Vygotskyan sociocultural model of language and cognitive development with an emphasis on tutor-student engagement as reciprocal interaction which include directive feedback and consequential revision. This study employed a qualitative design with students in a sophomore-level core composition course. Participants attended a writing centre session concerning their major writing assignment. Data triangulation included analysis of assignment drafts, observation notes, and tutorial transcripts. Findings revealed that students attended to feedback that was directive and straightforward. Additionally, students did not attend to citation feedback unless it was direct and explicit. Furthermore, students sometimes overgeneralized and misapplied the feedback. The findings highlight the impact of individual learner factors as well as the results of directive feedback on revisions.

scholarly journals Impact of first-year seminar on student engagement, awareness, and general attitudes toward higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bothaina A. Al-Sheeb ◽  
Mahmoud Samir Abdulwahed ◽  
Abdel Magid Hamouda
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
College Of Law ◽  
First Year Seminars ◽  
Campus Resources ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Year Seminar

Purpose This study intends to add to the existing body of literature on the impact of a newly implemented first year seminar in the College of Law and Business. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effects the course have on students in regard to three aspects: student awareness and utilization of resources, interaction patterns, as well as, general interests and attitudes toward higher education. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of the assessment included analysis of a survey that has been conducted by the end of Spring 2014 semester. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to measure the impact of the intervention on students’ awareness and utilization of resources, interactions, general interests, and attitudes toward higher education. Through the SPSS application, the Mann Whitney U Test, and χ2 tests were used to check for significant differences while comparing the means or frequencies for both groups. For the three questions, the authors have used the 90 percent confidence level and the standard significance level p-value of 0.05 or less for statistical analysis. Findings The results indicated that the course had a highly significant positive impact on student attitudes and awareness of campus resources but had less significant impact on student interactions and utilization of resources. The results in this study reveal a positive impact for the first-year seminar course on student satisfaction and attitudes toward higher education as well as their awareness of campus resources. However, in terms of the course impact on student interaction, results conveyed that students who have participated in the first-year seminar course show a slightly better interaction rate with instructors, academic advisors, and close friends than those in the control group. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study was that the sample was small. Nonetheless, it has provided valuable insights into the understanding of the social and academic impact of first-year seminars on student engagement; through the use of comparison groups, this study increased the validity of prior research. Practical implications The first-year seminar course evaluated in this study demonstrated the potential to support and enhance student social and academic engagement during the first year of college. Based on the results in this study, the study team recommended some revisions to the current first-year seminar model (UNIV P100 Skills for University Success). The team proposed three models for subsequent first-year seminars at this university. Originality/value This study adds to the existing literature by examining the impact of a newly implemented first-year seminar course at the College of Law and Business at this university on both academic and non-academic aspects from the students’ perspective. These aspects were selected as retention and GPA effects have been widely explored; therefore, the focus is on the less studied emotional and social factors associated with student success and retention. The results from this study can act as a guide for universities intending to introduce a first-year seminar course as it gives clear guidelines on design, content, and course implementation, which can be useful in enhancing general student motivation and attitudes toward academic study and higher education in general.

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.

Recognition of prior learning as an access tool

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 563-570
Author(s):  
Ike Hlongwane
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Alternative Route ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Recognition Of Prior Learning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Training

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of recognition of prior learning (RPL) as an alternative tool for access into learning programmes in South African Library and Information Science (LIS) schools. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted quantitative methods, and utilised questionnaires and document analysis to collect data. Findings The study found that despite an institutional “will” among the LIS schools to open up access to learners who come from diverse backgrounds; there are still aspects that inhibit the use of RPL as an alternative route of access into higher education and training. Research limitations/implications In-depth interviews were not conducted to ascertain the veracity of the findings. Practical implications This study was valuable for institutions, policy makers, government and other stakeholders to assess the impact of RPL implementation in higher education and training. Originality/value Despite there been very little published concerning RPL implementation in higher education and training, use of RPL, as an alternative route to access into higher education and training is generally low. The paper seeks to highlight and promote RPL as an alternative route of access into higher education and training especially for non-matriculants from diverse backgrounds.

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